On Mar 30, 4:44 pm, Jim <adirondack...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Mar 16, 7:20 pm, Jim <adirondack...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hi,
>
> > Yeah, I know thePalmIIIxis kinda old, but...I want to overwrite the
> > OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash), and would
> > really like to make use of the up/down buttons.  (I know the other 4
> > buttons are input to Port D, D0-D3).
>
> > I looked at all the gpio (parallel port) inputs and can't find any
> > handling those two buttons.  I looked through the POSE source code and
> > saw reference to keyboard rows & columns, so I thought they were
> > multiplexing (banking) the 4 gpio lines.  So, I inverted the output of
> > all the gpio output bits (using the small ROM debug monitor) and then
> > checked Port D.  Nothing.  I then saw in POSE a reference to HW ID
> > bits that may also be multiplexed.  Geesh, that means finding two (or
> > more) combinations of gpio outputs and getting them in the right
> > combination--IF that's a correct assumption in the first place...
>
> > So, I decided to try a long shot and ask the internet community.  Who
> > knows, I might get lucky and one of the developers will take pity on
> > me.  :)
>
> > So, if anyone has any info on those two buttons and how the firmware
> > reads them, I'd be much obliged.
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Jim
>
> Well, I got busy and didn't get a chance to work on my project until
> today.  I was sooo excited when I saw a bunch of people responded to
> my question!!  Unfortunately, no one answered it.  :(  Oh well, at
> least I brought people down memory lane.  :
>
> FYI:  the IIIx does have flash.  I already re-programmed it.  It's now
> running a simple little program I wrote.  I still don't quite
> understand the bootup process though--when I put batteries in it won't
> run--I have to hit the power or reset button.
>
> Anyways, I'll probably ALWAYS be interested in knowing how to read the
> up/down buttons, so if someone years later reads this and knows,
> please send me an email.
>
> Thanks much everyone!

More than a stroll down memory lane.  I thought I had a Palm III, but
on looking harder at it I realize that it is a Palm Pilot Pro.  Even
though I have upgraded the OS to ver 2.0 Pro, but even software that
says it will run under v2.0 won't run on this and will even tell me to
"upgrade" to 2.0.

I want to use this device for geocaching.  I have a Zire 72, but the
case is just not as easy to hold and does not feel as rugged.  I
really like the squared off, plastic case and the fact that I can see
the screen under *any* conditions.

I wonder how many of these things are still floating around?

On Mar 16, 7:20 pm, Jim <adirondack...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Yeah, I know thePalmIIIxis kinda old, but...I want to overwrite the
> OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash), and would
> really like to make use of the up/down buttons.  (I know the other 4
> buttons are input to Port D, D0-D3).
>
> I looked at all the gpio (parallel port) inputs and can't find any
> handling those two buttons.  I looked through the POSE source code and
> saw reference to keyboard rows & columns, so I thought they were
> multiplexing (banking) the 4 gpio lines.  So, I inverted the output of
> all the gpio output bits (using the small ROM debug monitor) and then
> checked Port D.  Nothing.  I then saw in POSE a reference to HW ID
> bits that may also be multiplexed.  Geesh, that means finding two (or
> more) combinations of gpio outputs and getting them in the right
> combination--IF that's a correct assumption in the first place...
>
> So, I decided to try a long shot and ask the internet community.  Who
> knows, I might get lucky and one of the developers will take pity on
> me.  :)
>
> So, if anyone has any info on those two buttons and how the firmware
> reads them, I'd be much obliged.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim

Well, I got busy and didn't get a chance to work on my project until
today.  I was sooo excited when I saw a bunch of people responded to
my question!!  Unfortunately, no one answered it.  :(  Oh well, at
least I brought people down memory lane.  :

FYI:  the IIIx does have flash.  I already re-programmed it.  It's now
running a simple little program I wrote.  I still don't quite
understand the bootup process though--when I put batteries in it won't
run--I have to hit the power or reset button.

Anyways, I'll probably ALWAYS be interested in knowing how to read the
up/down buttons, so if someone years later reads this and knows,
please send me an email.

Thanks much everyone!


Jim

On 22 Mar, 23:02, nj...@eclipse.net (gene martinez) wrote:
> "BillW50" <Bill...@aol.kom> wrote:
> >Innews:MPG.224774247532062e9896a0@news.frontiernet.net,
> >Jim Anderson typed on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:15:35 GMT:
> >> In article <758c2ea4-a8e3-4ad6-b986-9689ad91c2d9
> >> @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, adirondack...@yahoo.com says...
> >>> I want to overwrite the
> >>> OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash)
>
> >> I thought the IIIx had MASKED ROM and can not be flashed?
>
> >> Maybe I'm thinking of the IIIxe, hard to remember 10-11 years ago
> >> anymore.
>
> >I still use my Palm IIIc daily. Still have my Palm IIIxe as a backup.
> >Even lugging around the folding keyboard, it sure beats lugging around
> >my laptop. ;-)
>
> >--
> >Bill
>
> Your not the only one. I still have/use my Palm IIIxe. I haven't
> needed a new one yet... =A0:)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I've still got my IIIx but I don't use it any more. I replaced it with
a Zire 31 that I use all the time. The only drawback is that it needs
recharging more often than the IIIx which I used with NiMH cells.

