ProfileSaver 0.02 -- with UnCache support

[pruss]

I updated ProfileSaver to 0.02. The main new feature is that it now supports UnCache (which doesn't store its prefs in the Preference database).

So now one can load and save UnCache profiles. That's a feature that I think a lot of people wanted in UnCache. (Of course CleanStart has profiles built in.)

http://www.1src.com/freeware/fileinfo.php?id=1807

[icefireicefire]

I don't get it. You write a (better IMO) version of UnCache with profiles -- then add profiles to UnCache? Why?

[I love my mom]

I don't get it. You write a (better IMO) version of UnCache with profiles -- then add profiles to UnCache? Why?

I'd say when it gets down to the nitty gritty UNCache is a bit better than Clean Start.

2) There are a lot of people that already purchased and use UNCache happily, that don't want to use Clean Start, but do want profiles.

At least that's how I see it ;)

[vovka1965]

Why is Uncache better than CleanStart?

[pruss]

I don't get it. You write a (better IMO) version of UnCache with profiles -- then add profiles to UnCache? Why?

It only took fifteen minutes to add the profiles to UnCache once ProfileSaver was working. :-)

[pruss]

By the way, source code (public domain!) is in cvs at handypalmstuff.sf.net

[dmitrygr]

well, if you want the details: cleanstart relies on the os launching apps at reset in creator-id order. this is not guaranteed, though it is likely. so any app whose creator id is less then CS's it will not be controlled by CS

uncache does not suffer from this limitation
furthermore the overhead on the stack in sysapplaunch and on speed is smaller in uncache (0 for stack and 2 ARM instructions for non-reset launch codes)

The lesser stack overhead is important since a lot of hacks patch this one function, adding their own data on stack. the more they do, the more unstable the system gets in low-memory situations. therefore if you have a lot of active hacks patching this function, CS will get unstable before UnCache does.

There are more reasons I can think of, but these are the only 100% objective ones i could come up with now

[cmlx]

Yes dmitrygr, uncache is more advanced, however cs can control rom and "panl" apps while uncache cannot. Also, the UI of cs is more friendly.

[pruss]

Another use for ProfileSaver is that someone once, I think, asked me to add game save support to SwapGems, so that they could play a game, then save it, and then let his kid play, and then restore the game. I haven't tested it, but ProfileSaver should take care of that for SwapGems and for any other game that stores its state in the preferences.

Oh, and Dmitry is certainly right about the technical advantages of UnCache.

[pruss]

By the way, I'm now adding support for apps that store their configuration in a small separate database rather than in preferences. My current approach is that I'll be hardcoding the support for individual apps, though maybe eventually I'll add some way of configuring this.

So if you want support for saving the profile of some app, let me know what the app is, what its creator ID is, and what the type, creator ID and name of its configuration database is.

[cyberdude]

By the way, I'm now adding support for apps that store their configuration in a small separate database rather than in preferences. My current approach is that I'll be hardcoding the support for individual apps, though maybe eventually I'll add some way of configuring this.

So if you want support for saving the profile of some app, let me know what the app is, what its creator ID is, and what the type, creator ID and name of its configuration database is.
Be glad to provide such info, but I'm not sure I'm able to distinguish which apps have their own config db.

[cms]

Im-a get cleanstart now, that I know it can control pannels ^^

[dmitrygr]

Yes dmitrygr, uncache is more advanced, however cs can control rom and "panl" apps while uncache cannot. Also, the UI of cs is more friendly.


if you want to control rom, ask phreakonaleashfor the build of uncache, i sent him

as for panl - none really do anything at reset :)

[phreakonaleash]

er... thanks, dmitry :) I owe you one...
You still haven't sent me the UnCache UI source, btw. :D

[cmlx]

Thanks dmitrygr, but I don't think none panl does anything at reset, for example, ShortCuts5 and FieldPlus use "hede" notification when I reset palm if I enable them in the CleanStart.

[dmitrygr]

those are not standard panels. how am i to know of them :)

anyways i avoid anything that uses 'hede'! i either find alternatives that use better methods or make myself an alternative

[cmlx]

Thanks, actually, I think the most important problem of uncache is UI design, I like UI of CS very much, it is similar to "msconfig" of Windows, hehe.

[vovka1965]

er... thanks, dmitry :) I owe you one...
You still haven't sent me the UnCache UI source, btw. :D
I don't get that .. So, is there another build of UnCache hiding out there or was DG just being cute?

