Installing a Wristapp

Many people have asked how to install a Wristapp and download it to your watch.  While there are people who aare using their DataLink with many different operating systems, these instructions only work for the Timex Data Link software for Windows (what comes on the floppy disk with the watch).  Note that this is different than Schedule+ or another PIM downloading to the watch.

1. Locate the directory where the datalink software is installed.  Typically this will be C:\Datalink or C:\Program Files\DataLink.  In that directory will be a file called TimexDL.DAT
2. Using your favorite editor (Notepad will work just fine), bring in that file to edit.
3. Search in the file for the [WristApps] section.  It will consist of several lines like:

       [WristApps]
       WristAppTotal=10
       SelectedWristApp=9
       WristAppSendOption=True
       WristApp000=HEXDUMP0.ZAP
       WristApp001=Melody17.ZAP
       WristApp002=HELLO.ZAP
       WristApp003=NUMBER.ZAP
       WristApp004=Update.ZAP
       WristApp005=Flash.ZAP
       WristApp006=passwd.ZAP
       WristApp007=dayfind.ZAP
       WristApp008=testsnd.ZAP
       WristApp009=endoff.ZAP
   

4. Note the number in the WristAppTotal and increment it by one.  (In this case I would change the 10 to an 11)
5. Go to the last entry and add a new line just like the ones above it, but increment the WristApp number by one.  In this case, I would add a line after the WristApp009=endoff.ZAP and call that line WristApp010=.  Put the name of the wristapp (don't forget the .ZAP extension) on the line.  In my example, it would look like:

       [WristApps]
       WristAppTotal=11
       SelectedWristApp=9
       WristAppSendOption=True
       WristApp000=HEXDUMP0.ZAP
       WristApp001=Melody17.ZAP
       WristApp002=HELLO.ZAP
       WristApp003=NUMBER.ZAP
       WristApp004=Update.ZAP
       WristApp005=Flash.ZAP
       WristApp006=passwd.ZAP
       WristApp007=dayfind.ZAP
       WristApp008=testsnd.ZAP
       WristApp009=endoff.ZAP
       WristAPP010=NewApp.ZAP
   

6. Save the file
7. Copy the .ZAP file into the APP subdirectory of the datalink software and you are done.
8. Load up the Datalink Software, and click on the WristApps button.
9. Scroll to the bottom of the list to see your new WristApp
10. Select the wristapp and make sure that the bottom says to send the selected WristApp
11. Select OK and then proceed to download to your watch with the normal COMM mode
12. Enjoy!

My Wristapps

The wristapps that I have written so far.  Everything here works for both the 150 and the 150s.

• TipCalc - Calculates 10, 15, 20% tips. Thanks to David M. Schreck <dschreck@csfbg.csfb.com> for the idea!
• Hello - Tutorial #1 - Hello World! (Now where is my C Compiler?)
• Number - Tutorial #2 - Change a single number
• Update - Tutorial #3 - Update a number using a system routine
• Flash - Tutorial #4 - Blinks and changes the number.
• Passwd - Tutorial #5 - Blinks, changes, and selects numbers.
• DayFind - Tutorial #6 - gives you the day of the week
• Sound Test - Tutorial #7 - Plays one of the 14 possible tones on the watch.
• EndOff - Tutorial #8 - Turn off alarms on the weekend
• HexDump - Tutorial #9 - Dump out memory.
• PromDump - Tutorial #10 - Dump out the contents of the EEPROM.
• SpendWatch - Tutorial #11 - Track how much you spend in a day.
• Sound1 - Tutorial #12 - Create a simple soundscape.
• 3Ball - Tutorial #13 - Can't make up your mind?  Let 3Ball help you out.  Thanks to Wayne Buttles <timex@fdisk.com>
• ShipBell - Tutorial #14 - Beeps on the hour with the number of hours past a shift change. (suggested by "Theron E. White, CPA" <twhite@mercury.peganet.com>).
• Pick6 - Tutorial #15 - Choose 6 random numbers out of a set of 49. (suggested by "Philip Hudnott" <Philip.hudnott@btinternet.com>)
• Data Hider - This works for both the 150 and the 150s.
• Segment Setter - This allows you to set all of the segments on the display on/off.

Other People's Wristapps

It is wonderful to now see other people creating Wristapps.