Leon

On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:02:03 GMT, gene martinez <njkat@eclipse.net> wrote:
>"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

>>In news:MPG.224774247532062e9896a0@news.frontiernet.net,
>>Jim Anderson typed on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:15:35 GMT:
>>> In article <758c2ea4-a8e3-4ad6-b986-9689ad91c2d9
>>> @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, adirondackmtn@yahoo.com says...
>>>> I want to overwrite the
>>>> OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash)
>>>
>>> I thought the IIIx had MASKED ROM and can not be flashed?
>>>
>>> Maybe I'm thinking of the IIIxe, hard to remember 10-11 years ago
>>> anymore.
>>
>>I still use my Palm IIIc daily. Still have my Palm IIIxe as a backup. 
>>Even lugging around the folding keyboard, it sure beats lugging around 
>>my laptop. ;-)
>>
>>-- 
>>Bill 

>Your not the only one. I still have/use my Palm IIIxe. I haven't
>needed a new one yet...  :)

I moved to a samsung sph-i500 (palm os4) which I finally retired a couple of
months ago when the case literally disintigrated on me.  Bit of plastic
started falling off.  The paint had worn off 18 months prior and the case
must have finally developed stress fractures.

I moved to a palm centro (palmos5) in a stop gap move.  I'm not ready to
move to AT&T crappy network to use an I-Phone, and really don't want to use
a windows mobile and insane resource requirements, dog slow performance and
frequent lockups and crashes.  Maybe by the time it falls apart on me, there
be better solutions in the marketplace.

"BillW50" <BillW50@aol.kom> wrote:

>In news:MPG.224774247532062e9896a0@news.frontiernet.net,
>Jim Anderson typed on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:15:35 GMT:
>> In article <758c2ea4-a8e3-4ad6-b986-9689ad91c2d9
>> @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, adirondackmtn@yahoo.com says...
>>> I want to overwrite the
>>> OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash)
>>
>> I thought the IIIx had MASKED ROM and can not be flashed?
>>
>> Maybe I'm thinking of the IIIxe, hard to remember 10-11 years ago
>> anymore.
>
>I still use my Palm IIIc daily. Still have my Palm IIIxe as a backup. 
>Even lugging around the folding keyboard, it sure beats lugging around 
>my laptop. ;-)
>
>-- 
>Bill 

Your not the only one. I still have/use my Palm IIIxe. I haven't
needed a new one yet...  :)

In news:MPG.224774247532062e9896a0@news.frontiernet.net,
Jim Anderson typed on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:15:35 GMT:
> In article <758c2ea4-a8e3-4ad6-b986-9689ad91c2d9
> @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, adirondackmtn@yahoo.com says...
>> I want to overwrite the
>> OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash)
>
> I thought the IIIx had MASKED ROM and can not be flashed?
>
> Maybe I'm thinking of the IIIxe, hard to remember 10-11 years ago
> anymore.

I still use my Palm IIIc daily. Still have my Palm IIIxe as a backup. 
Even lugging around the folding keyboard, it sure beats lugging around 
my laptop. ;-)

-- 
Bill 

In article <758c2ea4-a8e3-4ad6-b986-9689ad91c2d9
@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, adirondackmtn@yahoo.com says...
> I want to overwrite the
> OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash)
> 

I thought the IIIx had MASKED ROM and can not be flashed?

Maybe I'm thinking of the IIIxe, hard to remember 10-11 years ago 
anymore.

Hi,

Yeah, I know the Palm IIIx is kinda old, but...I want to overwrite the
OS (already have my own little piece of firmware in flash), and would
really like to make use of the up/down buttons.  (I know the other 4
buttons are input to Port D, D0-D3).

I looked at all the gpio (parallel port) inputs and can't find any
handling those two buttons.  I looked through the POSE source code and
saw reference to keyboard rows & columns, so I thought they were
multiplexing (banking) the 4 gpio lines.  So, I inverted the output of
all the gpio output bits (using the small ROM debug monitor) and then
checked Port D.  Nothing.  I then saw in POSE a reference to HW ID
bits that may also be multiplexed.  Geesh, that means finding two (or
more) combinations of gpio outputs and getting them in the right
combination--IF that's a correct assumption in the first place...

So, I decided to try a long shot and ask the internet community.  Who
knows, I might get lucky and one of the developers will take pity on
me.  :)

So, if anyone has any info on those two buttons and how the firmware
reads them, I'd be much obliged.

Thanks,


Jim