Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

I'm new to the platform and have a question I hope someone can help me out with. I read through the FAQ but my question was not directly answered. So, here it is. If I have a 2 meg Visor and the 8 meg springboard, would there be any difficulty loading a database larger than 2 megs onto the springboard? To put it another way, do I have to first load the DB to the visor, and then move it to the springboard or can I load it directly to the springboard when I hotsynch. This is a concern for me as I am interested in having large medical databases on the springboard module and these databases would be too large to first fit onto the Visor with it's 2 meg of memory.

Also, I am aware that many programs will not run on the springboard 8meg module. I am wondering if there are specific properties of a program that will decrease the likelyhood that it will work (i.e., needs to write to the memory)? Again, I'm mostly interested in having read access to databases. Thanks again for any help.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

I'm afraid you need a deluxe to load 2MB+ 'files' to the memory module...
you could use someone elses VDx to do it...

But I don't have a memory module, so I could be wrong...

__________________
<IMG WIDTH="200" HEIGHT="50" SRC=http://www.visorcentral.com/images/visorcentral.gif> VisorCentral Discussion Moderator
Do files get embarrassed when they get unzipped?

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

ToolkiT is right

To get data to the 8MB SBM, you first have to move to the Visor. However, NeuroMan, you may have an out if the medical database is one of the ones that is available as a SBM (but you had probably already figured that out).

Your other assumption is sort of correct. The problems you will encounter have to do with the app wanting to write to memory, and then not distinguishing between main memory and expansion memory. You will encounter the problem if:

• an apps wants to write to a data file that is in the 8MB SBM.
  
  
• an app wants to create a new data file (e.g. a configuration file) in the memory area where the .PRC (program file) is located. Obviously, this is going to be a problem when the .PRC is in the 8MB SBM!

Some of the problems appear in places where you wouldn't expect to find them. For example, DOC readers are generally assumed to be "read-only" apps. However, some of them want to place things like bookmarks into the DOC file, and they will crash-and-burn if you ask them to even open a DOC file in the 8MB SBM. My favorite DOC reader, TealDOC, is guilty of this sin.