Introduction

This is version 2.9 of the Psion 5 data file documentation, dated 20040204.

This collection of text files (released both as Psion Word files and as HTML) documents file formats as used by built-in Psion 5 applications. Psion has never released the formats of their saved files, so I had to reverse-engineer them.

For those concerned with legalities: I never disassembled or otherwise inspected one single ROM-based Psion application, nor did I use the Psion SDK (Software Development Kit). Instead, I created documents, examined their contents through a hex-editor, modified them, examined them again, etc. until I understood how they were structured and what their contents meant.

Because of the way this information is collected, there may be errors in the descriptions. Sometimes I had to make educated guesses or extrapolate about details. Everything was initially figured out with and checked against my own Psion 5, a series 5 R1 with dutch ROM 1.01(145). You can find the version of your own ROM in the System/Information/About Series 5 screen. I have recently upgraded to a series 5MX with UK ROM 1.05(255). Some things may still be called a little differently on an actual UK or US Psion that in this guide, but the this has gotten a lot better compared to previous versions of this documentation.

You can send any errors, omissions, translation probems, or comments to frodol@dds.nl. The latest version of this document can always be found through my homepage: http://huizen.dds.nl/˜frodol/

You may use the information in this document in any way you want, as far as permitted by Psion, but I would appreciate an acknowledgement if you do.

I would like to thank the following people for their help or input:

Andrew Johnson

James

Jwan-Luc Damnet

Daniel Smith (MBM stuff)

and especially:

Tamas Decsi

Version history

Version Release date Changes

2.9 20040204 Minor corrections

2.8 20010728 More Sheet documentation

2.7 20010311 Sheet documentation almost completed

2.6 20001228 Userdic and World Data files documented. Some data on Sheet files (unfinished). Quite a few corrections all-over.

2.5 19991204 Clipart files documented. Corrections and fixes.

2.4 19990812 Sketch, MFM and Record files documented.

2.3 19990724 Objects in word files documented. TextEd files documented.

2.2 19990711 Some unknown things filled in, all minor

2.1 19990618 Small fixes to make automatic HTML links generation easier

2.0 19990618 Completely restructured. This is now a collection of small files. Almost all sections were rewritten.

1.3 19990615 Some typo's removed. Start section renamed into status section. Status section much better documented. Some special characters added.

1.2 19990614 Added header/footer replacement section

1.1 19990613 Some small bugs resolved. Added identifier section.

1.0 19990612 New: Page section. All parts of the Word file are now accounted for!

0.1 19990610 First release