TealAuto User's Manual

Introduction

Description

Thank you for trying TealAuto, the advanced automobile mileage and expense-tracking program for mobile devices. TealAuto can be used to record fill-ups, trip distance, service and expenses for multiple vehicles. The program is highly configurable, supporting custom services, gas brands, gas grades, service stations and billing accounts. Unmatched reporting capabilities also allow exporting and summarizing of information in charts, graphs, memos, or documents.

WebOS Files

The WebOS version comes in an ipk file bundle delivered directly from the Palm Catalog to your device. You should normally never see or need to interact with this file.

PalmOS Files (.ZIP Archive)

PalmOS programs are distributed in a compressed ZIP archive typically named TEALAUTO.ZIP that contains the following files:

Program files:

TEALAUTO.PRC The TealAuto program file

TPSETUP.EXE Easy installer program (Windows only)

Document files:

AUTODOC.PDF This document in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format

AUTODOC.HTM This document in HTML format (sans images)

AUTODOC.PRC This document in TealDoc format

Windows Mobile Files (.EXE Installer)

Windows Mobile programs are distributed in an automatic EXE installer meant to be run on your desktop PC.

TEALAUTO_PPC_INSTALL.EXE The TealAuto Windows Installer

Windows Desktop PC File (.EXE Program)

Windows Desktop PC programs are distributed as a plain EXE file that you can save to your desktop and run directly.

TEALAUTO.EXE The TealAuto Desktop PC program

Installing the Program

WEBOS

Download and run the program directly from the Palm App Catalog.

PALMOS

From Windows (automatic install)

On a Windows PC you can also use quick setup installer by double clicking on the TPSETUP.EXE installer program, and following the on screen prompts.

From All Systems (manual)

Use the Palm Installer in the Palm Desktop to install the program file TEALAUTO.PRC.

Instructions on how to use the Palm Installer are in the handbook that came with your Treo, Palm, Pilot, PalmPilot, or WorkPad. You can find the installer either as a stand-alone program in your Palm install folder, in the Windows Start Menu with the other Palm programs, or in the Palm Desktop program as an icon (called Install or Quick Install) along the left-hand side.

Optional Documentation

You can also optionally install a handheld version of this documentation. This manual is provided in this archive as the PalmPilot document AUTODOC.PRC. To read it, install it using the Palm Install Tool and read it with a Palm doc reader program like TealDoc.

WINDOWS MOBILE

Connect your handheld to your desktop PC, then run TEALAUTO_PPC_INSTALL.EXE on your PC and follow the on-screen prompts..

WINDOWS DESKTOP PC

No installation is necessary. Save the TEALAUTO.EXE to a convenient location on your Desktop or other location. Run it by double-clicking on it.

If you want Start Menu shortcuts, you can create these manually by right-clicking on the app and using the Windows Create Shortcut menu.

When the program is first run, the program will create a new folder in your My Documents directory with the same name as the .EXE file. This is where the program’s data files are stored.

Terms used in this document

Hardware Buttons:

The physical buttons (typically labeled Date, Address, To Do, and Memo) on the bottom of the handheld.

Scroll Up/Down Buttons or 5-way navigator:

The physical rocker switch or separate buttons at the bottom center of the handheld.

Graffiti:

The special letter-like symbols you write to enter text with your stylus.

Graffiti Entry Area:

The rectangular area at the bottom of the display screen where you can write letters using the graffiti input language.

Silkscreen Buttons:

The four, printed circular, tap areas (typically labeled Home, Menu, Calculator, and Find) to the left and right of the graffiti drawing area.

Menus:

The drop-down menus you get when tapping on the silkscreen Menu button.

Chapter 1 – Overview

TealAuto is a convenient and powerful data collection and analysis system, allowing you to easily enter fueling, service, and trip information while on the road. Powerful summary and analysis tools allow you to track and graph that information as well, all while still on the move. It even features a handy meter minder countdown timer with an alarm to keep those pesky parking tickets at a minimum.

TealAuto Versions

TealAuto runs as a standard handheld application program on WebOS, PalmOS and Windows Mobile devices. An optional Windows PC version is also available.

The handheld TealAuto versions support facilities for importing and exporting data to a desktop computer or Windows PC version.

The handheld programs do not require a desktop component, however, and are designed to run as standalone applications. Therefore, they are fully compatible with any PC, Mac, or any type desktop computer that can install the software to the handheld.

TealAuto Desktop for Windows PC runs as a stand-alone application. Featuring an identical interface to the handheld versions of TealAuto, it can optionally synchronize data with handhelds or other Desktop installations using HotSync (PalmOS only) or removable flash cards.

(New in 2.0)

Using TealAuto

Once installed, run TealAuto by selecting the “TealAuto” application icon on the application launcher screen or Start menu.

TealAuto is easy to use, and consists of six basic interface screens, reachable by six icons in the upper right corner of each screen. From left to right and top to bottom, the icons correspond to: Fueling Entries, Trip Entries, Service and Expense Entries, Reports and Summaries, Configuration, and Meter Minder.

Fueling Logs

The Fueling Logs screen is used to log information about gas station stops, and records the date, station, odometer readings, notes, billing account, and the price, quantity, and grade of the fuel purchased.

Trip Logs

The Trip Logs screen logs trip, accident, and memo reports. Trip entries contain a date, start and stop odometer reading and allow assigning the elapsed mileage between up to three billing accounts. Accident and memo reports contain only one odometer reading, and can be used to store information relating to an event associated with a particular date or mileage.

Service and Expense Logs

Services and Expenses are logged into this screen, which stores the cost, date, vendor, and mileage associated with this event. Services and expenses can be chosen from a configurable list of entries. Services can also be assigned a repeating time or mileage interval, so TealAuto can remind you when regular maintenance is due.

Reports and Summaries

TealAuto features unmatched reporting and graphing capabilities, features accessible from the Reports and Summaries screen. Here, data can be summarized or exported to external formats including the memos, Doc files, and comma separated value (CSV) files. A wealth of analysis tools is available, allowing the break down of data records into text reports, bar charts, or timeline graphs.

Configuration

TealAuto is extremely configurable. In the Configuration screen, the user can define a virtually unlimited number of vehicles, gas brands, gas stations, gas grades, payment types, billing accounts and service/expense types.

Meter Minder

A simple but useful feature, the Meter Minder functions as a straightforward countdown timer with an alarm and multiple retries.

Chapter 2 – Fueling Logs

The Fueling Logs screen displays all fueling log entries for the current vehicle.

Fueling Entry List Details

Each entry is displayed with the date and selectable detailed info about each entry, such as the type, odometer reading, calculated fuel efficiency (for full fill-ups), gas station, payment method, cost-per-mile, etc.

For use primarily on wide-screen devices or the TealAuto Desktop, select the detail entry “multiple..”, which lets you display more than one informational item at once. (New in 2.06)

Upon choosing “Multiple…”, you’ll be presented with a list of details that can be shown. You can choose as many items as you like, but any data that cannot fit in the list will be cut off.

Fueling Entry Screen

Select “Edit” to enter the Fueling Entry screen to see or modify details for an existing entry or “New Entry” to create a new entry from scratch.

Use the Fueling Entry screen to enter details for a stop to the gas station. An on-screen keypad is available for easy Graffiti-free entry of numerical values. When the “enter” button is pressed on the keypad, the next empty text field is automatically activated.

Fueling Types

Three fill-up “types” can be selected: Full, Partial, and Estimated. While all three accept the same data, distinguishing between different fueling stops with different types allows for selective report generation (see “Reports and Summaries”). For instance, it’s possible to generate fuel efficiency reports that ignore any results calculated using data from “estimated” fueling log entries. Also, “Partial” fill-ups are added together to calculate mileage values between “Full” fill-ups, so it’s important to mark partial fill-ups as such to avoid anomalous efficiency calculations.

Odometer Reading

The odometer field is used to calculate distance traveled and efficiency between full fill-ups.

You can enter the current odometer value directly, or select the ‘Plus” (+) button to enter the value as a change in miles (trip odometer) calculated since the last fill-up.

Data Fields

Through drop down menus, the gas station (location), gas grade (octane), payment type, and billing account can be selected for the fueling stop. These selections come from the user list of available choices defined in the Database Setup screen.

Fuel Quantity and Price

TealAuto supports two methods of entering gas quantities. While the amount purchased can be entered as a quantity (US Gallons, UK Gallons, or litres), it can also be entered as a price. If so, the quantity purchased is calculated automatically when the total fuel cost is entered. The latter method is often preferable, as the fuel price can be entered while gas is being pumped, leaving only one quantity (the total cost) to be entered after pumping is done. Furthermore, entering a price is more accurate, as the amount of fuel shown on the pump is a rounded off value, and using it will result in a price estimate that may vary slightly from the actual price charged.

Fluids

A fluid level can be specified as one to six filled boxes. This is typically used to record oil, water, or other fluid levels. When no boxes are selected, the level is considered undefined. Select a box to set a level. Select it again to clear all boxes. (New in 2.0)

Notes

A freeform note or memo can be associated with each entry. The first line appears on the fueling entry screen. To expand the note to full screen, select the paper-shaped “note” icon.

