Crashing Program/Dropped File Handles

[pmforester]

I have a difficult problem. I am using an advanced GIS/GPS software program called SoloField. I have the program running from the handheld and all data files on a 1GB SD card. When I first turn on the program everything runs fine. I turn off the axim, software still running, and then re power the Axim the software program crashes. This only happens when a tiff image is loaded into the project (5-50mb) and if it resides on the SD card. If I move the image onto the handheld no problems.

Techniclal support response -
"The basic issue is that once you power down the unit, it has no way to tell if you have removed the SD card or not. So it automatically drops all the ‘file handles’ associated with files on the card. When you try to power up and use the files that are on the SD, SOLO cannot find them.

There is nothing that we can do from within SOLO to fix this, it is an OS thing. We did make a ‘patch’ that allowed the user to specify that they would not ever remove the CF card on the Recon, so the file handles were not dropped. This might be an option on the Dell, but would have to be done by them or through trail and error."

I need some help with this problem and it seems there are alot of smart people on this board so I thought I would ask!!

Thanks in advance!!

Oh...I'm running an x51v!

[thedakr]

I guess you could leave your axim on all the time....just kidding :)

I know some funny power things happen because ActiveSync is set to sync every certain number of hours. I know it doesn't seem related, but you might just try changing it to automatic and seeing if you have any changes.

[pmforester]

Thanks for the response! That's what I do now or move the tiff image to the handheld. Handheld memory is an issue since some of the photos I work with are 100's MB.

I have changed the activesync settings to manual to try this solution. Still not a fix.

Any others?

Hi,

As far as I know the support guys are right this time (did I really write that??)
The problem shows up in a lot of applications - Tomtom among other is not happy about being powered down without leaving the application for the same reason. So either close down the application (and take the time afterwards to open the application and rather big files) or it will loose the file handle to the SD / CF cards when you try to turn the Axim back on.

You could make the load time for application and files smaller if you have a faster card. I have some succes with some A-Data X200 MMC cards.

:-) Will

[pmforester]

Thanks for your comments Michael. I think they are correct to an extent. If I have the program looking to the SD card on repower for anything but a tiff there are no prolems. So why is it just associated with tiff files?

There has to be a way to solve this problem. The tech support guys try and recreate the problem with other PPC but can not. Is this a Dell problem? Can a patch be written or a reg. hack to fix the SD card problem? I am at a loss!!

[pmforester]

One other note. This does not happen on a x50 with 2003!

[pmforester]

OK so the Tech support guys are correct. On repower the software loses its conection with the SD card and the program crashes. The other files I was reffering to located on the SD card a registered to the program via another method not possible with the large tiff images. It is apparently a WM5 issue not a Dell problem.

Again my question....Is there a way to make the OS not lose the file association back to the SD card?

Thanks!

[pmforester]

Found this article on MSDN site. http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...arddrivers.asp This seems to be where the problem lies. Does anyone know exactly what this is saying? My take is there must be something missing in the OS or the way Dell manipulated it so that this does not occur. Seems to be a conceptually easy fix just not for me.

Thoughts comments or suggestions please! Feel like I am talking to myself :)