Frequently Asked Questions

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What are these files?

The files on this site are in two formats, .pdb & .txt. The .pbd files are for Palm based PDAs. You need to install either the 'List' program or 'WWCalc' for the .pdb files work. THEY WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT A BASE PROGRAM. The text files are for people who do not have a Palm based PDA.

How do I install these files?

Please see the install page for complete instructions on how to correctly install the files on this site.

I have installed the file/files, but I can't find the icon. It says they are on my PDA. Where is the icon?

You need a base program to get these files to work. You MUST install either List or WWCalc. The files will not work without one of these programs. Please follow the instructions on the install page step by step.

I opened up a file and there is nothing in it (or one item list). What's wrong?

Please select 'all' from the categories at the top right. List/WWCalc will default to the 'unfiled' listings. Most of the items are filed into categories, thus you need to select all or a specific category to see the listings.

What is WWCalc?

WWCalc is a program that was created by Bob Withers. It is a great journaling tool. However, WW legal has forced Bob to pull the software. If you can find a copy, it is well worth the search. See the next question for suggestions.

How I get (or can you email me) a copy of WWCalc?

I would suggest a search in Yahoo Groups for 'WWCalc'. There is a mailing list that should help. Or try a web search for 'wwcalc'. Dotti's Board is also a good spot to see where you can get a copy. Check the Palm section and read the FAQ thread. Try to make sure you get version 4.0.6 as it is the only version that can be configured for the Flex Points program. I cannot email it to you. Given my previous headaches with WW Legal, I don't think it is a good idea.

Can you modify WWCalc?

No. I didn't write WWCalc. Bob Withers did. Though given WW Legal department, it is unlikely he can modify it. To see what he is currently working on, check out Bob's site .

Can I/How can I revise WWCalc for the Flex/Core Points program?

You need version 4.0.6 of WWCalc. Please see the other questions on how to find it. When you recieve it, it should have some install instructions. Unfortunetly, Bob's site is down so I have added the settings you need to modify. Bank Preferences should be:

7 day DOW for the method
Min Bank Value - None
Max Bank Value - 35
Max Daily Bank - 35
Max Daily Point Bank - 0
Max Daily Activity Bank - 0
Bank Auto Adjust - 35

You also need to adjust the points ranges. They are set up for the old version of the points. They need to be set to the current points targets.

For Flex:
1. Are you:
Female?.........score 2
Male?...........score 8
Breastfeeding?.....score 12

2. How old are you?
17-26..............score 4
27-37..............score 3
38-47..............score 2
48-58..............score 1
over 58............score 0

3. What do you weigh?
Enter the 1st 2 digits of your weight in pounds.
So if you are 270, it would be 27. If you are 150, it would be 15, etc..

4. How tall are you?
under 5'1.........score 0
5'1 to 5'10.......score 1
over 5'10.........score 2

5. Do you spend most of your day:
sitting down?........score 0
Occasionally sitting, but mainly standing?..... score 2
Walking most of the time?......score 4
Doing physically hard work most of the time?
score 6

6. Do you want to:
Lose weight?...........score 0
Maintain your current weight?....score 8

Add these together to get your daily total. Note that this changes every 10 pounds. So you may need to modify this along the way if you have more than 100 pounds to lose.

For Core:
All daily points - 0
As core foods are 0 points, you shouldn't have a daily points target.
Just a hint for those of you switching between Flex & Core. You might wish to keep WWCalc.pdb set up for one program & WWCalc2.pdb set for the other. It makes switching back & forth much easier.

Can you email me a copy of the old Food List file?

No. I can't. WW Legal has told me I can't distribute this file. Thus, I have had to pull it from my site. I can't share it any longer. Please try a search on Yahoo Groups for WWCalc as they can send the file with the latest version of WWCalc.

How can I create or edit a List file?

Please go to the List website . There are a number of tools that are useful for this.

Can I get these files for a WinCE/Pocket PC/etc.?

All .pdb files are in the List/WWCalc format for Palm OS users. However, there is a Palm emulator for Pocket PCs/WinCE.

Please go to the StyleTap website . I haven't tested WWCalc or List with the emulator for Pocket PC/WinCE. However, I suspect it will work great.

If you use anything other than a Palm (or the Palm emulator for Pocket PC/WinCE), you can download the text files to use with your device. Or you can grab the html files from Dotti's Restaurant Download Page.

Is there a WW program for WinCE/Pocket PC/etc.?

I would strongly suggest using the emulator for WinCE/Pocket PC/etc. to run Palm apps. WWCalc is a great, free programs. And I can support the WWCalc/List files. Since I do not own a Pocket PC, I can't support that.

Please go to the StyleTap website . I haven't tested WWCalc or List with the emulator for Pocket PC/WinCE. However, I suspect it will work great as List & WWCalc are both older program and compatiable with older & newer Palms.

What are dots?

Dots are a term used for a number that comprises the calculation of calories, fat & fiber. It is equivalent to a WW trademarked term. I used dots in honor of Dotti who has provided so much restaurant info to fellow WWers.

Is there a desktop/computer based program for WW journaling?

Weight Watchers now has online tools. However, that costs $13 a month currently. Which seems too pricey to me. I would suggest Journal to Success . It is a free site that has some terrific tools. Check it out as it is very useful. You can pay for e-tools. I don't use them myself as I feel like I give WW enough money already!

Is WW releasing their own PDA program?

Yes. They have. However, you must be an E-Tools member. This means paying at least another $13 to WW on a monthly basis for this tool. Given I already pay WW for 4 weekly meetings, I can't afford to pay another $13 a month for this software. Also, it seems a dreadfully high price for a piece of software. I sincerly hope others aren't suckered into spending that kind of money. I will continue to update these files as long as people find them useful.

Can you put all these files in one zip?

I have decided to try this for a while. However, if this increases the bandwidth too much this file will be removed.

I still recommend strongly that you download the restaurants individually.

The majority of the restaurants are regional. Most people use only 5-10% of the restaurants. So it is a waste of the bandwidth and the download time.

In addition, there are 400+ restaurants. So one zip the file contains 400+ files with abbrivated file names so they work within List/WWcalc. This would mean you would still have to sort through all those files to locate the ones you want.

I am still hoping to do some scripting to allow for multiple downloads via a form. However, I haven't been able to create that as I don't have the coding experience to do it.

If anyone is willing to share some scripting that would help users grab multiple files from the list, please contact me . I would love to have that function to make downloads easier.

I have been trying to download a file but it doesn't finish. What's happening?

This tends to mean either the server is overloaded or there is a problem with the connections between my website & your service provider. Try again after you have restarted your computer. If this doesn't work, try again in an hour or two.

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