Hi Everyone:

I just picked up a Pronto 3 days ago. Can anyone tell me how to clean the screen? When my wife changes channels, while eating wings, I'd like to get the crud off before things start growing. Also, how do you get a macro to run! I put a couple of macros in to turn on the TV and cable box. When I tap on them or run the emulator, nothing happens. What am I missing here.
These remotes must be selling like hot cakes.
Thanks in Advance,
Ron Krause

Ron,
I'm not sure of the best way to clean the pronto screen...but I'll tell you how I've protected my screen (for when you get all of the chicken wing marks cleaned off).

I grabbed some of that transparency that you use on overhead projectors/for slide shows etc and cut a piece of it to be about 1mm larger than the pronto screen all around (wear cotton gloves or handle it by the edges to avoid getting fingerprints on the underside of the transparency sheet).

I then bent the cut-out sheet and placed it over the LCD screen and tucked it under the edges (where the plastic case meets the LCD screen. It sits there nicely, is invisible, and is easily replaceable/cleanable. It's a very cheap way of protecting the screen, and doesn't rely on any sort of adhesive (that may leave residue) to keep it on the screen.

Good luck.

Floydster

Floydster:

Thanks for the help.

I'm sure by the time you see this you will have already found a way to clean your screen Ron; but my favorite method is to use one of those pre-moistened towellets - they also work well on a laptop LCD. If it is too moist wring it out first.
And I just have to say that the suggestion that Floydster gave for the protective cover for the screen is genius!! Way to go F! Did it as soon as I read about it and it is great
Ric

Your macro may not be running because:
1) not all your commands in the macros are programmed.
2) you may need to put delays in between two commands, sometimes the commands are sent too fast for the receiver to receive and action them.
3) you mentioned using the emulator...I wouldn't try testing out your macro through the emulator connected to the Pronto...Best to try it out from the Pronto directly.

Otherwise, macros work as they should work, you program the commands one after another and when you press the button, these commanded are executed one by one.

Another suggestion is to download one of the CCF files available for your equipment. There's bound to be a macro written for your equipment, and you can try them out. If they work, you can see what the author did differently to you, and work out your problem from there.

Hope it helps.


Bevan

Hi Bevan:
I found my problem this weekend. I was trying to enter the macros directly under the ProntoEdit tree. I didn't know that I had to create a page first. Once I did it, the macros worked fine. I'm a little disappointed that ProntoEdit let me do this without giving some sort of error message, But I have had the Pronto for 4 days and I have been able to get all 8 of my remote into it. Overall it works great!

Thanks,
Ron

To clean the screen, I use a little can of spray that I picked up while buying my sunglasses. I guess it's a bit like any other household glass cleaner. Drop in at your opticians and see what they've got.

ConceptKitchen makes small screen protectors for Win CE devices and Palm Pilots. I've got one on my Nino right now, but I don't have my Pronto handy to see if the screen dimensions are the same. You can check out conceptkitchens.com or find them at your local Office Depot or computer store.

If they fit, they'd be an ideal way to protect your touch screen.

Rgds,

Bret

Ron, what do you mean when you say you were creating a macro directly under the ProntoEdit tree?

You can only create macros on a button or on the Properties page for System, Device or Macro Group.

Hi Peter:
I went to "macro groups" on the left side of Prontoedit. I did a right click on "Add Macro Group". I right clicked on "group" & clicked on "macro group properties". Under action I put in an alias to turn the TV & Cable box on, with a delay in between. It would not work until I created a "page" first. Maybe this will help other newbies.

Ron

Ron,

You may be confusing macro groups with macros. A macro is simply a number of actions assigned to any button. Just make a button, alias it to cable box and TV commands and you're done. You might have to insert delays between some commands, like waiting 0.5 seconds between turning power on and switching inputs.

Gary

Ron,

when you assign actions under Macro Group Properties (or Device Properties), you are telling your Pronto what actions to execute when that Macro Group or Device is selected. For example, if you select the DVD device, you might to execute some actions to turn on the DVD, change TV source etc.

This is intended behaviour and not a bug. So ProntoEdit won't warn you if you assign actions under Macro Group properties.

Peter & Gary:

Thanks guys. You cleared up my confusion between macro groups & macros.

ron

Keep the screen clean? Easy. Go to your local Office Depot, Office Max, etc., and pick up a product called Write-Right. It is a semi-sticky, semi-soft translucent plastic sheet that is meant to fit over the top of the 3Com Palm (and Handspring Visor) screen. It has a slightly textured surface to reduce glare, and adheres perfectly to the Rc5000 screen.

They are about $9 for a dozen of them, and each one lasts about 6 months on my Palm (unknown time on the RC5K as I just got my RC5K 3 days ago)


Keith