PRC (Palm OS)

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'''PRC''' is an archive-like file format associated with PalmOS. It stores executable code, and related data.
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'''PRC''' is an archive-like file format associated with Palm OS. It usually stores executable code, and/or resource data.
  
 
PRC probably stands for '''Palm Resource''', though it is sometimes said to stand for '''Palm Resource Code''', or '''Palm Resource Compiler'''.
 
PRC probably stands for '''Palm Resource''', though it is sometimes said to stand for '''Palm Resource Code''', or '''Palm Resource Compiler'''.
  
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It is very similar to [[PalmOS Database|PDB]], but it is not the same format. For example, the resource records that follow the header are 10 bytes each, while for PDB they are 8 bytes each.
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It is very similar to [[Palm OS Database|PDB]], and is sometimes considered to be a subtype of PDB. The main difference is that the resource records have a different format and size.
  
 
== Disambiguation ==
 
== Disambiguation ==
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The term "PRC" is also associated with [[PalmDOC]] and related formats.
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The term "PRC" is also associated with [[PalmDOC]] and related formats, though PalmDOC is a [[Palm OS Database|PDB]] format, not a PRC format.
  
 
== Identification ==
 
== Identification ==
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In ''most'' PRC files, ASCII characters "{{magic|appl}}" appear at offset 60. But in general, it is not easy to identify PRC, and/or to distinguish it from [[PalmOS Database|PDB]]. A few PRC files even have a '''.pdb''' file extension.
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In many PRC files, ASCII characters "{{magic|appl}}" appear at offset 60. But when they don't, it is not easy to identify a PRC file by its contents.
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A few PRC files even have a '''.pdb''' file extension. PRC and [[Palm OS Database|PDB]] can be distinguished by the byte at offset 33, which has its low bit set for PRC, and unset for PDB.
  
 
== Sample files ==
 
== Sample files ==
 
* http://cd.textfiles.com/pdasoftware/PILOT/ ...
 
* http://cd.textfiles.com/pdasoftware/PILOT/ ...
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* http://cd.textfiles.com/palmpilotc/ ... (inside many of the [[self-extracting ZIP]] files)
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* http://cd.textfiles.com/hhot/PALMP~13/ ...
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* [https://archive.org/details/PDA_Essentials_Issue_27_Highbury_Entertainment PDA Essentials (Issue 27)] → contents/Palm/... - CD image from archive.org; may have newer files than the above collections
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* {{DexvertSamples|archive/palmResource}}
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==
 
* [http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/PRC PRC (MobileRead Wiki)]
 
* [http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/PRC PRC (MobileRead Wiki)]
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* [http://web.mit.edu/tytso/www/pilot/prc-format.html The PRC Format]
 
* [[Wikipedia: PRC (Palm OS)]]
 
* [[Wikipedia: PRC (Palm OS)]]
 
* [http://lauriedavis9.tripod.com/copilot/download/Palm_File_Format_Specs.pdf Palm File Format Specs]
 
* [http://lauriedavis9.tripod.com/copilot/download/Palm_File_Format_Specs.pdf Palm File Format Specs]
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* [http://prc-tools.sourceforge.net/ prc-tools]
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* {{Deark}} can extract the individual resources
  
 
[[Category:Palm]]
 
[[Category:Palm]]
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[[Category:Palm OS Database]]
 
[[Category:Personal Digital Assistant formats]]
 
[[Category:Personal Digital Assistant formats]]
 
[[Category:Resources]]
 
[[Category:Resources]]

Latest revision as of 02:55, 28 December 2023

File Format
Name PRC (Palm OS)
Ontology
Extension(s) .prc, .pdb
MIME Type(s) application/vnd.palm

PRC is an archive-like file format associated with Palm OS. It usually stores executable code, and/or resource data.

PRC probably stands for Palm Resource, though it is sometimes said to stand for Palm Resource Code, or Palm Resource Compiler.

It is very similar to PDB, and is sometimes considered to be a subtype of PDB. The main difference is that the resource records have a different format and size.

Contents

[edit] Disambiguation

The term "PRC" is also associated with PalmDOC and related formats, though PalmDOC is a PDB format, not a PRC format.

[edit] Identification

In many PRC files, ASCII characters "appl" appear at offset 60. But when they don't, it is not easy to identify a PRC file by its contents.

A few PRC files even have a .pdb file extension. PRC and PDB can be distinguished by the byte at offset 33, which has its low bit set for PRC, and unset for PDB.

[edit] Sample files

[edit] Links

Retrieved from "http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/index.php?title=PRC_(Palm_OS)&oldid=46563"
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