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RNS:: TopAreaCodes FAQ

Table of contentsRNS:: logo
Installation:

Setting up:

In action:

Tools:

Other:
Where can I buy the full version of TopAreaCodes?RNS:: logo
RNS:: TopAreaCodes is now freeware. You can simply download the full version from here.
Supported devicesRNS:: logo
RNS:: TopAreaCodes was designed exclusively for Treo 600, Treo 650, Treo 680, Treo 700p, Treo 755p, and Palm Centro smartphones. It will not run on any other devices.
What files should I install?RNS:: logo
You must install the tac.prc file which is the main program file, as well as some databases that contain resources for various areas: area names, maps, flags, etc. TopAreaCodes is unable to display any information on the area code unless you install at least one resource database.

The most important databases are included in the ZIP and SIT packages together with the main program file. You may download other databases later on.

Where should I put the files?RNS:: logo
  • The main program file (tac.prc) must be installed in the main memory RAM.
  • Resource databases containing texts (e.g. country names) must also be put in RAM.
  • Resource databases containing graphics (e.g. maps, flags) may be installed either in RAM or on an expansion card.
Databases on the card must be placed in the default directory for .prc files, which is /PALM/Launcher by default. Using HotSync guarantees their proper placement in RAM or on the card.
Why so many databases?RNS:: logo
If TopAreaCodes was a single file:
  • It would be very large - a few megabytes.
  • Low resolution Treo device users (Treo 600) and high resolution Treo device users would have both: lowres and hires versions of resources.
  • You would have no choice between normal and high-quality resources.
  • Everyone would have to have all resources installed... if you're not from Mozambique, do you really need to know all areas, flags, maps and seals in Mozambique? Obviously not.
Now you can install a really small program file (TopAreaCodes is less than 100K) and download only those databases you really need.

Databases may contain:
  • area names, e.g. "Germany", "Japan", "California", "Texas".
  • area maps, examples:
    Map showing the location of Greece Map showing the location of Texas

  • area flags, examples:
    Flag of Great Britain Flag of Macao Flag of Japan Flag of Israel
    Flag of Washington Flag of Ohio Flag of California Flag of Texas

  • area seals (coats of arms), examples:
    Seal of Venezuela Seal of USA Seal of San Marino Seal of Poland
    Seal of Alabama Seal of Montana Seal of California Seal of North Carolina
Downloading additional databasesRNS:: logo
There are lots of resource databases available on the Internet. They contain various information on various areas. All resource databases are free. They can be downloaded:
  • From the official TopAreaCodes Databases web site.
  • Using the Tools=>Download Databases... menu command in the TopAreaCodes setup screen. A Treo device friendly web site will be opened in your web browser.
First stepsRNS:: logo
Active CallSo you have RNS:: TopAreaCodes and a few resource databases installed. In fact you can immediately call someone or ask to be called, to see TopAreaCodes in action. Both in the Incoming Call screen and in the Active Call screen you will see the appropriate content from the resource databases you have installed. You may see the area name (a country, a state) of your caller, the flag of that area, area map or seal.

Note, however, that there are lots of configuration options available after launching TopAreaCodes. Read on:
The main setup screenRNS:: logo
The main setup screen Go to your applications launcher and tap the TopAreaCodes' icon TopAreaCodes icon. The main setup screen of TopAreaCodes will show up. It is used for managing resource databases, as well as launching additional TopAreaCodes tools (like Find Area by Code or Find Code by Area).

The screenshot on the right shows TopAreaCodes with 3 resource databases installed:
  • USA - states is a text database. It contains names of the American states, e.g. "California", "Florida", "Massachusetts".
  • World - countries is a text database, too. It contains names like "Japan", "Mexico", "Poland".
  • USA - states - maps is a graphical database containing a map of the USA with individual states highlighted.
Text databases are always placed at the top of the list and are marked with bold font. Disabled databases are grayed out. Databases placed on the expansion card are marked with the Card database symbol. References to missing card databases are marked with the Missing card database symbol.

You can see the general activation switch On in the top-right corner. Use it to temporarily disable TopAreaCodes.