[scottl]

By the way, I'm now adding support for apps that store their configuration in a small separate database rather than in preferences.That's a nice addition. Any chance of storing your saved profiles on an SD card so we can take them from one device to another? Thanks!

[I love my mom]

I don't get that .. So, is there another build of UnCache hiding out there or was DG just being cute?

Not being cute. He made a custom build for Phrk.

[pruss]

if you want to control rom, ask phreakonaleashfor the build of uncache, i sent him

as for panl - none really do anything at reset :)

Even if they don't (and I've made a lot that do), loading them in order to send the reset launchcode to them still uses up time and dbcache space. :-)

[pruss]

Be glad to provide such info, but I'm not sure I'm able to distinguish which apps have their own config db.

If ProfileSaver can't restore their config, then they most likely have their own config db.

[pruss]

That's a nice addition. Any chance of storing your saved profiles on an SD card so we can take them from one device to another? Thanks!
No, but you can copy them manually. :-)

[Pgr]

Be glad to provide such info, but I'm not sure I'm able to distinguish which apps have their own config db.

If ProfileSaver can't restore their config, then they most likely have their own config db.
UniCMD shows files grouped by CreatorID, this usually makes it pretty obvious which data files each app is creating. Anyway, any file manager which can sort by creator id should make the existence of data files apparent.

@Pruss: I'd like to be able to save profiles for Apt (former Per App Preferences, so I can keep my everyday configuration and still feel free to mess around with it for testing purposes.

Files:

Apt Creator: AptA Type: appl
Apt-DB Creator: AptA Type: Data

Thanks a million for yet another very useful utility! :)

[scottl]

I'd like to be able to save profiles for Apt (former Per App Preferences, so I can keep my everyday configuration and still feel free to mess around with it for testing purposes.Now THAT is a great use for this app! As I played with it last night I should have thought of this myself, there are a lot of choice in there to be made and played with.

[wozofoz]

Hi Alex, this may be a dumb question/idea and quite possibly nigh on impossible, but here goes...

Could this be used to set up and choose different Profiles of myKbd, most importantly the Macro settings?
That is: Could I set up myKbd Macros and save the Profile, then set up different myKbd Macros and save that Profile?
Then, could these myKbd Profiles be changed without leaving the current app and going to the myKbd app?

If this cannot be done now is there any chance of it happening in the future? )

eg:
When I am using Blazer I can choose this myKbd Macro Profile:

HB#1= BackPage (CommandStroke B)
HB#2= History (CommandStroke Y)
HB#3= Hiome (CommandStroke H)
HB#4= BookMarks (CommandStroke V)

When I am using ChroMemo I can choose this myKbd Macro Profile:

HB#1= Copy
HB#2= Paste
HB#3= Launch LClipDA
HB#4= Launch TeikeiDA

Other apps I can just use my 'Standard' myKbd Macro Profile.

Others may also like to have different myKbd keyboard Profiles so that these can be chosen without leaving the current app.

Thanks again for your hard work and generosity :)

All the best, woz of oz

[_Em]

Sounds a lot like what Apt does, Woz :)

[wozofoz]

APT/PAP, great app, has my utmost respect but it lost me about 8 pages ago.
I RTFM, I tried it, I could not get it to work.
Just boggles my mind, too much for me now :confused:

PS: I am still reading the APT thread if you want to ask more, I don't want to take this thread OT :)

All the best, woz of oz

[JavaJiveJump]

I've been trying to figure out which app to use, UnCache or CleanStart. I bought Uncache, but does the controlling of ROM and control panels make a really big difference? How so?

[vovka1965]

I've been trying to figure out which app to use, UnCache or CleanStart. I bought Uncache, but does the controlling of ROM and control panels make a really big difference? How so?
I have both. I started with Uncache, just switched over to CleanStart and staying with Cleanstart for now.. I find that it is not the Rom control or the panels but the UI that makes the big difference..

[Pgr]

Is there any "scientific" way to determine if an app does anything when getting the reset notification? I mean, I look at the list of apps and wonder if I should tick the checkbox in CleanStart or not. I have some rules of thumb like "if it sets alarms or is expected to do something at a specific time, it needs the reset notification"...

But could it be possible to have a new "diagnose" mode that examined what sort of response the apps give to that notification: are they handling it or not?

Or perhaps something a little less precise, but still useful as an approximation: is their reset-notification handling-routine long or short? Does it take long to execute or not?

I'm just wondering if it is technically possible to have an automatic CleanStart profile that sends the reset notification to every app that uses it...

