720 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
720 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
Linux and Psion HOWTO
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Hans Kugler, der.hans@LuftHans.com
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v0.0.9, 2000-11-17
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This document describes how to use Psion palmtops with Linux, but does
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not cover running Linux on a Psion palmtop. See the Linux on Psion
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Project <http://SourceForge.net/projects/linux-7110/> for that.
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______________________________________________________________________
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Table of Contents
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1. About this HOWTO
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1.1 Introduction
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1.2 This Document
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1.3 Mailing List
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1.4 Copyright notice and disclaimer
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2. General Information
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2.1 What is a Psion
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2.2 Psion models
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2.3 Psion Availability
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3. Sharing data between the Psion and Linux
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3.1 Hardware connectivity options
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3.1.1 Serial cable
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3.1.2 IrDA
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3.1.3 Builtin programs
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3.2 Programs for connectivity
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3.2.1 plptools
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3.2.2 p3nfs/p5nfs
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3.2.3 ncp
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3.3 Linux utilities
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3.3.1 Psiconv
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3.3.2 psiontobbdb
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3.3.3 psiontognomecard
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3.3.4 kab2psion
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3.3.5 PsiLin
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3.3.6 Psion SDK
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3.3.7 Xmakesys
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3.4 Psion utilities
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3.4.1 hermes
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3.4.2 perl
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3.4.3 python
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3.4.4 python
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3.4.5 BProlog
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3.4.6 Shell5
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3.4.7 E_Shell
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3.4.8 c2f
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4. Hardware Info
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4.1 Hardware Troubleshooting
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4.2 Pictures of internals
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4.3 Disassembly
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5. Further Information
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5.1 Psion Specs
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5.1.1 Psion File Formats
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5.1.2 PLP and NCP
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5.1.3 SIS and PLP
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6. Series 3
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6.1 Further Information
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6.2 Programs for connectivity
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6.2.1 p3nfs/p5nfs
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6.3 Psion utilities
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6.3.1 nfsc
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6.3.2 Shell3a
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6.3.3 PsiLin
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6.3.4 arb's Psion Software
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6.4 Informational Web Pages
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6.4.1 Hardware Info
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6.4.2 Psion Link Protocol (for Psion 3)
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6.4.3 Generic FAQs
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7. Revo
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7.1 Informational Web Pages
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7.1.1 Hardware Info
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______________________________________________________________________
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1. About this HOWTO
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1.1. Introduction
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Psion <http://www.Psion.com/> has been making PDA's for years. This
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document will concentrate on the Series 5* models, e.g. Series 5,
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Series 5mx <http://www.series5mx.com/> and Series 5mx PRO and the 32
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bit EPOC operating system they come with, but there will be some
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crossover to older models such as the Series 3* and newer models such
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as the Series 7. There is also a little information about other
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``series'' at the end of this document.
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1.2. This Document
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The latest version of this document can be found at
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<http://home.pages.de/~lufthans/unix/docs/HOWTO/psion-HOWTO.html>, but
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the main repository is the Linux Documentation Project (LDP
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<http://www.LinuxDoc.org/>).
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Please send updates, corrections or suggestions to psion@LuftHans.com.
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1.3. Mailing List
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There is a mailing list dedicated to using Psions with Linux and
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developing tools to enhance communication between them.
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To subscribe, send a message to plptools-developers-
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request@lists.SourceForge.net. John Schrader has put up a searchable
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list <http://rz-home.de/~jschrade/linux-psion.html> of messages from
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Oct 1998 through Feb 1999.
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There is also a mailing list dedicated to porting Linux to the Psion
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5* models at linux-7110-request@lists.SourceForge.net. An archive
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beginning 04Dec1999 is available at
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<http://web.gnu.walfield.org/mail-archive/linux-7110/>.
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Both mailing lists can be searched through the SourceForge interface.
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1.4. Copyright notice and disclaimer
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(c) 1999-2000 Hans Kugler
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This document may be distributed under the terms set forth in the LDP
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license at http://www.linuxdoc.org/COPYRIGHT.html
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<http://www.linuxdoc.org/COPYRIGHT.html>. The author reserves the
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right to release the document and all submissions under a different
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license in addition to the LDP license.
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This document is provided ``AS IS'', with no express or implied
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warranties. Use the information in this document at your own risk.