To easily enter notes from a pre-defined list of entries, select the down-arrow button next to the note entry field. This “Quick List” of entries is useful if you need consistent keywords for accounting or other purposes.

Select “Edit quick list” to define a list of custom keywords. Enter each word on it’s own line, separated by a line break.

Currencies

TealAuto supports mixing of multiple currencies, and allows you to specify a different currency for each fueling entry.

In the Currency Preferences menu, you can define up to five currencies and set the exchange rate between them used in generating reports. If no currency is selected, the default currency is assumed. (New in 2.0)

Chapter 3 – Trip Logs

The Trip Logs screen displays trip, memo, and accident entries for the current vehicle along with the date and selectable information about each entry, such as the type, odometer reading, elapsed miles, or note.

Select “Show: Multiple…” to show more than one detail at once, space permitting. (New in 2.05)

Trip Entry Screen

Select “Edit” to enter the Trip Entry screen to see or modify details for an existing entry or “New Entry” to create a new entry from scratch.

The Trip Entry also features an on-screen keypad. As on the Fuel Entry screen, when the “enter” button is pressed on the keypad, the next empty text field is automatically activated.

Trip Types

Unlike fueling entries, trip entries contain a selectable type which affects which data fields are available. “Trip” entries contain both a start and end odometer reading, and are used to record events associated with traveling a specified distance. The end odometer reading can be specified as an actual final value, or as an elapsed distance (trip miles).

Note: When creating a “Trip” entry, always enter both a beginning and ending odometer reading, as the difference between the two is required to calculate correct trip distances.

“Accident” and “Memo” entries, however, are used to record notes and events associated with a single location and time, such as an accident report or notable sighting.

Accounts

The elapsed mileage for “Trip” events can be divided by up to three separate billing or tracking accounts. This allows for, say, a trip to be easily billed as 50% business and 50% personal without creating two separate trip entries. Enter the miles to assign to the second and/or third account, and the remaining balance will automatically be calculated and assigned to the first account.

Notes

As with fueling entries, a freeform note or memo can be associated with each entry. To expand the note to full screen, select the paper-shaped the “note” icon.

Chapter 4 – Service and Expense Logs

The Service and Expense Logs screen displays non-fueling transactions that have an associated cost. This can include simple expenses such as parking and tolls, or scheduled maintenance items such as oil changes and tire rotation.

Select “Show: Multiple…” to show more than one detail at once, space permitting. (New in 2.05)

When scheduled services exist, the date and/or mileage of next scheduled service are shown under the heading “Service Due”.

To view the current scheduled services, select the “Schedule” button to enter the Scheduled Services screen. To add or schedule new services, select “Edit List” button to enter the Listed Services screen.

Scheduled Services Screen

The Scheduled Services screen shows all services attached to the current vehicle, along with the next date and/or miles at which the service is scheduled. Select the Services, Due At, or Due On pushbuttons to sort the list by that criteria.

Services listed only include those that have been explicitly linked to the current vehicle. To link or unlink services from the global available list, select the “Edit List” button. To save or print a summary of selected services (useful when bringing in a vehicle for service), select the Summary button.

Service Summary Screen

To generate a service summary, check the services to include and select Create. Service summaries can take one of the following formats:

· Text

· CSV

· Calendar Event

· Task Entry

Text Service Summary

A text service summary can be printed with TealPrint (PalmOS only) or saved to a text file, doc, or memo.

CSV Service Summary

A CSV service summary is useful for exporting the service information to a spreadsheet and can be saved to a text file or memo.

Calendar Event

A calendar event lets you automatically place a reminder in your PIM calendar for the selected service(s). The default date for the event is determined either by the date of the first service scheduled by date, or an estimate based on average mileage and the first service scheduled by miles. (New in 2.0)

Task Entry

A task entry lets you automatically place an item in your PIM Tasks list for the selected service(s). (New in 2.0)

The initial due date for the entry is determined either by the date of the first service scheduled by date, or an estimate based average mileage and the first service scheduled by miles.

Listed Services Screen

After services are defined in the Database Setup screen, they must be linked to a specific vehicle before they can be used for that vehicle. This customization process allows them to have periodic service intervals that vary from one vehicle to the next.

Select the Add or Rem buttons to link or unlink services from the current vehicle. Select Edit to modify an unlinked service, or New to create a new service.

Scheduling Service

Once services are linked (“active”), they can be scheduled to issue a reminder after a specified number of weeks and/or miles. Do so by setting the date and/or mileage of the first (next) scheduled and the intervals between future services.

Service Intervals

Service intervals can be specified in two ways: by Completed or by Scheduled date and mileage. When a service is listed by date/mileage scheduled, service reminders continue on a fixed schedule (e.g. 3000, 6000, 9000, etc) regardless of exactly when each service is actually performed.

When scheduled by date/mileage completed, however, the next due date/mileage is calculated from when each service was actually performed. While the former method keeps vehicle due dates on nice, round numbers, the latter method is more economical and more consistent with how routine maintenance is meant to address normal vehicle wear and tear.

Services Entry Screen

The Services Entry screen is similar to both the Fuel and Trip Entry screens.

Service/Expense Types

Each log entry can be designated as a Service, Expense, or Misc type entry. A scrolling
checklist of services and expenses presents items to be selected for the transaction. When the type field is changed to service or expense, the list automatically switches to showing items of that type. When the misc type is selected, all items are shown.

Data Items

Standard drop down lists and text entry fields allow for entry of odometer readings, total cost, entry location, payment, and billing account.

Notes

As with fueling entries, a freeform note or memo can be associated with each entry. To expand the note to full screen, select the paper-shaped the “note” icon.

Chapter 5 –Reports and Summaries

The Reports and Summaries screen presents powerful tools to analyze trends and compute statistics from transaction logs entries.

Start and End Dates

When generating reports, TealAuto scans all transactions found within a range of dates. Specify dates either by directly entering them in the Start and End controls, or selecting the All, 1-Month, 3-Month, or Year buttons to automatically set a convenient range.

TealAuto supports two types of reports: Summary Reports and Breakdown Reports.

Summary Reports

The first of eight report options, Summary Reports summarize statistics calculated from transactions in the specified date range.

Reports can be generated from all entries, or limited only to transactions linked a selected vehicle, account, or type.

Four types of summary reports are available:

· Statistics (Text)

· Statistics (CSV)

· Transactions (Text)

· Transactions (CSV)

Statistics

Statistics summaries show a list of useful averages and totals for transactions in the requested date range:

STATISTICS

Vehicles: 3

Days of operation: 299

Fueling entries: 23

Trip log entries: 1

Serv/exp entries: 1

Total fuel purchased: 317.6 gal

Avg fuel purchased: 13.8 gal

Avg fuel efficiency: 19.4 mpg

Total trip distance: 100 mi

Total distance: 5048 mi

Proj annual dist: 6162 mi

Total fuel cost: 1032.32 USD

Average fuel cost: 44.88 USD

Avg days between fuel: 20.6

Avg dist between fuel: 241 mi

Avg fuel cost/dist: 0.205 USD/mi

Avg fuel price: 3.251 USD/gal

Total serv/exp cost: 1805.39 USD

Avg serv/exp cost: 1805.39 USD

Total direct cost: 2837.71 USD

Avg direct cost: 118.24 USD

Cost by distance: 0.562 USD/mi

Cost per month: 284.72 USD

Adj direct cost: 1390.48 USD

Adj trip expenses: 21.00 USD

Adj trip distance: 100 mi

Avg dist between service: 8380 mi

Vehicles

Number of vehicles represented in the calculated stats (New in 2.0)

Days of operation

Days between first and last transactions in date range

Fueling entries

Number of applicable fueling entries in date range

Trip log entries

Number of applicable trip entries in date range

Serv/exp entries

Number of applicable service and expense entries in date range

Total fuel purchased

Amount of gasoline purchased (in user-specified default units)

Average fuel purchased

Average amount of gasoline purchased per fueling transaction (in gallons or liters)

Average fuel efficiency

Average fuel efficiency in time period (in user-specified default units). This statistic is most useful when the summary report is limited to a single vehicle.

Total trip distance

Total distance assigned to trip log entries in date range (in miles or km)

Total distance

Total distance traveled (in miles or km)

Projected annual distance

Projected annual mileage based on date range (in miles or km per year)

Total fuel cost

Total cost of fuel purchased in default currency units. If multiple currencies were used, the total represents an estimate based on the exchange rates entered in the TealAuto Currency Preferences screen.

Average fuel cost

Average cost of fuel per transaction in default currency. This statistic is most useful when the summary report is limited to a single vehicle. (New in 2.0)

Average days between fuelings

Average number of days that elapsed between fuelings for the same vehicle. (New in 2.0)

Average distance between fuelings

Total elapsed distance traveled between fuelings for the same vehicle.

(New in 2.0)

Average fuel cost per distance

Average of ratio of fuel cost at each transaction divided by the number of miles or km traveled since the last filling.

Average fuel price

Average price of fuel per transaction (in default quantity and currency units)

(New in 2.0)

Total service and expense cost

Total spent on service and expense entries (in default currency)

Average service and expense cost

Average spent on each service and expense transaction (in default currency)

Total direct cost

Total logged service, expense, and fuel costs in the date range (in default currency).

