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Note that these upgrades are only available to those users who had already paid the $20 or $24.95 to purchase DateBk3 or DateBk4. This upgrade does not apply to the built-in datebook application which is present on all Palm devices, nor the Datebook+ or Calendar application which is present on all Handspring devices.

Upgrading from earlier version of DateBk5:

Existing DateBk5 users can upgrade to the latest version at no charge - your registration code is still valid and will work with DateBk5. Just download the latest version of DateBk5 and read the Read-Me-First.htm file for specific instructions. Basically, you just install it on top of your existing version.

Upgrading from DateBk4:

Existing DateBk4 users can upgrade to DateBk5 at no charge - the DateBk4 registration code is valid and will work with DateBk5. Of course, since all the revenue from the sale of these products go to wildlife conservation, upgrades are always appreciated and go to a worthy cause. If you have DateBk4 in flash ROM remember you must remove it first.

Upgrading from DateBk3:

Registered users of DateBk3 can upgrade to DateBk5 for $10. You can order the DateBk5 upgrade from DateBk3. On some sites you may only see a DateBk4 upgrade from DateBk3. This will also be no problem as the registration code for DateBk4 is also valid for DateBk5.

Upgrading from WeekView:

Registered users of WeekView can upgrade to DateBk4/5 for just $15. As with DateBk3 - you order the DateBk5 upgrade from WeekView at $15. Some sites may list it as a DateBk4 upgrade from WeekView, but this is fine as DateBk4 and DateBk5 use the same registration code.

What about languages?

DateBk5 is available in English, French, Dutch, German, Japanese and Traditional and Simplfied Chinese. Work has already started on Italian and Spanish versions.

What about upgrading from one device to another?

Good question as many Palm vendors either provide poor or completely erroneous information on how to upgrade. The BEST (and safest/simplest) procedure for upgrading follows below. This allows you to retain your current HotSyncUser name, so all your registered software remains registered while also avoiding any problems from inadvertently copying over incompatible system files from your old device.

1. Do a hotsync with your old device.

2. Replace old cradle with new cradle

3. Install new desktop software provided with new device (note: Sony uses the somewhat limited Intellisync Lite for Outlook - you may well want to use the more robust PocketMirror from www.chapura.com or the full version of Intellisync if you are going to sync with Outlook).

4. MOVE the contents of C:\PALM\{HotSyncUser name}\BACKUP to some OTHER folder on your hard drive so it is now empty (I will comment below as to why you need to do this). Sony devices often default to C:\SONY instead of C:\PALM. Alternatively, you can just RENAME the backup folder to some other name before the first hotsync

5. Put new device in cradle and hotsync - use the same user name when it comes up and asks you.

The reason you have to clear out your backup directory is that your backup directory may contain backup copies of some system files which may be incompatible with your new device (you don't want to load OS 4 libraries onto an OS5 device, or install a special Handspring OS update onto a Clie, etc.).

After you do this, all your built-in databases will be installed on your new device. Next step is to re-install your third party applications. Most of these can be installed simply by going to the folder where you put all the BACKUP folder contents and using the Palm install tool to install the PRC files (program files) and the PDB files (data files) for your third party applications. Only install things you recognize as your third party applications. If in doubt, test as you go along by doing a soft reset. If you have installed an incompatible system file, it will likely not come up. In that case, do a WARM reset (Hold in UP button, poke reset) and then delete that file.

If you do get stuck doing this (and that's rare), you can of course always set up a new user name, but that is more effort, and will require that you get new registration codes for almost all your third party software (which can be a bit of a hassle sometimes).

With respect to DateBk5, all your saved views are stored in the Datebk5DB preference database. You may or may not be able to utilize this preference database on your new device - it just depends on how old it was and what device you are coming from. It does no harm to try and use it, but if you start experiencing weird problems or crashes, you can be sure that you will have to rebuild those views. Your CURRENT preferences are stored in the system preference database. This is also quite device-dependent, so you may or may not be able to use it on the new device. If you are upgrading from one model of Sony Clie to another, it's likely you can use it. But if you are upgrading from a Palm IIIc to Zodiac Tapwave, it's much less likely.

You can save your "normal" preferences in the DateBk5DB preference database by doing this on your OLD device:

1. TapAndHold on left-most View Button

2. Select CUSTOM/SAVED VIEWS from View Selection Dialog

3. Tap on NEW button

4. Enter name NORMAL SETTINGS

5. Check the box: REMOVE IN-SAVED-VIEW INDICATOR

6. Tap OK button

Then copy over or beam DateBk5DB to your new device, and to set your normal preferences:

1. TapAndHold on left-most View Button

2. Select CUSTOM/SAVED VIEWS from View Selection Dialog

3. Tap on NORMAL SETTINGS

Beaming over the data from the old device is quite reasonable IF you use a third party file utility to do that (the regular Palm beam command won't work on some databases, etc.) - I suggest you use FILEZ - a popular, freeware utility that works nicely.

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