[net.micro.mac] Delphi Mac Digest V2 #26

shulman@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (Jeff Shulman) (06/29/86)

Delphi Mac Digest          Sunday, 29 June 1986      Volume 2 : Issue 26

Today's Topics:
     RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #49 (Re: Msg 9403)
     RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #50 (Re: Msg 9508)
     Expo in Boston
     RE: INFO-MAC Digest V4 #79 (Re: Msg 9480)
     RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #50 (Re: Msg 9508)
     The World of the System file
     RE: Megamax SFGetFile bug? (Re: Msg 223)
     RE: Megamax SFGetFile bug? (Re: Msg 230)
     RE: Boing crashes on Mac+
     RE: INFO-MAC Digest V4 #80 (Re: Msg 9594)
     MacDraw Font Sizes!
     Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop
     RE: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop (Re: Msg 9612)
     RE: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop (Re: Msg 9613)
     RE: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop (Re: Msg 9617)
     RE: INFO-MAC Digest V4 #79 (Re: Msg 9480)
     COBOL
----------------------------------------------------------------------- 

From: DDUNHAM (9500)
Subject: RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #49 (Re: Msg 9403)
Date: 24-JUN 00:24 Network Digests
 
to: Paul Topping  prt@druhi.UUCP

I presume you haven't seen my article in the June 1986 issue of
MacTutor.  It includes Aztec C code for segmenting desk accessories.
My own Acta is around 40K on disk but takes 24K to run.  SpellNow from
Mainstay takes something like 300K in memory because it reads in a
dictionary (of course, that's all data).  I have recollections of an
old IM saying 32K on a 512K Mac, but apparently that was rescinded
because of Switcher and similar environments.  
David Dunham
 
------------------------------

From: PEABO (9514)
Subject: RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #50 (Re: Msg 9508)
Date: 24-JUN 20:36 Network Digests
 
There have been several requests for info about MacWorkstation recently.  This
is a licensed product from Apple ($1500, works under VAX/VMS or UNIX), and all
the info you want can be gotten by contacting Apple Licensing at 408-973-4667.
(While you're at it, ask about the Apple License agreement for electronic
distribution of Software Suppl ... oh, never mind!)
 
peter
 
------------------------------

From: CHRISALLEN (9509)
Subject: Expo in Boston
Date: 24-JUN 19:00 SIG Business
 
Those of you who are already making plans for the Boston Apple Expo, Dreams of
the Phoenix will be having a hospitality suite and our usual "After-the-Party"
parties.  We will be staying at the Bostonian hotel, and we will have the
Presidential Suite.
 
If you wish to stay at the same hotel (as will many other
Icontact'ers), we have arranged a group discount.  Call Donna Crotty
at (617) 523-3600 and ask about the Dreams of the Phoenix block rooms.
All reservations recieved by Donna before 7/30/86 will be placed in on
the same floor.
 
Chris Allen - Dreams of the Phoenix, Inc.
 
------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM (9525)
Subject: RE: INFO-MAC Digest V4 #79 (Re: Msg 9480)
Date: 24-JUN 23:40 Network Digests
 
to: Andy Fitzhugh <af@su-whitney.arpa>
There is an obscure program called MacPaint that saves bitmaps. Luckily the
format is well-documented, in a Software Supplement I believe.
 
------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM (9536)
Subject: RE: Usenet Mac Digest V2 #50 (Re: Msg 9508)
Date: 25-JUN 04:14 Network Digests
 
to:  6090617@pucc.BITNET (Robert Wald)
If you want the Dialog Manager to handle your window, you have to set the
WindowKind to 2.  If you want the Desk Manager to handle your window, you have
to set it to negative.  See also Tech Note 5.
 
to:  burnard@lll-lcc.UUcp (David Burnard)
Haven't checked my tongue's pH recently...
Yes, there was a bug in DiskInfo...because I used the Aztec C
libraries for the memory manager.  They save the result in memerr, a
global.  But the library puts this relative to A5...which is not a DA
global!  I don't believe they've fixed this, tho I reported it in time
for 1.06H.  I, however, have fixed it...DiskInfo 1.43. I'm really
amazed that you're only the 2nd person to report a problem.
 
to:  dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Hmm, see my reply to burnard@lll-lcc for what might be part of the problem.  As
far as not dragging windows, have you tried other DAs that use a menu?
 
