PCAO 1.6 for the HP100/200LX

Now you can connect to AOL from your HP Palmtop! Read and send Email, visit
the PDA Forum, Internet, and all your other favorite AOL spots from your HP!
This America Online DOS software (Ver 1.6) has been configured by the PDA
Forum staff specifically for use on the HP100LX and HP200LX palmtops.  Extra
video, mouse, and printer drivers have been removed to save space.   No
installer is provided -- simply unzip all files (maintaining directories &
subdirectories) and transfer to your HP.  Information on obtaining the full
desktop version of AOL's DOS software is contained later in this file.

 TECH SUPPORT

All questions about this configured AOL version MUST be directed to the PDA
Forum Staff only -- AOL will not provide phone support for this use of 1.6
software.  Please post your questions to the "Running AOL on HP's" folder in
the HP Message Board of the PDA Forum.  To find it, just follow this path:

Keyword PDA -> Message Boards -> List Topics -> PDA-HP Handhelds -> Running
AOL on HP's folder

 CHANGES TO THIS VERSION FOR USE ON HP PALMTOPS

* No installer is provided -- simply unzip or unstuff all files (maintaining
directories & subdirectories) and transfer to your HP.  PCers should use
PKZip 2.0.4 and MUST use the -d option of PKunzip in order to restore the
directory structure that is contained in the zip file. PK204G can be found in
the PDA Forum's General/Utilities Library. Mac users can unstuff the .sit
version of the file, and will have to create the directories and
subdirectories on the HP and transfer files to each.

* Set up for "CGA Inverse Mono" and "No Mouse"

* Other video and mouse drivers have been removed to reduce file size.

* Printer drivers have been removed since the HP cannot print while online.
To print any saved files, simply quit the AOL application and open the saved
files in Memo or another text editor and print from there.

* You MUST enter the phone numbers yourself, rather than letting AOL dial the
800 number and going thru the selection process.

 OBTAINING THE FULL DOS VERSION OF AOL SOFTWARE FOR DESKTOP USE

You can use keyword UPGRADE to download AOL software for DOS, or download it
from the America Online Technical Support BBS if you have communications
software for your modem.  To connect, configure your communications software
for 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and no parity, and dial 1-800-827-5808.  This BBS
is available 24 hours a day, at speeds up to 14,400 baud.  If you are using a
Macintosh or the Windows Terminal program, choose "NO" when asked if you can
display ANSI graphics.

The Technical Support BBS is not related to your America Online account. Both
the phone call and the time spent connected to the BBS are free.

 INSTRUCTIONS

When unzipping the file please create a directory our your Palmtop called AOL
and either unzip the this file in this directory or unzip it and move the
files to the new AOL directory.  When unzipping you MUST use the -d option of
PKunzip in order to restore the directory structure that is contained in the
zip file.

We have removed all excess drivers from the program to reduce the size down
to about 860K from about 2.2M.  There is nothing to configure on the setup
other than the com port if you want to try it with a PCMCIA modem, but from
what we have seen it will not work with a card modem.

If installing from a Mac, you must first create an AOL Directory in Filer on
your A: drive.  Simply move the cursor to the A: drive, and hit Menu F T and
type the directory name.  The directories you must create are:

[AOL]
    [DOCUMENT]
    [DOWNLOAD]
    [FONT]
    [STATE]
    [SYSAPPL]
    [SYSTEM]
       [SPOOL] (This directory is inside the System Directory)
       [QFORMS] (This directory is inside the System Directory)
    [WORLD]

The following shows the directory and file structure within the AOL Directory
after transferring your files to the HP.  
[AOL] (User must create this directory before installing files)
      [FONT]
         BERKELEY.FNT
         BISON.FNT
         FONTBUF
         PR_10CPI.FNT
         UNIVERSI.FNT
      [SYSTEM]
               [QFORMS]
                  CLRPORT1.COM
                  CLRPORT2.COM
                  DEFAULT.INI
                  FINDIT.EXE
                  PCAOCPIC.VM
                  PCAODB.VM
                  PCAOHELP.VM
                  PCGAME.EXE
                  SETAOLOC.SET
           CGA.GEO
           CLIPBOAR.000
           DBASE.GEO
           DISK.GEO
           DOS2.GEO
           DOS3.GEO
           DOS4.GEO
           DOS5.GEO
           GEOS.LOG
           IM.GEO
           KBD.GEO
           KLIB.GEO
           LOCAL.GEO
           MOTIF.GEO
           PARALLEL.GEO
           SERIAL.GEO
           SOUND.GEO
           SPOOL.GEO
           STREAM.GEO
           SWAP.GEO
           TOKEN.DB
           UI.GEO
           VIDMEM.GEO
      [WORLD]
         PCAO.GEO
  AOL.BAT
  GEOS.INI
  GEOS.STR
  KERNEL.EXE

