U       ()      =       )(      ð
P       S       I       O       N

T I P   O F   T H E   W E E K

T O P I C:  Compressing the Agenda File

Comments

As you delete and edit (and move, I think) appointments and events in
your Agenda, the old events are not truly removed from the file
structure.  While they do not appear on the screen and while you
cannot unearth them, the data is still inside the file.  This is done
for performance reasons.

This means is as you continue to use your Agenda doing normal stuff,
adding, editing, deleting, your file keeps growing and growing in
size.  It never shrinks.  Since resources are rather limited on the
PSION, it is important to keep files as small as possible.  You can
formally remove or reclaim the dead wood from your Agenda by
compressing it.

I do this once or twice a week.  Specifically, I do it when the file
has over 10 KB of old stuff in it.  I try to do it when I'm plugged
into AC power as it takes a long time and does a lot of file I/O.
Once, when I did this on my Series 3, it corrupted my entire Agenda
but I think that was due to other things;  I've never had a problem
on the 3a.  This does not work on Flash SSDs.

Compressing the Agenda File

You strip out the deleted entries from the Agenda file on your Series
3a using the COMPRESS FILE command in the FILE menu (keyboard
shortcut <PSION-k>).  On the Series 3, you use the COMPRESS command 
in the SPECIAL menu.

Related Matters

The same "quality" exists in the database files maintained by the
Data program--files are not stripped of their deleted or edited data
until you formally compress them.  You compress your data files on
the 3a or 3 using FILE/COMPRESS command or press <PSION-k>.

N E X T   W E E K

Batteries:  alkalines, rechargeables, lithiums.

C L O S I N G

Not a peep...

W A N N A B E   M E M B E R S

Here's a list of people that I know of that use or want PSIONs 
but don't have electronic mail ids or have ids that I don't 
know.  Please forward a hard-copy to them and send me their
email address(es).
  Cybelle Srour
  head honcho at Digital Renaissance
  every customer of Bell Mobility
  every customer of Marketron

C O L O P H O N

Tip number:     2
Written by:     Blake Nancarrow of Computer Ease
Entered:        95.02.16 @ 22:23 EST
Platforms:      PSION Series 3, Series 3a
Sent via:       internet
Origin:         CompuServe
Good id:        70511.673@compuserve.com
Cheap id:       blake.nancarrow@canrem.com