Newton Newton Connection Utilities User manual

1
This chapter describes how to connect your Newton device to your computer,
install the Newton Connection Utilities, and use the utilities to create your
first backup.
About the Newton Connection Utilities
With the Newton Connection Utilities, you can connect your Apple
MessagePad or other Newton device to your computer and do the following:
mBack up Newton information and store it on your computer.
mInstall packages (applications, system updates, and so on) on your
Newton device.
mUse your computer’s keyboard to enter information on your Newton device.
mImport information from your computer to your Newton device and export
information from your Newton device to your computer.
mImport information from your computer to your Newton Works application
on your Newton device and export Newton Works information from your
Newton device to your computer. (Not available if you’re using the
Newton 2.0 operating system.)
mKeep your applications synchronized by updating information on both your
computer and your Newton device.
1Getting Started

mAutomatically back up and synchronize your information when you
connect your Newton device to your desktop computer using the
Auto Dock feature. (Not available if you’re using the Newton 2.0
operating system.)
The Newton Connection Utilities work with the Newton 2.0 and 2.1 operating
system. If your Newton device has the Newton 2.0 operating system, the
Auto Dock feature, transferring information to and from Newton Works.
Installation requirements
To use the Newton Connection Utilities, you need the following:
mAn IBM PC or compatible computer with an Intel 80486 DX2166 or later
version microprocessor
mA VGA display or better
mWindows 3.1, Windows NT 3.5x, or Windows 95
m8 megabytes (MB) of total RAM
mA hard disk drive with 12 MB of available disk space
mAn available serial (COM) port
mA serial cable (9-pin or 25-pin corresponding to the available serial port).
This cable is not included with the Newton Connection Utilities package.
See “Connecting a Newton Device to Your Computer,” next, for more
information about obtaining a cable. If you have a MessagePad 2000, you
also must have the Newton Serial Adapter that comes with the
MessagePad.
2Chapter 1

Connecting a Newton device to your computer
Before you can transfer information between the PC and your Newton device,
you need to connect the two machines with a serial cable. The Newton
Connection Utilities communicate with the Newton device through a serial
port on your PC.
PC serial ports come in two sizes—9-pin or 25-pin. On some computers a
serial port may be labeled COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, or SERIAL.
To connect your Newton device to your PC, you need a serial cable with an
8-pin to 9-pin connector. If your computer’s serial port has a 25-pin
connector, you also need a 9-pin to 25-pin adapter.
If you don’t have the serial cable you need, you can purchase one from an
Apple-authorized dealer.
Attaching the cable
To connect your Newton device and PC by cable, follow these steps:
1 Turn off your computer and your Newton device.
2Choose an available serial port on your PC.
3Connect the end of the cable with 9 holes to the appropriate port on your PC.
If you have a 25-pin serial port, attach the adapter to the cable. Then plug the
larger end of the adapter into the serial port.
9-pin serial port If your computer has a 25-pin serial port,
you can use an adapter to connect.
3
Getting Started

4Plug the other (eight-pin) end of the serial cable into the Newton InterConnect port (or
Communication port).
If you are using a MessagePad 2000, you must use the Newton Serial Adapter
to connect your cable to the Newton InterConnect port. Be sure to connect
the cable to the serial adapter first and then connect the adapter to your
MessagePad 2000. Otherwise your MessagePad may not establish a
connection properly.
That’s it! You’ve connected your Newton device to your computer.
Installing the Newton Connection Utilities
Before your computer can communicate with your Newton device, you need
to install the Newton Connection Utilities on your computer. You’ll need the
disks that came with this manual.
The Newton Connection Utilities installation program, Setup.exe, installs the
Newton Connection Utilities software. For more information about the files
installed on your computer, see the Readme file that’s installed with the
Newton Connection Utilities software.
Serial ports
Newton device
communication port
Serial cable
4Chapter 1

