SnoopSoft Inc.

SnoopSoft Dashboard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Last updated 02 November, 2001

SnoopSoft Dashboard is a skinnable Today Page plug-in for your PocketPC.

If you would like more information on our product, please check out our SnoopSoft Dashboard Product Page.

Installation Questions

1.000 I try to install SnoopSoft Dashboard but keep running into problems...

To install the program, unzip ALL files and FOLDERS from the ZIP archive onto your local hard disk. Make sure that your ZIP program can handle folders and has this option enabled. Then go into the appropriate folder for your device and language and run the Setup.exe program that you find there.
If that doesn't work, then you can manually install it by following these steps:
1. Copy the appropriate CAB file directly to your device using the ActiveSync 'Explore' option: ARM = iPaq; MIPS = Casio; SH3 = HP.
2. On your device, locate the CAB file just copied over and run it.
3. Dashboard should automatically install from this point.

1.001 How do I install SnoopSoft Dashboard Skins?

Download the ZIP file that contains the set of files associated with the skin you'd like to load.
On your desktop PC, unzip the file and extract everything in it to a folder on your PC.
Next, launch the ActiveSync Explorer from your PC (there's a button inside the ActiveSync window labeled 'Explore' that will let you browse your device when it's connected to your PC).
Browse on your device via the ActiveSync Explorer to the following folder:
\Program Files\SnoopSoft\Dashboard\Skins
Copy all of the files that were in the skins ZIP archive over to this folder on your device.
Pull up the Options dialog in SnoopSoft Dashboard and select the skin that you want from the Skins tab (it should appear there now).

Once you get the hang of it, you can place skin file sets into either of these folder locations on your device (or even change the user-defined location to anywhere you like):

\Program Files\SnoopSoft\Dashboard\Skins\
\Storage Card\My Documents\Dashboard\Skins\

If you are running the registered user version of SnoopSoft Dashboard, you can create subfolders for each skin inside the main skin folder. Also, if you are running the registered user version, you can choose any folder on your device as the secondary skin folder.

1.002 How do I uninstall SnoopSoft Dashboard?

For the Registered Version of SnoopSoft Dashboard

Go to the SETTINGS | REMOVE PROGRAMS applet and select 'SnoopSoft Dashboard' to remove.
If the program is installed as a Today plug-in follow the prompts and then soft-reset your device when instructed.
Go to the SETTINGS | REMOVE PROGRAMS applet and select 'SnoopSoft Dashboard' to remove a second time to complete the uninstall process.

For the Trial Version of SnoopSoft Dashboard

Go to the Today Settings page and uncheck the 'Dashboard' program.
Activate whatever other plug-ins you want on your Today page and click OK.
Run the DashHelper program from your Programs folder and select 'Remove'.
Soft reset your device.
Go to the Settings | Remove Programs applet and remove the 'SnoopSoft Dashboard' program.

1.003 The PocketPC keeps telling me the Dashboard.DLL file is locked?

The SnoopSoft Dashboard Today plug-in is locked by the PocketPC OS whenever it is on the Today page. Even if you uncheck it from the Settings | Today applet, the PocketPC OS will keep the DLL locked. To get the OS to free the DLL so that it can be removed or updated follow these steps:

Run the DashHelper program from your Programs folder and select 'Remove'.
Soft reset your device.

- If the DashHelper program is no longer on your device -

Browse your device using the ActiveSync 'Explore' option
Browse into the device's \Windows\ folder
Locate the DASHBOARD.DLL file
(If you cannot find this file then check the "Folder Options" for Explorer and make sure that the "Hide known files" and "Hide system files" options are not enabled)
Rename the DASHBOARD.DLL file to DASHBOARD.OLD
Soft-reset your device
Browse back into the \Windows folder and delete the DASHBOARD.OLD file

1.004 SnoopSoft Dashboard installed fine, but when I run it all I see are some icons along the top and a blank screen...

This is due to the hard-coding of paths within SnoopSoft Dashboard. It's been fixed in the latest installer that is used with the Registered User updates. To fix it manually, browse your device using ActiveSync Explore and create a folder hierarchy from the root of the device as:

\Program Files\SnoopSoft\Dashboard\Skins\ and copy the files from your device's \Programme\SnoopSoft\Dashboard\Skins\ folder into the newly created folder.

1.005 SnoopSoft Dashboard installed fine, but 'Dashboard' does not appear on the Today Settings applet.

The Today settings dialog will not display 'Dashboard' as an option if it is unable to find the Dashboard.dll file, or the DashHelper program has not been run yet. Run the DashHelper program and choose 'Install' if it's available.