Average direct cost

Average logged service, expense, and fuel costs in the date range per transaction (in default currency). (New in 2.0)

Cost by distance

Total direct cost divided by the total miles traveled (in default currency/distance units)

Cost per month

Projected total cost of operation per month based on logged direct costs (in default currency/month)

Adjusted direct cost

Total fuel and service expenses, adjusted by the direct rate of the account associated with each transaction. Typically, the direct rate set to the percentage of a direct cost that is either tax-deductible or employer-reimbursed for each account. When this is done, the Adjusted direct cost statistic is a convenient way to summarize the deductible or reimbursed expenses for a time range.

Adjusted trip expenses

Total trip miles assigned to accounts, multiplied by the mileage adjustment rate set for each account. Like Adjusted direct cost, the Adjusted trip expense can be used to summarize deductible or reimbursed travel, but does so on a per-mile (or per-km) basis.

Adjusted trip distance

Total distance (miles or km) assigned to accounts and used for the Adjusted trip expenses calculation.

Average distance between service

Average distance between service/expense entries (in default distance units) (New in 2.0)

Average days between service

Average days between service/expense entries (in default distance units) (New in 2.0)

Transactions

Transactions summaries show not only statistics but raw data from each entry. They are especially useful for exporting data for spreadsheets and other programs:

Vehicle: Mazda Miata

Date: 2/8/08

Type: Full Fill-up

End Odom: 118626 mi

Distance: 309 mi

Cost: 37.24 USD

Cost/Dist: 0.12 USD/mi

Fuel Price: 2.999 USD/G

Efficiency: 24.9 mpg

Quantity: 12.4 gal

Account1: Commuter

Fuel Grade: 87 Regular

Location: Arco San Marin

Pay Type: ATM

Text Format

Text format reports display information in a readable format. They can be saved or printed in TealPrint is installed (PalmOS only).

Select the Save button to save a generated report. Choose from the following options:

· File

· Memo

· Doc

File

Exports the report into a plain text file that can be read with a word processor or text editor.

Memo

Exports the report to one or more Memo Pad memos (PalmOS only). As memos are limited to a maximum size, TealAuto creates new memos as needed to fit all the text in the report. As text in memos can be selected and copied from the Palm Desktop software, exporting to the Memo Pad can be a handy way to export data to the desktop.

Doc

Standard Palm Doc files are a simple text file format supported by most PalmOS document readers like TealDoc. This option creates a new uncompressed document with a name of your choosing. If you have a desktop conduit installed as part of a PalmOS word processor that supports Doc format, this can be an alternate way to import data to the desktop. Note that Palm Doc format is not compatible with Microsoft Word “.doc” format files.

HINT: Please refer to the Appendix on using the TICL Standard File Dialog to navigate folders and devices when loading and saving files.

CSV Format

In comma-separated-value (CSV) files, data fields are separated by commas and quotation marks. Use the CSV format to export transactions or statistics data into table that you can easily import into Excel or another spreadsheet.

HINT:
See the “Exporting Data” section of this document for more information on using CSV files to export data to a spreadsheet program.

Comparison Reports

Comparison reports are designed to track how a statistic changes between a single variable. For instance, you can use comparison reports to show how fuel efficiency (the statistic) compares between vehicles (the variable).

Reports can be very useful in analyzing the data you’ve collected. See Advanced Reports for more tips and information on using them effectively.

The following variables are supported:

· Vehicle

· Account

· Payment Type

· Fuel Station

· Service Location

· Fuel Brand

· Fuel Grade

Additional controls let you specify which transactions are included in the report, such as limiting the statistics to a particular vehicle, account, or type of transaction.

Each variable supports a different set of applicable statistics and additional controls:

Vehicle Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis:

· Average efficiency before fill-up

· Average efficiency after fill-up

· Average fuel price

· Total fuel purchased

· Average fuel purchased

· Total fuel cost

· Average fuel cost

· Average days between fuel

· Average dist between fuel

· Average fuel cost/distance

· Total distance

· Total trip distance

· Projected annual distance

· Total direct cost

· Average direct cost

· Total service/expense cost

· Average service/expense cost

· Cost by distance

· Cost by month

· Adjusted direct cost

· Adjusted trip expenses

· Adjusted trip distance

· Average distance between service

· Average days between service

Account Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a account-by-account basis:

· Average efficiency before fill-up

· Average efficiency after fill-up

· Average fuel price

· Total fuel purchased

· Average fuel purchased

· Total fuel cost

· Average fuel cost

· Total trip distance

· Total direct cost

· Average direct cost

· Total service/expense cost

· Average service/expense cost

· Adjusted direct cost

· Adjusted trip expenses

· Adjusted trip distance

Payment Type Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a payment-by-payment basis:

· Average fuel price

· Total fuel purchased

· Average fuel purchased

· Total fuel cost

· Average fuel cost

· Total direct cost

· Average direct cost

· Total service/expense cost

· Average service/expense cost

· Adjusted direct cost

Fuel Station Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a station-by-station basis:

· Average efficiency before fill-up

· Average efficiency after fill-up

· Average fuel price

· Total fuel purchased

· Average fuel purchased

· Total fuel cost

· Average fuel cost

Service Location Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a location-by-location basis:

· Total service/expense cost

· Average service/expense cost

· Adjusted direct cost

Fuel Grade Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a grade-by-grade basis:

· Average efficiency after fill-up

· Average fuel price

· Total fuel purchased

· Average fuel purchased

· Total fuel cost

· Average fuel cost

Fuel Brand Comparison Reports

Compares the following statistics on a brand-by-brand basis:

· Average efficiency before fill-up

· Average efficiency after fill-up

· Average fuel price

· Total fuel purchased

· Average fuel purchased

· Total fuel cost

· Average fuel cost

Report Types

Comparison reports can be displayed in text format as well as graphic bar, pie, and timeline charts for easy judging of trends.

Text

Text reports summarize results in a simple list format. The number of transactions found in each variable quantity is shown in parentheses.

Bar Charts

Bar Charts show the same calculated statistics summarized in a text report, but displays them as a simple bar chart with one bar for each variable item. The bars are identified with a single letter, corresponding to an off-screen legend, reachable by selecting the Legend button.

A dotted line in the chart shows the average of all values.

Pie Charts

Pie Charts show statistics relative to their combined total, letting you easily see the percentage each variable occupies. (New in 2.0)

Timeline Charts

Timeline Charts show statistics as they change over time. When displaying averages, the actual data points used in the calculations are shown. When displaying totals, the chart shows total as it builds over time.

Chapter 6 – Database Setup

On the Database Setup screen, you can create and edit vehicles, gas stations, accounts, and other entries that appear as selections when creating fuel, trip, and service log transactions.

Vehicles

On the Vehicle screen, you can enter an initial odometer value that is used to calculate service due dates and fuel efficiency for the first fueling entry. You can also specify the odometer units.

Odometer Units

Odometer units are typically specified as either miles or kilometers. A special additional selection—hours—is also available. Using this selection, TealAuto can be used to track usage and maintenance of generators and other stationary equipment that are equipped with an hourly usage meter. When using hours, distance-based statistics and efficiency units are replaced with time-based ones.

HINT: When generating reports, don’t include time-based equipment and distance-based vehicles together. If you do, the aggregate stats like Average Efficiency or Total Distance won’t make any sense.

Services

Also present are two buttons used to view currently due services. Select Edit List to attach services to the vehicle, View Schedule to see a list of all linked services and when they are next due.

HINT: Services must be attached to a vehicle before they can be used. See the “Using Services” chapter for more info on editing and using scheduled services.

More Data

Select the More Data button to enter more information about your vehicle, including VIN number, license plate, tire size, oil type and/or quantity, insurance, phone, and a general- purpose note field. (New in 2.0)

Select Inactive to hide the vehicle from selection in the main vehicle log screen pick lists. Use this to hide historical data for vehicles that may no longer be in use. (New in 2.10)

Fuel Stations

Fuel stations support a general-purpose note field, typically used to store the station’s location, address, or phone number. In addition, it can also be linked to a gas brand if the station is a member of a chain.

Select Inactive to hide the station from selection in the fuel log screen pick list. Use this to hide stations that are longer frequented. (New in 2.10)

Fuel Grade

Fuel Grades are typically used to track the type of gas used in a fueling, such as “regular”, “premium”, “plus”, or “supreme”, or the octane rating for fuel.

Fuel Brands

Fuel Brands support a note field and typically track the company, chain, or brand name associated with the gasoline.

Service Locations

Service Locations include garages and service stations which perform automobile maintenance, or parking structures and lots that charge itemized expenses.

Service and Expenses

Services and expenses are items that can be charged to a vehicle. Entries can be designated to appear in the service entry screen’s list of “services”, “expenses”, or both. If neither is checked, the item will only appear in the “all” list.

Items can be scheduled for recurring service by mileage and/or date. Furthermore, the time/mileage interval specified here can set to restart either whenever the service was last performed (“Completed”), or repeat with a regular interval (“Scheduled”) irrespective of when the actual date it was last performed.