To install the Newton Connection Utilities software, follow these steps:
1 Insert the Setup 1 disk for the Newton Connection Utilities into a floppy disk drive.
2 In Windows 95, click the Start button and then select Run. (If you’re in the Program
Manager of Windows, select Run from the File menu.)
IMPORTANT
The illustrations used in this manual show the Windows 95
versions of the application. If you are using a different version of Windows,
the windows you see may look different, but the procedures are the same.
A window appears.
3Type A:\Setup and press Enter.
Enter the drive letter (usually A: or B:) corresponding to the disk drive that
holds the installation disk.
4 Follow the on-screen instructions.
Depending on the version of Windows that you’re using, you may be asked to
restart Windows. When installation is complete, the Newton Connection
Utilities program group appears in the Explorer or Program Manager, and
the Newton Connection Utilities program (Ncu.exe) is installed in the
NCU directory.
IMPORTANT Don’t move the Newton Connection Utilities software or Backups
directory from the NCU directory. The application and Backups directory
must remain in this location to create backup files automatically. You can
change the location where backup files are stored from within the Newton
Connection Utilities, using the Settings command in the Newton menu. See
“Changing the Location of the Backups Directory” in Chapter 2, “Backing
Up and Restoring Information.” If you’re running Windows 95, you can also
use a shortcut to access the application from a different location.
5
Getting Started

Preparing your computer
To prepare your computer for communication with a Newton device, follow
these steps.
Opening the Newton Connection Utilities
To open the utilities, follow these steps:
1 On your computer, open the Newton Connection Utilities program group and double-
click the Newton Connection Utilities icon.
The Newton Connection Utilities window appears on your computer.
Next a window appears explaining that you must make some communications
settings to complete your setup.
6Chapter 1
Buttons are dimmed
until you establish a
connection from your
Newton device.
Displays connection
messages and other
information
Newton Connection
Utilities menus

2Click OK and continue following the procedure in “Selecting the Type of Connection on
Your Computer,” next.
Selecting the type of connection on your computer
The first time you use the Newton Connection Utilities, you need to specify
how the Newton device is connected to your computer.
Note: If the Settings window already appears on your screen, skip to step 2.
1 To open the Settings window, choose Settings from the Newton menu.
2Click the Communications tab.
3Select the COM port to which the Newton’s serial cable is connected, using the “Select
Port to Listen On” drop-down list.
If the port is already in use by another device, its name will not appear in
the list.
Note: If you have trouble establishing or maintaining a connection between
your computer and Newton device, you may need to select a lower
communication speed. See “Problems Establishing a Connection” in
Chapter 12, “Troubleshooting.”
4 Click OK.
The type of connection you select is saved and remains set until you decide to
change it.
7
Getting Started

Preparing your Newton device
Before you use the Newton Connection Utilities, you need to tell your
Newton device how it is connected to the computer.
IMPORTANT Make sure you follow the setup instructions on your Newton
device to enter your name and other owner information. The computer uses
this name when it creates a backup file. See your Newton device user’s
manual to learn how to enter your name. Also, it’s a good idea to name the
storage cards you use with your Newton device.
Selecting the type of connection on your Newton device
1 Tap Dock on your Newton screen.
Note: If you have a MessagePad 120 or 130 that uses the Newton 2.0
operating system, you use the Connection application in the Extras Drawer to
select a connection type and establish a connection. On your Newton screen,
tap Extras E, then tap Connection. You may have to show all icons to see the
Connection icon. (Tap the Extras folder tab and then tap All Icons.) Then
follow the remaining steps in the procedures for selecting settings and
establishing a connection provided here.
A slip appears showing the type of connection currently set for your
Newton device.
2If necessary, tap “Connect via” to change the type of connection and choose Serial.
8Chapter 1
Tap to select another
type of connection.
Shows the type of connection
set for your Newton device

Establishing a connection
After you select the type of connection, you need to establish a connection
between your Newton device and your computer.
m
Tap Connect in the Dock or Connection slip.
After a few moments, the connection is established. The buttons in the
Newton Connection Utilities window are no longer dimmed.
9
Getting Started
Slip for a
serial connection
Tap here to connect.
Click to back up
Newton information
and save it on your
computer.
Click to restore
information you’ve
backed up.
Click to update
information on both
your Newton device
and your computer.
Click to import information
from your computer to
Newton Works.
Click to use your computer’s
keyboard to enter information
on your Newton device.
Click to export information from
your Newton device to your
computer.
Click to import
information from your
computer to your
Newton device.
Click to export information
from Newton Works to your
computer.
Click to install a package
on your Newton device.