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2. General Information
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2.1. What is a Psion
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Psion is a powerful Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with pen-based
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touch screen as well as keyboard. There are several models. This HOWTO
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currently only covers the Series 5* models, e.g. Series 5, Series 5mx
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and Series 5mxPro.
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2.2. Psion models
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There are several models of Psion PDAs. All have a foldout case where
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the screen is in the cover and opening the Psion causes the keyboard
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to jut out to a more usable position. They also feature the instant on
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and instant off capabilities of the EPOC operating system.
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Psion 3* are older PDAs that still have a lot of functionality and
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still get sold new due to their meeting needs and being lower cost.
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This HOWTO doesn't currently cover the Psion 3* series.
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Psion 5* has two main product lines with each having two models. The
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Psion series 5 has a green limited edition counterpart with no
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functional difference between itself and the standard Series 5. The
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series 5mxPro, however, has some fundamental differences from the
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Series 5mx.
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All four of the Series 5* products have: compact flash, serial port,
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keyboard and stylus (for the touchscreen). They all operate on 2 AA
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batteries and have a backup battery to maintain state when changing
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out the main batteries. Check out Akaev's site
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<http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/s5inside/index.htm> to take a tour of
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a dissected Series 5 classic.
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Both of the Series 5 models as well as the Series 5mx have system ROMs
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where the EPOC operating system is stored. After boot they operate out
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of the RAM (8MB for the Series 5 models and 16MB for the Series 5mx).
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The Series 5mxPro, however, has no ROM and operates entirely out of
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its 24MB of RAM. This enables software upgrades to the Series 5mxPro,
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whereas the other 3 models must exchange hardware to update EPOC.
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Psion has also released the Series 7, which is set to compete against
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the subnotebook class of PC, but running EPOC. They also have a Revo,
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which is smaller than the Series 5*.
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2.3. Psion Availability
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Psion products are no longer available at retail stores in the US.
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They are available from retail shops in Europe as well as through mail
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order. Psion maintains a list of mail order
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<http://www.psion.com/resellers/index.html> firms by country on their
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web site.
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3. Sharing data between the Psion and Linux
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3.1. Hardware connectivity options
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The Psions have both serial and infra red ports. Either can be used
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for connectivity, but most connectivity programs currently only have
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features for the serial port connection.
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3.1.1. Serial cable
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Armin Podtschaske x-rayed the "honda" connector.
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Pin 1 is on the top and pin 15 is on the bottom. Only pins 2 through 8
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and 15 are connected.
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<20> Pin 2: RTS
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<20> Pin 3: DTR
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<20> Pin 4: TXD
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<20> Pin 5: DSR
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<20> Pin 6: DCD
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<20> Pin 7: CTS
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<20> Pin 8: RXD
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<20> Pin 15: GND - Signal and Power ground
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<20> Frame: GND - Shield frame ground
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3.1.2. IrDA
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See Werner Heuser's Infrared HOWTO
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<http://www.LinuxDoc.org/HOWTO/Infrared-HOWTO/> for information about
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using the Linux IrDA driver with a Psion. It is possible to beam files
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from Psion 5 (mx) via Linux-IrDA to a Linux System. The irda-utils
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include a special client psion5.c which can beam files between them.
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3.1.3. Builtin programs
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There are two builtin software methods to use the communications
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ports. The first is the remote link, <ctrl>-l from the main file menu,
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which can be set to serial, infrared or off.
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EPOC also provides the program comms. The remote link must be set to
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off for the comms program to have access to the serial port.
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3.2. Programs for connectivity
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3.2.1. plptools
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Description
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plptools <http://SourceForge.net/projects/plptools> was
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originally developed by Fritz Elfert, who had merged plp and
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``p3nfs/p5nfs''. plptools is currently being worked on by
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members of the PLP Tools project.
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plptools comprises of 3 different programs. ncpd provides a
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socket connection to the Psion. plpnfsd provides mounted
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filesystem access to the Psion and plpftp provides ftp access to
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the Psion.
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Usage
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ncpd [-V] [-v logclass] [-d] [-p <port>] [-s <device>] [-b
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<baudrate>]
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plpnfsd [-v] [-V] [-p port] [-d mountdir] [-u user]
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First start ncpd get it to listen on a port (7501 by default)
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for connection requests. Then, start either plpnfsd or plpftp.
