It is easy to create a PAD file for Thunderbird, or a plugin that you have made for Thunderbird. Once you have created the PAD file then you can send it to lots of download sites to get lots of exposure and people installing your software.
The PAD file needs to go in two places:
- Inside a ZIP file, from where anyone distributing your software can extract it and retrieve the information. You can include the PAD files inside the ZIP as PAD_FILE.XML.
- On your website. Don't use a version number in the link, as it's important to use an address that won't change, because some sites are automatically checking PAD files for changes, updating their lists. Remember that many download sites ask for the URL of your PAD file as they import all the information contained in it.
- PAD file generators are free. Here's a link where you can download PADGen 3
- When you generate a PAD file, fill in all the fields. Failing to do so will generate incomplete information that will be displayed as such by vendors. PAD files are used to increase your shareware sales, so you should fill out everything;
- You need to provide a URL in the PAD file that points back to the file, because they're used for automatically updating the information. The PAD file URL should be the same between software releases so that the download sites can correctly extract your information updates.
- To make sure your PAD files are working properly, you have to validate them. Use this tool to validate your PAD files.
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