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Messages - liquidarts

#1
I've recently started using the 'Match' feature to drill my Japanese vocab with irregularly low success ratios.  This works fine in a file I created recently, but in an older vocab file of mine it doesn't report successes correctly.  Upon selecting the three matching attributes on a large number of words it highlights red, indicating a failure even though I know it is correct.

I'm guessing this is caused by some corruption in my Stackz file!?  But I don't know how to go about detecting that corruption, or fixing it.  Viewing the vocab list doesn't show anything particularly out-of-place.

Anyone experience this or suggest some kind of way to clean up my Stackz file I'd love to hear it!
#2
What alternative do you suggest?
#3
I recently got some free time and a bit of motivation to work on this some more.   I thought I'd post my progress, considering this thread comes up in Google when searching for Stackz and Linux it seems a good place.  Not quite there yet though, Stackz' files on my PDA don't behave properly after being saved under the Stackz running in Wine.

My Stackz study configuration is a laptop running Stackz Dictionary Edition to create the stacks and do big edits etc.  Almost no studying is done on the PC.  The second piece is a used iPaq hx4700 running an upgraded OS (WM5) and Pocket Stackz.  It's on the PDA that I do all my studying.  I sync my stackz daily and would like to be creating new stackz daily.  So it's unfortunate to have to keep my Windows partition around just for Stackz.

My biggest hurdle in the past was getting the PDA to sync, but thanks to some new details found here;
http://www.synce.org/moin/SynceInstallation/Ubuntu/ModernDevice
I am now able to consistently sync my device.

The second hurdle was getting Stackz running on Wine.  Initially an older version (forget exactly which) of Wine gave an error when trying to save.  Updating to the newest (1.1.20 at this time) Wine seemed to solve that.  If I just use Stackz on the PC everything seems to behave fine.  As a note, to significantly increase stability unfortunately I had to turn off all of Stackz' custom UI.

But now the problem is files saved in the Stackz running under Wine don't behave properly on the PDA.  They launch and I can test and learn the stacks OK, but when closing the file it doesn't save.  Even using the 'Save data' option doesn't work.  The stack will close but the timestamp doesn't changed and immediately reopening the stack shows no changes.  Syncing and checking on the PC also shows no change.

I've determined the sync is OK, by syncing Stackz' files created and manipulated on a Stackz running in a VM vs the "Wine'd" version.  I suspect the previous error relating to saving is still somehow at fault here, but I don't know where to go from here.

Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated!
#4
Stackz for PC / Re: Tanaka Corpus example sentences
January 10, 2009, 08:08:09 AM
Not sure if it's just me, but perhaps this file could be more prominently linked to here on Stackz.com.  I had a heck of a time getting examples to work in my Stackz, largely due to the dictionary setup dialog referring to the Tanaka Corpus file (EUC).  I was trying the specifically-EUC-labelled dictionary on the Monash archive rather than the first examples.gz file which was not indicated as using EUC encoding.

Since there is a 'Download dictionary file' button in the Stackz dialog I would suggest a blurb mentioning which specific file and link to the Monash archive on that page; http://www.stackz.com/links.htm.

Thoughts?
#5
PocketStackz / Re: Which pocket Pc ?
November 12, 2008, 12:17:09 PM
Yes, sorry I believe it's the X50v and I think there's a X51v.  I believe internally the specs of my hx4700 and the Dell are nearly the same except the Dell has a better video processor and the button configuration I mentioned.

I quickly looked at the Asus you mentioned.  While I didn't track down any prices I noticed it was a slower processor (~300MHz vs 624MHz for the Dell and HP) and the screen was half the resolution.  While none of this is a big concern when using Stackz and dictionary program like EBPocket you may find, as I have, that I have found many more uses for my PDA.  Surfing internet at a wi-fi enabled cafe, showing friends pictures, reading ebooks, watching youtube and downloaded videos or talking on skype are all easily doable on these devices.

Here is an extremely knowledgeable resource on using a PDA as a dictionary for Japanese study.
http://www.japaneselanguagetools.com/

I'm not affiliated with him in anyway, but I found his information and dictionaries as an indispensable guide!
#6
PocketStackz / Re: Which pocket Pc ?
November 07, 2008, 03:36:24 AM
Although I do really like my iPaq hx4700 for many things as Chris mentioned the buttons are very important for Stackz use.  I've found that the iPaq's touchpad button implementation to be very unreliable.  This model and the older Dell Axim v50, I think, are VERY similar units but the Dell has real pushable buttons.  Both the Used iPaq and Dell units are both available all over eBay, I bought mine in Akihabara for around 210 USD.  Also I believe Dell is continuing to make PDA's but the comparable unit is around 450 USD.

I'm not sure what you are studying, most Stackz users seem to be studying Japanese or Chinese.  So in that vein note that there are alternate text input utilities that allow you to input Japanese, Chinese or Korean characters the same as if you had the particular native OS.
#7
PocketStackz / Re: Where do you use PocketStackz?
November 04, 2008, 02:11:10 PM
I also only really use PocketStackz.  On the train or before bed usually when I have free time not doing homework etc.  I am currently taking Japanese classes and I was trying to input new words during class but found it too slow.  I use my iPaq hx4700 as my dictionary and flashcard program, I would love to have a tool to add from the dictionary program (EBPocket) to Stackz.
#8
I'm interested in moving my machine back over to linux but Stackz is one of my stumbling blocks right now.  I'm curious to hear how you experience went since you last posted.

What distro were you using?  What ver. of Wine and Stackz?  Was it just flaky or unusable?

:)