1.006 I've downloaded the trial version of SnoopSoft Dashboard, How do I get it onto my Today page?

This is probably because the installation is not really complete once the files have been copied over to the device. To get it onto the Today page, you need to complete the installation. The following information is from the ReadMe that accompanies the SnoopSoft Dashboard installation program:

When the install completes, go to START | PROGRAMS and click the DashHelper icon.
Select 'Install' on the dialog that appears - this sets up the registry for the Today plug-in.
Next, go to the START | SETTINGS | TODAY plug-in and move the 'Dashboard' entry as far to the top as you can and check it off to activate it.
Uncheck *everything* else as SnoopSoft Dashboard uses the entire screen.
Click 'OK' and then reset your device.
At this point, you should see SnoopSoft Dashboard running as your today plug-in.
If you do NOT soft reset after clicking OK, and try to go to the Today page, it may not display properly. Any time you go back to the Today Settings page you may need to soft-reset your device to get SnoopSoft Dashboard to redisplay. This has to do with the program wanting the entire display area and Today not wanting to give it up.

General Use Questions

2.001 I've Registered, where's my Registration number?

There is no registration number for the program. In effort to reduce the burden on all of us, SnoopSoft Dashboard was released as a functional program requiring no Registration code. Registering your version means that you will get future releases and bug fixes sent to you when they become available for one full year after purchase.

Thank You for registering your copy!

2.002 I can't find the Options button.

Each skin has a defined tap area that will allow you to access the Options dialog. For the default skin and a few others, it's the area where the text displays the current view you're on... 'Calendar', 'Tasks', 'Launcher', etc... Just tap on the word and the Options dialog will come up that allows you to configure SnoopSoft Dashboard to your liking.

2.003 My PocketPC locks up whenever I hit the 'Reload Skins' button.

This is due to a bug in the trial version of SnoopSoft Dashboard (v1.1.001) and has been fixed in the publicly available update v1.1.001a. Registered users do not need this update as the Registered users version has this fix as well as many other enhancements to the program.

2.004 How do I setup my own programs for the Launcher to use?

To customize the Launcher screen, you should find a folder on your device in the path: \Program Files\SnoopSoft\Dashboard\Launcher\

Create a link (shortcut) to whatever programs you want in this folder and those will override the ones that you are seeing by default.

To create a link to a program, use the ActiveSync 'Explore' option to browse your device and locate program files or link files. Right+click on one of these and select 'Copy'. Then locate the folder above and right+click inside the folder and select 'Paste Shortcut'. Repeat as necessary for as mnany files as you'd like to create links.

2.005 How do I setup my own programs for the MiniLauncher to use?

To customize the MiniLauncher screen, you should find a folder on your device in the path: \Program Files\SnoopSoft\Dashboard\MiniLauncher\

-or- in the SnoopSoft Dashboard installation folder if you changed it from the default.

Create a link (shortcut) to whatever programs you want in this folder.

2.006 How come Bitmap skins don't appear properly while JPEG skins do?

This is probably due to the fact that ActiveSync is convering your Bitmaps into another format when you move the skin files over to your device. To make sure the bitmaps transfer properly, follow these steps:

Go into ActiveSync and tap on the Options button
Click on the 'Rules' tab
Click on the 'Conversion Settings' button
Click on 'Desktop to Device' tab
Highlight the entry for 'Bitmap image'
Click on the 'Edit' button
Make sure the 'Type' drop list says 'No Conversion'
Click OK
Click OK
Click OK

2.007 How come I can't see my emails?

The email functionality was not coded at the time the Trial version was released. It was deemed not a critical milestone for the initial release by most people who tested the program. The Mail module is now available as part of the Registered Version of SnoopSoft Dashboard and an Enhanced Mail module was also recently made available with more functionality.

2.008 What's that little head icon for?
Why is the MyDash view empty?

The MyDash functionality is being implemented to allow for other developers to add their own modules to SnoopSoft Dashboard. Only Registered users have access to this feature as part of the Registered Version. See the MyDash Page for a listing of available modules.

2.009 Why is there a small (1 pixel high) white line at the top of my Today screen when SnoopSoft Dashboard is running?

The white line at the top of the screen is a small bug in the PocketPC OS that Microsoft is now investigating. The Registered Version of SnoopSoft Dashboard has a fix for this where SnoopSoft Dashboard will manually move itself to the top of the screen if it detects that it isn't already there.

2.010 Why do I still see the blue Start bar and grey Menu bar on the top and bottom of my device?

Dashboard only skins the Today portion of the screen. To skin the Start bar you'll need another application such as Gigabar or WISBar. Dashboard provides integration support for these applications through the skin definition. You can find links to these on our Info page: SnoopSoft Dashboard Info Page

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