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You will find more information in the following sections:

• Database backup
• Importing a text file
• Q&A file format
• Q&A file format - advanced description
• Tab delimited file format
• Tab delimited file format - advanced description
• Summary

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Database backup

SuperMemo databases saved on your desktop begin with three characters "sm_", followed by the name you gave it on your device, and terminated with a ".PDB" file extension. Any spaces in the name are replaced by underscore characters. For instance, a database called "World Geography" on your handheld will be saved as "sm_World_Geography.PDB" on your desktop computer.

In case you have some accident and lose all your data on the handheld, these databases will be reinstalled automatically. You can also install them manually by double clicking the appropriate file. This is useful when you have accidentally deleted the database on your handheld device or if you want to overwrite the database on the handheld because you did something wrong to it, and wish to revert to the state saved at the last HotSync. You can also share the databases you have created with your friends.

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Importing a text file

When you have prepared your text file, all you have to do is to follow these three simple steps:

1. Drag and drop your text file onto the smconv.exe utility.
2. Double click the resulting PDB file to install it on your handheld.
3. HotSync your handheld device.

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Q&A file format

Q: serpent
A: snake

Q: réduction
A: discount

Q: pomme
A: apple

This file can be created in almost any text editor. For instance, in Windows you can use the built-in Notepad (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Notepad).

Note: If you use some more advanced text editor like MS Word, be sure to save your file as plain text (menu File -> Save As, box File Type). If you save it as MS Word file it will not be recognized by the convertor as the file is not a text file but a binary file with lots of data that define color, size, font, spacing, etc.

When you have written and saved your text file, drag it with your mouse, move it over the smconv.exe icon and release your mouse button. This will create a converted file in the same folder where your source text file was.

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Q&A file format - advanced description

A single card is defined on several lines. Each line begins with a special tag and defines only one item field or category. This file can be created in almost any text editor - just make sure you save it as a plain text file, not a higher text file format such as RTF or DOC. Usually you will use the menu command File / Save as and select something like "text only" or "plain text" as File Type.

Here are the rules for creating Q&A text files that can be imported to SuperMemo:

• A tag is a three-character sequence: a letter, colon and space.
• A line beginning with "C: " tag defines the item category. If it is missing, the Unfiled category will be used.
• A line beginning with "Q: " or "1: " tag defines the field #1.
• A line beginning with "A: " or "2: " tag defines the field #2.
• A line beginning with "3: " to "6: " tag defines the respective field #3 to #6.
• You can skip empty field definitions.
• Item lines must follow in the ascending order starting with the category through field #1 up to field #6.
• If the sequence is broken, a new item begins.
• If you want to have a new line within a field, you can use two slash characters " // " or you can define the field on two or more lines. Each such line must begin with the same field tag.
• You can have empty and comment lines anywhere in the file.
• A comment line is a line that begins with a slash character " / ".

  (1) C: Animals
  (2) Q: serpent
  (3) 
  (4) A: snake
  (5) 3: m
  (6) 4: un serpent venimeux
  (7) 1: réduction
  (8) /This is my comment
  (9) 2: discount
 (10) 4: j'ai une réduction
 (11) 4: acheter avec une réduction
 (12) Q: pomme
 (13) A: apple

Note that the line numbers  (1)  through  (13)  will not be present in the file. They are only shown here to explain what each line means:

1. The first item (card) begins here. This item will belong to the Animals category.
2. The field #1 of the first item is serpent.
3. This line is empty and will be ignored. Normally you would not use it inside the item definition.
4. The field #2 of the first item is snake.
5. The field #3 of the first item is m.
6. The field #4 of the first item is un serpent venimeux.
7. Since the ascending tag sequence is broken here ("1: " comes after "4: "), a new item begins on this line. You might want to add an empty line here to visually separate the new item. Also, since there was no "C: " tag line with a category definition, the item will belong to the Unfiled category.
8. As this line begins with a slash, it is a comment line and will be ignored.
9. The field #2 of the second item is discount.
10. The first line of the field #4 of the second item is j'ai une réduction. Note that the definition of the field #3 was skipped.
11. The second line of the field #4 of the second item is acheter avec une réduction. You could also connect this line with the previous one and use the double slash " // " to define a line break within a field instead.
12. Since the ascending tag sequence is broken here ("Q: " comes after "4: "), a new item begins on this line. You might want to add an empty line here to visually separate the new item. Also, since there was no "C: " tag line with a category definition, the item will belong to the Unfiled category.
13. The field #2 of the third item is apple.

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Tab delimited file format

Here is an example shown in a spreadsheet window:

You can create this file in almost any spreadsheet or database program. Just be sure that you save the file as plain tab-separated text - usually using the menu command File / Save as and selecting "tab delimited text" as File Type. If you use MS Excel for instance and save it as an Excel file, it will not be recognized by the convertor as it is not a plain text file but a binary file that contains lots of data about each cell - colors, size, font, formatting, etc.

When you have written and saved your text file, drag it with your mouse, move it over the smconv.exe icon and release your mouse button. This will create a converted file in the same folder where your source text file was.

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Tab delimited file format - advanced description

The tab delimited file format is a file with item fields separated by tab characters. It can be created in almost any text editor, spreadsheet or database program - usually using the menu command File / Save as and selecting "tab delimited text" as File Type.

Here are the rules for creating tab delimited files that can be imported to SuperMemo:

• The file can contain up to seven columns of data.
• Columns 1 through 6 are the item fields.
• The seventh column is the card category. If it is missing, the Unfiled category will be used.
• If you want to have a new line within an item field, use two slash characters " // ".
• You can have empty and comment lines anywhere in the file.
• A comment line is a line that begins with a slash character " / ".

The columns A to F are the item fields and the G column is the item category. And this is how the same file looks when saved as a tab delimited text or when created by hand in a simple text editor:

  (1) serpent (tab) snake  (tab) m (tab) un serpent venimeux (tab)  (tab)  (tab) Animals
  (2) /This is my comment
  (3) réduction (tab) discount (tab)  (tab) j'ai une réduction//acheter avec une réduction
  (4) 
  (5) mémoire (tab) memory (tab) f (tab) une bonne, une mauvaise mémoire (tab)  (tab)  (tab) Unfiled  
  (6) chien (tab) dog (tab) m (tab)  (tab)  (tab)  (tab) Animals
  (7) pomme (tab) apple

Note that the  (tab)  characters are normally not visible when looking at the file in your text editor. Instead, they cause the text to be formatted in columns. Also, the line numbers  (1)  through  (7)  will not be present in the file. They are only shown here to explain what each line means:

1. The item on the first line has fields #1 through #4 and belongs to the Animals category.
2. As this line begins with a slash, it is a comment line and will be ignored.
3. This item has fields #1, #2 and #4 and has no category defined, thus belongs to Unfiled. The field #4 will have two lines when displayed on the handheld.
4. This line is empty and will be ignored.
5. This item has fields #1 through #4 and belongs to the Unfiled category.
6. This item has fields #1 through #3 and belongs to the Animals category.
7. The last items has only fields #1 and #2 and belongs to the Unfiled category as it has no category defined.

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Summary

• SuperMemo backs up your databases on the desktop. The backed up database can be installed on your device if the original is lost or accidentally broken.
• You can create new SuperMemo databases directly on your handheld. You can use stylus and graffiti handwriting, on-screen keyboard, built-in hardware keyboard or external hardware keyboard.
• You can also create new SuperMemo databases on your desktop. You need to prepare the source file, convert it and install it on your device.
• You can create new cards for an existing SuperMemo database on your desktop as well. Just convert them, install and merge the database with the desired one on your handheld device.

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