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PHM Registry Editor User Guide

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PHM Registry Editor Version 0.70 for Smartphone 1


ContentsContents...............................................................................................2Introduction..........................................................................................3Concepts..............................................................................................3

Registry Editor Overview................................................................3Registry Keys...................................................................................4Registry Values................................................................................5

Using PHM Registry Editor.................................................................6Installing the application..................................................................6Introduction to the user interface.....................................................7Main screen......................................................................................8

Keys view....................................................................................8Keys menu...................................................................................9Values view...............................................................................10Values menu..............................................................................11

Edition............................................................................................11Edit String Value.......................................................................12Edit Binary Value......................................................................12Edit DWORD Value..................................................................13Edit Multi-String Value.............................................................13

Favorites........................................................................................15Tools..............................................................................................16

Find............................................................................................17Export and Backup....................................................................18Import and Restore....................................................................18

Online Help....................................................................................19References..........................................................................................20

Registry Files.................................................................................20Editing registry (.reg) files.............................................................21Known bugs and limitations..........................................................21

PHM Registry Editor Version 0.70 for Smartphone2


IntroductionTo keep the application as small as possible, PHM Registry Editor : Smartphone Edition does not include a help file.This document describes the basics to get started with the user interface and features as well as information on other help available.

Concepts

Registry Editor OverviewRegistry Editor is an advanced tool that enables you to change settings in your system registry, which contains information about how your device runs.Windows CE stores its configuration information in a database (the registry) that is organized as a hierarchy.Although PHM Registry Editor enables you to inspect and modify the registry, normally you do not need to do so, and making incorrect changes can break your system.An advanced user who is prepared to both edit and restore the registry can safely use PHM Registry Editor for such tasks as eliminating duplicate entries or deleting entries for programs that have been uninstalled or deleted.

You should not edit your registry unless it is absolutely necessary.If there is an error in your registry, your device may not function properly.If this happens, you can restore the registry to the same version you were using when you last successfully backing up your device using ActiveSync, or perform a hard reset to restore your device to factory settings.Generally it is best to use the Smartphone Settings to change your system settings.You should backup your device settings before making any change.



Registry KeysThe keys view of PHM Registry Editor displays a list of folders, each of which represents a predefined registry key on the Windows CE registry.The Smartphone registry stores data about applications, drivers, user preferences, and other configuration settings. The registry is organized in a hierarchical system of keys and values. A key is similar to a directory and can contain values and other keys.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTContain OLE/COM and file-type matching configuration data.The information stored here ensures that the correct program opens when you open a file by using the File Explorer.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERContains the root of the configuration information for the user using the device.The user's specific settings, such as preferences and personal information are stored here.This information is refered to as user's profile.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEContain configuration information particular to the device, such as drivers configuration and system settings.

HKEY_USERSStores data that applies to all usersOn the Smartphone, this key is usually ignored.

Each key can contain subkeys and values (data items).



Registry ValuesEach value contains a piece of data associated with a name, just like files.Each value have an icon identifying its type, the complete type name is also displayed in at the bottom of edit windows.The following table lists the data types currently defined and used by Windows CE.

REG_SZA fixed-length text string

REG_BINARYRaw binary data. Most hardware component information is stored as binary data and is displayed in PHM Registry Editor in hexadecimal format.

REG_DWORDData represented by a number that is 4 bytes long. Many parameters for device drivers and services are this type and are displayed in PHM Registry Editor in binary, hexadecimal or decimal format.

REG_MULTI_SZMultiple strings, Values that contain lists or multiple values in a form that people can read are usually this type.

REG_EXPAND_SZData string of variable length. This data type includes variables that are resolved when a program or service uses the data.

All values are in fact binary; the type is only available to allow applications to check the content type.This application provides editors depending on the data type, but any value can be edited using the binary editor by selecting Modify Binary Data from the contextual menu.



Using PHM Registry Editor

Installing the applicationFirst, note that PHM Registry Editor : Smartphone Edition is designed for Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphone 2002 devices, it will not run on other smart phones.

Go to the web page from your Smartphone :http://www.phm.lu/Products/Smartphone/RegEdit

Select download, then“CAB – Smartphone - ARM”.

Once the download is complete, the installation will begin, installing files and default settings on your device.

Please note Smartphone distributors and carriers can lock your device to allow only their software (or selected partners software) to be installed.

If your device display it cannot install the application because of this policy, you can try asking your distributor and carrier if they can unlock your device, but they are not required to, as it is usually part of a whole service offer (which might includes software download from their services only).



