Table of Contents

Description

First of all thank you for trying RoadLingua. A powerful but easy-to-use dictionary shell for Palm OS compatible devices. The main features are:

• Native support for expansion cards (CF, MMC, SD, Memory Stick),
• Extremely fast word browsing,
• Strong text compression to make dictionary fit PDA's memory,
• Resident mode to query a word within any text application.

Along with RoadLingua we offer a wide range of free and commercial multilingual, specialty, and explanatory dictionaries. Both large dictionaries and small dictionaries for low memory devices are available.

Not registered version of RoadLingua has no time limitation or disabled features. You may use it as long as you want. Nevertheless, to get our support please consider registration as a first step required.

Package Contents

This archive contains the following files:

 RoadLingua.prc - The RoadLingua program file
 Manual.htm     - This documentation in HTML format
 doc/           - This folder contains documentation files

Depending on distribution package type the archive may contain one or more dictionary files such as:

 EngFra.pdb     - English-French Dictionary 
 ...

Installing

1. Open Palm Desktop
2. Click the Install button on the Desktop application's Launch Bar.
3. In the Install Tool dialog box, click the User selector and select the correct user from the list.
4. Click Add.
5. In the Open dialog box, select RoadLingua.prc file to install.
6. Click OK.
7. When the Install Tool dialog box reappears, set the location in the Destination column to "Handheld".
8. Hotsync your handheld

Terms used in this document

Hardware Buttons: The four physical buttons (date, address, todo, and memo) on the bottom of the Palm

Scroll Up/Down Buttons: The physical rocker switch at the bottom center of the palm

Graffiti: The special letter-like symbols you write on a Palm to enter text with your stylus

Graffiti Entry Area: The rectangular area at the bottom of the display screen where you can write letters in graffiti

Silkscreen Buttons: The four printed circular tap areas (Home, Menu, Calculator, and Find) to the left and right of the graffiti drawing area

Menus: The drop-down menus you get when tapping on the silkscreen menu button

Icon: The images on the Program screen area which being tapped invoke particular commands

Using the Program

Adding a Dictionary

Browsing a Dictionary

RoadLingua provides set of controls to navigate through the dictionaries:

Dictionary Switcher: Use this combobox to choose an appropriate dictionary, if no dictionaries available you see "?????" string. The dictionary, which title is displayed in the Dictionary Switcher is the active dictionary.

Note: Functions such as beam, delete or info dictionary applied to the active dictionary.

Word List Area: Contains a sorted list of words available in the dictionary. Tap on a word to get its description. You may scroll the list up and down using the scroll bar at the right side of the list.

Description View Area: Once you have chosen a word in the word list this area displays the word's description.

Word Lookup Field: Type the word (or its first characters) to lookup for a specific word or words starting with the typed characters. To erase the field quickly tap the eraser icon. To choose from the recent lookups tap the history icon.

Working with Clipboard

RoadLingua supports Palm OS clipboard functions to make it easier integration with other Palm OS applications.

If you have any text in you clipboard RoadLingua will copy it to lookup field upon its start. In resident startup clipboard text won't be copied having you selected some text in application screen.

Copy: Copy the selection from either the word lookup field or description view area to the clipboard

Paste: Paste the clipboard contents to the word lookup field.

Note: Both commands are available from the Edit menu.

Translation Lookup

Lookup the selection from the description view area in the active dictionary. Selected text will be inserted into lookup field instead of text there was before. Use this feature to search word description from other word's description.

Panel Height Sizing

There are two modes of word list and description view areas arrangement. The first one (default) displays short word list area and tall description view area. For particular dictionaries you may desire to use the opposite mode. Tap on the height sizing tool to switch between modes. Next time you'll launch RoadLingua it will start in last used mode.

Mode 1	Mode 2

Beaming Dictionaries

To beam a dictionary simply choose the "Command -> Beam/Send Dictionary" item.

Note: Destination handheld should have RoadLingua installed to lookup through the received dictionary. You can beam RoadLingua program file to another handheld by using the Beam menu item in the standard PalmOS launcher screen.

Viewing Dictionary's Information

Each dictionary compatible with RoadLingua has information about itself such as copyright notice. To access this information select the "About -> Dictionary" menu item. To view the abbreviations reference of active dictionary select the "About -> Abbreviations" menu item.

Deleting Dictionaries

To delete a dictionary, select the dictionary title in the dictionary switcher and choose the "Command -> Delete Dictionary" menu item. Answer "Yes" to confirm deletion.

Options and Special Features

Resident calls

RoadLingua provides handy integration with other Palm OS application by allowing resident calls. To activate it, mark "support resident calls" in the "Command -> Options" menu item. Then while working with any text editor or reader which allows text markup, select a word or phrase, and draw the following stroke:

to jump to the word description within the active dictionary. You can switch between dictionaries while in resident mode. To close RoadLingua and return to the previous application tap "Hide" button at the bottom-right side of the screen:

Global Find support

RoadLingua supports the silkscreen find button as an option. To activate it, check the appropriate checkbox in the Preferences screen.

Now, you can use find button to look for specific text not only in built-in applications but in translation articles of active dictionary. RoadLingua will search current dictionary file on your organizer only if you have launched RoadLingua as application rather than launch in resident mode.

Note: this process can be time consuming, so you may not wish to have this option activated at all times. You can interrupt or cancel it any time. Items found are cached, so next time you'll search the same string it will be done in immediately.

Expansion Cards (SD/MMC/CF/MemoryStick) Support

To provide an ability to use large dictionary databases RoadLingua supports all major expansion cards. To enable the feature you should simply put dictionary PDB file to the /Palm/Launcher folder on the expansion card. RoadLingua will automatically detect the dictionary. There's no limitation to the number of dictionaries located on the card.

Download Dictionaries

Ordering and Registration

RoadLingua application is distributed as shareware. Dictionaries compatible with RoadLingua may be distributed with the license provided by dictionary contributor, basically license either as freeware or on commercial basis.

RoadLingua registration

Commercial dictionaries registration

While there are a lot of free dictionaries available, some dictionaries should be paid. Demo version of such dictionary is operable for a limited time period.

Volume discounts are available. Bundle discount is available for those who purchase commercial dictionary with RoadLingua software.

To register a commercial dictionary follow these steps:

Technical support. Contact Information.

Disclaimer

We at AbsoluteWord are committed to providing quality, easy-to-use software. However, this product is provided without warranty and the user accepts full responsibility for any damages, consequential or otherwise, resulting from its use.

This archive is freely redistributable, provided it is made available only in its complete, unmodified form with no additional files and for noncommercial purposes only. Any other use must have prior written authorization from AbsoluteWord.

Unauthorized commercial use includes, but is not limited to:

• A product for sale.
• Accompanying a product for sale.
• Accompanying a magazine, book or other publication for sale.
• Distribution with "Media", "Copying" or other incidental costs.
• Available for download with access or download fees.