Read on:
Buttons on the main setup screenRNS:: logo
There are 8 buttons at the bottom of the main setup screen. They are used to manage installed resource databases:
Setup screen buttons
12345678
  • 1, 2 - Priority - changes the priority of graphical databases. The databases placed at the top will be displayed initially during a phone call. So if you want to be presented a map first, move all map databases to the top.
  • 3 - Info - shows information on the selected database and lets you disable it temporarily with the Enabled switch. Disabled databases do not show up during a phone call.
  • 4 - Browse - shows contents of the selected database: area codes together with relative information: names, flags, maps, etc.
  • 5 - Beam - beams the selected database.
  • 6 - Send - sends the selected database (e.g. via Bluetooth).
  • 7 - Rename - changes the description of the selected database.
  • 8 - Delete - removes the selected database from RAM and expansion card.
Display preferencesRNS:: logo
Display preferences To change display preferences, call the Options=>Display Preferences... menu command in the main setup screen.
  • Show animation - animation occurs during a phone call: when toggling viewed items (e.g. country map=>local map), toggling item type (e.g. flag=>map), and when expanding a map.
  • Show toggling buttons - these buttons are used during a phone call to toggle viewed items and item types. Even if they are hidden, you may still toggle items with hardware buttons: Q/A and Y/U/I/O/P.
  • Map colors - you may customize the colors on maps displayed by TopAreaCodes during a phone call.
Dial preferencesRNS:: logo
Dial preferences To change dial preferences, call the Options=>Dial Preferences... menu command in the main setup screen.

These preferences control the way dialed numbers are detected and decoded by TopAreaCodes to find the relevant information. They differ in different countries. By default, TopAreaCodes is configured to operate in North America, but most of its functions will work anywhere in the world.
  • Top markers - define all possible wide-range calling code prefixes. All international calls begin with one of these markers.
  • Local codes - if a dialed number does not begin with any of the top markers, the appropriate local code is added. The numbers 14 down to 1 stand for the number of digits the dialed number must have for a given local code to be used. In general, this local codes list should start with one of the top markers (+ in the screenshot to the right), followed by the local country code (1 for the USA), and the local area code (323 stands for California in this example).
Find Area by CodeRNS:: logo
Find Area by Code When you know a code and would like to receive detailed information about it, call the Tools=>Find Area by Code... menu command in the main setup screen.

Enter the area code in the Search field as if you were dialing a number, and the complete information on this area will be displayed.

The area code must begin with one of the top markers (e.g. +). You may tap the ^ insert local code button to have it inserted for you.
Find Code by AreaRNS:: logo
Find Code by Area When you know the name of an area and would like to know its code, select a text database containing that area and call the Tools=>Find Code by Area... menu command in the main setup screen.

Start typing the area name in the Search field and its area code will be displayed. If a given area has more than one code, the Many symbol will be shown. Tap the Browse button to see details of the selected area. These include the complete list of area codes as well as the map, flag and seal (if the appropriate databases are installed).
Answering an incoming callRNS:: logo
Incoming Call When someone calls you, the information about his area is immediately displayed on the screen. You will see the country or state name, map, flag, and/or seal (coat of arms).

TopAreaCodes must be active and appropriate databases must be installed and enabled:
  • To get information on international calls, you must have World databases installed.
  • To get information on calls from the USA, you must have USA databases installed.
Note: no information is displayed for callers with an assigned photograph (you will see the photograph instead).
Outgoing and active callsRNS:: logo
Active Call When talking to someone on the phone, the information about his area is displayed on the screen all the time. You will see the country or state name, the map, the flag, and/or the seal (coat of arms).

TopAreaCodes must be active and appropriate databases must be installed and enabled:
  • To get information on international calls, you must have World databases installed.
  • To get information on calls from the USA, you must have USA databases installed.
Note: no information is displayed during a conference call (you will see the number and the name of the other caller instead).
Toggling displayed itemsRNS:: logo
During a phone call, only one graphical item may be displayed at a time. Initially, this will be the topmost item in the databases list in the main TopAreaCodes setup screen. To see other items, do one of the following:
  • Tap the Up and Down buttons to toggle viewed items (e.g. country map=>local map).
    Additionally, the Q and A hard buttons correspond to these on-screen buttons.
  • Tap one of the Map/Flag/Seal buttons to toggle item type (e.g. flag=>map).
    Additionally, the I, O and P hard buttons correspond to these on-screen buttons.
Expanding area mapRNS:: logo
Expanding a map Normally, the displayed area map is really small and clipped.

To expand the map, simply tap it and hold. Alternatively, you may use the Shift hard button.
TopAreaCodes vs. TreoAreaCodesRNS:: logo
In March 2008 RNS:: TreoAreaCodes was renamed to RNS:: TopAreaCodes. The change was necessary after Palm released a new Treo smartphone (Centro) under a non-Treo name.
My question is not listed in this FAQ!RNS:: logo
Use TopAreaCodes Forum - a message board - the preferred way to ask your questions. Everyone can benefit from the questions and answers posted there...
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