BatteryTimer Readme
(for latest information please visit www.tmgdevelopment.co.uk/batterytimer).

Background

BatteryTimer for the PocketPC allows you to simulate patterns of usage, and automatically log the remaining percentage battery charge in main and supplemental batteries*.

(* Supplemental battery status monitoring is dependent on your hardware.)

Installation
1. Download the zipped file from the link above.
2. Unzip it to a folder on your hard drive eg c:\batterytimer
3. Copy the appropriate executable for your processor from the folder above to your PocketPC using Windows Explorer. (Note: If you want it to appear on the Start Menu of your PocketPC make sure to copy it to My Pocket PC\Windows\Start Menu).

Operation
In operation BatteryTimer allows you to configure On-time Off-time and logging interval. Output is to an ANSI .csv (comma separated variable) text file suitable for importing into Microsft Excel or similar spreadsheet application. When the system reaches battery critical level BatteryTimer stops running and puts the PocketPC into shutdown mode. When you next power on the deveice you will see a message telling you that the run has finished, and giving the total run time (effectively the data from the last line in the log file). The output logfile name is hardwired to be \batterytimer.csv, and the format looks like this:

batterytimer.csv
TotalSeconds,Days,Hours,Minutes,Seconds,ACLineStatus,BatteryFlag,BatteryLifePercent,Reserved1,BatteryLifeTime,BatteryFullLifeTime,Reserved2,BackupBatteryFlag,BackupBatteryLifePercent,fBatteriesChangedSinceLastCall,BackupBatteryLifeTime,BackupBatteryFullLifeTime
15,0,0,0,15,0,1,100,5,-1,-1,100,1,100,1,-1,-1
45,0,0,0,45,0,1,100,5,-1,-1,100,1,100,1,-1,-1
...

(Note: most of this data is derived from the contents of the SYSTEM_POWER_STATUS_EX structure, see MSDN here for further information.)

At the start of each new run the previous log file is renamed to batterytimer_old.csv.

Licensing
CryptoFileCE exists in two versions:

Download and Licencing
BatteryTimer exists in two versions:

1. Trial version. This displays a message every time it is used and is limited to a maximum of 3 hours of operation, but is otherwise fully functional. 2. Licensed version. This is an unrestricted version licensed for use on a single PocketPC. Buy now from our secure server at SWReg SoftShop.

Please see the license file which accompanies the version you are using.

Common Questions / Tips
Q: Why does the first data line in the log file get recorded after 15s, and then at the defined logging interval thereafter?
A: It can take WindowsCE up to 15s to correctly read the battery status information after power up, so the logging events are offset by 15s to allow this to happen.

Q: I want to simulate continuous usage throughout the On time with a low brightness backlight, but the backlight automatically goes off after 10 seconds. How can I make it stay on?
A: In Start>Settings>System>Backlight>Battery Power Tab - uncheck the 'Turn off backlight if device is not used for' option. On the Brightness Tab you can fix the Brightness level to a defined level.

Q: Where is the output file from BatteryTimer, how to I produce an Excel graph from it?
A: The output file is called batterytimer.csv, if you're using Windows Explorer to get file from your PocketPC using ActiveSync it's at Mobile Device>My Pocket PC>batterytimer.csv. If you copy this to your harddrive then open it in Microsoft Excel you can plot a graph by selecting column 1 (TotalSeconds) and column 8 (BatteryLifePercent), and selecting Insert>Chart>XY(Scatter) and clicking Next, then select Series in:Columns and click Finish.