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plpnfsd defaults to mount the Psion under /mnt/psion.
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3.2.2. p3nfs/p5nfs
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Description
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p3nfs <http://www.koeniglich.de/> mounts the psion drives over
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the serial cable at /psion.stand/mnt, by default.
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3.2.3. ncp
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Description
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Matt Gumbley originally started ncp
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<http://www.gumbley.demon.co.uk/ncp.html> for use with his Psion
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Series 3. Now that he's working on ``plptools'', you should use
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that :). However, ncp might still be of interest to users of a
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Psion Series 3, which this HOWTO doesn't cover :). Matt's ncp
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page also has information about the plp protocol.
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3.3. Linux utilities
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3.3.1. Psiconv
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Description
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Psiconv <http://huizen.dds.nl/~frodol/psiconv/> translates Psion
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Word documents or TextEd files (as used by the OPL editor, for
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example) to HTML (3.2 or 4.0) or plain text. It can also
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translate Sketch files and MBM files to almost any graphics
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format. A description of the Psion files formats is also
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included.
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3.3.2. psiontobbdb
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Description
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psiontobbdb <http://www.ramin.uklinux.net/psiontobbdb> converts
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Psion vcard format from from the EPOC Contacts application to
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emacs BBDB format.
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3.3.3. psiontognomecard
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Description
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psiontognomecard <http://www.ramin.uklinux.net/psiontognomecard>
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converts Psion vcard format from from the EPOC Contacts
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application GnomeCard vcard format.
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3.3.4. kab2psion
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Description
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kab2psion <http://web.wanadoo.be/rc.s/kab2psion/> is a small
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utility written in perl to create a CSV file from the KDE
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addressbook.
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3.3.5. PsiLin
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Description
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PsiLin
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<http://www.medsyn.fr/perso/g.delafond/psilin/psiolinu.htm> (in
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French, short english version
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<http://www.medsyn.fr/perso/g.delafond/psilin/psilingb.html>) is
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a GTK-based graphical frontend for many programs which connect
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Linux to Psion. It also works for Series 3*.
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3.3.6. Psion SDK
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Description
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The EPOC SDK works on Linux via WINE, see Olaf Flebbe's web page
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<http://members.linuxstart.com/~oflebbe/sdk/> for instructions
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on how to get it working.
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3.3.7. Xmakesys
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Description
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xmakesys <http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~adq/projects/epoc32/> is a
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perl utilility that parses Psion's .pkg files and outputs .sis
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files.
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3.4. Psion utilities
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3.4.1. hermes
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Description
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hermes <http://www.iota.demon.co.uk/psion/hermes/hermes.html> is
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a fully featured vt100 emulator.
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3.4.2. perl
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Description
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Olaf Flebbe has perl
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<http://members.linuxstart.com/~oflebbe/perl/perl5.html> running
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under EPOC.
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3.4.3. python
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Description
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Duncan Booth has python <http://dales.rmplc.co.uk/Duncan/>
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running under EPOC. (link currently down)
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3.4.4. python
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Description
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Otfried Cheong also has a port of python
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<http://www.cs.uu.nl/~otfried/Python/> for EPOC.
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3.4.5. BProlog
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Description
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Tim Wentford has gotten Bprolog
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<http://www.probp.com/download/Epoc.html> working on the Psion
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5*.
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3.4.6. Shell5
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Description
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Nick Murray has created Shell5
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<http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/1439/shell.html>,
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which is a command line interpreter which allows basic file
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operations as well as some sophisticated functions such as
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command history, filename expansion, batch file support, input
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and output redirection, pipe like feature :), aliases and shell
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variables, keyboard remapping and macros and UNIX or DOS syntax
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for pathnames.
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3.4.7. E_Shell
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Description
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E-shell comes with the SDK and is a DOS-like shell environment
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from the EPOC SDK. It provides ways to launch programs from a
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command line; to check for file system corruption; to create,
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edit and display plain text files; to check on currently active
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processes and threads. The former link to download the shell
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itself has been removed.
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3.4.8. c2f
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Description
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c2f <http://home.pages.de/~lufthans/unix/packages/> converts the
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Psion contact file to a comma delimited format.