• NumPad - Michael Polymenakos <mpoly@panix.com> has created an excellent app which has two functions in one.  In his own words: "The first thing I miss from my old (and now non-functional) Casio is the ability to record a number quickly when pen and paper are not available. I wrote a small wristapp, NUMPAD, to let me record a 12 digit number... Any comments will be appreciated (especially on replacing the ugly cursor with a 'blink' function that blinks only one digit at a time)."  He has also incorporated a chronometer wristapp in with the app to give you two apps in one.
• 3Ball - Wayne Buttles <timex@fdisk.com> created the first version of this fun app.  It's been updated here as a tutorial.

Plans for Wristapps

The wristapps that I plan to create and know everything necessary to create them.

• WestMinister Chimes - For that 'Big Ben' sound.  With thanks to Pigeon for the sound scheme to make it possible.

Other wristapps that have been suggested (their original comments are presented. I also include  my comments in blue).

• Falling Blocks - I have been thinking about this for a while.  There is really no reason that you can't design a game to take advantage of the segments to do a simple falling-blocks-like game.  You would have to turn the display sideways to play it.
• Slots - I have also wanted to do this game for a while.  The basic idea is to have a slot machine in the watch where you can press a button and take a whirl.  The watch should keep track of your winnings.  Because of the way the segments are organized, I believe that you can even do a good imitation of the wheels spinning.
• Dumper - We need to have a good application that allows the Datalink to talk back to the PC.  The obvious way here will be to use the sounds on the watch and listen to them with the soundblaster on the PC.  Right now the only thing holding us back is someone to create the PC end to listen.  I have everything necessary to generate the tones in a predictable manner.
• Phone Dialer - The Datalink is just screaming for this application that has been suggested by many people.  It is not clear that this is beyond the capabilities of the datalink, but so far I have only been able to emit the 14 basic tones in the watch.  From my experimentation, I am not convinced that this is possible due to how the sound hardware is implemented.
• Info entry - "One of the reasons I like the DataLink is because it DOESN'T have an ugly 12 button keypad on it, but I have to admit, it would be nice to be able to enter a phone number when needed. Granted, it would cumbersome to enumerate the desired digits, but I think it would still be useful (could also be used to enter the section # of a large parking lot that you left your car)." David M. Schreck <dschreck@csfbg.csfb.com>.  This is certainly doable, but it does have some issues to be considerd in dealing with the EEProm. See the EEProms information to understand why.
• Screen Saver - "Not in the true sense of the phrase, of course, and this one you would have to purposely invoke. I imagine that those who are artistically inclined might think up a creative and interesting way to cycle through the available display fields." David M. Schreck <dschreck@csfbg.csfb.com>.  If someone proposes a suggested way that this might work, I certainly could implement it.
• Baseball counter - "This might be too simple to bother with, but people who are umpires (I'm mainly thinking about the many folks who ump for little league games) use a little hand held clicker to keep track of balls, strikes, and outs. This should be an easy applet to create." David M. Schreck <dschreck@csfbg.csfb.com>  This is one where I would love to hear from someone who would actually use it.  I have a number of ideas for user interface, but that would really depend on how someone would use it.
• Tennis counter - "Say I'm about to start a tennis game. I hit one button each time I score a point, and a different one each time my opponent scores. The applet always displays the current score. It might even display the word "deuce" when appropriate. Hopefully it could be programmed to be smart enough to know when subsequent games begin, and even keep track of the set score." David M. Schreck <dschreck@csfbg.csfb.com>.  Here is where I will let my lack of knowledge of tennis show.  I simply don't know how the scoring works well enough to write this.  I would like to have the person enter the two names of the people playing and it woud keep track of who has to serve, the current score, and the total match/set score.  If someone would toss me this information, I could create the app really quickly.
• Calorie Counter - "If someone wanted to keep track of their caloric intake for the day (or any other need where you want to tally up a total but don't feel like carrying around a paper and pencil) perhaps they could just punch in the number to be added to the daily total each time they eat something. At the end of the day they can glance at the total and then reset to zero. David M. Schreck <dschreck@csfbg.csfb.com>" This is probably one of the more intersting apps to create.  I might even take advantage of the EEProm to store some of the basic foods and their calorie counts to make it easier.