Introduction to the user interface

PHM Registry Editor : Smartphone Edition is based on lists to make the navigation easy using a single hand and a few buttons.

You can browse the keys structure to the one which contains the values you want to modify, then list the values available in that key and edit them.

This is the screen displayed when you start the application. It is the Keys view, displaying the root of your registry.

The title bar display the name of the current key, if you are at the root, “PHM Registry Editor” is displayed instead of “My Device”.

The left softkey is used to toggle between Keys view and Values view, to display subkeys available in the current key or values of the current key.

The right softkey is used to display the contextual menu, which contains different items depending on the current view.

PHM Registry Editor Version 0.70 for Smartphone

Current Key

Selected Key or Value

View toggle softkey

Contextual menu softkey

7


Main screen

Keys viewThe Keys view display the keys available in the current key. You can change the selection using the up and down buttons.

Press the action button to open the selected key, the selected key will become the current key and subkeys contained in that key will be displayed.

Use the back button to go up one level in the structure, going back to the previous list.

Using the back button when you are at the root (when root keys are displayed and “PHM Registry Editor” is displayed in the title bar) will exit the application.

Using these four keys you can browse the keys to the one which contains the values you want to modify.


Up

Down

Back key

Action key

8


Keys menuWhile in Keys view, press the right softkey to display the menu.

New Key will create a new key inside the current key.

Delete will delete the selected subkey with all its values and subkeys.

Rename will let you edit the name of the selected key.

Go to My Device go back to the root from any location, select, this will bring you back to the very first list, displaying root keys (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, …).

Favorites will display the Favorites window, which allow you to add, delete, or go to an existing favorite key.

Show Path display the complete path of the current key and lets you go up to any level.

Tools is common to both Keys and Values menus, they are covered in the Tools chapter.

About is common to both Keys and Values menu, it display information about the version and End User License Agreement.



Values viewPress the left softkey to toggle to Values view, the values contained in the current key will be displayed.

In Values view, you can change the selection using the up and down buttons.

Press the action button to edit the selected value.

Use the back button or the left softkey to toggle back to Keys view.



Values menuWhile in Values view, press the right softkey to display the menu.

The New Value submenu will create a new value inside the current key, it contains the kind of values you can create: String, Binary, DWORD, Multi-String or Expandable String.

Delete will delete the selected value.

Rename will let you edit the name of the selected value.You can also change its name from the edition window.

Modify Binary Data allows you to edit the selected value as binary, regardless of its actual type.

The Edit submenu contains Cut, Copy and Paste functions which allows you to easily move or copy the selected value into another key.

Tools is common to both Keys and Values menus, they are covered in the Tools chapter.

About is common to both Keys and Values menu, it display information about the version and End User License Agreement.

EditionEdition windows enables you to edit the name and data of a registry value, they are displayed when you press the action button on a selected value in the main window or create a new value.The kind of editor depends on the type of the selected value.



Edit String ValueThe string editor is used for REG_SZ and REG_EXPAND_SZ values.

Pressing the action button or the right direction when you’re at the end of the value data field will expand the value data to full screen for easier edition of long strings.

Edit Binary ValueThe binary editor is used for REG_BINARY and any type not supported by other editors.You can also edit any value as binary by selecting Modify Binary Data in the Values menu.

The Value data field displays the data organized by bytes in hexadecimal notation separated by spaces, pressing the action button or the right direction when you’re at the end of the field will expand the value data to full screen for

easier edition.



Edit DWORD ValueThe dword editor is used for REG_DWORD values.

The number can be modified using the keypad or the right and left directions to increment and decrement the number displayed.

The next field let you select the base used to edit the number, you can choose between Binary, Decimal and Hexadecimal using the right and left directions, or by pressing the action button and selecting the base in the full screen list.

Edit Multi-String ValueThe multi-string editor is used for REG_MULTI_SZ values.

The value data field displays each string on a separate line, pressing the action button or the right direction when you’re at the end of the field will expand the value data to full screen for easier edition.


PHM Registry Editor User GuideCurrent Path

The current path window contains a list representing the path to the current key.

The root "My Device" is at the top, and all the keys in the path are listed, until the current one at the bottom.

Press the back button to go back to the current key, or select another key and press the left softkey Select to move to the selected key.

Please note that “current key” refer to the key in which you are, while “selected key” refer to the subkey which has the focus in the list displaying the content of the current key.

The screenshot show the current path for\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Multimedia\Audio



FavoritesThe Favorites is a list of shortcuts to keys you use often or want to remember.

Select a favorite and press the left softkey Go to move to the selected key.

