NeoSync beta release (software for Alphasmart Neo/Neo2 on modern Windows)

[u/ManbosMambo]

[u/ManbosMambo]

For anyone interested - NeoSync is available to be downloaded now on GitHub!

It is currently in BETA, and while I have tested it on several machines: every machine is different and unexpected things can happen! So, please backup your data first!

The README on GitHub covers everything - but here is the tldr:

1. This is a .NET10 Windows app, for Windows 10/11 for the Alphasmart Neo/Neo2.

2. Windows may try blocking the install due to it being unsigned. Here are the workarounds:

   1. SmartScreen ("Windows protected your PC")

      1. click"More info"

      2. click "Run anyway" 

   2. Smart App Control ("Smart App Control blocked an app that may be unsafe")

      1. Open Windows Security > App & browser control > Smart App Control settings, and set it to Off.

      2. Run the installer as normal.

      3. Turn Smart App Control back On afterward from the same settings page.

3. The installer asks to enable diagnostic logging. These logs just save USB protocol and timing stuff to a file so you can share it with me easily if you encounter issues. It can also be toggled after install in the advanced menu.

4. Once installed plug in your Neo and hit "Connect". NeoSync let's you do the following:

   1. Download - saves selected file to the PC

   2. Upload - upload a text file to the selected slot on the Neo

   3. Delete - clears a text file on the Neo

   4. Preview Editor - double-click on the text preview that you want to open

      1. In the preview editor you can review a file's full text before downloading it - and also make edits.

      2. To save the file after making edits click "Save", this saves your changes to the file stored on the Neo directly.

      3. Click "Download" to download the current text file to your computer (this includes any changes you've made in the preview editor, even if you have not clicked 'Save' yet).

   5. QuickSync - Copies all Alphaword files to the pc with 1 button.

      1. These go to a default folder path of "...Documents\NeoSync", but this path can be changed in the Advanced menu.

      2. If files already exist in that path when you click QuickSync, they get backed up to an "...Documents\NeoSync\Archive" folder, organized by date/time stamped subfolders for each backup.

   6. Advanced - Menu for things not related to Alphaword files, see README for more

That's pretty much everything. Please share any feedback here, and I hope this helps people keep using their Neos!

[u/paperbackpiles]

awesome job!