NOTE: Values set on this screen are only used as initial settings when a service is first linked to a vehicle. Once added, the service intervals can be adjusted for each vehicle.

Accounts

Account entries are generally used to track the billable purpose of expenses or trip mileage. Accounts can be used to file expenses into broad categories (such as “business”, “personal”, “commuter”), or to assign expenses and travel to specific clients or customers.

Select Inactive to hide the account from selection in log screen pick lists. Use this to hide account that are longer in use. (New in 2.10)

Account entries support two rate fields used in summary reports:

Adjusted Trip Rate

The Adjusted Trip Rate defines a cost-per-mile conversion factor for any trip mileage assigned to the account. This conversion factor is used to calculate total Adjusted Trip Expenses in comparison and summary reports, and supports a choice of currency and distance units.

Adjusted Direct Cost

The Adjusted Direct Cost specifies a percentage to be applied to actual fuel and service costs. This percentage is used for calculating the Adjusted Direct Cost in comparison and summary reports, and is often used to summarize tax-deductible costs or company reimbursement.

Payment Types

Payment types are typically used to track how an expense was paid for, be it cash, check, credit card, or more specific selections, such as a particular checking account or card.

Chapter 7 – Meter Minder

The meter minder provides a handy countdown timer to warn when your parking meter is about to expire. The alarm can be set to sound 1-10 minutes before the timer expires, or to retry a specified number of times through settings in the program settings screen.

In a handy note area labeled Location, you can record your parking area, floor, space number. (New in 2.10)

Select a plus (+) button to add time to the meter, or (-) to subtract time from it. Select the Start/Stop button to begin the countdown.

When the alarm sounds, you have the option of dismissing it or setting it on temporary snooze. The Snooze interval can be adjusted in TealAuto Preferences, described in the next chapter.

Chapter 8 – Preferences

Open the Preferences Screen from the corresponding drop-down menu. This screen presents buttons for these preference sub-screens:

· Alarms

· Currency

· Display

· Numbers

· Auto Sync

· Units

Alarm Preferences

On the Alarm Preferences screen, you can set the timing of service and Meter Minder alerts. Service warnings pop up whenever you launch TealAuto, and can be based on time and/or mileage. The Meter Minder, on the other hand, will up an alarm even when another program is running. It can be programmed to ring several times if snoozed or not acknowledged.

NOTE: In order for meter minder alarms to sound outside of TealAuto, the program must be installed in RAM, as PalmOS does not process alarms notifications for card-based apps. For Windows and Windows Mobile, the application must be left running in the background.

Currency Preferences

Use the Currency Preferences screen to specify currencies and exchange rates used in TealAuto transaction entries and reports. (New in 2.0)

For each currency, specify a name, abbreviation, symbol, and exchange rate. The exchange rate is used to generate totals in reports when multiple currencies are involved.

Exchange Rate

As exchange rates constantly change, its useful to enter updated exchange rates before generating reports if transactions with multiple currencies are included.

In the Rate column, enter '1.00' on any line. This is your base currency. On all other lines, enter how much of those currencies can be bought with one base currency unit. Thus, a value of “1.00” next to “Dollars (US)” and a value of “0.505” next to “Pounds (UK)” specify that 1.00 dollars is equal in value to 0.505 pounds.

Display Preferences

The Display Preferences screen lets you adjust the following options: (New in 2.0)

Fancy system fonts (PalmOS)

Sets whether new “thin” fonts are used for TealAuto display screens. Set “All” to use thin fonts universally, “None” to revert to standard PalmOS fonts, or “Auto” to use standard fonts for buttons only.

Font size (Windows and Windows Mobile)

Specifies the size of fonts used throughout the program as smaller, normal, larger, or huge. On phones with small (low resolution) displays, you may not be able to select larger fonts and still have everything fit properly.

Click Sounds (Windows and Windows Mobile)

Enables an audible “click” sound when selecting buttons or navigating within the program.

Vehicle Selector

Sets whether the vehicle selection control in the upper right corner of the fuel, trip, and service screens contains the vehicle name, icon, or both.

Numbers Preferences

The Numbers Preferences screen lets you specify the number of decimal points used when displaying various quantities.

Decimals

When statistics and entered quantities are displayed, you can set the number of digits to show to the right of the decimal point:

Cost:

Cost of fuel, services, and expenses

Price:

Price of fuel and cost-per-mile statistics

Volume:

Quantity of fuel.

Distance:

Calculated distance totals in reports and statistics

Odometer:

Odometer readings, as entered by user (New in 2.0)

Efficiency:

Calculated fuel efficiency.

Units Preferences

The Units Preferences screen lets you specify the default measurement units used for log entries and reports.
In TealAuto, you can specify different measurement units for every vehicle or fueling entry. This flexibility is especially useful when owning vehicles with different odometer units (km or miles) or when traveling between countries that sell fuel in different quantities (gallons vs. litres). (New in 2.0)

Default Units

Whenever no units are explicitly specified, the default units chosen here are used instead. This is especially applicable to older entries imported from a TealAuto 1.0 database, as these will not specify any units.

Default units are also used for statistics shown in reports or elsewhere in the program, except for odometer readings, which are always displayed as entered in the units chosen in the vehicle’s Database Setup screen.

The following default units may be set:

Volume:

· Gallons (US)

· Gallons (UK)

· Litres

Distance:

· miles

· kilometers

Fuel Efficiency:

· miles per gallon (US)

· miles per gallon (UK)

· litres/100 km

· km/litre

· km per gallon (US) (New in 2.10)

· km per gallon (UK) (New in 2.10)

Auto-Sync Preferences

The Auto-Sync Preferences screen lets you specify if a synchronization operation is automatically performed upon program startup or exit.

See the chapter on Synchronization for more information on using this feature.

Chapter 9 – Using Services

In order to use TealAuto to track services and issue reminder when they are due, they must first be:

1) Created in the global services list (In the Database Setup screen)

2) Attached to each vehicle to which they apply (In the Listed Services screen)

3) Scheduled to appear with a distance/time interval for that vehicle (In the Listed Services screen)

Once done, TealAuto will check for services due every time the program is run, and bring up a reminder if any are required.

Creating Services

Add a service in the Database Setup screen under Services. Here, you can set the default interval for the service, and also whether the service bases the next service on when the last one was performed (“Completed”), or on regular intervals from the very first scheduled service (“Scheduled”).

Attaching Services

Attach services to a vehicle on the Listed Services screen, accessible from either the Vehicle Database Setup or Scheduled Services screens.

Scheduling Services

When TealAuto is first run, it creates a default list of commonly needed services set to typical services intervals. When you create new services, you also set a default interval for the new service. Services and service intervals vary from vehicle to vehicle, however, so you should adjust these entries according to you vehicle maintenance manual.

Initial Service

When adding a new service to a vehicle in TealAuto, the date and/or mileage of the first scheduled service should be set to when the next service is due. With a new vehicle before its first oil change, this is typically the same as the service interval. For instance, if tire rotations are required every 6000 miles, then the first tire rotation is usually done at 6000 miles. Some vehicles require a special service after the initial break-in period, however, so some adjustment may be necessary for the first service interval.

Service Intervals

Maintenance manuals typically break down service into minimum regular intervals; corresponding to the most frequently needed service--oil changes--which are needed every 3000-7500 miles, depending on the vehicle and severity of use. Other services, such as tire rotation, wheel alignment, and coolant service, occur at less frequent regular intervals, such as every 2, 3, 4, or more oil changes.

Scheduled from Last Event

Events can be scheduled from either the last event completed or scheduled, depending on preference. The “Completed” option schedules services from the last time it was performed, while the “Scheduled” option schedules it based on the first scheduled occurrence. For instance, if you have an oil change scheduled at every 3000 miles, and you log one at 12150 miles, you can choose to have the next one automatically scheduled at 15150 miles (“Completed”) or at 15000 miles (“Scheduled”).

Service Summaries

Sometimes it’s useful to generate a list of past or upcoming services for bookkeeping purposes or to take to a service station. To generate one, select Summary from the Scheduled Services screen. You’ll be allowed to select which services to include, as well as the output format of the summary.

The report will include when the selected services were last performed, and when they are next due.

When generated, you can optionally print out the report (if TealPrint is installed) or export the report to a text file for easy exporting to a PC via an external storage card.

Chapter 10 – Using Reports

Tracking expenses and mileage would be of little use without reporting tools. TealAuto’s report generation tools are unmatched, and can be used to generate a wide range of reports and summaries. Here are some common useful reports you can generate:

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is the most common statistic compiled from the logs. Tracking fuel efficiency gives a good snapshot of the health of a vehicle, as an unexpected drop in efficiency can warn of low tire pressure, improper tuning, aggressive driving style, or required service. Fuel efficiency can be tracked either as a calculated item in a summary report, or as a graph or chart when plotted by vehicle, fuel, or station. It tracking fuel efficiency, note that one can easily omit the use of estimated or partial fill-ups by un-checking them from the list of acceptable transactions prior to generating the report.

Pump Accuracy

Ever wonder if that gas station down the street really gives you all the gas you’ve paid for? By charting fuel efficiency as a function of fuel station, you can feed your paranoia and check for sure.