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4. Hardware Info
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4.1. Hardware Troubleshooting
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Hardware troubleshooting
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<http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/trouble/index.htm>
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4.2. Pictures of internals
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Akaev has disassembled several handhelds and made lots of pictures
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available as tours.
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Series 5 inside <http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/s5inside/index.htm>
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Series 5mx x-ray 1 <http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/xray/s5mx_1.htm>
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Series 5mx x-ray 2 <http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/xray/s5mx_2.htm>
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4.3. Disassembly
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Series 5 disassembly
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<http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/s5dismantle/index.htm>
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Series 5 monitor disassembly
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<http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/s5inside/mon01.htm>
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5. Further Information
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5.1. Psion Specs
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5.1.1. Psion File Formats
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Frodo Looijaard has released information about the information
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<http://huizen.dds.nl/~frodol/psiconv/html/Index.html> he's garnered
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from reverse engineering various Psion file formats.
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5.1.2. PLP and NCP
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Matt Gumbley has released some information
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<http://www.gumbley.demon.co.uk/ncp.html> about the PLP
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<http://www.gumbley.demon.co.uk/ncp.html#9>, Psion Link Protocol, and
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NCP <http://www.gumbley.demon.co.uk/ncp.html#12>.
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5.1.3. SIS and PLP
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Alexander Thoukydides has released some information about sis
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<http://www.btinternet.com/~thouky/software/psifs/sis.html> files as
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well as the PLP
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<http://www.btinternet.com/~thouky/software/psifs/plp.html>, Psion
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Link Protocol.
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6. Series 3
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6.1. Further Information
|
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|
||
|
||
As I said earlier, this HOWTO doesn't cover the Series 3 ( e.g.
|
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3/3a/3c/3mx/Sienna ), however, as I run into information, I will try
|
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to place it here anyway. This section will probably never be organized
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(unless someone else keeps it uptodate), but it still might contain
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useful information.
|
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6.2. Programs for connectivity
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|
||
6.2.1. p3nfs/p5nfs
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Description
|
||
p3nfs <http://www.koeniglich.de/>, referenced ``above'' mounts
|
||
the psion drives over the serial cable at /psion.stand/mnt, by
|
||
default.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3. Psion utilities
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.1. nfsc
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Description
|
||
nfsc <http://www.koeniglich.de/> is a VT100 emulator from Rudolf
|
||
K<>nig.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.2. Shell3a
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Description
|
||
Nick Murray has created Shell3a
|
||
<http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/1439/shell.html>,
|
||
which is a command line interpreter which allows basic file
|
||
operations as well as some sophisticated functions such as
|
||
command history, filename expansion, batch file support, input
|
||
and output redirection, pipe like feature :), aliases and shell
|
||
variables, keyboard remapping and macros and UNIX or DOS syntax
|
||
for pathnames.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.3. PsiLin
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Description
|
||
``PsiLin'', mentioned in the Series 5* sections, also supports
|
||
Series 3*
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.4. arb's Psion Software
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Description
|
||
Various utilities <http://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/~arb/psion/> for
|
||
Series 3* from arb.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.4. Informational Web Pages
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.4.1. Hardware Info
|
||
|
||
|
||
Zerlegeanleitung Psion Serie 3a <http://www.home.unix-
|
||
ag.org/fionn/d/Psion/Inside.html>, e.g. Disassembling a Series 3a (in
|
||
German only)
|
||
|
||
|
||
A naked Series 3 <http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/s3inside/index.htm>
|
||
|
||
|
||
Series 3 x-ray <http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/xray/s3.htm>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.4.2. Psion Link Protocol (for Psion 3)
|
||
|
||
|
||
PLP documentation <http://ns1.filetron.com/~oflebbe/psion/>
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.4.3. Generic FAQs
|
||
|
||
|
||
Series 3 FAQ: part 1 <http://www.widget.com.au/widget/faq1.htm>, part
|
||
2 <http://www.widget.com.au/widget/faq2.htm>, part 3
|
||
<http://www.widget.com.au/widget/faq3.htm>, part 4
|
||
<http://www.widget.com.au/widget/faq4.htm>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7. Revo
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1. Informational Web Pages
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1.1. Hardware Info
|
||
|
||
|
||
Revo Inside <http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/revoinside/index.htm>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|