Develop Bugs

[Q] MIME types and Iso storage

Hi,
I remember from owning an IPhone having to synchronise my ewallet (a password manager) files over the air from the desktop whilst the app was running on the phone. (I'll admit it was a minor annoyance).
Having moved to android and using a combination of dropbox and keepass, I don't really think about anymore - I just open dropbox and click the file and keepass opens up.
But, what about WP7? I realise that apps are only permitted to use their own storage. If I were to build a say, a keepass app for WP7, would I be back to building some desktop client software that allow syncing over the air whilst the app was running (like IPhone/ewallet), or hooking into any number of online sync services like Dropbox, Box.net, Pogoplug, etc, just to get the file some place the app can reach it.
I'm having trouble thinking of any other option given the lack of any common storage.
Thanks

If you did develop Keepass for WP7, you'd have your first customer here!
I'm actually tempted to try and port it myself, and I've come to the same conclusion as you regarding storage. The local KDB file would need to held in private storage and synchronised to an off-device copy, be that a desktop app or something like drop box.

A keepass app is one of the things I was considering. Not so sure about it now.
I'll have a look round for an elegant solution.

Well, isn't Skydrive the same as Dropbox? As I understood WP7 uses Skydrive to store your files 'in the cloud'; so why not put your Keepass file there?

Seven_PRX said:
Well, isn't Skydrive the same as Dropbox? As I understood WP7 uses Skydrive to store your files 'in the cloud'; so why not put your Keepass file there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd not considered skydrive/mesh. I'll 'ave a look.
Thanks for the heads-up.

I'm thinking of writing a desktop synching app myself. That way any WP7 app could connect to it to import files from a PC.
I've thought about using skydrive myself, but it doesn't seem to offer a way to download the file directly.

[Q] transfering Office Docs

Hi All
simple question.
can i transfer office files to and from wp7 to win7 via the usb cable?
regards

I dont think so , but you can mail them

ceesheim said:
I dont think so , but you can mail them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's great and very convenient. WP7 is a huge progress in this respect.
You can also print the office document and send it to yourself via FedEx
(I want my USB mass storage back)

arturobandini said:
Yes, that's great and very convenient. WP7 is a huge progress in this respect.
You can also print the office document and send it to yourself via FedEx
(I want my USB mass storage back)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes that is a real big - for wp7
Could be added simple by microsoft , just make another folder called Documents , and let it sync
same as Music, videos , potcasts , pictures .
but we early adopters have to live with it I think .
I think they (Microsoft) will change things like this really quick .

ceesheim said:
yes that is a real big - for wp7
Could be added simple by microsoft , just make another folder called Documents , and let it sync
same as Music, videos , potcasts , pictures .
but we early adopters have to live with it I think .
I think they (Microsoft) will change things like this really quick .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I hope so.
Otherwise I believe many users will jailbreak their WP7 phone in order to get this essential feature back.

arturobandini said:
Agreed. I hope so.
Otherwise I believe many users will jailbreak their WP7 phone in order to get this essential feature back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol , only tweakers like us will jailbreak the phone (even when it isn't needed) , 99% of the users don't do that.
I know a lot of people that have a iphone and non of them are jailbreaked .
and that is the same for android and wm 6.*.*

Yeah I think they focused too much on Sharepoint integration.
Which by the way only supports Sharepoint 2010 when most businesses haven't upgraded yet.
I agree there should be document syncing in Zune just like there was in Active Sync.

thing was, i was out for the day working away had no gprs dongle as i left it at home and had a word doc to send. ohh i thought i know ill bluetooth it to my mozart no cant do that, ohh ill use the cable no cant to that. So it turns out office mobile is a waste of time on my mozart.

teoami said:
Yeah I think they focused too much on Sharepoint integration.
Which by the way only supports Sharepoint 2010 when most businesses haven't upgraded yet.
I agree there should be document syncing in Zune just like there was in Active Sync.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, there are too many services: Sharepoint, Live, Zune, Hotmail, Skydrive, Mesh, etc... It is a REAL MESS.
Office documents shall be easily transferrable via USB cable, from any PC.
ZUNE (or any specific soft) cannot be the answer since not all the PC will have Zune on it.

