


PDB(4)			  File Formats			   PDB(4)



NAME
     PDB (Pilot	Database) file format

SYNOPSIS
     #define dmDBNameLength    32/* 31 chars + 1 null terminator */

     struct pdb_header {       /* 78 bytes total */
	  char	 name[ dmDBNameLength ];
	  DWord	 attributes;
	  Word	 version;
	  DWord	 create_time;
	  DWord	 modify_time;
	  DWord	 backup_time;
	  DWord	 modificationNumber;
	  DWord	 appInfoID;
	  DWord	 sortInfoID;
	  char	 type[4];
	  char	 creator[4];
	  DWord	 id_seed;
	  DWord	 nextRecordList;
	  Word	 numRecords;
     };

     struct pdb_rec_header {   /* 8 bytes total	*/
	  DWord	 offset;
	  struct {
		 int delete    : 1;
		 int dirty     : 1;
		 int busy      : 1;
		 int secret    : 1;
		 int category  : 4;
	  }	 attributes;
	  char	 uniqueID[3];
     }

DESCRIPTION
     The PDB (Pilot Database) file format is used by  all  models
     of	 the 3Com PalmPilot and	IBM Workpad.  The format consists
     of	a header followed by a set of record headers followed  by
     the records themselves.

  Word Sizes
     In	the synopsis above, the	 types	``Byte,''  ``Word,''  and
     ``DWord''	are  used just as in the Pilot headers.	 The type
     ``Byte'' is 8 bits; ``Word'' is 16	 bits;	``DWord''  is  32
     bits.  The	latter two are in big-endian format.

CAVEATS
     1.	 The C structures given	in the synopsis	above are  illus-
	 trative  and  most likely will	not work in actual C code
	 since compilers align data members on word boundaries.




txt2pdbdoc	  Last change: August 21, 1998			1






PDB(4)			  File Formats			   PDB(4)



     2.	 The PDB file format presented here is not  official  and
	 subject to change.  According to 3Com:

	  At present we	do not document	the .PDB or .PRC  formats
	  or the Desktop data file (*.dat, *.dba, *.tda) formats.
	  Some	third-party  developers	 have  experimented  with
	  deciphering these formats ...

	  Also note that these formats have a very good	chance of
	  changing in future revisions of the PalmOS and support-
	  ing  applications,  even  if	they   appear	to   work
	  presently.

SEE ALSO
     txt2pdbdoc(1)

     3Com, Inc., Palm Computing	Division.  ``The Data  Manager,''
     Developing	Palm OS	3.0 Applications, Part 1998.

     3Com, Inc., Palm Computing	Division.  ``How can I	find  out
     about  the	 *.prc,	 *.pdb,	 *.dat,	*.dba and *.tda	file for-
     mats?''  Palm Programming FAQs, 1998.
     http://www.palm.com/devzone/FAQ.html

AUTHOR
     Paul J. Lucas <pjl@best.com>





























txt2pdbdoc	  Last change: August 21, 1998			2



