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Converting

The way I do it is a little time intensive:

1. Find story on web
   
2. "Save As..." text file
   
3. Open in text processor (TexEdit http://www.nearside.com/trans-tex/ on Mac, NoteTab http://www.notetab.com/ on Windows - these are what I use. There are others. Be sure you do NOT use a word processor! It has to be a text processor.)
   
4. Remove linefeeds and extra carriage returns so text word wraps.
   
5. Save (duh!)
   
6. Drag onto MakeDoc http://www.palmgear.com/software/answer.cfm?quicksearch2=makedoc&softwareflag=yes
   
7. Install.

That's why the updates are so slow. ::grin::

However, there is a quicker, easier way. Both start like this:

1. Go to http://www.isilo.com/
   
2. Download iSiloFree (or iSilo regular. When the demo period is up, either pay for it (it's worth it) or go get iSiloFree)
   
3. Download iSiloX for Win or iSiloMac for the Mac, depending on what you have

Ok. Ready?

Windows way #1:

1. Find story on web
   
2. "Save As..." html file
   
3. Run file thru iSiloX
   
4. Install

Windows way #2:

1. Find story on web
   
2. Type URL into iSiloX
   
3. Run iSiloX (while online)
   
4. Install

With both of the above, be sure to read the docs and set your preferences to be sure you get the whole story. With way #2, be sure you don't set it to go too many levels deep, or it'll take forever, get pages you don't want, and make huge files.

I do way #2 when I want to get an author's entire output in one file for leisurely reading. It's slower than way #1, as it has to go out to the 'net to get the info.

Macintosh way:

1. Find story on web
   
2. "Save As..." html file
   
3. Run file thru iSiloMac
   
4. Install

And now there's a third way:

http://www.poormojo.org/dod.html

From the website:

The purpose of [the Doc on Demand engine] is the conversion of text files (be they pasted from your clipboard or Stripped by this very engine from the URL you provide) from their ASCII state into a .pdb file which can be read on your palm-top computer (e.g. a Palm Pilot, Visor, one of those crazy PDA-cellphone thingies, a Psion, a Jornada, etc., etc., ad infinitum.)

However, using this engine puts the finished product up on a public web page where everyone can see and download it, so be discreet. Remember, fanfic *is* illegal! ::grin::

Another third way ::grin::

http://pilot.screwdriver.net/

From the website:

This page converts any url into AportisDOC format for the Palm Connected Organizer. It does some very simple formatting, even turning tables into something almost readable.

As above, however, using this engine puts the finished product up on a public web page where everyone can see and download it, so be discreet.

Pros & cons of the three different methods.

Using MakeDoc (or the DOD engine or screwdriver): Doc (not to be confused with the MS Word file suffix!) files can be edited on the Palm (if you have SmartDoc, QuickWord, MegaDoc, TakeNote, or QED. http://www.palmgear.com/software/answer_category.cfm?categoryIDs=167,&searchTitle=Document%20Reader) They can be translated back and forth from Palm to desktop and back to Palm format. They do NOT show any formatting. No italics, bold, underline, etc.

(Versions now available of QuickWord, FastWriter, MiniWrite, MobiPocket, WordSmith, and Documents to Go can directly import to and export from MS Word, including most formatting. Documents to Go works on a Macintosh as well as a Windows PC. WordSmith has a bi-directional conduit for Mac OS, and command-line converters for Linux. MobiPocket and IambicReader can read and interpret simple HTML, retaining formatting.)

Palm (doc) formatted files are about 1/2 the size of the text files you made them from. ie:
     Text file = 48K, doc file = 24K (small file)
     Text file = 392K, doc file = 224K (large file)

Using iSilo: Files are not editable, nor can they be translated back. They can just be read. Files are smaller then Doc files, so you can fit more of them on your Palm. ie:
     Text file = 48K, iSilo file = 20K (small file)
     Text file = 392K, iSilo file = 180K (large file)

     Text File      Doc File       iSilo File

        48K            24K            20K

       392K           224K           180K

I use iSilo when I'm in a hurry...ie: I get out of work in 15 minutes and want something to read on line at the bank. I go into my internet cache directory and grab the last few stories I've read, drag 'em onto iSilo and install. (I have a tendency at work to let a story load into my browser, and then go do something else. I may have 10-15 stories in cache at any one time that I haven't read yet. I get to work early and do this, then I can read during lunch or long wait times on the phone without have to dial back in to the net. The same phone line is used for insurance verification, you see.)

I use the MakeDoc method for everything at Fries, however. All the software can read it (iSilo can read iSilo and doc format, SmartDoc can only read doc format), and it's a format that can be read on several platforms other than the PalmOS (TI Avigo, Psion, Windows CE, etc).

Another option: If you already have a copy of PeanutReader or PalmReader on your Palm, Palm offers a free converter. It's available for Windows and Macintosh, and in a Java version for other platforms. You can read about the markup language and download the program from the Palm Digital Media web site. PalmReader comes on the CD with the latest Palm devices, and can be downloaded free from http://www.peanutpress.com/. It's available for Palm OS and Pocket PC/WinCE devices.

Oh yeah! In addition to iSilo and iSiloWeb (or whatever your choice of converter/reader is), there's one other very important piece of software. You don't want to have to do a full HotSync everytime you add a story, right?

Windows:
pInstall http://pinstall.envicon.com/e/pinstall/pinstall.html

is an absolutely brilliant piece of software. And free!
From the website: Install Palm Pilot Software WITHOUT HotSync.
Click on any prc, pqa or pdb file and push the HotSync button. That's all.

Macintosh:
SyncBuddy http://perso.wanadoo.fr/fpillet/syncbuddyGB.html

Finder-like active link between the Mac and the PalmPilot for live browsing, drag-and-drop backup, install and on-the-fly conversion of PalmOS databases. This is well worth the shareware fee.

Remember, the most important piece of advice:

Oh yeah, a really cool site with all kinds of info about ebooks, and writing/editing with a Palm is:

Writing On Your Palm

http://www.writingonyourpalm.net/

And don't forget the other places to find reading material (not fanfic, but check 'em out anyway):

MemoWare - The PDA Document Repository
check out his contents! And his reference section, and his links to other etext archives and his descriptions of reader programs and, and, and... (He's my hero!)

http://www.MemoWare.com/

My list of web sites that offer e-books,

free or for sale, in Palm format or in a format that can be read on the Palm with the proper reader.

Well, this was probably more answer than you bargained for, hunh? ::grin:: Let me know if it helped!

This page last updated:
Thu, 04 Aug 2005, 12:04PM EDT

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