Track the statistic fuel efficiency before fueling when evaluating the pumps, and limit the reports to one vehicle and one particular grade of fuel for consistent values. A station that yields consistently low efficiency numbers may be charging you for more fuel than you’ve gotten.

Before jumping to any conclusions, however, take into account that some variance can occur between gas stations if you tend to go to them under different circumstances. For instance, a gas station located along a long stretch of highway is likely to report better mileage due to increased highway driving when compared to one located along a route for short errands within city limits.

Quality of Gas

Gas brands sometimes generate strong loyalty from their customers. Is this justified from a fuel efficiency point of view? By tracking the fuel efficiency after fueling, you can check when gas from a particular brand or station really gives you better gas mileage. When tracking as a function of gas station, it might also let you know if a station is really giving you that Premium gas you’ve paid for, or if grades of fuel really affect efficiency at all.

Fuel Grade Effect on Efficiency

Most manufacturers recommend you use gasoline with an octane recommended in your owner’s manual and no higher. Nevertheless, many of us sometimes like to “treat” our cars with a nice dose of the expensive stuff from time to time. While we can’t really track whether our vehicle particularly enjoys this little treat, we can track the mileage as a function of gas grade to see how many more miles we get per gallon when we use the “good” stuff.

Expense Summaries

Use expense summaries to total expenditures for a specified date range. Reports can be limited by vehicle or account, or only include specified transaction types. In summary reports, totals are reported both as raw numbers and as values modified by each account’s “Adjusted” rates.

To summarize the results for all accounts at once, use the “Account” report button to generate a comparison report of total expenditures as a function of account.

Lease Mileage

Of particular interest to many people who lease their vehicles is the number of annual miles they put on their cars. This is because most leases charge fees for excessive miles beyond a typical cap of 12000 miles per year.

Both summary and vehicle comparison reports can calculate the projected annual mileage for a vehicle based on the usage to date. To calculate the projected mileage, set the report start date to the beginning of the lease year.

When creating a timeline of the annual mileage, the plot will show the estimated mileage as it is calculated using all the accumulated data so far from the start date. Thus, the “projected” miles for the beginning of the term will vary more in the beginning, but will settle to a more stable value as more data points are added to reach a stable value, telling you if you need to decreasing your driving to meet your annual limit.

Chapter 11 – Synchronization

TealAuto supports a handy synchronization mechanism that allows you to synchronize databases between any devices running copies of TealAuto. (New in 2.00)

Unlike traditional synching mechanisms, TealAuto uses a shared storage media to carry data between devices. While it might take an extra step or two, it allows synchronization between arbitrary devices (such as between PalmOS and Windows Mobile handhelds) and allows manual confirmation when conflicting changes are detected.

Synchronization is typically done using either a removable storage card or HotSync. The latter is only applicable when synching a PalmOS handheld to the TealAuto Desktop.

HINT: Whenever you run a sync operation, the current databases are first backed up, so you can undo any changes with an “Undo” operation if necessary.

Synchronization Procedure

When you “sync” a device, TealAuto copies any changes that have been made to the common storage media. At the same time, the program loads any changes that have previously been synced there.

Thus, to copy changes from one device to another, you MUST sync twice, once on the “source” device and then once on the “target” device. If changes were made on both devices, simply run one more sync on the “source” device.

For example, to sync using an SD storage card:

1) Insert the card into the first device

2) Run a sync to the card

3) Insert the card into the second device

4) Run a sync to the card

To sync the PalmOS version with TealAuto Desktop using HotSync

1) Run a sync on the handheld with Sync to set to “TealAuto Desktop”

2) Perform a HotSync

3) Run a sync in TealAuto Desktop with Sync to set to the named handheld HotSync ID.

Sync Targets

The following choices are available when choosing a storage media to sync to:

WebOS Handhelds:

One choice, USB Storage Volume, is available. When you sync here, your data is copied to a folder named CARDSYNC on the USB drive. After synching locally, if you then plug your device into a PC and enable USB Drive mode, you can then run synchronize on the TealAuto Desktop and select your USB Drive as a synchronization target.

PalmOS Handhelds:

The first choice, TealAuto Desktop, will synchronize data to/from the Palm Desktop backup folders. A list of system storage volumes will also be displayed. The last of these usually indicates a removable storage (SD) card, if one is inserted. Other volumes may be shown as well, but these typically represent internal flash memory and aren’t suitable for synching because they aren’t removable.

Windows Mobile Handhelds

One choice, Storage Card, is available

Windows Desktop PC

If the Palm Desktop is installed, a named HotSync ID entry will be present for every installed handheld. Entries will also appear for any removable flash (SD) cards current mounted as a drive under Windows.

HINT: TealAuto recognizes any drive as being “sync-able” by its contents. If the drive contains a folder named “DCIM”, “PALM”, or “CARDSYNC” in its root folder, it will appear as a sync-able target.

A final choice, Windows Desktop, will write data to a folder named CARDSYNC that it creates on the Windows Desktop. This last choice is really only useful for debugging and manually manipulating synchronization files.

Sync Modes

When synchronizing, TealAuto can usually auto-detect which changes to keep and which to reject based on past snapshots of the databases on both devices. In a few ambiguous cases, notably when synching for the first time or when new config entries are available, TealAuto will give you a chance to accept or reject potential changes. You can alternatively set the sync mode to Accept All or Reject All to automate a response.

Force Sync

By default, TealAuto will only sync individual files if other changes have been made to the card since the last sync. Choose this option to force a sync operation regardless of external changes.

You can use this feature to force a load all the databases uploaded by another device. To do so, simply delete the current databases by using the Import menu to “import” an EmptyDB. Then sync with the “Force Sync” option and “Accept all changes” sync mode.

Sync Results

The following operations may be performed during a sync operation:

Records Added:

Number of new History Log or SetupDB entries added to current databases

Removed Records:

Number of History Log or SetupDB entries that have been either deleted or replaced by newly added entries

Records Updated:

Number of existing SetupDB entries that have been replaced with differing versions.

Automatic Sync

To help automate keeping two devices in sync, you can schedule automatic syncing in the Auto Sync Prefs screen.

This option is most useful for synchronizing a PalmOS handheld with the TealAuto Desktop.

To setup automatic syncing, select the following two options on both devices:

· Load changes on startup

· Save changes before exit

The first option runs a full sync whenever TealAuto is run, while the second option simply copies any changes made in the current session to the shared media.

Chapter 12 – Exporting Data to a Spreadsheet

Data logs from TealAuto can be exported to spreadsheets and other desktop programs using the summary report generation tool. To do so, generate a summary report in the Transaction (CSV) format. You may optionally choose to export only certain transaction types.

Format

CSV (comma separated value) files are simple text files supported by most desktop database and spreadsheet applications. In CSV files, data in cells in output column by column and row by row, with the data for each cell separated by commas and a line break between rows. Data for each cell is typically enclosed in quotation marks, which is required if a cell contains a comma character inside. Quotation marks in a cell are denoted by two quotation marks (“”) next to each other.

TealAuto exports transaction data in 28 columns, in the following order, preceded by a single line containing the column headers:

1. Vehicle Name of the vehicle to associate with the record

2. Date Date of entry matching format set in Palm Preferences

3. Type Type of entry

4. Beg Odom Primary mileage for this entry (trip entries only)

5. End Odom Ending mileage for this entry

6. Odom Units The units used for the odometer (km or mi)

7. Distance Distance traveled in trip or since last fueling

8. Distance 1 Trip distance to associate with Billing Account 1

9. Distance 2 Trip distance to associate with Billing Account 2

10. Distance 3 Trip distance to associate with Billing Account 3

11. Dist Units The units used for the distance (km or mi)

12. Cost Fuel or service cost

13. Cost/Dist Fuel cost divided by distance since last full fuel

14. Fuel Price Fuel price

15. Currency Currency used in cost

16. Efficiency Fuel efficiency for travel before fill-up

17. Eff Units Fuel efficiency units

18. Quantity Fuel quantity entered

19. Quant Units Fuel quantity units

20. Fluid Level Fluid level (0-6 characters long)

21. Account1 Billing account (e.g. “Client1”, “Commute”, etc)

22. Account2 Billing account (e.g. “Client1”, “Commute”, etc)

23. Account3 Billing account (e.g. “Client1”, “Commute”, etc)

24. Fuel Grade Fuel grade (e.g. “Super”, “Premium”, etc)

25. Location Fuel or service station (e.g. “Shell”, “Bob’s fix-it garage”)

26. Pay Type Payment Type (e.g. “credit card”, “cash”, etc)

27. Serv/Exp List of services/expenses done separated by (|) char

28. Note Note

As not all fields apply to all types of log entries; cells are left blank if they do not apply to a particular transaction type.

Step 1. Create the report

Generate a report, chosing “Transactions (CSV)” as your output format.

Step 2. Save the report

Method 1: SD Card

Select Save to save the report to a File. If you are running the TealAuto Desktop, you can save the file anywhere convenient and skip to step 3.

Alternatively, if you are running on a handheld device and have a PC-based card reader, save the report to a file on the card.