Hey Guys
a simple tip for sending things to your computer
if you have a PC you can use the "map network drive" to create a drive which will sync with your skydrive.
so i use that to drag and drop files onto skydrive on the PC which i can access easily on my phone.
or you can download windows live mesh!
sorted

I'm an Android user so don't know if this applies to Windows Phone, but many people seem suprised when I tell them I xfer docs, music, files, etc quickly & easily with Dropbox. It really doesn't get much easier. Sure, a lot of people already know this, but many seem to overlook it too! But bring a new platform and all, there may not be a Dropbox app.
Also, I use ftp lots too. I have both a server and client app on my phones and they both work great. Again, not sure if this applies either tho, but maybe. I use Swiftp as a server, and andFtp as a client, both of which work great. If by chance they are available on WP. If not, maybe there is something similar.
Anyway, just some ideas. I probably don't know what I'm talking about tho, so ill go back to my own section . Hope ya find what you're looking for. I hate when I need a file and dont have access to it. Luckily there are some great tools available to make sure that rarely happens!
PS: Google Docs seems to be getting more and more serious in the mobile world as well. Today the just added editing capabilities on mobile devices.
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

WM 6.X.X has Dropbox or Box.net clients also (Kinoma or ruttensoft Cloufiles).
But the problem is still here and still the same:
If someone has some office docs in his PC and you want to import them you will not ask this person if you can install Dropbox on his pc. And what if he does not have Internet connection?

arturobandini said:
WM 6.X.X has Dropbox or Box.net clients also (Kinoma or ruttensoft Cloufiles).
But the problem is still here and still the same:
If someone has some office docs in his PC and you want to import them you will not ask this person if you can install Dropbox on his pc. And what if he does not have Internet connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is my point i wanted to transfer them so i could send via phones gprs signal. my laptop had no wifi or a gprs signal as i didnt have a dongle.
any other ideas???

arturobandini said:
Also, there are too many services: Sharepoint, Live, Zune, Hotmail, Skydrive, Mesh, etc... It is a REAL MESS.
Office documents shall be easily transferrable via USB cable, from any PC.
ZUNE (or any specific soft) cannot be the answer since not all the PC will have Zune on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SharePoint isn't a consumer Service. It's part of what Microsoft used to call BackOffice back in the day, if they still used that term (along with IIS, Exchange, SQL Server, etc. - basically what comes with Microsoft Windows SBS).
Live Mesh is part of SkyDrive, just like Windows Live Photos was killed and integrated into SkyDrive. Office Web Apps are also part of SkyDrive. It's one service. There is just an application you install on you PCs to Sync Files from them onto that specific area of you SkyDrive.
Windows Live Photo Gallery Syncs directly to SkyDrive. Office Web Apps save directly to SkyDrive and if you use Microsoft Office (desktop Applications) with SkyDrive it saves directly to SkyDrive. Hotmail/Calendar/Contacts are all basically one service. To-Do Lists (i.e. Tasks) are integrated into Calendar and supported fully by Windows Live Mail, as is all functionality of those components.
There are basically 3 Services: SkyDrive, Hotmail, Zune - all running off the same Windows Live ID (if you're organized).
There USED to be too many services, because everything was once separate. SkyDrive, Windows Live Photos, Spaces, Office Live Workspaces, Calendar, etc. was all separate. That's what Google is dealing with now, and trying to fix. Remember all the humbug about having different Google Profiles depending on which service it was? Picasa and Google Docs aren't related outside of their brand, things like that. Microsoft has fixed much of that and integrated the products quite well in Wave 4.
The only people who are suffering are those on Windows XP because they cannot install and use the update client applications (Live Essentials 2011).
Zune needs to be its own service. The same way iTunes isn't integrated into MobileMe for Microsoft and I'm sure Google Music will be as decoupled as everything else Google has when they release that (although the media industry seems to be quite apprehensive of Google these days).

