Pixfer for Pocket PC is no longer supported
Unfortunately, the options for large storage on Pocket PC devices have diminished over time. There are rumors of future devices that support solid USB host functionality, but at this time, Pixfer for Pocket PC is no longer a viable product. The information here about Pixfer for Pocket PC is maintained for use with the free license key included with every copy of PocketLoupe. The only way to purchase Pixfer for Pocket PC is to purchase PocketLoupe. If you purchased a Pixfer for Pocket PC license key in the past, we will attempt to provide technical support, but are no longer producing bug fixes or new versions.
Of course, Pixfer for Windows XP is still fully supported.
NOTE: This is the same help you will find on the device, accessed via Start > Help.
Overview
Basic Use
Main Screen
Options Menu
Tips & Tricks
Purchase & Contact
Information
Future Features
support@glasslantern.com
http://www.glasslantern.com
Use is subject to the End User License Agreement provided during installation.
Pixfer efficiently transfers files from expensive digital camera storage cards to less expensive storage such as a hard drive.
Pixfer transfers all files found in the following locations:
- ALL folders on the selected storage card.
- \My Documents\PixferNotes directory in main memory. This allows you to use the Pocket PC Notes application to take voice recordings or other notes, and transfer them along with the related photographs. These files are always renamed to the timestamp of the file itself. Make sure the time on your Pocket PC and your digital camera are in sync if you want them to sort correctly!
All files in these directories are transferred to the \Pixfer directory on the card being transferred to, even if they are not image files. The directory structure from the card is not retained - image files are placed into folders stamped with the date the image was taken (e.g. \Pixfer\20030304), and all other files are placed in a "\Pixfer\unknown" folder. If a file of the same name already exists on the card being transferred to, the two files are compared. If they are identical, the file is not transferred a second time. If they are different, a number is added to the filename to make it unique, e.g. DSC_1032[002].jpg. To transfer images:
- Insert the cards.
- Choose the card you want to transfer FROM in the top dropdown, and TO in the lower dropdown.
- Make sure you have chosen the settings you want for the transfer using the checkboxes on the main screen
- Tap the Start button.
To use voice recordings with Pixfer:
- Launch Notes on the Pocket PC.
- Create a folder called "PixferNotes" and make sure you are recording to main memory, not a storage card.
- Hold down the voice recorder button on the device to make a recording.
- Transfer like normal, and the .wav recording files will show up in the appropriate \Pixfer subdirectory.
- To improve voice recording quality, adjust the Voice recording format using the Options tab in the Settings->Input applet.
The top section of the main screen displays status for the current image transfer, including the current filename being transferred, and progress meters for the overall transfer & current file. The top dropdown is the card that will be transferred from, and the lower dropdown is the card that will be transferred to. Battery status is provided for the Pocket PC's main battery. Four options are available, and are remembered each time Pixfer is started:
|
Option |
Functionality |
|
Rename with date/time stamp |
Image files that have the date/time embedded are renamed to YYYY-MM-DD@HH-MM-SS-[subsecond] when transferred. For example, DSC_1254.jpg will become 2002-08-16@12-43-02-88.jpg. If the file does not contain EXIF data, its filename is not changed. Voice recordings and any other files in the \My Documents\PixferNotes directory in main memory are always renamed to the time/date stamp of the file itself. |
|
Delete original files once copied |
When a file is successfully transferred, it is deleted from the original location. Uncheck this option to copy rather than move files. |
|
Verify files (slow) |
Compares transferred file to original after transfer, which can take significant time. |
|
Blank screen & auto poweroff |
When transfer begins, screen is powered off to save battery. Press the application button assigned to Pixfer to turn the screen back on. Also, when transfer is completed, the entire device is immediately powered off. |
In addition to the Options menu, there are two buttons on the toolbar at the bottom of the screen:
- The green circular arrows refresh all of the drive information in case it does not refresh automatically.
- The icon with the red x turns off the Pocket PC's screen immediately to save power. Note that the device is still running in this mode - only the screen is powered off. Pressing the hardware button associated with Pixfer reactivates the screen, as does turning off the device and turning it back on.
The Options menu contains additional Pixfer options:
|
Menu Option |
Functionality |
|
About... |
Displays the About... panel for entering a license key. The version number can also be found in this panel. |
|
Format card... |
Formats the card chosen in the top dropdown. All data is erased! IMPORTANT NOTE - formatting large cards (above 256MB) may cause them to be unrecognized in some digital cameras since they are formatted with FAT32 instead of FAT16. Reformat the card in the camera if this occurs. |
|
Wipe card with zeros... |
Writes zeros to every part of the card chosen in the top dropdown. Card must be ejected after this operation, and must be formatted before use. This is useful for clearing problems from corrupted cards that will not format properly. All data on the card is permanently erased, with no possibility of recovery. This feature is only functional on Pocket PC 2002 devices. |
|
Refresh storage card list now |
Normally, the storage card list and information is automatically updated. To force it to refresh, choose this option. |
|
Turn off screen now |
Powers off the screen while leaving the device running. Press the application button assigned to Pixfer to turn the screen back on. If this option is disabled, your Pocket PC does not support this functionality. |
|
Fast dupe verification (spot check) |
Normally, Pixfer compares every byte in the file when checking to see if two files are identical, which can be slow. When enabled, this option only checks the file size and a small portion of the data in the file. This is much faster, but could theoretically mean that a non-duplicate file is overwritten, resulting in data loss. Use with caution, especially if shooting RAW format images (which can sometimes all be an identical size). Note that this is unrelated to the Verify files option, which always compares every byte in the files. |
- To back up your images on two separate storage devices for safety, turn off "Delete original files once copied" for the first transfer, then re-enable it for the second transfer.
- You can turn off the device and turn it back on, and transfer should continue without interruption.
- Some settings can be changed while a transfer is in progress, although in most cases it will not take effect until the next file is transferred.
- If you don't delete files from a card and transfer from it multiple times, transfer will take a while since all of the already transferred files need to be checked that they are not duplicates of files already transferred.
- If you don't hear a beep when transfer completes, make sure sound is turned on for your Pocket PC. If you don't want to hear a beep, make sure the sound is turned off!
You must purchase a license key for Pixfer after starting
about 30 transfers, or it will no longer function. To re-enable
all of Pixfer's features and prevent the About... panel from
being displayed as a reminder, purchase a license key at
http://www.glasslantern.com.
Once you have purchased a license key, enter it into the
About... panel and tap OK. If the key is valid, all features
will be enabled and you will not see any purchase reminders. If
the key is not valid, you will continue to see reminders and no
files will be transferred.
Send bug reports and comments to support@glasslantern.com.
Please include:
- The version you are using. (See Options > About... to get the version number.)
- Which Pocket PC model you use, as well as information about all of your other hardware (e.g. storage cards used, etc.)
- The EXACT steps to reproduce the problem.
- What you expect to happen instead of what actually occurs.
Your feedback is appreciated - we're always looking for ways to make our products more useful. Please send ideas or comments to support@glasslantern.com.