[cyberdude]

Resco Explorer or Safeguard give you an idea of notifications
If you do a reset & check you get all notifications for each apps that get reset code.
Or palm internals

[vovka1965]

Resco Explorer or Safeguard give you an idea of notifications
If you do a reset & check you get all notifications for each apps that get reset code.
So, then, it should be easy enough to automate, right?

[_Em]

It would have to be a 2-reset process, but yes -- it should be doable. --and it seems to me that the guys from Resco owe quite a bit to Alex; if they could release their notification trapping routines to him under GPL, I think that'd be great :)

[Pgr]

I can't test with Resco Explorer, my trial ran out long ago...

In PalmInternals, the closest thing I see is "Reset finished" notification. Is this it? It doesn't seem like what I was expecting, there are only half a dozen apps registered for it.

I thought that the reset notification controlled by Uncache and CleanStart was something different; something that apps did not register for, but got anyway. I'm not sure that's what we see in PalmInternals.

This would be harder to track, because we wouldn't be able to just list which apps asked for it, it would be a matter of what the apps do with it once they get it (and they all do).

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong... :)

[scottl]

You could compare to what Resco Locker (http://www.resco.net/palm/locker/default.asp) reports - no expired trial possible there.

I just tried PalmInternals and would say the the rstf-Reset finished section doesn't cover it at all. I don't know what all of those abbreviations mean, bet there are some sections that appear to have more notification requiring apps than others. I'm sure someone with a better understanding of PI will pipe in. I'm curious how to find this info in PI also.

[BrentDC]

I assembled my CleanStart list by "feel" - didn't use any programs, but if I were guessing what should be in the list from the info from Palm Internals; it would be anything in the "Notif." list :)

[scottl]

According to the legend on their web page, Resco Locker returns the following:

Meaning of attributes
! - Receives Notifications
L - Locked
O - Opened
B - Backup
P - Protected

My PI Notif. list has 290 items! Perhaps one of the sub-groups within the list? Maybe I'm getting beyond what I know here. I'm going to sit back and watch so I don't pass bad info...

[Pgr]

(Er... I had meant to post this discussion in the CleanStart thread, but instead posted here by mistake because there were some posts about uncache and I just assumed this was the place... well I hope Alex sees it anyway)

From what I read (I have no real experience with this, just trying to learn) when the system resets it launches each app (all of them!) with launch code sysAppLaunchCmdSystemReset. This is not a notification like the ones listed in Resco Locker (just a generic "!") or in PalmInternals (with detail), in the sense that apps don't register for this one, they just get it.

Uncache and CleanStart don't prevent apps from getting their normal notifications, otherwise they wouldn't be able to do their work; these tools just prevent them from being launched at reset-time, because for most of them this is not useful and messes up the dbCache.

So Uncache and CleanStart shouldn't really affect anything we see in PalmInternals except in one way: if an app takes advantage of that sysAppLaunchCmdSystemReset launch to register for another notification (very common with alarms and other things), then skipping that launch will result in one less notification registered (as seen in PalmInternals) - and probably crippled functionality for that app.

So we're back to the original question: can we detect (or at least make a good guess) which apps do useful work with sysAppLaunchCmdSystemReset or not?

[FranckW]

Alex, is it normal ProfileSaver seems not to work with fontsmoother ?

I discovered that some of my fonts display wrong with some skinUI skins.
So, according to the skin I choose, I must change my FS font.

I must not only change the font, but also the font darkness and eventually the per-app settings.

I thought profileSaver would be a nice way to easily switch from one configuration to another.
Alas, I see no change when I restore a previous FS settings.

Am I doing something wrong ?

[Treo Musketeer]

Resco Explorer or Safeguard give you an idea of notifications
If you do a reset & check you get all notifications for each apps that get reset code.

Admittedly much of this is over my head, but according to a thread I read in MTDN, with an interchange between Jan Slodicka and Jeff Gibson, there are three Resco products that force all apps to register for backup notifications and then unregister for them (Resco Backup, Resco Explorer, and RLock). According to Jeff, the issue though, is that a) such a process in intrusive of the other apps. From this I would say that SafeGuard is a safer bet to use for finding out all notifications.

See post 74 here: http://mytreo.net/forum/index.php/topic,60016.60.html

[JavaJiveJump]

if you want to control rom, ask phreakonaleashfor the build of uncache, i sent him

as for panl - none really do anything at reset :)
PhreakOnALeash,

May I please get that customized Uncache that Dmitry built for you?

Thnx!