Filer

Unload Filer to save System RAM

100/200LX

This information is found in the file 100FAQ.ZIP <Available ON DISK>, found in the Internet News Group comp.sys.palmtops

As shipped by HP, the Application Manager always keeps FILER in memory, using approximately 58K of System RAM. This is so that, if you run out of disk space while using an application, you can enter Filer, delete some files, and save your work.

100FAQ.ZIP describes a "disable filer" trick, which allows you to completely terminate the filer, and recover that 58K of System RAM. This is undocumented, unsupported, and nobody at HP has recommended it, although several users have reported success with it. Nevertheless, please back up your disk before trying this. [See Editor's Note below.] To disable the Filer, do the following:

  1. 1. Activate the application manager (press (&...) More).

  2. 2. Move the Filer to the first position, using (F7).

  3. 3. Close AppManager (MENU) Quit.

  4. 4. Start DOS (CTRL)-(123), and type the following:

debug c:\_dat\appmgr.dat e 10a 01 w q

  1. 5. Start the application manager and move the Filer back to its original position, if desired.

Now you can terminate Filer (remove it from system memory) by following these steps:

  1. 1. First open FILER;

  2. 2. Opening AppManager, highlight FILER and press (F6) (Close), or

  3. 2b. Open AppManager, highlight FILER, and press (MENU) Application Close All.

In order to open the FILER again after it has been terminated, you'll have to press (FILER) twice.

When you reopen FILER the FILER's Quit command will behave as before, putting FILER to sleep and not recovering the RAM. To unload it from memory you must follow the above instructions.

Rich Cochran (Editor 100FAQ.ZIP) <rochran@netcom.com> CompuServe ID: [73040,263]

[Editor's Note: Those who do not want to risk experimenting with DEBUG can use Mark Scardina's CLSFLR.ZIP <Available ON DISK> to perform this procedure correctly.

Undoing this procedure has some unpleasant side effects on programs that were installed in Application Manager. You will have to re-install any DOS programs (.EXE, .COM), and re-load the icons for any System Manager (.EXM) programs. To undo this procedure: delete C:\_DAT\APPMGR .DAT; open Application Manager and close it to again create a new APPMGR.DAT file. -Robert]