Optimizing the Performance of PackRat 5.0

Here are a few things you can do to improve the performance of PackRat 5.0.  

DOS/Windows:
	The most important thing you can do to optimize the performance of 
	PackRat 5.0 is optimize the performance of Windows 3.1.  Please refer 
	to your Microsoft Windows 3.1 Documentation for in-depth descriptions 
	of the following:
	1. Set up a RAM Drive (PackRat Reference Guide, Page 389).
	2. Write your temp files to the RAM Drive using TEMP= in your 
	AUTOEXEC.BAT file. See your Windows manual for more information.
	3. Use a Hard Disk Cache such as SMARTDRV.EXE. This is also detailed
	in your Windows manual.

	Also, general Hard-Disk maintenance is suggested (i.e. Norton Speedisk)

	PackRat 5.0 requires 2 Mb of RAM for itself.  Thus, a configuration 
	with at least 4 Mb is required.  We suggest 8 Mb.

List Viewers:
	1.  There are 3 levels of sorting for a List Viewer.  The fastest way 
	to view your information is not to sort it at all.  In cases where 
	this is not practical, only sort on 1 or 2 fields.  If you do this 
	for all of your List Viewers, you should see noticable improvements 
	in the performance of PackRat. You can change the sorting options by 
	selecting "Customize" from the Instant-Options (tm) Menu and pressing the "Sort..." 
	button.

	2.  The Attachments column is another feature that, if you can live 
	without it in all or some cases, will noticably speed-up your PackRat 
	5.0 environment.  To turn off the Attachments Column, select 
	"Customize" from the Instant-Options (tm) Menu.  Locate the 
	"** ATTACHMENTS **" entry in the listbox on the RIGHT (if it isn't 
	there, then you are done). Double-click on the entry to remove it 
	from this listbox.  Click OK to save your changes.

	3.  List Viewers have the capability of having a default search 
	associated with them.  This means that when the List Viewer first 
	gets created, it will automatically perform that search.  You may turn 
	off this feature so that you don't have to wait for the search to 
	complete before you are able to work.  You can turn this off by 
	selecting "Customize" from the Instant-Options (tm) and choosing 
	"None" in the "Search" list.

Calendars:
	1.  The Calendar Object now has the ability to display your time-
	related items by showing the colors of the associated Forms on the 
	appropriate days.  If this is a feature that you don't use, make sure it is turned 
	off.  Turn it off by unchecking the "Commitments" entry on the 
	Calendar's Instant-Options (tm) Menu.


Folders/Objects:
	1.  If there are Objects that appear in the same place on EVERY 
	Folder, just keep ONE copy of the Object(s) and make them "Float 
	across Folders".  This option is on the Objects Instant-Options Menu.  
	This approach requires that the Object does not need to be created/
	destroyed all the time you are switching Folders.

Action Bars:
	1.  If there are Action Bars that you don't use, turn them off.

PackRat.ini:
	1. [Macro Extension Languages]
	Each entry listed in this section gets loaded each time you start 
	PackRat 5.0.  Turn off the entries that are not needed.  
	NOTE - PRMACRO.MXL IS REQUIRED!

	2. [DBMS]
	PackRat 5.0 backs up your data files each time you start PackRat.  
	You may turn this off at your own risk by changing the entry 
	"bBackup=Y" to "bBackup=N".
		
	PackRat 5.0 allows you to specify the number of characters to 
	consider when sorting string fields.  By modifying the "iSortChars=" 
	entry you can lower the number of characters used for sorting.  
	Although this will not have a substantial effect, it may be noticable 
	on some slower machines.