Taking Screen shots

You need a special programme to take screen shots on the Geofox. It is a small app. called Sdump, comprising just four files, and runs from the Extras bar. If Sdump is not yet available on the Geofox Download pages, email Geofox Support or me at liddell@rsc.co.uk and I will send you the programme.

It is easy to install, just make a new folder in c:\System\Apps and call it Sdump. Then connect your Fox to your PC and use EPOC Connect to drag and drop the files into the newly created folder. You will then find that an icon appears on the Extras bar.

When you click the icon a screenshot is taken, and a dialogue box appears, for you to name the shot and choose the folder where you want the shot to be stored. I keep a folder "Screenshots" on the C drive. Keep the names of the actual shots short. You will see why in a moment.

Having got the screenshot you will probably want to transfer it to the PC and use it. This is rather more complicated! I am assuming that you are operating Windows 95.... Sorry but that is all I know!

On your PC go to your C drive and make a folder called Convert. Now using the EPOC Connect drag and drop the screenshot into the new folder.... choose to copy or move only..... it is not possible to convert it using EPOC Connect.

Now get out the CDs which came with your Geofox. On the EPOC Connect CD there are some more folders. Find the one called Extras, open it and open the Utils folder inside. There you should find several Dos programmes, you want the one called BMConv.exe. Now drag and drop that into your new Convert folder. If you cannot find the BMConv.exe programme, then email me and I will send you a copy.

Now that you have both the BMConv programme and your screenshot in the same folder you are ready to convert your Geofox screenshot into a Bitmap, which your PC can then display.

To do this conversion you need to use the programme on your startup menu called MS DOS Prompt.

If you are new to using Dos programmes, as I am, then take heart... it can be done!

There should be a black background with white typing, and a flashing cursor. It will most probably say

C:\Windows>

This means that it is "looking into" your Windows folder. You want it to look into your newly created folder called Convert.

Firstly you need to take it back to the C drive..... so type in

cd C:\                    and then press the Enter key (cd means change directory)

now type in

cd Convert                and then press the Enter key

Now the cursor should be flashing after the Convert..... this means that you are safely in the folder you want.

Now you need to activate the BMConv programme....

so type in         BMConv/u (name) (name).bmp                      and then press the Enter key.

in this string put the name of your shot where (name) goes. So if I want to convert a shot which I have named "data1" I will type in

BMConv/u data1 data1.bmp                     and then press the Enter key

Use single spaces to separate the elements of your command, and all should be well. You will get a "Success" message to tell you when it is completed.

As I said, it is easier to use short names for your screenshots, and also I don't think DOS will take long names either!

I hope that this has ended up with a Bitmap in your Convert folder. Then if you double click the Bitmap you should launch Paint.... and be able to see your screenshot!

  To Summarise