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Resolved Question

is there a .prc decompiler program?

Jan 25, 2012 12:07PM PST

Im looking to decompile a .prc file, which is a palm database file, edit it and compile it back. I'm a independent contractor's helper, and we're trying to get a firmware from a device to help program other devices.

Discussion is locked

georgebrooks91 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Yes. But not really.
Jan 26, 2012 3:44AM PST

Small world (my comment). I am updating one of my old PalmOS apps and there was an old decompiler years ago but since the result was only for those that write assembler and understood the calls to the PalmOS API it never was popular.

My app does program "devices" so I wonder if it's something I wrote.

Bob

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Well thats not something i expected!
Jan 26, 2012 10:25AM PST

How odd is this, never in a million years would I have expected to see the programmer on a random site ive gone to for years. Before I waste my time, Is it at all possible to pull the firmware from the device? I'm not trying to do any copy write infringement, but i need to obtain that firmware. The only decompiler Ive found ran in mostly the command line and pretty much is useless to me, vista and windows 7 hate it.

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The apps I wrote were for
Jan 26, 2012 10:35AM PST

Some big name maker of automatic doors. Since I work with the source code the issue for me was never there but as I have over a decade of PalmOS programming behind me I thought I'd comment about what I saw over the years.

Given the details so far I can't guess what or how to proceed.
Bob

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and
Jan 26, 2012 10:51AM PST

They also make tools. I dont know how to procedd I dont want any reprocussion from this of any sort. I'm just highly curious if this is possible. This is something I'm researching for myself, and nobody else knows. I do understand this is a public forum, and the whole internet could know. Ive played around with different programming languages before, and have brushed the surface with this. Doesnt have to be limited to the palm side, Im aware of a windows based form as well.

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What we do know is this.
Jan 26, 2012 11:12AM PST

A .PRC and .PDB are "PalmOS Databases". What's in a PRC is mostly code and supporting things like screens, bitmaps and such. It's very rare to find firmware inside a PRC. For example we support field firmware updates but package the firmware in .PDB files that the app can read and use.

Be aware that a non-programmer may be very upset working with this stuff. I don't want to offend anyone but all this is going to take a seasoned programmer. One that has written code and apps for embedded devices to de-code the .PRC. I do not know of any friendly tools to decode a PRC.
Bob

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Thats what I thought
Jan 26, 2012 11:24AM PST

when using the decompiler I had, although it was random bits, i saw bitmaps and screen directions, but nothing definitive as address location to or from or a simple of doing it. I dont want to just give up, and me being not a programmer at all, makes me want to learn more about it. I appreciate the insights you have given. I just wanted to take where it goes to "download" and replace it with "upload". Happy But Its not that simple I gather. The Palm os dev seems have gone off to no mans land as well, I dont like how they are doing things.
The windows program you wrote is very nice, although i miss the debug menu. Ive never fully understood the hex byte sending part of the program other to confirm things were being sent to and from.
Thanks for responding, and wow what a way to bump into somebody.

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Here's what I can do. How about the Dev Kit install notes?
Jan 26, 2012 1:46PM PST

As I have to reinstall this old dev kit once in a while I have a one page document about it.

Email me via my profile and I'll share that document. It's not much but without it, I fear even the seasoned and grey hair programmers would have a hard time,

Bob