stickyshocker said:
this is my point i wanted to transfer them so i could send via phones gprs signal. my laptop had no wifi or a gprs signal as i didnt have a dongle.
any other ideas???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use SkyDrive. Most people won't wait until they get into basically a no-signal area to get their files transferred over.

hboos said:
Hey Guys
a simple tip for sending things to your computer
if you have a PC you can use the "map network drive" to create a drive which will sync with your skydrive.
so i use that to drag and drop files onto skydrive on the PC which i can access easily on my phone.
or you can download windows live mesh!
sorted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome!! thanks for the tip!

If you use Microsoft Office (2003 and above) to edit a file on SkyDrive it automatically maps it as a "Network Place" on your computer, BTW, after you open the first file.

N8ter said:
SharePoint isn't a consumer Service. It's part of what Microsoft used to call BackOffice back in the day, if they still used that term (along with IIS, Exchange, SQL Server, etc. - basically what comes with Microsoft Windows SBS).
Live Mesh is part of SkyDrive, just like Windows Live Photos was killed and integrated into SkyDrive. Office Web Apps are also part of SkyDrive. It's one service. There is just an application you install on you PCs to Sync Files from them onto that specific area of you SkyDrive.
Windows Live Photo Gallery Syncs directly to SkyDrive. Office Web Apps save directly to SkyDrive and if you use Microsoft Office (desktop Applications) with SkyDrive it saves directly to SkyDrive. Hotmail/Calendar/Contacts are all basically one service. To-Do Lists (i.e. Tasks) are integrated into Calendar and supported fully by Windows Live Mail, as is all functionality of those components.
There are basically 3 Services: SkyDrive, Hotmail, Zune - all running off the same Windows Live ID (if you're organized).
There USED to be too many services, because everything was once separate. SkyDrive, Windows Live Photos, Spaces, Office Live Workspaces, Calendar, etc. was all separate. That's what Google is dealing with now, and trying to fix. Remember all the humbug about having different Google Profiles depending on which service it was? Picasa and Google Docs aren't related outside of their brand, things like that. Microsoft has fixed much of that and integrated the products quite well in Wave 4.
The only people who are suffering are those on Windows XP because they cannot install and use the update client applications (Live Essentials 2011).
Zune needs to be its own service. The same way iTunes isn't integrated into MobileMe for Microsoft and I'm sure Google Music will be as decoupled as everything else Google has when they release that (although the media industry seems to be quite apprehensive of Google these days).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this useful clarification N8ter.
Still I think it's a bit complicated, and services shall be more integrated.

I think they will have issues trying to integrate them "more" than they already have.
Couple Windows Phone 7 with Windows 7 + Live Essentials, and it's hard to get more integrated with such a good workflow [than they already are].
I'm sure there are areas where the integration can be made tighter, though.
Also I made a typo. I said "... iTunes isn't integrated into mobileMe for Microsoft..."
Microsoft should be "Apple."

Adding Word Documents to WP&
I'm confused on how to send word documents to WP7. I added the documents to Skydrive but I don't see them in my phone. Anybody know what is the ebst way to do it? Thank you

How can i get PDF and Word docs to my WP7 device?

Im at work and theres a pdf file and a doc which i want on my wp7 device. i cant download Zune here ( dont think it would work anyway) so how can i get these docs onto my phone? ive little time to think today. Help. This is important as ill i travel often and will need to do this more often.
I tried sending them to my email and picking it up from my phone but have been unsucessful so far. maybe ill try accessing the skydrive. i had some strange message about needing silverlight though Help!

davidebanks said:
Im at work and theres a pdf file and a doc which i want on my wp7 device. i cant download Zune here ( dont think it would work anyway) so how can i get these docs onto my phone? ive little time to think today. Help. This is important as ill i travel often and will need to do this more often.
I tried sending them to my email and picking it up from my phone but have been unsucessful so far. maybe ill try accessing the skydrive. i had some strange message about needing silverlight though Help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Importing Office documents is unfortunately a problem with WP7....
Related link here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842933

