Pocket Logbook Pocket Logbook is based on an application I started in about 1987 for the Psion Organiser 2. This version will run on the Series 3a only. Pocket Logbook is intended to meet the requirements of the U.K. Amateur Radio Licence as far as possible, although it can be used for logging portable operations, contests, etc. While this version does not offer the frills that some of the PC logbook programs offer, it should provide an reasonable alternative to a paper logbook. This beta version is released to judge the usefulness of the idea, and as such it is incomplete. However it does allow the basic log functions and may be expanded later. The program allows the recording of the following information: Date of QSO Start time End time Band - all UK bands pre-programmed in Mode - all modes listed in the U.K. licence pre-programmed Power Callsign RST given RST received Comments - up to 30 characters The program is menu and hot-key driven, the following options are available: File Menu. New file Creates a new log file Open file Closes the current file, and opens another existing file Import file Appends a CSV (comma separated values) file Export file Writes a CSV file. Entry Menu. Append Allows entry of new QSO. The first dialog to appear allows the entry of Callsign, RST out, RST in, Comments. The date will be the current date, the time is the current time. Both these entries may be changed if required. The band allows the choice of all U.K. bands, the mode allows all listed U.K. modes (J3E, etc.). The power (4 characters) is the last line. When all data is filled in, press Enter to continue, or Esc to abort. If you press Enter, another dialog appears, which prompts for the End time (current). Three buttons are shown. Abort (Esc) aborts the entry and clears the data. Hold (Psion-H) clears the dialog, but holds all the data entered. You may scroll and search the logbook with- out losing this data, and next time you select Append the first dialog will reappear, containing the data you last entered. Edit if necessary, press Enter and the second dialog will reappear, containing the current End time. Once again this may be changed. Press Enter to add the QSO to the database. If you abort, next time you use Append, the last used band, power and mode are retained. So for normal use, press Append at the start of a QSO. Add the details, and press Enter at the end of the QSO. The correct End time will be shown. Then press Enter to save the data. So before the QSO ends, you can press Hold, look through the logbook, without losing the original data. Play around with this on the Demo Log provided, ypu will soon get the idea. When data is saved, the cleared Append dialog will reappear ready for the next QSO. Press Esc to remove it. You will notice that the display has scrolled to the last page, showing the entry you just made. Update This allows the editing of any record. The updated record will appear at the end of the log, in normal Psion fashion. While this may not seem ideal, this method involves the addition of only 100 bytes of data, and so is flash-friendly. An alternative version may be provided later, to keep the records in order. However this will be suitable only for Psions with a LOT of free RAM, i.e. not really suitable where your logbook is held on a flash SSD. If you need to amend the last QSO you entered, the order will not be lost. After an update, the display will scroll to the last entry. Delete Deletes any record. After a deletion, the screen will normally show the previous entry at the top. Search Menu. Find This searches the selected field to find your data. The dialog allows the selection of the field to search. The search starts at the first entry. Find again This continues the search from the last entry found. First Entry Goes to the first logbook entry You can also press 'Home' (Psion-LeftArrow) Last Entry Goes to the last logbook entry. You can alsp press 'End' (Psion-RightArrow) Jump to Entry Allows you to jump to any record number in the logbook. Special Menu. Compression Off/On Normally compression is ON if your logbook data is kept on RAM. If you update an entry, the logbook file will be compressed to free the deleted space. On a large file this may take a long time. If you feel this is too long, turn compression OFF. PocLog is a type 3 application, like WORD or SHEET. It can be closed by pressing Delete from the system screen. You can also change files from the system screen. You can open more than one file at a time by highlighting the new file, and pressing Shift-Enter. Each entry takes up about 60 bytes. Thus a 1000 record logbook will occupy about 60k of memory. PocLog takes a minimum of about 31k of system memory when running. Sorting the database. If you have made a lot of amendments to your log, it can be resorted in a couple of ways. Firstly, if you have JBDATA, you can load the logbook in and sort on the first three fields (default). This may also be possible using another Psion database application. Please note that the process may be slow, and memory hungry. It is best suited where the logbook is held in RAM (internal or RAM SSD), and there is a lot of RAM available. If you keep your logbook on Flash SSD, which is the safest way, you can copy it to RAM for sorting (if there's enough RAM) and then copy it back again, possibly after formatting the Flash SSD. You can also sort the file externally - see below. File Import and Export. Select Export from the File menu, and you will see a file selector. It asks for the target directory - normally the default directory \PL\ Press Enter to write a file EXPORT.PL to the chosen directory. The file will be identical to a comma delimited text file which can be written by the DATA application. This can be transferred to another computer, and sorted by any application which can sort text, e.g. the DOS SORT command: use EXPORT.PL < SORT > IMPORT.PL which will hopefully do the job (check your DOS manual!). You may also read EXPORT.PL into a PC/Mac/etc. database which can read CSV files. Note that the values are NOT surrounded by quotes. Select Import from the File menu, and you see a file selector 'lined up' on the \PL\ directory. The selector will show only files ending in .PL but you may press return to see any others. You may select a comma delimited file of the sort written by "Export". NOTE if you try to import a file with more/less or different size fields than Pocket Logbook expects, the program may CRASH. You may sort a logbook file on a PC as follows: Export the file. Transfer to a PC. Type at the DOS prompt: EXPORT.PL < SORT > IMPORT.PL Transfer IMPORT.PL to the Psion. Create a new empty logbook file - highlight the PocLog icon and press Psion-N, or select New file from the PocLog File menu. Import IMPORT.PL File formats and directories All logbook files are kept in a \PL\ directory. This will be created in your default drive if it does not exist, every time you start PocLog. Logbook files are similar to files created with the built-in DATA application. They have 10 fields, with labels, and can be viewed and manipulated with DATA. They are named like POCLOG.DBF and structured: Date stored like YYYYMMDD Time stored like HH:MM End stored like HH:MM Band up to 5 characters (entered from choice list) Mode up to 3 characters --ditto-- Power 4 characters, left justified by spaces Callsign up to 8 characters RST Out up to 3 characters RST In up tp 3 characters Comments up to 30 characters (all may not be seen in the display) INSTALLATION Copy PL.OPA into an \APP\ directory, and install to the system screen using Psion-I. There may be a demo file called DEMO.DBF which may be copied into a \PL\ directory. You will have to create this directory from the system screen, although PocLog will do this when you run it. NEXT VERSION I am at present working on a net handling routine. The idea is that all QSO data from a net is held in memory until the net closes. You will be able to update it at will, without losing the order, and it will be saved to the logbook file on a keypress or program exit. Printing - either to a file or a printer. CONTACT The author, Roger Muggleton G0HZK can be reached by the following: Packet radio : G0HZK@GB7WIR.#42.GBR.EU Internet : hzk@cix.compulink.co.uk roger.muggleton@vid.bsg.mf.gpt.co.uk http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/g0hzk/ Mail : Qthr all callbooks. Any comments are welcome. It may be possible to change the date format, items logged, etc., however since I have only UK Psions, I cannot guess what may happen on any other version!