Undocumented ZLauncher Quirk

[Tomohawk]

I recently noticed something funny happening on my Palm.

If I exit ZLauncher and run some apps via the ZL shortcuts using the built-in launcher, The Palms internal memory gets filed up!

What happened was that the shortcuts ZL makes to copy the files to the internal memory does exactly that- it copies (installs?) the files into the internal memory, but doesn't remove them after you exit the application, like ZL itself will.

So what can you do about it?

AFAICT, you could delete all the shortcuts that ZL creates. You won't have the problem I just described, but then you won't be able to launch anything from the external card at all- using the built-in launcher or ZL. The alternative is to not launch any apps from the built-in launcher using those shortcuts unless you intend to use them a lot, then remember to remove the files later, manually.


To fix things, it looks like if you run the app from ZL using the shortcut, ZL will remove those unwanted files (because they get over-written) when you next exit the app ( while ZL is active) and you will regain the memory, and be back to normal.

So you're OK, as long as ZLauncher doesn't crash on you and you don't have access to your PC or a backup handy on an SD card.

Opinions? Dessent? :D

HTH

[kiteandcamera]

ZL DOES move and app to the external card and DOES create a shortcut which you can then file inder any tab/category you like. When you launch and app from ZL is DOES transfer the app from external card to RAM to run; when you close the app, ZL DOES return the app back to the card. I do not ever use the built-in launcher, but tried it after reading your post. I was able to launch several apps on the card, each was return to the external card when closed. I do not understand your comments.

[Tomohawk]

I don't quite understand what you mean either, kite.

Launcher is working perfectly fine for me right now. ZLaunder does copy one or more files to RAM so you can launch an application, and it will remove them and save the changed files when finished.

The problem I found was that the built-in launcher does NOT remove the files copied from the external card, and it fills up the RAM with whatever applications you launched via those shortcuts. I have run enough shortcuts that I actually ran out of memory.

[kiteandcamera]

Ok, I see what you are saying. The default Palm/Clie launcher does not handle the shortcut the way ZL does so it can launch the app, but does not return it to the external card. Never tried this out until today.

Don't see this as a problem for me as I stopped using the default launcher years ago when I purchased ZL. In fact, I am not sure how you can launch an app from an external card with the built-in launcher without another bit of software that can create a shortcut. Obviously, the default launcher recognizes the ZL shortcut and can start an app. I am not sure if this quirk can be changed.

[Tomohawk]

ZLauncher creates the shortcuts for itself, and also so you can launch the applications located on the memory card without going through ZLauncher.

[bluefishCFC]

Agreed Tomohawk. I just loaded ZL onto my Treo 650 for the first time intending to use shortcuts as described in the manual.
But if you launch those shortcuts via any other launcher (I use Hi Launcher, pToolSet and the built in launcher.) These apps get copied and launched into RAM in the exact same way as using ZL, but if you do not launch them with ZL, then everything stays in RAM. Nothing gets taken back to the ZL folder on the card.
I personally prefer to use the card launcher folder and launch with the others listed above. This way I need to keep the database in RAM, but I can be sure my RAM is kept unfilled by the prc files.

Goodbye ZL, maybe I will take you out of my archive again one day to admire the beautiful interface. :rolleyes: