Tools for easier testing: Palm emulators let you test and debug on the desktop before loading your applications on a PDA.THE PALM PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. It typically includes a name and address database, calendar, to-do list and note taker, which are the functions in a personal information manager (see PIM). IS A WONDERFUL DEVICE to have around, but have you ever tried demonstrating a Palm application to a large group of users? Or, have you ever wanted to use a Palm application, but left your trusty PDA behind and only had a laptop handy? Most importantly Adv. 1. most importantly - above and beyond all other consideration; "above all, you must be independent" above all, most especially , while developing soft ware for the Palm, would you like to see how your coding is going without syncing to your PDA? If you've had any of these experiences, or think you might, Palm emulation software is a must! Palm operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. emulator (POSE) software is available from Palm, Inc. The current version of POSE is available for download from http://www.palmos.com/dev/tools/emulator/. You can get emulation software for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows operating systems Operating systems can be categorized by technology, ownership, licensing, working state, usage, and by many other characteristics. In practice, many of these groupings may overlap. . The software shows an image of a Palm-based handheld that rots you use the keyboard and your mouse to input information as if you were using a stylus. Via the virtual handhold hand·hold n. 1. A grip of or by the hand. 2. Something that one can hold onto for support. Noun 1. handhold - an appendage to hold onto appendage - a part that is joined to something larger , you can load, execute, debug To correct a problem in hardware or software. Debugging software means locating the errors in the source code (the program logic). Debugging hardware means finding errors in the circuit design (logical circuits) or in the physical interconnections of the circuits. , and hotsync applications. The software also visually and logically emulates different platforms using graphic images (skins) and a ROM image A ROM image, or simply ROM, is a computer file which contains a copy of the data from a read-only memory chip, often from a video game cartridge, a computer's firmware, or from an arcade game's main board. of the operating system. As new versions of the OS come out, Palm releases new ROM images to emulate older devices that have been updated to the new OS. If you belong to the Palm OS Developer program, you can download ROM images for Palm in both debug and regular versions. There's no cost involved with joining the Developer program, but it might take several days for your application to be approved. If you need the ROM image immediately, you can download it from an available device via a serial hotsync connection. (Choosing the Transfer ROM option from the pop-up menu displays a dialog showing step-by-step instructions on how to perform the transfer.) You can also download skins to make the emulator appear like different Palm OS hardware models. The download of skins version 1.9 from http://www.palmos.com/dev/tools/emulator/ includes 17 Palm, two Symbol, and three TRG TRG Training Group TRG The Resource Group TRG Technical Resource Group TRG Technical Review Group TRG Technology Research Group TRG Tory Reform Group TRG Tactical Reconnaissance Group TRG Training received (on overtime forms) models. You can get Handspring skins for all models from http://www.handspring.com/developers/tech_pose.jhtml. Options galore After you install the emulator on your workstation, you'll see something similar to the screen shown in figure 1. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] You can use your mouse to manipulate the standard hardware buttons and mimic actions you'd normally perform using the stylus. Right-clicking exposes the action menu. Here, you can reset the virtual device, save a session for future use, or hotsync. Installing applications on the emulator is simple: Open the pop-up menu and select Install Application/Database > Other. This opens a dialog box where you can choose any Palm executable file (.PRC), Palm database file (.PDB), or Palm query application (.PQA (Palm Query Application) A capability for radio-enabled Palm devices that locates the home page of a wireless application in the Palm itself. Compiled into binary form for compactness, the pre-stored home pages serve as launching pads to the wireless Web site. ) files. After you install the new application, you must open a previously installed application and return to the main screen; the new application icon will then appear. After you configure the emulator to meet your needs, you can save the settings. Choosing the Save As option from the pop-up menu displays a Save Session to ... dialog, through which you can save the Palm configuration file (.PSF) to disk. Opening a saved session lets you return to a known clean environment. This can be useful when you're testing applications or performing multiple demonstrations. Let the Gremlins go to work The emulator comes with a utility called Gremlins. I'm not talking about furry movie monsters or compact cars; this is an automated testing tool. The tool tests randomly generated, simulated stylus taps and graffiti text made up of random characters and quotes from Shakespeare. A testing script is called a Gremlin gremlin, in American folklore, malicious, airborne supernatural being. Gremlins were first heard of during World War II as creatures responsible for unexplainable mechanical failures and disruptions in aircraft. Horde. You can choose which application to test, the number of Gremlins to run, and the number of events to execute for each Gremlin. You also have several logging options. The software automatically saves the session configuration after a predetermined pre·de·ter·mine v. pre·de·ter·mined, pre·de·ter·min·ing, pre·de·ter·mines v.tr. 1. To determine, decide, or establish in advance: number of events. Documentation tool You don't want to skimp skimp v. skimped, skimp·ing, skimps v.tr. 1. To deal with hastily, carelessly, or with poor material: concentrated on reelection, skimping other matters. 2. on the important step of documenting your mobile applications. However, there isn't an easy way to take screen shots on a Palm device. Fortunately, emulation software gives you two ways to perform this task. The first method is to capture a screen shot and use image editing software to display only the emulator. This method shows both the emulator skin and screen. To capture only the emulator screen, choose the Save Screen option from the pop-up menu. This saves the current emulator screen in .BMP (1) (BitMaP) Also known as a "bump" file, it is the native, bitmapped graphics format in Windows. A BMP can be saved in several color options: 1-, 4-, 8- and 24-bit color provide 2, 16, 256 and 16,000,000 colors respectively. BMP files use the .BMP or . format at 160x160 pixels. Choosing the White Background option in the skins setting from the popup menu increases the readability of the screenshot See screen shot. . Capturing screen images using these methods is a powerful tool to produce accurate and professional documentation. Make your life easier POSE software can be a handy utility when the need arises. It's a nice-to-have option for power users who want to test downloaded software before exposing their hardware to a new application. However, it s a must-have for developers during the all-important testing, debugging, and documentation phases. What About the Other Guys? Although poking around the Web will reveal a slew of Pocket PC emulators, there's only one "official" emulator: the Pocket PC 2002 Emulator. You can get it from Microsoft as part of Visual Studio 2003. If you're developing for the Symbian platform, you can get an emulator (and other development tools) from http://www.symbian.com/developer/downloads/. The emulators for each of these platforms offer functionality similar to the Palm emulation software. MOBILE BUSINESS BENEFITS Developers of mobile applications face the difficult task of writing applications on a workstation--when the application itself will run on a mobile device. This can make the testing phase unwieldy because the developer has to sync every change to the device before they can test it. Emulation software to the rescue: It lets developers write code and test it right on their workstation. Keith Perry is president of KP Tech Enterprises, a consulting firm specializing in application development and computer security. He currently is managing a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191) Also known as the "Kennedy-Kassebaum Act," this U.S. law protects employees' health insurance coverage when they change or lose their jobs (Title I) and provides standards for patient health, project for a major health care insurance company. Keith recently completed sales force automation Automating the sales activities within an organization. A comprehensive SFA package provides such functions as contact management, note and information sharing, quick proposal and presentation generation, product configurators, calendars and to-do lists. projects on both the Palm and tablet PC platforms. He has a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in business administration, kperry@gate.net. |
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