You can then skip to step 3 and open up the card on the PC and directly load it into a spreadsheet.

Method 2: Memo (PalmOS Only):

If a storage card and card reader is not available, select Memo to save the report to one or more Memos in the standard Memo application.

HotSync your handheld to copy the memo to the Palm Desktop. You Desktop memos conduit should be set to “Handheld overrides desktop” or “Synchronize the files”

In the Palm Desktop, the exported data should now appear as one or more memos.

To create the final CSV file, start with a new blank document in a text editor such as NotePad or WordPad, and use copy and paste to move over the data from the memo.

NOTE: If the report is large, it might split across several memos and you’ll need to paste them back together into a single file.

If the memo has as title line (one without quotes) DO NOT INCLUDE this title, as it is not part of the CSV data. Then save the document with a .TXT or .CSV file extension (such as CARDATA.CSV) and you should then have a file that can be imported into most any spreadsheet application.

Example:

Below is a simple example of a short CSV file. Your completed file should look similar, but with more fields. Note that the label line is actually a single very long line even if it appears word-wrapped in a text editor. Multiple sequential commas indicate blank data fields.

"Vehicle","Date","Type","Beg miles","End miles”

"Eclipse Spyder","10/21/98","Service",,"15200"

"Eclipse Spyder","10/28/98","Full Fill-up",,"15419"

"Eclipse Spyder","11/4/98","Full Fill-up",,"15704"

Step 3. Import into spreadsheet program

If you’ve done this correctly, you should be able to open the CSV text file into a spreadsheet program, with each value appearing in its own cell. When importing, set your “text delimiter” to a quotation mark, and the “record delimiter” to a comma, if requested.

Chapter 13 – Importing Data

Using TealAuto’s powerful import system, you can load data either entered externally in a spreadsheet or exported from another program. This chapter describes how to create, transfer, and import data into TealAuto using the import tools.

Step 1 – Export Sample CSV Template

TealAuto accepts data imported from a text file or memo in CSV text format. The import system is flexible, allowing for different column orders, missing columns, optional headers, and tab-separated files in addition to comma-separated ones.

However, for best results, we recommend creating some sample records in TealAuto and following the instructions in the previous chapter to transfer them to your spreadsheet program. Use this as an example on how to format the data cells of your actual data:

Step 2 – Add Custom Data

The first row will contain standard column header names. Keep this row, as TealAuto automatically detects the contents of each data column if standard header names are present.

In the other rows, replace the sample data with the actual records you want to import, placing them into the proper corresponding columns. Make sure your table starts in the top-leftmost cell with no blank rows above or blank columns to the left.

While most columns are optional, you must define both a “date” and a “type” column, and they must contain valid contents for all data rows. Contents of the “type” column should be set to one of the 9 standard log type names:

· Full Fill-up

· Partial Fill

· Estimated

· Trip

· Accident

· Memo

· Service

· Expense

· Misc

For ease of importing from third party programs, the keywords “Fuel” (Full Fill-up), “Oil” (Service), and “Tire” (Service), are also accepted.

When done, save the file in either a tab-delimited text file format or comma-separated-value (CSV) file.

Step 3 - Transfer the Data to the Handheld

Method1: Card Reader

The easiest way to get data to the handheld is via an external SD card. If you have a PC-based card reader, simply copy the saved text/CSV file to the card and insert the card in the handheld.

Method2: HotSync Install (PalmOS)

Alternatively, you can use the Palm Desktop application on the PC to install the file to the SD card. Be sure to choose the external card as a destination. This method may not work if you have a handheld spreadsheet or word processing application installed, however, as that application may try to convert the CSV file to its own format.

Method3: Memo (PalmOS)

The final method for transferring the file is to transfer it via one or more memos. To do so, first open the CSV file into a text editor so it can be seen as text. To do this, open a text editor like NotePad. Choose the Open menu and load in the CSV file. You may need to change the file types control to show “All files” to see your CSV file. Then select all text and choose Copy from the Edit menu.

Now enter the Palm Desktop and go to the Memo screen. Choose Paste from the Edit menu to create a new memo with the contents of the CSV file. If the CSV is large it will be split across multiple memos.

Step 4 – Start Import

To begin the import process, start TealAuto and select Import Records from the Tools menu. You’ll be presented with the following options:

· CSV Text File

· CSV Memo

· Empty DB

· Sample DB

· TealAuto 1.0 DB

CSV Text Files

If the memo data was split across multiple memos, a title line may have been added to the top of each memo that is not part of the CSV data. If this happens, be sure to check the option: Skip 1^st line of each memo.

If the CSV file was saved to a raw text file on an SD card, choose the CSV Text File option and select the file from the file navigation dialog that opens.

CSV Memos
If importing from one or more memos, select the memo option, and highlight the memo or memos containing the CSV data to import.

Empty DB
Use this option to erase all current data. This is useful when preparing to load data from another device via synchronization.

Default DB

This deletes all current data and replaces it with a default vehicle and sample SetupDB entries.

TealAuto1.0 DB

This automatically imports data from any TealAuto 1.0 databases currently installed. The original databases are not modified.

Step 5 – Select Options

Once a source file or memo is selected, set the following options to insure that the data is properly imported.

Default Vehicle

Defines which vehicle to assign to new entries when no vehicle is defined.

Date Format

Sets the month-day-year order of dates contained in the imported data. Any non-numeric symbols such as spaces, periods, slashes, or dashes can be used as separators.

Column Mappings

Use this list and the Map button to select the contents of each column. Sample data from the first data line of the CSV is presented, along with potential choices for each column. If the first line contains text labels, they will be shown as the sample data. If the labels match standard label names, TealAuto should preset the mappings to their proper values.

1st line holds column labels

Check this item if the first row of data contains labels and does not hold actual record data.

Undoing Changes

TealAuto backs up the configuration and log entries before starting an import operation. To restore the previous settings after an unsuccessful import, select the Undo Import/Purge menu item from the Tools menu.

Chapter 14 – Purging old Records

When old records are no longer needed, they can be deleted using the “Purge Records” item under the Program menu.

Records are backed up before deleting, so you can restore purged records from the backup if you make a mistake by immediately selecting the “Undo Import/Purge” menu item.

When deleting a vehicle’s older records, TealAuto updates the vehicle’s initial mileage and the initial service schedule for all linked services. (New in 2.0)

Chapter 15 – Manually Transferring Data

All 2.x versions of TealAuto purposely use the same data file format on all available platforms (Windows Desktop, Windows Mobile, PalmOS, and WebOS).

This allows you to easy transfer or copy your data between devices, which can be handy when upgrading devices or manually synchronizing data.

Data Files

TealAuto 2.x stores your data records in the following two files:

TealAuto2_Config.PDB

TealAuto2_History.PDB

TealAuto 1.x stores your data records in the following two files:

TealAuto_Config.PDB

TealAuto_History.PDB

Copying Data

To copy your data, simply locate the two data files listed above in your old device and copy them over any versions found on your new device. Make sure TealAuto is not running on either device, and be sure to back up any files before overwriting them just in case. On Windows Mobile devices, be sure to manually quit the app with the “Exit” menu and not just the “X” close button, which only minimizes the app and does not close it.

If you are copying 1.x files over to a new device running a 2.x copy of TealAuto, you’ll need to then use the Import Menu to convert the data from 1.x to 2.x format.

Data Locations

PalmOS

For PalmOS devices, if you’ve been running HotSync with the system backup conduit enabled, you can find backup copies of these two files in your Palm Desktop backup folder, typically at:

c:\program files\palm\<username>\backup

Note that this folder only contains a copy of your data, so you cannot install files to your handheld simply by copying them here. If you want to install or overwrite new files to the handheld, use the Palm Desktop [Quick] Installer instead.

WebOS

The WebOS version of TealAuto stores its data on the USB drive in the folder:

/TealPointAppData/TealAuto/

You can see these files directly by plugging in your handheld to a computer and enabling USB Drive mode.

Windows Mobile

The Windows Mobile version of TealAuto stores its data in a folder named

\Application Data\tealauto_ppc\

To access it, sync with ActiveSync and use the “explore” button in the ActiveSync window.

Windows Desktop

The TealAuto Desktop program Windows stores its data in a subfolder of My Documents. The subfolder is named after the program file itself, so if you’ve saved the program as TealAuto.EXE, the folder will be named TealAuto.

Appendix A – TealPoint File Dialogs

File Lists

TealPoint standard File Dialogs are standard elements in new TealPoint applications. They provide a crucial building block missing from PalmOS, that of a consistent, standard interface for navigating device and folders and selecting individual files.

File dialogs display relevant files in a particular storage device, folder, and category, along with optional icons and typically additional information, such as the file size in kilobytes.

Navigation

Use the up and down scroll buttons to page through the list of items, and tap on a file to select or activate it. Typing a letter or writing it with Graffiti will seek the list to the next entry starting with that letter.

The Standard File Dialog also supports navigation via device-specific controls, including:

5-way Control Rocker

Use the select button to highlight the top file in the list. Once an entry is highlighted, the scroll buttons can move the current selection up and down. A second press of the select button will activate (open) the selected file or folder.

