ptools

Japanese version is here.

You will find the latest version of this document at http://www.sra.co.jp/people/hoshi/ptools-e.html.

• Download
• Introduction
• How to Use
• Menus
• Resource Types
• Bugs
• Revision History

Download

• ptools-0.7.3.zip - latest version (source included)
• ptools-0.7.3.sit - latest version (for Mac OS)

• ptools-0.7.2.zip - previous version
• ptools-0.7.1.zip - old version
• ptools-0.7.zip - old version

Introduction

This is a tool to display the contents of Pilot resource files (*.prc). It is written in Java (JDK 1.0.2 + teikade 1.7b6) so that it can run on as many platforms as possible.

I tested this tool on

• Mac OS
  • MRJ (Mac OS Runtime for Jave) 1.0.2, 1.5
  • Metrowerks CodeWarrior Professional 1
• Windows 95
  • JDK 1.0.2, 1.1.1 - 1.1.3
  • jview.exe (included in Internet Explorer 3.0.2)
• Solaris 2.x
  • JDK 1.0.2, 1.1_Final

Japanese display are tested on

• MRJ 1.0.2 and 1.5 on Mac OS
• JDK 1.1.1 - 1.1.3 and jview.exe on Windows 95

This software is free, as long as you use it for non-commercial purposes.

How to Use

Extract ptools-0.7.3.zip and you will have the following files and directories.

• ptools-0.7.3 directory
  • classes.zip - contains binaries (*.class).
  • src.zip - contains sources (*.java).
  • readme.txt

On Windows and UNIX, add ptools-0.7.3/classes.zip to CLASSPATH and type

java ptools.ShowDatabase (.prc/.pdb file)

On Mac OS, extract ptools-0.7.3.sit and double click on "ptools" icon.

Menus

File menu

New

Open an empty window.

Open...

Open a resource file (.prc) or data database file (.pdb). If the window is not empty, a new window is opened.

Clone

Open a clone of the window.

Save as...

Save the resource or data database file.

Save Resource as...

Save the selected resource.

Save Bitmap as...

Save the bitmap.

Reload

Reload the contents of the window.

Close

Close the window.

Quit

Quit the program.

Option menu

Graphic

Displays the bitmap itself.

Source

Displays in the source format of pilrc, etc.

Attributes

Displays attributes.

All Attributes

Displays all attributes.

Hex dump

Displays in hex dump.

x 1, x 2, x 4, x 8

Set the magnification of the bitmap.

Grid

Displays grid when the magnification is x 2 or more.

Thumbnail

Displays thumbnail bitmaps of Q Paint database.

Japanese

Displays Japanese text.

Version menu

Displays the version number of ptools, and information about the Java runtime environment on which ptools runs.

Resource Types

It can display the following types of System-defined resources.

• 'tFRM' (form)
• 'MBAR' (menu bar)
• 'Talt' (alert)
• 'tver' (version)
• 'tSTR' (string)
• 'tAIN' (application icon name)
• 'tAIB' (application icon bitmap)
• 'Tbmp' (bitmap)

It can also display the following types of application-defined resources.

• 'Mldy' (melody of System Sound Hack (in Japanese))

Bugs

• Flicker may happen for bitmaps. (Theoretically, it can be eliminated by the use of offscreen images, but it is buggy to draw enlarged images on some platforms.)

• On Windows 95 with JDK 1.1.1, cloning with bitmaps displayed or opening Tbmp*.bin or tAIB*.bin into a new window may cause freeze.

• You may not want to look at some compressed bitmaps...

Revision History

2000/09/08 (ver 0.7.3)

• Add Save Bitmap as... commands.
• Now it supports DiddleBug database.

2000/07/24 (ver 0.7.2)

• Now it can display Chinese and Korean (on JDK 1.1 and later).

1998/03/16 (ver 0.7.1)

• Now it supports scrollbars.

1997/08/21 (ver 0.7)

• Now it can display Japanese (on JDK 1.1.x, jview.exe, MRJ 1.0.2/1.5).
• Newly opened window inherits Option settings from its parent.

1997/08/10 (ver 0.6)

• Now it can display forms graphically.
• Add Save as... and Save Resource as... commands.
• Add support for 'Mldy' resources of System Sound Hack.

1997/07/29 (ver 0.5)

• Add support for data database files (*.pdb).
• Add bitfield display to Attributes.
• Add description of menus.

1997/06/19 (ver 0.4.1)

• Fix a bug which causes NoSuchMethodError when opening *.bin files.
• Now it can display hex dump of resource files.

1997/06/18 (ver 0.4)

• Add Attributes to resource display format.
• Add Grid to bitmap view.

1997/05/08 (ver 0.3)

• Now it can display compressed bitmaps.
• Reorganize source code (use of Observable/Observer, etc).
• Minor improvements on GUI (mainly for Mac and Solaris).
• Translate this document to English.

1997/04/18 (ver 0.2)

• It can open several windows.
• It can open *.bin files produced by pilrc, etc.
• It can work with Scrollbar of JDK 1.1.
• It can run on Mac with JDK 1.0.2.

1997/04/15

initial release (Japanese only).