PDA 2

[SperlingPE]

Who uses the mini computers for work? Not just scheduling and taking notes and storing data. Who takes one to a job site or a meeting and uses it for viewing drawings or quick design or quick topo reading? Is there software (MathCAD, GPS, EXCEL, DXF viewer, etc.) available to use?

 

[IRstuff]

Most PocketPCs come with Word and Excel. There is no Mathcad for PocketPC yet.

TTFN

 

[Lutfi]

I have word and excel on mine. However, I only use it mostly for phone, address book and I use very heavily the schedule.

I find it too small to read and view large documents and spread sheets. May be if I have to I would use it.

Good luck

 

[IRstuff]

There are GPS units that can be connected to various PDAs, but they're pretty pricy still.

TTFN

 

[ABCDesign]

Your wish is similar to mine. I'm working on a msexcel template for rc design, but it does not work on pocketpc. try visiting pocketgear.com, I guess they have posted Mathcad software for pocketpc.

 

[IRstuff]

Darn, lots of stuff, but no Mathcad:

http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?searchfor=math

TTFN

 

[rmw]

We used to marvel at how fast a microwave heated a cup of coffee from room temp to hot, and now we stand there and fume at how long it takes just to heat a cup of coffee.

Is that what we have going on here??? I used to take a 5" slide rule to the field, and to meetings with me.

I suspect we will soon look back and laugh, because it is probably just around the corner.

rmw

 

[elpoblano]

SperlingPE,

I use my Pocket PC on a daily basis to track projects since inception to construction completion, including resources and costs. Used many Excel spreadsheets to calculate beams, until I found a little (and affordable) program called MeTools. It is of true help in the field. you can calculate from areas, volumes, beams under different loading conditions (it uses the AISC steel shapes databases) and it has a niffty unit convertor. Check

http://www.metools.com.

For a frame design I use another little gem called Beam Analysis 1.4 this one can analyse and entire multi span frame and provides all the stress diagrams for the forces applied. This one you will find it at

http://www.handango.com

Pay attention to the versions for your PPC processor. Some are written specifically for specific processors.

 

[bkal]

I use Palm OS based PDA with LyME software for doing maths. Taking into account limited memory (mine is only 8MB Palm Vx) it is remarkably powerful, and I wrote some program to help me out. You can check on

http://www.calerga.com.

 

[SperlingPE]

This thread was intended to see if there were any tools avaialable to make field visits and changes discussed in the field easier to bring back to the office.
The deadlines and the time is money mentality has pushed everyone involved on a construction project to new limits. AutoCAD was just the beginning. The software suggested looks like it could be helpful in the field.

Other software that I would deem useful is something that you could view electronic drawings on and be able to make notations on and bring back to the office.

 

[elpoblano]

SperlingPE,

There is something called PocketDGN and PocketCAD, check

http://www.pcscad.com;

these are used for MicroStation and AutoCad drawings. Both softwares have a "redlining" feature. Another way to work is using your Transcriber directly on the drawings and save your notes as images.

They work fine in a 200MHz processors, however I suggest you to get a 400MHz or faster processor.

I tried them and work fine, the screen of a PcketPC is just too small to edit any drawings efficiently.