HotPaw(tm) PrefViewer - README and quick reference You can find the PrefViewer application, and information about PrefViewer and other HotPaw applications, including SingleHander and cbasPad Pro Basic interpreter, on the HotPaw web site at: PrefViewer allows you to see how much memory each application is using in your Saved Preferences and Unsaved Preferences databases. Each preference resource has an index number, a 4 character creator identifier (sometimes called a "signature"), and a size in bytes listed. Use the scroll buttons (or the "Next" button) to step through the list of all preference resources. If the 4 character creator ID matches that of an application, Prefs control panel, or HackMaster add-in, the title of that matching software is listed. Some preferences belong to the built-in PalmOS operating system itself. All creator ID's with all 4 lower case letter are reserved for the PalmOS and Palm applications (however some 3rd party applications use unregistered, illegal or simply incorrect creator ID's.) The approved method of deleting unwanted preferences is to use the "Delete..." menu selection in the built-in Palm Launcher application to delete an application (or document) with *exactly* the same creator ID as the preference you wish to remove. The PalmOS then deletes the application, and, to clean up after the application, also deletes all data files and preferences with the same creator ID as the application being deleted. The creator ID is stored in bytes 64 through 67 (0x40-0x43) of an applications prc files; bytes 60 through 63 (0x3c-0x3f) contain the database type (for an application it's the characters 'appl'; for a DOC database, it's 'TEXt'). Since the Palm supplied Launcher can delete any preference, this feature will NOT be added to PrefViewer. One should check the creator ID of all suspect applications before installing them. Installing two different applications with the same creator ID can cause severe crashes and database corruption. 3Com/Palm has a www registry to ensure all competent developers use a unique creator ID for each unique application. You can search this creator ID database on the web here: Always have good backups (HotSync or Penguin-Backup) of the contents of your Palm handheld before playing with deleting applications or preferences. Multiple copies and off-line copies of your backups are a very good practice. -- Release notes: 1.0.6 2000-01-31 - added 'Back' button. - now recognizes 'DAcc' desk accessory prefs. 1.0.4 1999-10-16 - added hex view of ID for invisible creators. - added display of total count of prefs. 1.0.2 1999-10-11 - added menu option to view hex dump of each preference resource. 1.0.0 1999-10-09 - initial release. -- PrefViewer is Copyright 2000,1999 by Ronald H. Nicholson, Jr. All rights reserved. DISTRIBUTION PrefViewer is free for non-commercial and educational use and distribution, and for all internet and on-line distribution. WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER This Software is distributed in the hope that it might be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND; not even the implied warranties of MERCHANTABILITY, fitness for ANY particular purpose, or for non-infringement. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES AND UNDER NO LEGAL THEORY, TORT, CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, SHALL RONALD NICHOLSON, HOTPAW OR ITS SUPPLIERS OR RESELLERS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY CHARACTER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF GOODWILL, WORK STOPPAGE, COMPUTER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, OR ANY AND ALL OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES. IN NO EVENT WILL HOTPAW BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT HOTPAW RECEIVED FROM YOU FOR A LICENSE TO THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF RONALD NICHOLSON OR HOTPAW SHALL HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SHALL NOT APPLY TO LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY TO THE EXTENT APPLICABLE LAW PROHIBITS SUCH LIMITATION. FURTHERMORE, SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THIS LIMITATION AND EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. -- HotPaw and PrefViewer are Trademarks of the HotPaw company. 2000-01-31 rhn@nicholson.com --