Zarf's Catalog v1.0

Z'Catalog is a tool which lists all the databases in your Pilot's permanent storage. This includes both data and applications, as well as subsidiary information like preferences and libraries.

[screen shot]

You can sort the list of databases by name, type, creator, size, and so on. You can also filter the list -- that is, display only databases which match a specific criterion.

You can beam any of these databases to another Pilot. This is a great convenience. When you beam an application with the standard beaming tool, none of its associated data files go with it. With Z'Catalog, you can beam any file you want.

Z'Catalog also lets you delete any database, and edit some of their properties -- names, types, and flags.

[screen shot]

You can download Z'Catalog 1.0 (27K Pilot PRC file). It's freeware, so you have no excuse not to, right?

Thomas Aufischer has built a version much more recently: T'Catalog. You might want to try that one instead.

Caution

Z'Catalog is a powerful editing utility. Use with care. If you use the editing or deletion commands, it is very easy to destroy or corrupt your data. You may crash PalmOS, requiring a soft or even a hard reset. It is best to hot-sync your Pilot before using Z'Catalog to edit or delete anything.

There is no warranty on Z'Catalog, and I assume no responsibility for any loss of data you may suffer while using it.

By default, all the dangerous operations (changing or deleting data) are restricted. You have to turn on a "dangerous actions" preference before they'll work, and even after that, there are "Are you sure?" warnings everwhere. So if you just want to list, view, and beam databases, you shouldn't run into any trouble. (Of course, there may still be bugs in Z'Catalog, just like any other piece of software. So I can't warrant that it's completely safe. Just like any other piece of software. Sigh.)

Notes

Z'Catalog requires PalmOS 2.0 or later. I'm told it works in all later versions of PalmOS (3.3, at the time of writing), and on the Visor.

Bugs

If you attempt to change a database in ROM -- that is, the standard applications and libraries -- PalmOS will crash. (Fixed in my source code, but not released.)

If you receive a beamed database while Z'Catalog is already running, it won't appear in the list. You'll have to exit Z'Catalog and re-enter to rebuild the DB list.

The dialogs to change timestamps (creation, modification, and backup) aren't all they could be.

Fixing the Lotus Problem

Z'Catalog is often recommended for fixing a hotsync problem caused by Lotus Notes. I have no personal experience of the details -- I've never used Lotus Anything -- but I'm told this is how it works:

That's what I know.

Future Versions

Z'Catalog is an evolving project. Future directions may include...

However, I'm not going to be the one who implements these features. I haven't had time to develop Z'Catalog in over a year. So I am releasing the source code under the GPL (GNU's free software license).

Download the source code for Z'Catalog 1.1. (55K .tar.Z file)

Note that this is labelled "version 1.1". You cannot download an executable copy of Z'Catalog 1.1. I have never compiled one; it doesn't exist. I am providing this source code so that someone else may pick up development and create their own version.

T'Catalog is a more recent version of this project, based on the Z'Catalog source code, by Thomas Aufischer.

About the Source Code

This code is a little more advanced than the "version 1.0" executable on my web page. It should correctly detect whether a DB is really in ROM, and it can delete a DB which has the read-only flag set. However, I have not fully tested these changes.

Also, the code documentation sucks. I do apologize! If I had time to really document it, I'd have time to support it.

This program is free software, licensed under the GPL. This means that anyone can release their own extended version of Z'Catalog, as long as their version is also freeware under the GPL. You may not make a shareware or commercial version of Z'Catalog. See the GNU General Public License for specifics.

If you do make an extended version, I would prefer that you use a different name -- "BobCatalog" or some such -- and include a notice saying "Based on Z'Catalog by Andrew Plotkin; original version at http://www.eblong.com/zarf/zcatalog.html". This is just so that people have a link to the original source code, as well as your modifications.

Please notify me if you plan to release a Z'Catalog derivative. I'll put a link on this web page. However, do not send me source code updates. I am not supporting Z'Catalog any longer.

Permissions

Z'Catalog 1.0 is copyright 1998 by Andrew Plotkin. You have permission to use, copy, and distribute this program without restriction.

The source code for Z'Catalog 1.1 is copyright 1998 by Andrew Plotkin. It is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

Last updated April 19, 2002.

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