Palm newbie question...

[dirkus]

How do you keep your Palm device cleaned up (file-wise)?

I am new to Palm devices and so am a bit lost. I have downloaded and tried a number of different programs most of which don't last more than a few minutes on my iQue for whatever reason. I have noticed that when you delete the app it doesn't necessarily get rid of all the associated files. I have cleaned up the obvious oversights but suspect that there are still many files that I don't need cluttering up my RAM. (I have also noticed the the CreaterID attribute doesn't always -- or even often -- clarify the situation any.)

Any help will be most appreciated!

[Bugwart]

When you delete an app from a Palm, it should be gone. However, some apps have multiple parts which must be individually deleted.

Ideally, these should begin with the same 2 or 3 letters so that they sort in alphabetic order.

Ideally all components of one app should have the same version number so that you might be able to identify them if they do not have the same first few letters.

Unfortunately, there are Palm programmers who do not follow these simple rules. Fortunately, there are few such folks.

The only solution I can offer if you can not determine which applets belong together is to look on the develpers' websites for a FAQ, or email them asking how to remove their app from our Palm.

[jonasolof]

Check earlier thread with title "Keeping your RAM tidy Waltisimo style" (I started)

Jonas

[Stymyx]

For the future, you may want to check out a program called "Uninstall Manager", and its sister utility "Cleanup". You can find them here. (http://www.northglide.com) Even if you don't buy them, the site explains very well how PalmOS apps use the "Creator ID" to identify an app's data and preference files.

I use both these programs and they work fine on the iQue.

[jonasolof]

Originally posted by Stymyx
For the future, you may want to check out a program called "Uninstall Manager", and its sister utility "Cleanup". You can find them here. (http://www.northglide.com) I use them and they work fine on the iQue.

Stymyx,

In your experience, are new files created by Palm applications? This one should presumably see with "Uninstall Manager" and if it is so, it would not be enough just to load apps and databases from defined folders allowimng one to identify what should be taken away if you decide not to keep the programs. I.e. is uninstall manager necessary or not?

Jonas

[Stymyx]

Originally posted by jonasolof
Stymyx,

In your experience, are new files created by Palm applications? This one should presumably see with "Uninstall Manager" and if it is so, it would not be enough just to load apps and databases from defined folders allowimng one to identify what should be taken away if you decide not to keep the programs. I.e. is uninstall manager necessary or not?

Jonas
Jonas,

I’m not a PalmOS programmer, but in my experience, some PalmOS apps create new data files the first time they’re used, while some create files the moment the app is installed through a hotsync. A properly written PalmOS app (one that follows all of Palm’s programming rules to the letter) should assign the proper “Creator ID” to each file associated with the main app. This Creator ID is supposed to be registered with PalmSource, by the way. What “Uninstall Manager” does is search the entire memory of the device, displays all the apps installed and locates all the files associated with the apps by their Creator ID. Now, it’s true that one could use FileZ to locate and manually delete any and all files in the same way (FileZ also displays Creator IDs), but Uninstall Manager makes this job much easier.

It looks like you replied to my message above after I edited it. If you go to this page, (http://www.northglide.com/cleanup.html) it explains how things are supposed to work. :)

[dirkus]

Stymyx,

Thanks. I discovered Uninstall Manager and Cleanup yesterday and installed them last night. They really help!

Jonasolof,

Yes, many programs create new files after installation and keeping track of all files that are HotSync'ed (which is something I also do) won't show you everything that may need to be removed. As Stymyx said, properly coded programs should clean up after themselves but I suspect that many (if not most) programs are intentially written to not clean up everything. Many trial programs will leave behind a bit so that if you reinstall you don't start the countdown all over again but rather from where it left off.

[jonasolof]

OK guys, I'm convinced:)

Now:mad: the bad story is that I have so much in RAm that I only have 6 MB free. And I shure did not install in the neat order I preach. But I hope it is not too to late for redemption.

Jonas

____
A hope without life is lost