When life hand you lemons learn to make lemonade
Sign up for Drop Box. No there is not an official DROPBOX for WP7 yet. WP7Box and CloudFiles looks promising but still not complete.
The mobile version of dropbox is really easy to use. m.dropbox.com
It's is finger friendly and is fast. Sync your files there and you are good to go. That is what I do for WP7. I also sync with Sharepoint and OneNote but I like to experiment.
With 25GIGs for free to store info why would you want to not use it. Information is only as good as your last backup. At least with cloud solutions you are backed up.
I keep all my powerpoint presentations, word docs, acrobat files etc. No need to have them in multiple locations.

Well we have another similar thread open, so I'll close this!

What cloud to offset limited device storage?

So it's being marketed that the 25GB cloud storage of Skydrive is to compensate for limited WP7 device storage. Ok fine, I'll go with that, BUT...
I'm trying to upload some music to my Skydrive and it just doesn't seem setup for this at all. I can't retain any kind of folder structure within a folder. Also (I don't have my WP7 device yet, on preorder), will my Skydrive simply show up as folder on the device and allow me to stream? Or is there a Skydrive app for doing that?
Perhaps I'm even doing this totally wrong. Is there like a Zune cloud somewhere that I can upload my library to and access and stream that from my WP7?
Thanks!

I may be wrong, but I believe the only way to access the SkyDrive on WP7 is through the browser with one exception - pictures. The SkyDrive Camera Roll is intergrated into the Pictures Hub.

sirandrew said:
I may be wrong, but I believe the only way to access the SkyDrive on WP7 is through the browser with one exception - pictures. The SkyDrive Camera Roll is intergrated into the Pictures Hub.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you freakin kidding me? What's even the point then vs. some other upload site if it's not totally integrated into the OS!
Cloud then my ass!

After some research, I think I may have found something that relates to what you are asking about...
Office Document Storage in the Cloud – Document sharing and storage in the cloud via Windows Live SkyDrive will be added to Windows Phone in the second half of 2011.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://windowsphonesecrets.com/2011/02/14/windows-phone-at-mwc-accelerating-the-windows-phone-ecosystem/

sirandrew said:
After some research, I think I may have found something that relates to what you are asking about...
http://windowsphonesecrets.com/2011...mwc-accelerating-the-windows-phone-ecosystem/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool, thanks for the link! I'll read up and keep my fingers crossed!

The solution to streaming music is ZunePass I believe. I don't think we'll be able to stream stuff through the cloud. Unless we host stuff on our own servers. It sucks cause it's a paid solution.

Yes, the so called "cloud" integration is a fallacy, at the moment at least and the best we have been led to expect is full document sync with Skydrive later this year (or whenever those damn carriers decide we can have it). You are better off using your PC and looking for a streaming application to use with that.

[Q] win7 excel

I have been trying to find out if windows 7 mobile is able to support my excel spreadsheet. Some retailers say yes no problem, others say my formulas are to complex, no one has been able to try it for me. How can I find out if my spreadsheet can be read, edited and it calculates properly before I buy?
Does the handset make any differance or is the win 7 the same on all? I haven't purchased a handset as of yet as I am still trying to find out what apps I can use on them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I very much want excel and word support, pdf reader is a must - creator would be a real plus. Gps would be real nice too.
Thus far I am leaning towards the htc surround, it seems to be one of the better options in my limited market.

before you buy the device,I have to let you know that,unless you are using microsoft sharepoint,if not the office application is kind of useless.
me as a student,I can't even transfer my lecture note to the device and revise it anywhere.
so,think twice before you buy a device

onenote is the only thing that you can sync to skydrive. so you can edit them on the web as well.
excel and word on the hand has to be emailed back and forth if you don't have sharepoint.
MS did demo a skydrive client at CES, which will be part of mango update, released in fall 2011, so that will be the resolve, but till then email is the only way to do it.

