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 txt2pdbdoc Last change: August 21, 1998 2