I am completely OK with server application to be a separate UI PRC app that
is launched explicitly and thus Palm device is turned into server listening
mode. I just don't know how to do this. What type of communication should I
choose? You are talking about opening a USB port as a serial port and
awaiting instructions. How do I open USB port as serial port from palm app
and how to I connect to it from desktop PC app? What's the port name?

Your help would be greatly appreciated as I am not experienced Palm
programmer but I really need to implement this feature.


"Douglas Handy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:94129@palm-dev-forum...

Alexander,

>I know of one Handspring
>application that when lunched on Palm provides server services to a desktop
>app running on PC without HotSync. So it proves this is possible. I just
>don't know hot this app is implemented.

I suspect you are talking about the "File Installer" sample application,
which
allows a desktop to push/pull databases over USB without involving Hot Sync.

But it *does* require a special PRC to be active on the device -- and it is
not
just a hack.  It has to be the active user interface application.  It opens
the
USB port (as a serial port) and awaits instructions, then processes them
when
received.

This is conceptually the same thing as a communications program opening a
regular serial port and waiting on data.  However, notice that in order for
it
to work, it must be the active UI app and must have the port open and
awaiting
data.  This is not a "background" operation.  Having the serial port open
and
waiting on data also decreases battery life severely.

You could make it appear to be a background process in your application by
having the serial port open and checking for data as part of your normal
event
loop.  When you receive data on the serial port, presumably a connection has
been established.  Setup your own handshaking and exchange of data.

Doug






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