Newton Connection Utilities buttons also appear on your Newton screen.
You can use these buttons to select a utility. (However, exporting and
transferring information to or from Newton Works are available only from
your computer.)
Note: For simplicity, the instructions in this book describe using the Newton
Connection Utilities from your computer, but you can also start the utilities
from your Newton device. See Chapter 11, “Using the Utilities From Your
Newton Device,” for more information.
Creating your first backup
After you establish a connection, you can make a backup of information and
packages on your Newton device and store it on your computer.
Backing up your Newton device provides a safe way to store information in
case it gets lost or deleted by mistake. It’s a good idea to back up your Newton
device before you import, export, or synchronize information.
To create your first backup, follow these steps:
1Click the Backup button in the Newton Connection Utilities window.
10 Chapter 1

Because this is your first backup, the Newton Connection Utilities
automatically create a full backup of all your Newton information and
packages. If you have a storage card inserted in your Newton device,
information on the storage card is also backed up.
During the backup, a status window appears on your computer screen to
show what information is being backed up.
After a few minutes, the window disappears and the backup is complete.
2Check to see the Backups directory on your computer.
When you back up your Newton device, a backup file for your Newton’s
internal memory and one for any storage card that’s inserted are created and
placed in a directory named Backups. By default, the Backups directory is
located in the NCU directory.
For more information about backup files and directories, including how to
change the location of the Backups directory, see Chapter 2, “Backing Up and
Restoring Information.”
Setting a connection password
If desired, you can set a connection password for the Newton Connection
Utilities. This password prevents others from using the Newton Connection
Utilities without your permission.
To set a connection password, follow these steps:
1 Open the Newton Connection Utilities and select Settings from the Newton menu.
The Settings window appears.
11
Getting Started

2 Click the Password tab.
The password options appear.
3Type your old password, if you set one, in the Old Password box. If you haven’t set a
password, leave this box blank. Type a new password in the New Password box. Then
type the new password again in the Confirm New Password box to verify the spelling of
the new password.
4 Click OK.
The window disappears.
The next time you establish a connection between your Newton device and
your computer, a prompt appears on your Newton device asking you to enter
your desktop connection password.
Note: The password you enter for the Newton Connections Utilities is not the
same as the Personal Identification Number (PIN) you enter on your
Newton device.
12 Chapter 1

Setting up for Auto Dock
You can set up the Newton Connection Utilities to automatically back up or
synchronize your Newton device when it’s connected to your computer. (The
Auto Dock feature is not available on Newton devices that use the Newton 2.0
operating system.)
To set up Auto Dock, follow these steps:
1 Open the Newton Connection Utilities and select Settings from the Newton menu.
The Settings window appears.
2 Click the Auto Dock tab.
The Auto Dock options appear.
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Getting Started

3Select the options you want.
mClick the Backup checkbox to indicate that you want to back up all the
information on your Newton device during an Auto Dock session.
mClick the Allow Selective Backup checkbox to indicate that you want to
select the information to back up during an Auto Dock session.
mClick the Synchronize checkbox to have the Newton Connection Utilities
perform a synchronization.
You can have the Newton Connection Utilities perform both a backup and a
synchronization by selecting both options.
4 Click OK.
The window disappears.
To turn on Auto Dock, you must also set preferences on your Newton device.
5On your Newton device, tap Dock, tap the Information button ;, and in the list that
appears, tap Prefs .
A slip appears.
6 Tap the Auto Dock checkbox.
You can also select the checkbox labeled “Always backup all information” to
have your Newton device back up all your information during an Auto Dock
session. If this box is not checked, a slip appears when you dock that allows
you to back up selected applications using your connection software.
7 Tap X to close the slip.
To turn on Auto Dock, you must also make settings in the Prefs „area of
your Newton device.
14 Chapter 1

