PD and Windows Mobile 2005

[mikelove]

We encountered this here once too - it looks like PlecoDict's settings (stored in the registry) can sometimes get corrupted on a can't-find-files startup. We should be able to eliminate this problem in Beta 3, but as for your immediate situation, if you download a registry editor program for your PPC (there are several out there, like the free PHM one http://www.phm.lu/Products/PocketPC/RegEdit/) you can remove the offending data using that. Just go to \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Pleco Software\PlecoDict\ and delete all of the keys listed under there to clear out those corrupted settings. After that, the software should start up normally.

 

[Park He Lin]

Sure enough...worked like a magic charm! Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

What registry CAB file do I install for the KJAM/QTEK9100?

Dear Park,

I'm trying to do the same thing as you. What CAB file is for our KJAM/QTEK9100?

Thanks in advance,
Shel

 

[mikelove]

Actually, any of the installation files should work just as well - in all cases you should install to your storage card, let the installation complete and then move the PlecoDict directory from \\Storage Card\Program Files\ to just \\Storage Card\. You shouldn't need to do that registry-editing fix unless you try to run PlecoDict while it's still in \\Storage Card\Program Files\.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm experiencing a different problem with my Qtek 9100 Windows Mobile 5 device.

When I go to Start -->Programs --> PlecoDict, I get the following error:
"The file 'plecodict' cannot be opened. Either it is not signed with a trusted certificate, or one of its components cannot be found. You might need to reinstall or restore this file."

So, I tried to reinstall PlecoDict using the following method:
1. I used the "Remove Programs" selection under Settings to remove PlecoDict.
2. I then used a registry editor to make sure all PlecoDict registry settings were removed (because the removal wasn't successful).
3. I installed the Beta 2 software in the following order: a) pdcompleteppc, b) pdupdateppc, c) ppcupg (downloaded after paying for software)
4. I moved the PlecoDict folder to the main Storage Card folder using File Explorer.
5. I recopied the keyfile onto the PPC.

After doing that, I still get the above error when accesing PlecoDict through "Programs". If I open PlecoDict using File Explorer, it works fine.

Any suggestions? Or will it be fixed in Beta 3?

Great job, by the way.

 

[mikelove]

Hmm... it sounds like your Qtek is set up so that it won't run unsigned code. I'm surprised that it even works through File Explorer... Anyway, I don't really know of any workarounds for this, but we've applied for a code signing certificate, and assuming that the certificate arrives in a reasonably prompt manner we should be able to code-sign Beta 3 so that it will run correctly.

 

[Anonymous]

Wait, wait, wait. Just get Tweaks 2k2 from, I think, the PC Counselor site. inside the system tweaks sections, you can turn off WM5's annoying habit of checking for certificates.

Sandra

 

[mikelove]

Does that work with systems that won't run unsigned code at all? I was under the impression that it would only work to disable warnings (like those on the x51v) - if the system refuses to even start an unsigned application, like rt's Qtek appears to be doing, then I'm not sure if Tweaks2k2 would be sufficient to fix that. (and it would be a pretty weak security model if it could be circumvented with a simple registry hack)

 

[Anonymous]

I'll have to try the registry hack when I get a chance later in the evening.

On another note, I'm finding that after I leave PlecoDict open for a period of time, I am unable to enter any text at all in the space where you enter text in order to search for words. In order to get PD working again, I have to reboot my whole device.

 

[sfrrr]

Does that work with systems that won't run unsigned code at all? I was under the impression that it would only work to disable warnings (like those on the x51v) - if the system refuses to even start an unsigned application, like rt's Qtek appears to be doing, then I'm not sure if Tweaks2k2 would be sufficient to fix that. (and it would be a pretty weak security model if it could be circumvented with a simple registry hack)

I'll try to find out for you.

Sandra

 

[mikelove]

rt - does the rest of the interface still work in these situations where you can't enter text in the Input Field? What happens when you try to scroll through the Entry List? One suggestion that immediately comes to mind: try moving the font files (simsun.ttc and PlecoPinyin.ttf) from the PlecoDict installation directory to the \Windows\Fonts folder on your Pocket PC, then soft reset your Pocket PC - there are some issues with Windows CE's system for loading fonts which may be fixed by putting them in that folder. In fact, we're thinking about installing them there automatically in Beta 3 - loath though we are to eat up 10+ MB of people's internal memory, it may not be possible to get the software running smoothly with fonts loaded from an SD card, particularly not with WM5's habit of unmounting/remounting the card at seemingly random intervals.

sfrrr - I checked Microsoft's specs and there definitely are some configurations in which a registry editor won't be able to change those settings. In fact, on some systems you can't even run a registry editor that hasn't been certified by your cellular carrier, so Tweaks2k2 would be quite useless in those cases. However, this may not be the case on rt's system, so it's certainly worth trying that hack to see if it helps.