Clie Jog Dial

An inward press of the jog dial selects a file entry, while scrolling the jog dial up and down changes the highlighted entry. The jog back button, if present, moves up one folder in the directory structure if the current location is within a sub-folder. In the root of a device, or on a device, like RAM, which does not support folders, the back button acts normally, returning to the application launcher screen.

Accessory Keyboards

On a PC simulator or add-on accessory keyboard, the up, down, left, and right arrow keys function as Palm 5-way control buttons, while the enter key acts as select. The backspace key navigates to the parent folder.

Flash Memory

Internal Flash

A dot indicator appears to the left of a file’s name to indicate any files that are installed in ROM or PalmOS-formatted flash memory such as a Visor Flash module or unused operating system flash memory. Files in these internal locations are generally read-only and cannot be modified or moved into categories.

External Flash

External VFS (Virtual File System) flash card storage devices, such as Memory Stick, Compact Flash or SD/MMC cards are supported by the TealPoint File Dialogs if appropriate to the application.

When a VFS-compatible card is detected, an extra row of icons will appear along the left of the File Dialog for navigating to folders on the external device. On the left are the device icons, used to select the current card or location to list files. The first icon is the memory icon, and is followed by a numbered card icon for every expansion card found.

Most devices will support at most one external storage card, however many devices also support internal virtual “card” volumes and so will have multiple card icons. Typically, the highest card icon corresponds to the external card.

To show the files on an external card, simply select the corresponding card icon. External file devices support a hierarchical folder system, which are fully supported to help organize files.

If sub-folders are present in the current folder, simply select them to move “down” into the sub-folder to see its contents. Below the device icons are two folder navigation icons. Use the first parent icon to move up one level to the folder that contains the current folder. Select the bottom-most root or home icon to move all the way back up to the topmost folder.

Appendix B – TealPoint Pen-Free Navigation

TealPoint Pen-Free Navigation provides access to almost all programs screens and functions via keyboard or device 5-way rocker pad. Similar to the 5-way interface on the Treo 600, TICL pen-free navigation also adds similar functionality to older PalmOS handhelds with directional pads or devices with add-on keyboard peripherals.

Pad Navigation

With 5-way controls, a current button, checkbox, or text field control is highlighted in blue-green or drawn bolded in monochrome handhelds. The current control is changed by presses of the directional pad, which moves the selection to a control in the general direction of the button press. The center “select” button will activate the highlighted control, pressing buttons, toggling checkboxes, or turn on or off the cursor in a text entry field.

On some devices, like the Treo600, the direction pad is mapped in the operating system to move the cursor in an active text field. When this is the case, the direction pad will move the cursor by default, but will change the active control selection once the cursor has reached the end of the text field and can move no further in that direction.

Keyboard Navigation

With an add-on keyboard, arrow keys replace the directional pad of a 5-way control. To select a control, the Enter key may be used, except when the text cursor is active in a multi-line text field. When this is true, the Enter key will enter a line break into the text field instead.

Accelerator Keys

On screens without text entry fields or other elements which accept keystroke input, buttons may also support an accelerator key which may be pressed to simulate a press of the key. When this is the case, the letter is shown underlined in the button.

Appendix C – Registering

Registering allows you to use the program past the 30-day expiration period and turns off registration reminders.

Currently, you may register by snail mail or online with a credit card and a secured server from the store where you downloaded the software. For the first option, send the following information on a sheet of paper separate from your payment.

· Product Name

· E-Mail Address

· HotSync User ID (Pilot Name Required for Passkey generation. It can be found on the main screen of the HotSync application on the Pilot as "Welcome ________" or in the corner on a PalmIII or higher)

· Check (drawn off a US Bank) or Money Order for ($19.95 US). No international checks or money orders please.

Appendix D – Contact Info

TealAuto by TealPoint Software

TealPoint Software

454 Las Gallinas Ave #318

San Rafael, CA 94903-3618

We look forward to hearing from you.

Please visit us at www.tealpoint.com, or email us at support@tealpoint.com.

Appendix E – Products

Products Visit us online for our complete product line, including:

SHORTCIRCUIT ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softshrt.htm )
A new twist on gameplay fused from your all time action puzzle favorite games, connect falling conduit pieces into explosive loops in this frantic race against the clock.

SUDOKUADDICT ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softsudo.htm )
Sudoku Addict brings to your handheld the addictive worldwide puzzle craze that has displaced crossword puzzles in many newspapers in Great Britain and Japan.

TEALAGENT ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softagnt.htm )
Get news, movie times, stock quotes, driving directions, web pages and more without need for a wireless connection. TealAgent fetches and formats web-based content for offline viewing.

TEALALIAS ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softalia.htm )
Free up memory and make the most of external expansion cards. Placeholder 'Alias' shortcut files automatically find, load, and launch apps and data from external SD cards, increasing free main memory.

TEALAUTO ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softauto.htm )
Save fuel and track automobile mileage, service, and expenses with TealAuto, the complete log book for your car or any vehicle. Extensive customization options and unmatched in features and functionality.

TEALBACKUP ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softback.htm )
Backup your valuable data with TealBackup, supporting manual and automatic backups to SD/MMC/CF cards and Memory Stick, backups through HotSync, and optional compression and encryption.

TEALDESKTOP ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softdesk.htm )
Launch applications with TealDesktop, the themed replacement for the standard system launcher screen with tabs, multiple card folders, drag and drop, and more

TEALDIET ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softdiet.htm )
Shape up your life with TealDiet, the diet, exercise, and personal tracking application for mobile devices. Lose weight, build more muscle, and live healthier with TealDiet.

TEALDOC ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softdoc.htm )
Read, edit, and browse documents, Doc files, eBooks and text files with TealDoc, the enhanced doc reader. Extensive display and customization options; TealDoc is unmatched in features and usability.

TEALECHO ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softecho.htm )
Improve your Graffiti text input speed and accuracy, seeing what you write with TealEcho digital "ink". No more writing blind!

TEALGLANCE ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softglnc.htm )
See the time, date, upcoming appointments and todo items at power-up with TealGlance. The TealGlance pop-up utility and key guard comes up when you power up, letting you see your day "at a glance."

TEALINFO ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softinfo.htm )
Lookup postal rates, area codes, tip tables, schedules, airports, and info from hundreds of free TealInfo databases. Create you own mini-apps; a handheld reference library.

TEALLAUNCH ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softlnch.htm )
Launch applications instantly with the TealLaunch pop-up launcher and button/stroke-mapping utility. Map applications to button presses and pen swipes so you can get to your apps quickly.

TEALLOCK ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softlock.htm )
Secure and protect your handheld with TealLock, the automatic locking program with encryption and card support. TealLock has unmatched features and customization options for personal or corporate use.

TEALMAGNIFY ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softlens.htm )
Save your eyesight with TealMagnify, an ever-ready magnifying glass that works with most any program. TealMagnify lets you enlarge the screen for those times the text is too small to read.

TEALMASTER ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softmstr.htm )
Replace Hackmaster with TealMaster, the supercharged 100%-compatible system extensions manager. TealMaster adds enhanced stability, configuration and diagnostic features and PalmOS 5.0 hack emulation.

TEALMEAL ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softmeal.htm )
Save and recall your favorite restaurants with TealMeal, the personal restaurant database. With TealMeal's handy sorting and selection options, never ask "where to eat" again.

TEALMEMBRAIN ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softmemb.htm )
Stop crashes and monitor your memory use with TealMemBrain, the application stack stabilizer. TealMemBrain boosts your stack space on OS3 and OS4 handhelds, eliminating causes of system instability.

TEALMOVER ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softmovr.htm )
Beam, delete, rename, and copy files with TealMover, the file management utility for SD/CF/MS cards. TealMover lets you see, move, modify, hex edit, and delete individual files.

TEALMOVIE ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softmovi.htm )
Play and convert high-quality video and synchronized sound with the TealMovie multimedia system. TealMovie includes a handheld audio/movie player and a Windows AVI/MPEG/Quicktime converter program.

TEALNOTES ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softnote.htm )
Insert freehand graphics anywhere with TealNotes "sticky notes" for Palm OS. TealNotes can be inserted into memos, to-do lists, address book entries--almost anywhere you currently have editable text.

TEALPAINT ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softpnt.htm )
Paint, sketch, or draw with TealPaint, the all-in-one mobile graphics paint program and photo editor. Highlights include 25 tools, 32 patterns, 49 brushes, zoom, layers, undo, & JPEG/GIF/BMP support.

TEALPHONE ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softphon.htm )
Supercharge the address book with TealPhone, the contacts replacement with superior interface and options. Highlights include enhanced display, search, phone-dialing, groups, and linking.

TEALPRINT ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softprnt.htm )
Print text and graphics to IR, serial, and Windows printers with TealPrint. With numerous connection options, TealPrint, is the all-in-one text and graphic printing solution.

TEALSAFE ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softsafe.htm )
Store your passwords, credit cards, PIN numbers, and bank accounts in the TealSafe data wallet. With maximum security and encryption, TealSafe is a must for features and security.