8Tap Extras E , and then tap Prefs „ .
9Tap Auto Dock in the Preferences slip.
10 Tap the checkbox labeled “Enable Auto Docking” to select it.
11 Tap all X icons to close the slips.
To perform an Auto Dock session, start up the Newton Connection Utilities.
Next connect the cable (and Newton Serial Adapter, if you have a
MessagePad 2000) to your Newton device. A slip appears on the Newton
device that enables you to begin the Auto Dock procedure. The Newton
Connection Utilities perform a backup or synchronization according to your
selected preferences.
Exiting the Newton Connection Utilities
To end a connection and exit the Newton Connection Utilities:
mSelect Exit from the File menu on your computer screen.
The connection ends and the Newton Connection Utilities window
disappears.
You can also end a connection from your Newton device by tapping the close
box (marked X) next to the Newton Connection Utilities buttons.
15
Getting Started

17
The previous chapter described how to use the Newton Connection Utilities
to create your first backup. This chapter describes how to do additional
backups and how to restore information you’ve backed up.
About backup files
It’s important to back up your Newton information. Backup files provide a
safe way to store a copy of information in case the original gets lost or deleted
by mistake.
With the Newton Connection Utilities you can back up all information on
your Newton device or you can choose information to back up.
The first time you create a backup, the Newton Connection Utilities back up
all information on your Newton device (including any storage cards you’ve
inserted) and store the information in a directory named Backups in the
NCU directory.
2Backing Up and Restoring Information

Inside the Backups directory is a file with a name derived from the owner’s
name you entered on your Newton device. This file contains the latest backup
information. If you haven’t entered an owner name on your Newton device,
the file is called Newton.
By default, the Backups directory is located in the NCU directory. You can
change the location of this directory. See “Changing the Location of the
Backups Directory” later in this chapter.
Backing up cards
When you back up a storage card, a separate backup file is created with the
name of the card. If you haven’t named your card, the file is called Card.nbk.
If you back up more than one unnamed card, the backup files are named
Card.nbk, Card2.nbk, Card3.nbk, and so on.
Note: To avoid potential confusion and loss of information, you should name
your storage cards. For more information on naming storage cards, see the
user’s manual that came with your Newton device.
Previous backups
Every time you back up, the Newton Connection Utilities make a copy of the
previous backup file and store it in a directory called Previous located in your
Backups directory.
For example, if the owner’s name for your Newton device is Mike Chen, the
Newton Connection Utilities create a file named Mike_Chen.nbk the first time
you back up. The next time you back up, the Newton Connection Utilities
copy the original file and place it in the Previous directory within the
Backups directory. Then the utilities create a new backup, again called
Mike_Chen.nbk.
The Newton Connection Utilities maintain a current and previous backup file
for all information in your Newton device’s internal memory and for each
storage card you back up.
18 Chapter 2

Creating backup files
You can back up all information and packages on your Newton device, or you
can just back up selected information and packages. The following section
describes how to back up all information. To back up selected information
and packages, see “Backing Up Selected Information and Packages” later in
this chapter.
Backing up all information and packages
Before you begin, make sure your Newton device is connected to your
computer. For instructions, see Chapter 1, “Getting Started.”
To back up all information on your Newton device, follow these steps:
1 On your computer, open the Newton Connection Utilities.
To open the Newton Connection Utilities, double-click the Newton
Connection Utilities icon in the Explorer.
2Establish a connection from your Newton device.
See Chapter 1, “Getting Started,” for instructions.
3 On your computer, click the Backup button.
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Backing Up and Restoring Information

A window appears with a list of items to back up.
Note: When you back up your Newton device for the first time (no backup
file exists), this window doesn’t appear. Instead, a full backup of the Newton
device begins as soon as you click Backup.
4 Click Select All.
Select All selects all information. If a Clear All button appears instead of
Select All, all information is already selected.
5Click the box labeled “Include all packages” to put a mark in it.
Doing so will select all your packages for backup.
6Click Backup.
A status window appears indicating a backup is in progress. Messages in the
window show what information is being backed up.
When the window disappears, the backup is complete.
20 Chapter 2
List of information on your Newton device.
To see more items on the list, use the scroll bars.
Select to include all packages (including
packages from other software publishers) in
the backup.