 After you load the program on your machine, exit sysmgr completely by using
the MORE key and then Menu, Terminate, then enter.  This will take you to a
DOS prompt from there type a: this will take you to the A:\ drive.  They type
CD\AOL and press enter this will get you into the AOL directory.  Now type
the letters AOL and the program will start in about 30-45 seconds.  (NOTE: If
you are using a stacked drive, it is normal to get a:

Not ready reading drive E Abort, Retry, Fail?

Type F, which will bring the same response except it will say drive F.  Type
F again, and AOL will launch. 

The very first time you start the program you will get a screen that is for
new users which is not necessary since you already have an AOL account.  Use
the tab bar on the HP to tab to the word Cancel, and once there (look for the
little dotted lines) push the space bar and you will get the AOL screen.

Once you have the AOL screen showing use the tab bar to go to the setup
button (you will see a little dotted line around the buttons as you move the
tab).  Now push the spacebar and then tab to the phone positions and enter
your local numbers and desired baud rate you want.  Then tab down to the
first semi hidden box at the bottom (it is the first tab after the "Use this
command to disable call waiting").  Once there hit the spacebar to save the
changes.  The hidden boxes on the bottom from left to right are:

Save Changes>Advanced Setup>Swap Phone Numbers>Help>Cancel

Okay, now you are ready to sign on.  Use the tab button to get to the sign on
button and then push the space bar.  The system will sign on and will come up
with two boxes asking for your certificate number and password.  In the top
box enter the screen name you want to use the push tab to get to the bottom
box (which is hidden) and type in your password for that screen name.  Then
hit enter and away you go.(Grin)

After you sign off, your preferred account name may not be the one displayed
in the Screen Name box.  To get to your preferred screen name, use the tab
bar to scroll around. You will see the dotted lines around the boxes again --
when you get to the help button, one more push of the tab button will allow
you to use the up and down arrow keys to scroll the names.  Then just tab to
the Sign on and sign on again to lock that name in the box until you want to
change it again.

You will find that you will need to learn the keyboard very well since there
is no mouse. The Page up and Down keys allow you to read text by moving it up
and down in long mail and message boxes.

If you find other neat tips and tricks please post them in the "Running AOL
on the HP"  folder for all our members to use.  We will be uploading a tips
file in the days to come with more information as we get it.  Have fun and
enjoy.  Please remember any questions regarding this version of DOS 1.6 PCAO
MUST be posted in the "Running AOL on the HP" folder and not via E-mail or
customer service.  It will only be supported in the forum by the PDA staff.

KNOWN PROBLEMS:

DISK SPACE: You will need some free disk space on your HP beyond what AOL
takes up, as at runtime AOL creates a swap file on your memory card. We don't
know exactly how much, but AOL will tell you if it runs out. Probably 100K is
enough.

MODEM SETUP: If you have problems logging on initially you may need to change
the modem setup string. to do this, first go to setup, then tab to the second
partially hidden button from the left on the bottom of the screen and press
SPACE. You will need to consult your modem manual for likely settings. The
default settings should work with most if not all modems.

DOWNLOADS: There is a problem with downloading certain files at 9600 bps. We
recommend downloading at 2400 bps for any files over 20K. This appears to be
a problem of adverse interactions between the AOL software and the HP serial
port. The problem does not occur at 2400 bps and does not occur if the file
size is smaller than 20K.

WINDOWS CUT OFF: Some windows will be cut off at the bottom. This is because
AOL 1.6 expects to find a VGA display and has designed screens for the larger
display. The windows are still there along with their controls, you just
can't see the bottom of them.