Thanks for the tips, I can see more research is in order.

You don't have to email word and excel documents in order to make them usable on a WP7 device. You can also choose to sync these items with either dropbox - which has several clients for WP7 - or software solutions like homepipe. Both work fine, either way.
But it's truely just a workaround until MS will provide full skydrive support. Which should have been part of WP7 from day one in the first place.

Transfering isn't a big deal, I would like to put the spreadsheet template on the handset, add in the data as needed and have excel do the calculations. Perhaps a quarterly backup to the computer would be fine. Will the handset excel sync with the desktop app, filling in the fields or would that have to be done manually?

Attila7 said:
Transfering isn't a big deal, I would like to put the spreadsheet template on the handset, add in the data as needed and have excel do the calculations. Perhaps a quarterly backup to the computer would be fine. Will the handset excel sync with the desktop app, filling in the fields or would that have to be done manually?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never really tried that, because I hardly use excel. But the way I described works with word, so why should it be any different with excel? Just save the file created on your desktop PC to your dropbox folder (or any other folder you can sync with your handset), then download and open it from the client app on your device.

Attila7 said:
Transfering isn't a big deal, I would like to put the spreadsheet template on the handset, add in the data as needed and have excel do the calculations. Perhaps a quarterly backup to the computer would be fine. Will the handset excel sync with the desktop app, filling in the fields or would that have to be done manually?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I just looked into my zune & LG Quantum transfer options, and I could not find any options regarding transferring any type of files that are not music, video or podcasts. EDIT: NM, miss understood your question. I don't believe the spreadsheets will sync. But using dropbox, this wouldn't be an issue, as you would always be opening the dropbox copy of the spreadsheet.
RE: seeing whether or not your excel spreadsheet will run properly, I am not sure how private/personal your spreadsheet is, but you could email it to a user here to test it and report back to you if it works.

Would the dropbox copy be the same as the computer copy? Would someone be willing to try the template for me to see if it will run and calculate properly? That is a great idea! The template is about 1.5 mb. If anyone is willing to try this for me please PM me, thanks.

i use Excel a lot on my windows phone by using a budget spreadsheet I whipped up on my computer. I know there are multitudes of budgets apps but why do that when you can auto calculate averages, sums, and present them graphically with a simple spread sheet?
Now at the moment, the only way to get Office docs (Word or Excel) on the phone is via emailing your self or as others suggested dropbox or file server. The downside is changes made on the phone isn't synced back to the source. You have to email the changes to yourself.
Microsoft has demoed Skydrive integration coming in the Fall update. Changes made then will be automatically synced like One note is now.
As for formulas, my formulas and graphs work and show up on the phone just fine! However I am not sure if more complicated ones work as I was unable to edit an excel timesheet from my job on my phone (says unable to open this file created from earlier office version). I am willing to test this template for you.
Feel free to PM it to me.
Also one way to get office documents on the phone iis utilizing skydrive instead of dropbox
1, I mapped my skydrive "My Documents" folder as a network drive on my Windows 7 PC
2. I save all my office documents there. I can edit them, delete them, rename them just as any other folder.
3. One the phone you can access skydrive via the browser and download your files without needing drop box or 3rd party solutions. The downside is being unable to upload them back!
4. Do maintenance, email your changed document and replace it on the desktop yourself.
Hope this helps.

sayonical said:
1, I mapped my skydrive "My Documents" folder as a network drive on my Windows 7 PC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how did you do this? i would like to know as i've always wanted to do this as well. Windows Live Mesh doesn't seem to do it the way i want.

The Gate Keeper said:
how did you do this? i would like to know as i've always wanted to do this as well. Windows Live Mesh doesn't seem to do it the way i want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have Office2010 follow this easy guide
http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/25/use-office-2010-to-map-a-local-drive-letter-to-your-free-25gb-live-skydrive/

awesome! i'll give this a try when i get home.