This program has been written in the Java programming language, which will allow it to run on ANY operating system, provided you have downloaded and installed the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) appropriate to your operating system. Get it from the Java web site (www.java.com). Follow the installation directions at the web site to install the JRE.

0.25

• You can select what format you would like the data to be written in- HTML or CSV.

0.21

• You can bypass the automatic search function.

0.2

• Program searches for the Mileage database for you, and if it can’t find it, asks you to look for it.
• Program didn’t “remember” location you last sent the HTML file to. Now it does.
• If HTML file already exists, asks if you want to overwrite it.
• Compiled as a package to avoid potential conflicts with other Java programs.

0.1

• Original Release- for testing only.

• Download the free Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for your particular computer operating system (e.g.: Windows, Linux, Mac) from the Java web site. Follow the installation directions at the web site to install the JRE.
• Move the GetMileage program (GetMileage.jar) to a location that you will be able to easily find it.
• Click (or Double-Click, depending on your operating system) on the GetMileage.jar program to start it.

• First, click on the top “Source” button in the GetMileage program. GetMileage will search your computer for the Mileage database. If it does not find the file, you will have to search for it yourself (with a file dialog window that will appear. Once you have found the database you will see the file path (directory and file name) for the Mileage database appear to the left of the “Source” button.
• Second, decide where you would like the output file to appear upon conversion of the database. Press the “Destination” button and another file dialog will appear. Go to the destination directory you desire from this file dialog. Pick a name for the destination file, such as “mileage” and choose a format for the file to be written in. By default, the program will convert your data into an HTML file (like this one) which can be read using any web browser. If you would like a little more flexibility with your data, you can get the data in a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file that can be read in a spreadsheet program, such as Excel. Press the “Save” button. (IMPORTANT: GetMileage will over-write an older file that is in the directory with new information so you will lose any old information if you use the same file name each time). Once you press the “Save” button you will return to the program and see the file name and path to the left of the “Destination” button.
• Third, to complete the conversion, press the “Convert MileageDB to readable file” button on the bottom of the window. If the conversion is successful, a window will pop-up to tell you where the destination file has been written.
• Fourth, go to your destination directory and click on the file. You will notice that the file lists all your trips and gives you a total mileage for those trips on the report, at the bottom of the file. Also at the bottom you will see a date and time the report was generated and the file from which it was created (this might help you distinguish between different handhelds who are using the same computer).
• Note that you cannot write information to the Mileage program’s database using the GetMileage program- it only reads and converts your database to a readable format. You can only add information to the Mileage database from your handheld computer, or add it later by opening the file with a word processor or spreadsheet program.

From your unzip program change the preferences so that it does not attempt to unzip JAR files. Because there are so many unzip programs available, I cannot give you specific directions on how to do this- you will just have to read your unzip program’s documentation yourself.

If you are unable (or unwilling) to change your unzip program’s settings you can access the GetMileage program from the command line. In Windows products you do this by…

1. From the start button, select run and enter “command” in the field that says, “Open.”
2. Change directories to the place where you have the GetMileage.jar file or move the file to a location that is easy for you to get to from the command prompt. From Dos you change directories using the “cd” command. For instance, if you want to change directories to your Windows Desktop you would type: cd c:\windows\desktop\
3. From the directory that contains the GetMileage.jar file type: java -jar GetMileage.jar
4. If the program still does not work, and you are sure that you are in the correct directory, type the following to make sure you have Java installed on your computer: java -version
5. If that gives you an error message, you need to install the Java Runtime Environment on your computer.

Mileage2PC was a conduit program- using the HotSync program it read the Mileage information from you handheld and wrote it on your computer in a readable format. There were some serious limitations with this. For one, it only ran on Windows systems. Two, because it was a Java conduit, it was very large (10 MB) for doing very little. Three, if you are using the conduit the PalmOS will not back-up your data (I guess they figure that you don’t need both). Four, because Microsoft changed its operating system to XP just after I released Mileage2PC, it didn’t work on any XP system. After repeated attempts to fix the problem I had to give up.

Years later, while laying in bed trying to go to sleep, it hit me. I could overcome the XP problem by moving to a purely Java implementation of the program. Not only would this work on XP, but since Java can run on almost any operating system, it would work for my Mac and Linux clients (and there was much rejoicing). Besides, years earlier I had written Mileage to automatically back up its data each time you HotSynced your handheld- so all I would need is a Java program that read this backup file.

Lo and behold, it worked. GetMileage was born and the Mileage users lived happily ever after.

The End.

As always, GetMileage utility is free.

For more information about GetMileage, select the program’s name on your left.