Use the menu below to find information regarding installation, configuring and using FreeCaddie.
On the Today Page on your Windows Mobile device, select Start, then select
Programs, then select "FreeCaddie" to start the software. When you start the
program up it will look like this:
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There are two ways to install FreeCaddie onto your device.
- Download the installation (CAB) file onto your PC and copy it onto your device
using ActiveSync. Then, on your device, open the CAB file to install FreeCaddie.
- Navigate to the software download page using the browser on your device, then
just click on the Download button and select open to install the software.
When installing FreeCaddie you can install either to the device or to a storage
card (if you have one).
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If after starting the FreeCaddie software on your phone you get the following error message:
"The application requires a newer version of the MIcrosoft .NET Compact Framework than the version installed on this device."
then you will have to upgrade the .NET support on your device. Here's how you do that.
Download NETCFSetupv2.msi onto your PC from this webpage (look for the Download button):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9655156b-356b-4a2c-857c-e62f50ae9a55&displaylang=en
.
Once the download has completed attach your device to your PC, then run
NETCFSetupv2.msi. It will upgrade the .NET compact framework on your device to
version 2.0, which will allow you to run applications like FreeCaddie that use
.NET 2.0. All of your existing applications will still work properly.
In summary, the steps are:
- Download NETCFSetupv2.msi on your PC
- Attach your device to your PC
- Run NETCFSetupv2.msi on your PC
Once you've completed the above steps FreeCaddie should run fine.
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FreeCaddie can use the Windows Mobile "GPS Intermediate Driver". In order to configure your GPS properly follow these instructions.
- From the Start Menu select "Settings".
- Select the "System" tab at the bottom
- Select "External GPS" ("GPS" if Windows Mobile 5).
Your display should look something like the following (the GPS program port is
set by the manufacturer if you have a built in GPS - this screenshot was from a Sprint HTC
Mogul and Sprint set the port to COM4).
Select the Access tab on the bottom and make sure the "Manage GPS Automatically"
checkbox is checked.
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The first time you run the FreeCaddie application you will need to configure your GPS.
The easiest way is to select "Set by Windows" which uses the GPS Intermediate
Driver. If you use this setting make sure you are letting Windows Mobile manage GPS
automatically.
If Windows is not managing your GPS or you are using an external bluetooth GPS receiver you can manually set the COM port and baud
rate. Uncheck the "Set by Windows" checkbox, then select the COM port and baud
rate.
Once you have configured the GPS take a look at the information in the lower left corner.
You will probably need to be outside under a clear sky to get a good GPS signal.
Between the time and the number of satellites are two numbers labeled "C:" and "N:".
If the number of satellites is more than zero then you are ready to load a golf course file.
The number labeled as C: is the number of seconds since the last GPS update.
If GPS information is being received regularly this will be usually zero or one.
The number labeled as N: is the number of GPS updates; it should be increasing. When it hits 99 it rolls back to zero.
If these numbers are not changing FreeCaddie is not reading GPS information and you will have to check your settings.
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To use a bluetooth GPS receiver you will need to configure that first (Windows, Settings, Connections tab, select Bluetooth). Turn on your Bluetooth device, then click on "Add new device".
After Windows Mobile syncs with your Bluetooth device it will appear in the list of Bluetooth devices.
Press Next, then enter the passcode for your device (often it is four zeros, consult your device's documentation).
And you've added your Bluetooth device to your Windows Mobile device.
Now click on the name of your newly added device (which is BT-GPS in this example).
You can rename it if you want. Check the serial port checkbox to add a serial
port as a service, then hit Save.
Select the COM ports tab to find out which COM port is assigned to your
Bluetooth device. You will use this value to tell FreeCaddie which COM port when using a
Bluetooth GPS receiver.
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FreeCaddie course files may be downloaded by selection
Get Course File on the left side of the web page.
Just enter the location and if there are any courses in the area they will be displayed.
If there are no courses in your area, you can create a course file easily using the
Course Creator.
Download a course file, then copy it to your Windows Mobile device using Active Sync.
If you installed FreeCaddie to the device put the course file into the folder \Program Files\FreeCaddie\Courses.
If you installed FreeCaddie to a storage card copy the course file to the
appropriate folder on your storage card (for example, on an HTC Mogul that path
is \Storage Card\Program Files\FreeCaddie\Courses).
Once you have a course file in the Courses directory you can select that course
file using the "Select Course" menu item.
Pick a course file then press OK.
If your GPS is configured correctly and you are receiving a good signal you should see the yardage to the first hole (you may see some large numbers if you are not near the golf course).
You're ready to play golf!
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The free version of FreeCaddie will give you distances to the front/center/back
of the green.
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Many functions which are available by upgrading to
FreeCaddie Pro
are not available in the standard free addition. These functions are grayed out.
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Change holes using the next hole/previous hole menu items or
by pressing
up/down on the D-pad (navigation pad).
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Use the Select Course menu item to load any course from the Courses folder.
Users of a touchscreen device can also just touch the course name on the
main screen to change course files.
There is no limit on the number of course files you may put into that folder.
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When used, this option turns off the display while the application continues
to run.
Standard Windows Mobile behavior is to suspend activity when the power button is
used to turn off the device.
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GPS Settings
See the sections on GPS configuration.
Black Background
FreeCaddie supports an alternate black background which may be easier to view in sunlight.
Auto Advance Hole
This feature normally only works when the "Turn Off Display" option is used instead of the power button.
Units
FreeCaddie supports both yards and meters.
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Use this feature to see how far you hit the ball. Select this item after hitting a shot
and when you get to your ball FreeCaddie tells you how far it traveled.
If you like FreeCaddie you'll love
FreeCaddie Pro!
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The FreeCaddie Course Creator supports distances to the front/center/back of green.
It also allows the creator of the course to mark hazards, fairway bunkers, the start and end of fairways and where a dogleg bends.
FreeCaddiePro allows the user to view this extra information by either using the "View Other Distance" menu item to toggle through the distances.
Users of touchscreen devices can simply touch the yardage area of the screen to cycle through the other yardages.
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FreeCaddie Pro supports scorekeeping and tracking of personal statistics. Select
Enter Score or touch the screen where the score is displayed to enter your score
and stats for a hole. Use the D-pad (navigation pad) to move up and down between
items; use left/right to increase and decrease values. Press OK when you are
done. Touchscreen users can just use their finger to enter information.
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Scoring and statistical information is stored in an XML file in the main
FreeCaddie directory. Upload this file after a round and view your scorecards
and statistics.
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See your trends in scoring and other statistics over time.
FreeCaddie Pro users can track fairways hit, greens in regulation, chips, putts and penalties.
You can even see how often you get up and down.
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FreeCaddie Pro users never have to worry about forgetting to load their course file before heading to the golf course.
From the menu select Download Course, then enter the location and press "Get Course".
After a few seconds a list of courses in the area should appear.
Select a course, then press Get Course and the course will be loaded and save as a file in your courses folder.
(Data usage charges may apply of course.)
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FreeCaddie Pro users can create and edit existing courses using the application.
This is useful in cases where the imagery used by the Course Creator is outdated.
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FreeCaddie Pro users can set the functionality of their left menu button using this feature.
Some users may want a quick way to measure a shot.
A user editing a course may map their left button to Course Editing.
Others may wish to quickly turn off the display.
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Touch screen users can change the golf course, enter a score or view alternate yardages by touching those areas on the main display.
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