To add a new favorite, make sure it is the current key (and not the selected key), before displaying the favorites window, then press the right softkey to display the menu, and select Add Favorite, you’ll be prompted to enter a

name and the favorite will be included in your list.

To delete a favorite from the list, just select it, press the right softkey to display the menu, and select Delete.

Press the back button key to cancel the favorites window without taking any action.

Default favorites are automatically installed to give you quick access to some interesting keys. You can delete these if you want.



ToolsThe Tools submenu is available from both the Keys and Values views.Press the right softkey from the main window to display the menu and select Tools.

Find allows you to search the registry for specific strings contained in keys names, values names or REG_SZ values data.

Import enables you to merge entries from a .reg file into the registry.

Export saves the content of the current key (values and all subkeys and values contained in these subkeys) to a .reg file, to save the whole registry, just save it from the root.

Backup creates a snapshot of the complete registry to a file.

Restore replaces the current registry with the one contained in a snapshot backup file.



FindThe find window let you enter the string you want to look for, as well as select the type of search you want.

Press the left softkey Find Next to start the search, the search will be performed from the current key and selected value only. Start the search from the root "My Device" to search the whole registry.

You can speed up the search by looking through only one type of information; for example, if you know that you are

looking for a value entry, you can clear the Keys and Data check boxes, so that you will not search through those objects.

The main window will be displayed again with the first occurrence found selected, but the softkeys have been assigned to find functions.Use the left softkey Find Next to find the next occurrence.Use the right softkey Cancel to hide the find functions and display the standard menu.Use the back button to display the find options again.

You can always continue the search by displaying the Find window again and pressing Find Next without changing your selections, as the search will be performed from the current key and selected value, it will start where it stopped if you did not move to another location in the meantime.


Search for next one Stop searching

17


Export and BackupTo export or backup to a file, select the corresponding item in the Tools menu.

Name:Enter a filename.Folder:Select a subfolder or None for the main My Documents folder.Type:Select the type of file to save.Location:Select on which storage to save the file, in Main Memory (Storage RAM) or a storage card.

Import and RestoreTo import or restore a file, select the corresponding item in the Tools menu.

Location:Select on which storage the file is located, in Main Memory or on a storage card.Type:Select the type of file you are looking for.Folder:Select the subfolder in which the file is stored, or None if it is in the main My Documents folder.Name:Select the file you want to open.



Online HelpPHM Registry Editor : Smartphone Edition does not include a help file to keep the application as little as possible.

There is however an online help available online on the web and designed to be used with Pocket Internet Explorer on your Smartphone.

Using Pocket Internet Explorer, open the following URL :http://www.phm.lu/Products/Smartphone/RegEdit/Help/0.70/A shortcut has been automatically added to your web favorites during the install.

The online help is just the same as the help file available with other editions of PHM Registry Editor, except that it’s based on a light web site so you can get the information you need quickly using your network connection without wasting storage on the device.



References

Registry FilesThis information is very important, and you should know these issues before using the registry file import and export functions !

Windows RegEdit 5Windows 2000, XP and .NET uses the "Registry Editor 5.00" format, which is Unicode.Because Windows CE is also Unicode, we recommend to use this format.Registry files using the V5 format will be about twice as big as V4 files, but it will contain all the original data while V4 would lose Unicode information.

Windows RegEdit 4Windows 9x and NT4 use the "REGEDIT4" format, which is ANSI.This format will lose any caracter using the 2nd Byte in REG_SZ, REG_MULTI_SZ and REG_EXPAND_SZ values (mostly Asian text).This format is provided for compatibility, we recommend using the new V5 file format if you don't need compatibility with other applications still using the old format.

eVT Remote Registry Editor (eMbedded Visual Tools)The Windows CE Remote Registry Editor (available in eMbedded Visual Tools) use the V4 format, but with some differences with the Windows 9x/NT4 version.Because it doesn't need to be able to import back (that function is not available), it does not escape characters like ", which makes it impossible to import it correctly.Also, it does not export accurately REG_MULTISZ values.



Editing registry (.reg) filesYou can use a text editor to work with the .reg files you create by exporting, it must support ANSI for V4 and eVT files and Unicode for V5 files.Only V5 files can be imported using PHM Registry Editor.

To delete a key from a .reg file, place an hyphen "-" in front of the key name, for exemple :[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Sample]will delete the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Sample\ key and all it's values and subkeys.

For a value, use an hyphen "-" as the value's data :"ValueName"=-Will delete the ValueName value.

Use regedit /s <reg file> to silently import a registry file.

Known bugs and limitations It is not possible to import registry files (.reg) yet.
