filePro 2 palm, palm 2 filePro

[Lerebours, Jose]

Mike posted:

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SYSTEM 
win2000 advanced server
filePro 5.0.09


I am trying to connect wireless handheld scanners/palm pilots 
(SYMBOLS) to my filePro system. I haven't bought any handheld 
units yet but I'm assuming they will come with something like 
windows CE. I want real time functionality. I tried running 
filePro on a hendheld before and it was just way too hard to 
work with, because of the size and limited keys. Is there anything 
out there for a go-between, read/write directly to filePro files 
and be reliable. The only thing I have come up with so far is using 
incoming/outgoing text files and having each program read/post to 
the files.

Any feedback on which handhalds work best, access points to use, 
etc... would be greatly appreciated.

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As far as handheld scanners, it is a matter of which you end-up
using.  for what you describe, you want to get one for production
environment and able to stand the use and abuse.

The OQO mentioned here looks very nice but how many times can you
drop it before it breaks?  Will you trust warehouse personnel with
these units? 

The Symbol scanners are designed to withstand a 6 foot drop and 
survive (of course, if it happens to land impacting the LCD, there 
is little hope it will not break).  I am basing this solely on the 
fact that I have seen all that goes on in warehouses and the way 
equipment is treated (heck, I have seen guys throw the hand held to 
one another instead of just walking and getting it).

One thing I've seen done, and I though it was interesting, was an
older laptop with wireless connection sitting on a wheeled cart 
powered with a car's battery.  They walked around with the cart, which
in turn was a mobil work station (no pun intended).  It had a scanner
connected to it.  The scanner had a 6 to 8 foot cable (coiled).  They
ran web based applications out of these lap tops and they had like 4 
around the warehouse.  I am not sure about life expectancies for these
but since they were a few hundred dollars each, and common units, I 
am sure they have means to have them fixed/repaired at a reasonable cost.

The Symbol scanners can cost between 2/3.5K dollars each (if you were to 
go with those I am thinking of (PDT6800G or MC9000-G).  You can write 
filePro interface to be used with these guns but as mentioned, you are
limited on display space (not a real problem in my opinion).  If you
need lots of space, then look into using lap tops as I described above.

On a side note, I had a great experience dealing with

Kim Ganoe
Datex Corporation
10300 49th ST N
Clearwater, Fl 33762
800.933.2839 x251
727.571.4301 Fax
kganoe at datexcorp.com
www.datexcorp.com

when buying symbol equipment.


Good luck!


Jose Lerebours