TEALSCAN ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softscan.htm )
Keep your PDA or Smartphone healthy, clean, and fast with TealScan, the system maintenance utility. Use TealScan to fix crashes, find updates, and keep your device running smoothly and efficiently.

TEALSCRIPT ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softscrp.htm )
TealScript adds Graffiti text input to Treo and Centro smart phones. For devices that already support Graffiti, TealScript adds a trainable system that supports both multi-stroke and Graffiti-1.

TEALTRACKER ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softtrac.htm )
Track time and expenses with a fast, easy to use interface that requires minimal effort. Generate reports and export data to a spreadsheet. TealTracker is your personal time clock.

TEALTOOLS ( http://www.tealpoint.com/softtool.htm )
Improve productivity with TealTools pop-up Palm Desk Accessories. TealTools includes a popup calculator, clock/stopwatch, preferences panel, editing panel, memopad, and a file/backup manager.

Appendix F – Revision History

Version 2.21 – July 6, 2010

· Fixed synchronization to work when Device ID contains unusual characters

· Fixed saving of notes for existing entries

· WebOS - new version for this platform

· Windows Mobile - fixed to save settings when app is minimized

· Windows Desktop - updated to better detect and use windows system colors

· Windows Desktop - improved text layout to better support large font settings

Version 2.17 – July 17, 2009

· Fixed exported tasks showing up with blank subject on Tungsten E2

· Added .vcs export in TealAuto Desktop if compatible app registered to import .vcs file type

Version 2.15 – June 30, 2009

· Fixed listed services screen to properly import initial mileage intervals without modifying originals

· Fixed listed services screen to save changes before editing service entry

Version 2.14 – June 7, 2009

· Fixed efficiency calculations to skip initial fuel entry since previous tank fullness unknown

Version 2.13 – May 7, 2009

· Fixed crash opening services screen on device with European (comma separated) number prefs

Version 2.12 – May 1, 2009

· Improved button sizes in key locations to be more "finger friendly" in full screen portrait mode

Version 2.12.00 - May 1, 2009 (Windows and Windows Mobile)

· Added option to manually specify arbitrary font scaling value (50-200%), display space permitting

· Added workaround for video display bug in HTC video drivers when closing windows

· Improved button sizes in key locations to be more "finger friendly" in full screen portrait mode

· Improved drawing speed by caching small sized font

· Improved display update speed

· Fixed date selectors to default to numeric format if system set to non-numeric

· Fixed support for running on devices running Windows Mobile 2003

· Fixed detection and opening of empty card-based folders

Version 2.10 - December 26, 2008

· Added ability to hide inactive vehicles, locations, and accounts from selection lists (in Database Setup)

· Added note field to meter time screen used to record parking location, floor, or space number

· Added support for Km/G efficiency units

· Fixed crash navigating file directory with filename longer than 80 characters (Windows Desktop)

· Fixed synchronization from leaving duplicates of changed records

· Improved synchronization messages to be more descriptive of actions performed

Version 2.06 - November 25, 2008

· Added new option to show multiple details on fueling, trip, and service screens (for wide screens)

· Improved loading speed of log list to load much faster

· Improved log list 5-way functionality to scroll before item is selected

· Improved log screen layout on wide screen devices, keeping min column width even with small display fonts

· Fixed Scheduled Services screen to allow pen-free scrolling of services list

· Fixed responsiveness of double-clicks on log list entries in TealAuto Desktop for Windows PC

Version 2.04 - November 10, 2008

· Improved import routines to resolve duplicate field columns

· Improved import routines to calculate missing fuel quantity, cost, and price values

Version 2.02 – November 6, 2008

· Added support for European number format using commas instead of periods (PalmOS)

· Added support for delete key in text edit fields (WindowsPC)

· Added ‘Create All’ and ‘Ignore All’ buttons to import confirmation window

· Fixed log entries to correctly sort multiple entries on same day by odometer

· Fixed random crashes when importing data from CSV files

Version 2.01 – November 2, 2008

· Fixed crash displaying history detail list

Version 2.00 – October 21, 2008

· Fully rewritten from ground up under TICL multi-platform codebase

· Added new Windows Mobile version

· Added new Windows Desktop PC version

· Added support for full screen modes

· Added support for mixing multiple user-defined currencies

· Added support for mixing multiple measurement units

· Added support for optional fractional odometer values (tenths)

· Added support for “hours” odometer units for stationary equipment

· Added support for synchronizing with other handhelds and TealAuto Desktop

· Added new UI interface

· Added support for new fonts

· Added new graphing statistics

· Added new fluid level entry for fueling logs

· Added new statistics

· Added new pie charts

· Added new vehicle memo fields

· Added optonal vehicle icons

· Added service summary export to Calendar event

· Added service summary export to Tasks entry

Version 1.75 – August 21, 2007

· Fixed last-service date in service summary reports to show correct date

· Updated memo reports to directly support new-palm databases to work around memorymgr crash bug in Palm Datamanager patch

Version 1.74 - June 24, 2006

· Fixed crash generating summary reports due to compiler optimization bug

Version 1.73 - June 13, 2006

· Added date and odometer of last time each service was performed in service summary report

· Added button to enter fueling odometer value as difference (trip odometer value) from last fueling

· Added "quick list" pick-list to fueling, trip, and service logs to select and insert note entries from a user-definable list

· Added dotted line showing average value in bar and timeline graphs

· Improved service reminder to show multiple services due

· Improved service due date calculations to use prior odometer entry if service entry is missing an odometer value

Version 1.70 – April 24, 2006

· Fixed “divide by zero” error that occurred if you set a service to repeat every 0 days or 0 weeks.

Version 1.69 – February 10, 2006

· Updated to display numbers with commas instead of periods when european number formats selected

· Updated number pads to input commas when period button pressed when european number formats selected

· Fixed scrolling of services on Scheduled Services screen

· Fixed crash when hitting scroll button on chart display screen

Version 1.65 – October 10, 2005

· Added "numeric" tagging of text fields requiring numbers (activates number-shift on Treos)

· Added "fnav" resource to fix 5-way navigation order on all screens

· Added option to base service due dates on scheduled date/miles instead of last completed entry

· Added option to generate service summary from scheduled services screen

· Added option to show cost/mile on gas summary list

· Added Treo scroll button support on text report screens

· Added auto-conversion of exported report text from Palm/Unix linebreak character (LF) to PC linebreaks

· Added service name to "service due" alarm

· Improved layout of services/expenses screen

· Updated code to automatically check and set backup bits for data files in case 3^rd party app changes them

· Fixed exported reports from containing text from previous reports if new report is shorter

· Fixed truncation of long notes on log detail lists for entries prior to current year

· Fixed crash on service summary screen that occurred on some devices

· Fixed summary reports from including miles and data from other accounts when filtering by one account

Version 1.00 - May 10, 2002

· Initial Release

Appendix G – Legal Notice

This archive is freely redistributable, provided it is made available only in its complete, unmodified form with no additional files and for noncommercial purposes only. Any other use must have prior written authorization from TealPoint Software.

· Unauthorized commercial use includes, but is not limited to:

· A product for sale.

· Accompanying a product for sale.

· Accompanying a magazine, book or other publication for sale.

· Distribution with Media, Copying or other incidental costs.

· Available for download with access or download fees.

This program may be used on a trial basis for 30 days. The program will continue to function afterwards. However, if after this time you wish to continue using it, please register with us for the nominal fee listed in the program.

CUSTOMER LICENSE AGREEMENT

YOU ARE ABOUT TO DOWNLOAD, INSTALL, OPEN OR USE PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE OWNED BY TEALPOINT SOFTWARE, INC. CAREFULLY READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS END USER LICENSE BEFORE DOING SO, AND CLICK BELOW THAT YOU ACCEPT THESE TERMS.

1. License. You are authorized to use the Software Product owned and developed by TealPoint Software, Inc. on a single hand-held computing device on a trial basis for thirty (30) days. If after 30 days you wish to continue using it, you are required to register with TealPoint and pay the specified fee. This license is not exclusive and may not be transferred. You may make one copy of the Software for back-up and archival purposes only.

2. Ownership. You acknowledge that the Software Product is the exclusive property of TealPoint Software, Inc, which owns all copyright, trade secret, patent and other proprietary rights in the Software Product.

3. Restrictions. You may NOT: (a) decompile or reverse engineer the Software Product; (b) copy (except as provided in 1 above) sell, distribute or commercially exploit the Software product; or (c) transfer, assign or sublicense this license.

4. Disclaimer of Warranty and Liability. TEALPOINT MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR FUNCTIONING OF THE LICENSED SOFTWARE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ALL OF WHICH TEALPOINT DISCLAIMS. ALL LIABILITY IS DISCLAIMED AND TEALPOINT ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, INCIDENTIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SPECIAL, ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE LICENSED SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF.

5. Termination. You may terminate this Agreement at any time by destroying your copy(ies) of the Software Product. The Agreement will also terminate if you do not comply with any of its terms and conditions, at which time you are required to destroy your copy(ies) of the Software Product and cease all use.

6. Applicable Law. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California.

TealAuto User's Manual

Table of Contents

PalmOS Files (.ZIP Archive)

From Windows (automatic install)

From All Systems (manual)

Optional Documentation