Home
LEARN FAST AND FORGET ABOUT FORGETTING!
Home » FAQ » SuperMemo for iPhone

FAQ - Using the application


I have to change my iPhone. I just want to know how I can transfer the complete data to the new phone.

Here you will find information how to transfer information from your current iPhone to a new one. It will transfer all the data including your courses and learning progress.

Is it possible to import SuperMemo courses that I use on PDA from Windows Mobile to SuperMemo for iPhone?

The 1.1 version features a import/export mechanism for user’s courses in the Q&A format via an Internet browser. We are developing a new version that will probably include synchronization of the learning process with supermemo.net.

Unfortunately, we do not plan to add the feature to import full courses in the smpak format on a PC due to software limitations.

How do I switch off the information on repetitions that is displayed after each exercise?

To switch this information off, click 'Settings' in the main screen, and choose 'Options'. In 'Options' switch off 'Information on repetitions'. Starting from the 1.1 version it is possible to switch off the information on repetitions in the information window itself.

I noticed that after some exercises no information on the repetition is displayed. Is it a bug in the application?

No. Information on repetitions is displayed only for exercises of the SuperMemo type. It is not displayed for presentation pages or one-time exercises (one-time exercise is completed and assessed, but it is not included in repetitions).

What is the function of the 'Already bought' button? When I click on it, I am asked to give my iTunes login and password. There is no result when I give the data.

This button has been added to the 1.1 version of the application. When you click on it, the application checks which courses you have already bought but have not been downloaded yet and activates the ‘Download course’ status for them. This option is useful in case there are problems with downloading a course that has already been paid for. If nothing changes in the view of a selected course upon clicking on this button, this means that the course has not been bought by the user.

Can I listen to music from iPod while using the SuperMemo application?

Yes, it is possible in the 1.1 version of the application.

Why is it that in the Landscape mode I cannot see what my stage in the course is and how much material is left, I cannot enter the table of contents, exit to the learning plan, etc.?

The Landscape mode while learning is perfect for presenting the material, which is why the interface is limited to the minimum. We are planning to try and change it in future, e.g. by adding semi-transparent buttons. For the time being, in order to see the full interface, you have to be in the Portrait mode.

I use the SuperMemo application and listen to music from iPod at the same time. Is it possible to have different volumes for course recordings and my music?

No. The features of the device do not allow to have different volumes for course recordings and music from iPod.

I removed the last exercise in a chapter and the application transferred me one level up. I cannot see my chapter. What happened?

When you remove the last exercise of a chapter, the application changes the type of that unit from chapter to presentation (the content is still there). If you check one level up, you should find a presentation page with the same title and contents as that chapter.

I have noticed that changing the exercise type or the copy&paste method doesn’t always work. Is this a bug in the application?

No, it is not a bug. Copy&paste is disabled for chapters (but you can still use drag&drop). In addition, once a type of chapter for an exercise is set, it cannot be changed.

I was downloading / processing a course, when my iPhone rang / its battery went flat / something else caused the application to quit / the connection broke. Will I be able to continue downloading / processing after restarting the application?

Unfortunately not. You have to go to the Course catalogue again and re-download your chosen course. It is important to remember, however, that once it has been paid for, the course is assigned to your user account and can be downloaded multiple times without additional payments.

I have removed a paid course I bought / the whole SuperMemo application with the courses I purchased. If I want to use them again, do I have to re-buy them?

No. Once a course is purchased, it is assigned to the user App Store account. To download it again, go to the Course catalogue, find the course you are interested in and click “Buy”. A window will pop up saying that the course has already been purchased and can be re-downloaded for free (the same as it is with other applications bought at the App Store).

Version 1.1 includes a button ‘Already bought’. When you click on it, the application will check which courses have already been bought by the user but have not been downloaded yet and activates the ‘Download course’ button for them. This option is useful in case there are problems with downloading a course that has already been paid for.

I get a window saying the program failed to connect to the App Store server and that paid courses are unavailable. Yet after a moment the courses are back on the lists. Can I use them?

The application has a time limit for connecting with App Store. When the connection is not started in this time limit, this notice is displayed and the user can only see free courses. The application still tries to start a connection with App Store and if it succeeds, the list of courses is refreshed to contain the paid courses as well, and it is safe to buy them.

I am on a page with a box which contains a lot of information. Some of it cannot be seen, because the box is too small. How can I see the hidden content from the lower part of the box? If I try to drag it with a finger, the whole page shifts, not just the contents of the box.

It is due to the settings of the Safari for iPhone, used by the SuperMemo application. To see the contents of a box, you have to touch it with two fingers and drag it in the direction needed.

What is the purpose of the ‘All / Suggested’ button in the upper right corner of the Course Catalogue?

The SuperMemo application automatically adjusts its language settings to the interface language chosen by the user. The All button shows courses in all the available language versions. The Suggested button shows only the courses available in the language used by the SuperMemo application (the language of instructions). Additionally, the monolingual courses (i.e. those where the language of the instructions is identical with the one studied, for example an English course in English) are also shown.