Crazy Palm PDA Screen

I use a Sony Clie' Palm OS organizer. My new-to-me refurbished unit did not always respond to my input from the stylus as expected. I learned with some web searches this is called the "Mad Digitizer' syndrome.

Step 1: The Way It Is Supposed to Work

You are supposed to tap on the screen with the stylus and the input registers where you tap, assuming you have regularly used the Welcome Screen to calibrate inputs from the stylus on the screen.

My problem was that stylus inputs often did not register, or the stylus had to be quite far above the target area to get the desired input. So, to change the display from Monday's daily calendar (shown here) to Wednesday's, the stylus would need to be almost off of the frame of the screen, and then it likely would not work. I would need to use the up/down scroll button to advance to a new day of the week. Fortunately, there is an additional option for making the screen respond as desired. Often I would end up on the wrong day or the wrong menu option.

Step 2: Digifix to the Rescue

Digifix is a small freeware program that fixes "Mad Digitizer" syndrome. It comes in a zipped file and unzips easily. There is some documentation on its installation and use. You can read the URL in the screen shot, but it is: http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/digifix.shtml

Download it. Unzip it. Install the necessary files. One file, Digifix Hack, is not needed if your Palm OS is 3.5 or higher.

Digifix has been around since 2003. I have no connection with its developers in any way.

Step 3: Finding Digifix on Your Palm

Digifix will appear on your menu window in whatever category you choose to list it (Untitled, Main, etc.) Open it as you would any other program.

Step 4: Using Digifix

When you open Digifix follow the prompts. It looks and acts very much like the standard calibration software in the Palm OS. Digifix is not supposed to work on Sony Clie' handhelds, but it solved my problems. I can now navigate on my handheld very easily, whether I use the factory stylus or the corner of my fingernail. It is almost like having a new handheld.

Comments

[depotdevoid]

I forgot to mention in my instructable that I tried your DigiFix fix and it didn't work, but after I'd installed the new digitizer, the DigiFix program was better at calibrating the touch screen. So, thanks for the instructable Phil, it was definitely helpful! 5 stars, and I'll update my own 'ible to mention yours.

[Phil B]

Thank you for your comment. I am finding comments that were bundled with other comment notifications, but I did not notice them when they came.

I am glad it worked for you, eventually. My first Sony Clie' lasted five years and stopped working. I bought an identical refurbished unit, and it now has about four years of use on it. But, it does not synchronize with my new Windows 7 laptop. So, it looks like the days of Palm OS are numbered for me.

[victcg]

Try this; it worked very well for me.

http://forums.hpwebos.com/t5/Windows-HotSync/Windows-7-and-Vista-hotsync-instructions-here/td-p/251755

Vic

[depotdevoid]

Yeah, I recently retired my TX and bought a used android cell phone on craigslist. It is good for a lot of the same stuff, but is in much better condition than that old thing!

[Tighelander]

If you still have the app, could you please send it to me. I can't find a site that still has it. I just picked up a TX, and as I get to the bottom of the screen the target area gets further away from the stylus until it off the screen at the very bottom.

[Phil B]

I can do that, but I just downloaded the file at this URL: http://handheld.softpedia.com/get/System-Utilities/Enhancements/Digifix-9281.shtml

Let me know if that does not work for you. Thanks.

[Tighelander]

Thanks; I have the app now. I was hoping that it worked a little differently in that it would hide the input area to allow calibration on the whole screen, Which can't be done with the Palm touchscreen app.