 

[Park He Lin]

In fact, we're thinking about installing them there automatically in Beta 3 - loath though we are to eat up 10+ MB of people's internal memory, it may not be possible to get the software running smoothly with fonts loaded from an SD card, particularly not with WM5's habit of unmounting/remounting the card at seemingly random intervals.

That would be a shame because internal memory is precious. This problem is odd because the Qtek 9100 and the K-Jam are basically the same machine...same manufacturer, same WM5. Beta 2 works wonderfully on my K-Jam after I applied the suggestions you gave me. Perhaps you can configure Beta 3 as stated above and yet list the option of tweaking the font placement for those who would like to try what you had me do.

Beta 2 forever! :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

rt - does the rest of the interface still work in these situations where you can't enter text in the Input Field? What happens when you try to scroll through the Entry List?

The rest of the interface seems to work in these situations when the input field is frozen. However, the software is completely unuseable if I can't get anything to show up in the input field. I can't do anything at all with the entry list when this happens, including scrolling though my previous entries. The only way of solving this is to do a soft reset.

One suggestion that immediately comes to mind: try moving the font files (simsun.ttc and PlecoPinyin.ttf) from the PlecoDict installation directory to the \Windows\Fonts folder on your Pocket PC, then soft reset your Pocket PC - there are some issues with Windows CE's system for loading fonts which may be fixed by putting them in that folder. In fact, we're thinking about installing them there automatically in Beta 3 - loath though we are to eat up 10+ MB of people's internal memory, it may not be possible to get the software running smoothly with fonts loaded from an SD card, particularly not with WM5's habit of unmounting/remounting the card at seemingly random intervals.

Can't do this. Not enough internal storage left.

On another note, I've still got a stray non-working PlecoDict logo stuck in Start-->Programs that I can't seem to remove. I've got to start the program using File Explorer every single time. There seems to be an issue with the WM5 Remove Programs function as when I remove programs from my device, they just won't go away. Might need to do a hard reset this evening.

 

[Park He Lin]

Random Flash Cards

Okay...I found a fly in the ointment. Flash=>New Flashcard Session... reveals as expected the menus Session, Test, Cards, Ranks and Flags. When I choose Cards the choice disappears and remains in Session screen instead of the Cards screen. Thus, there is no way to access the Cards screen.

 

[Anonymous]

The rest of the interface seems to work in these situations when the input field is frozen. However, the software is completely unuseable if I can't get anything to show up in the input field. I can't do anything at all with the entry list when this happens, including scrolling though my previous entries. The only way of solving this is to do a soft reset.

OK, problem seems to have been resolved. I just did a hard reset and reinstalled PlecoDict from scratch. No major problems so far.

 

[mikelove]

Park He Lin - I agree with you that internal memory is precious, but even if you're not encountering stability problems right now there are a lot of ways that leaving the fonts on a removable card can get you into trouble. I suppose a compromise would be to install the font file to the SD card initially and then offer the option of automatically copying it to main memory the first time you run PlecoDict, but a lot of people might say No to that and then end up complaining when PlecoDict starts showing blank spaces instead of Chinese characters, so I don't know what the best bet is here. Perhaps if we offer a true "manual install" version with all of the data files in a .zip archive that would give people who want a more flexible installation the ability to get one.

And I'm seeing that same bug in the New Session screen... probably a crash-producing bug in the Cards panel. Should be easy to track down, anyway.

rt - glad to hear that this is now resolved, hopefully Beta 3 will do a better job of avoiding these problems in the first place.

 

[Anonymous]

question for RT

RT, when you reinstalled everything from scratch, did you follow your own instructions earlier using the upgrade (ppcupg.exe) or did you download redownload the whole thing.

I still haven't had time to work on mine yet and was going to do it this evening.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: question for RT

RT, when you reinstalled everything from scratch, did you follow your own instructions earlier using the upgrade (ppcupg.exe) or did you download redownload the whole thing.

Ausinasia, yes, I simply followed the steps I listed in a previous posting. I did a hard reset and manually removed all the PlecoDict files from my memory card before doing the reinstall.

 

[sfrrr]

Guys--in the seven user dictionaries thread, Mike stopped me just before I was going to do a hard reset. He told me that my problems were probably Aximx51v or WM5 bugs. So, I went into the registry key he specified and deleted all items.

A miracle happened. Not only did PD run as smoothly as it ever has--or more--and every function worked, but my Axim hasn't soft-reset itself for about 12 hours--a new record. Many other programs, including lots of games, also work better now.

This stuff is scary.

Sandra

 

[sfrrr]

Uh, except for...

I still can't get to the Card tab in Flashcards. As a result, I can't change the parameters of the tests--in this case, the one that says test me in this order, randomly, etc. As soon as my stylus taps on the Card tab, it disappears, leaving me with only the Session, Test, Ranks and Flags tabs.

The registry edits lasted about a day and then I had to repeat the process. We'll see how long this set of edits lasts. The main pain in the !@#$% is having to redo my preferences each time.

Sorry.

Sandra