To use ListMaker as a shopping list application, you need to do the same thing that we did with ReDo; that is, define your list of commonly purchased items. Go to the Grocery category and tap the Common button. It is here you will define your list of common items tap the "New" button to add each item. After you've done that, you're ready to shop!

In the Common Items window, check the items you want to add to your shopping list. Figure B shows a small Common Items list with a couple of items checked off. Once done, tap the "Update" button. Your list will then be displayed, ready for you to check off as you shop. Once done, select the Purge List option from the List menu to delete the list of checked items (this doesn't affect your list of common items).

FIGURE B

Looks like I need to buy bread and cheese.

As you can see, ListMaker's usage is similar to using ReDo with the built-in To Do List application, except that you're staying in one application. While these methods certainly can be used, the best way to deal with shopping lists on the PalmPilot is to use an application that was written specifically to do this. Right now, that means using either JShopper or SmartShop.

JShopper
Using JShopper is easy, and very similar to ReDo and ListMaker. However, in addition to entering just the item names, JShopper allows you to also specify a specific store or stores where the item may be purchased, as shown in Figure C. Start by assigning actual store names, via the Change Store Names option on the Options menu. After you've done that, add each item. After adding each item, tap the Details button, and check off the stores where that item can be purchased. The 1-Time checkbox in the Details window will actually remove the item from the database after it has been checked off of the list. Continue to add items until you've got a pretty good "base" to work from. Don't forget to sort the list when you're done; as you'll soon see there is a handy feature that requires the list be sorted.

FIGURE C

Select the stores where you can purchase each item using JShopper's Item Details window.

Now that you've added your commonly purchased items, you're ready to build your shopping list. With JShopper, you can quickly locate an item by tapping on the locate line (bottom right of the screen) and entering a letter or letters that the desired item begins with. Alternately, you can write just one character without entering it in the locate line, and have the list scroll to the first item that starts with that letter. For this feature to work your list must be sorted, as mentioned above.

Once you've located the item you need to buy, put a check mark next to it. Optionally, you can specify a quantity and check the coupon box for that item should you have a coupon for it. Now, when you select the Need toggle box (top right of the screen), only the items you select will be displayed. You can also select the coupon toggle box (the box at the top right denoted by a "C") to just show items you have a coupon for, as shown in Figure D