crod242

I recently switched over to a PPC from a palm and overall I love it. One thing I miss, however, is the ability to create a new note and just start writing at the press of one of the hard buttons. I'm sure there has to be a way to do this on the ppc, but I have yet to find out how. If not natively, is there a way to do this with a 3rd party app? Thanks in advance for your help.

bruss147

Welcome to the site!

You can set a button to Notes in Settings | Buttons.

crod242

Originally Posted by bruss147

Welcome to the site! You can set a button to Notes in Settings | Buttons.

Thanks for answering. I already have a button assigned to notes, though. My question is how can I make it automatically bring up a blank new note that I can immediately write in without having to hit another soft menu button afterwards, kind of like the way palm does it. Is there a setting somewhere that will make it do that?

bruss147

Not sure if there is a way to get Notes to do that, but you may be able to find another note taking program that can be assigned to a button and have it start out with a new note.

There are some free and commercial note taking programs you might be interested in. There are also some that let you take notes right on the today screen, so you wouldn't have to press any buttons.

Take a look at freewareppc.com, handango.com, and pocketgear.com.

There is also this program that is free. It has a calc and a note program in it. http://freewareppc.com/utilities/calcnote.shtml

I beleieve Pocket Max is a Today plugin that you can purchase that will allow you to, among other things, take notes on your Today screen.

BrickCityAxim

Speaking of Buttons, for axim x50 is it possible to assign the wifi button as volume up, and the record button as volume down? my old hp ipaq allowed volume up/down to be assigned to buttons under settings > buttons (but the axim doesn't seem to have volume controls listed)

__________________
Only one organization has succesfully stopped Jack Bauer, the WGA (Writers Guild) :)

DoDoubleGeo

Originally Posted by crod242

I recently switched over to a PPC from a palm and overall I love it. One thing I miss, however, is the ability to create a new note and just start writing at the press of one of the hard buttons. I'm sure there has to be a way to do this on the ppc, but I have yet to find out how. If not natively, is there a way to do this with a 3rd party app? Thanks in advance for your help.

This was harder to figure out than it should have been, but anyways the solution I propose requires you to edit the edit the registry. As always you should only attempt this if you are comfortable playing around in the registry and you should probably do a back-up prior to attempting; although it is easy enough to restore the button functions from the Start Menu->Settings->Personal->Buttons settings control panel applet.

Navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shell\Keys. This path holds the functions for the hardware buttons. Find the button you want to map this function to and open the key. You will see several values within that key. You will have to edit the Default value data. Change the string data to "Windows\notes.exe" -n . Make sure the BtnWnd DWord value is 0 and the Flags DWord value is also 0.

bruss147

Originally Posted by DoDoubleGeo

This was harder to figure out than it should have been, but anyways the solution I propose requires you to edit the edit the registry. As always you should only attempt this if you are comfortable playing around in the registry and you should probably do a back-up prior to attempting; although it is easy enough to restore the button functions from the Start Menu->Settings->Personal->Buttons settings control panel applet. Navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shell\Keys. This path holds the functions for the hardware buttons. Find the button you want to map this function to and open the key. You will see several values within that key. You will have to edit the Default value data. Change the string data to "Windows\notes.exe" -n . Make sure the BtnWnd DWord value is 0 and the Flags DWord value is also 0.

Great idea! Thanks!
If that is all you need to do (the -n) then here is an easier way (don't need a reg editor):
1) Browse your device from a PC.
2) Copy your Notes shortcut to your PC.
3) Edit the file in Notepad to add the -n after the "
4) Optional: rename the file
5) Copy the file back to the device.
6) Change the button to be to either Notes or whatever you named the file

DoDoubleGeo

Originally Posted by bruss147

Great idea! Thanks! If that is all you need to do (the -n) then here is an easier way (don't need a reg editor): 1) Browse your device from a PC. 2) Copy your Notes shortcut to your PC. 3) Edit the file in Notepad to add the -n after the " 4) Optional: rename the file 5) Copy the file back to the device. 6) Change the button to be to either Notes or whatever you named the file

Have you actually tried this? Because that is what I first attempted to do. The shortcut file works fine on its own, but when it is linked to the hardware button it interprets the "-n" as a file name and fails.

bruss147

It worked fine for me, but my steps are wrong. Those might not work.
Sorry!

1) Browse your device from a PC.
2) Right click on Notes and select Create Shortcut
3) Copy that shortcut to your PC
3) Edit the file in Notepad to add the -n after the "
4) Rename the file (example NotesNew)
5) Copy the file back to the device.
6) Change the button to be whatever you named the file.

DoDoubleGeo

bruss147 - This method still fails to work for me when the shortcut is attached to the button. Perhaps this is a WM2k3 issue. Either way, there are two solutions here for anyone else interested in trying this.

crod242

Thanks for the helpful info, guys. I appreciate it.

bruss147

Originally Posted by DoDoubleGeo

bruss147 - This method still fails to work for me when the shortcut is attached to the button. Perhaps this is a WM2k3 issue. Either way, there are two solutions here for anyone else interested in trying this.

I'm sorry, you're right.
Somehow the file I had on my device didn't have the -n.
Since I didn't have any saved notes at the time, it opened a new one.

My steps work fine for the shortcut in the Programs, but not for the button.

Guess you'll have to go with the reg setting change.