------------------------------

From: MACMAG (229)
Subject: The World of the System file
Date:  24-JUN 23:28 Programming Techniques
 
Hi folks.... here's a story:
 
One day I put a disk in my drive only to find that it's ejected by the system
with a sad faced mac. I then say to myself: " Hmm.. The boot blocks are there,
but I bet I don't have a System file ... This sad face isn't very friendly. Why
don't I write my own system file that will hold a tiny code that displays a
dialog box telling me I can't boot from this disk and then eject and reset the
machine? "
 
So I did. I learned about INIT resources. But before I tried to do
anything to that disk, I made my tiny little program into an
application first. It ran fine.  I then ported everything to an INIT0
resource and...
 
" SAD FACED MAC "...
 
I asked myself why. Anyways as it turns out the code is somewhat like this:
 
- Initialise managers - Get dialog resource - Draw it - Wait for a button press
- Eject startup disk - Reset.
 
Since I couldn't run a Debugger ( WHat I'm writing is a System file ) the only
way I could find out what was wrong was to remove some pieces of code.
 
I did find the culprit:
 
PEA  -4(A5)
Initgraf
InitFonts
InitWindows   <--- BOOM!
 
Removing InitWindows ( and the code to draw the dialog box [ since initdialogs
needs initwindows to be called]) everything worked fine.
 
I decided to look in Inside Mac. All it says is that Initgraf and
initfonts must be called prior to initwindows. So what is wrong.
 
I can't find a reason why it doesn't work ( since I can't find any
reference why it shouldn't work ). Anyways, maybe one of you experts
can shed some light on this.
 
To those who may ask -> Why don't you just have a regular system and make your
application (since it works as an application) the startup program?
 
Well the reason I'm doing this is to put this special system on disks that are
too full to hold a system file.
 
Anyways... hope you can help.
 
PS: By the way, MacExpress is sold here for $495. I saw the book, I know of the
effort the author must of put in doing his routines, but I think that if he
keeps the price this high, he won't sell too many.
 
But I think the work he put in is worth it. ( I'm not too thrilled about him
asking for royalties on programs written with his routines, but then I guess he
will take any money he can get for his fine work )
 
Rich.
 
------------------------------

From: MARSHG (230)
Subject: RE: Megamax SFGetFile bug? (Re: Msg 223)
Date:  25-JUN 00:36 Programming Techniques
 
I played around with Jeff's program with 3.2 and 3.1.1 and here's what's
happening.  Pack3 in 3.1.1 does a eventavail in the modaldialog filterproc and
the 3.2 Pack3 does not.  The eventavail sees the disk inserted event and forces
modaldialog to return immediately.
 
One interesting thing I noticed is that in both systems, the filterproc sees
nothing but update events for the Megamax stdout window (unless a key is hit,
etc.).  HFS Locater Plus does not suffer from the problem because there are no
real events around (no dangling update events) and the null event causes
modaldialog to return.  There is a check for disk inserted events after
processing the itemhit that modaldialog returns.
 
From all this I conclude that the problem lies in the lack of window
handling for the megamax stdout window.  If it wasn't there, there
wouldn't be any problems with sfgetfile because modaldialog would see
null events rather than update events for somebody elses window (which
are ignored by modaldialog). I don't think there is anything that
megamax can do to "fix" this short of getting Apple to put the
eventavail back in the filterproc.  Marsh
 
------------------------------

From: JEFFS (232)
Subject: RE: Megamax SFGetFile bug? (Re: Msg 230)
Date:  25-JUN 20:09 Programming Techniques
 
The problem isn't with the Megamax stdout window handling.  I
originally noticed the problem in FontDisplay.  The program I posted
is just the shortest way to reproduce the problem.  To add to the
strangeness, when SFGetFile is called again, it all seems to work
correctly!  It seems it is only the first time it is called that it
doesn't "see" the disk insertion immediately.  What is even *more*
funny is that Lofty's Other... DA seems to exhibit the unseen disk
insertion on SFGetFile calls *after* the first call!!  I'm beginning
to think this is a true Apple problem and should be reported.  What do
you think?
 
                                               Jeff
------------------------------

From: PEABO (9596)
Subject: RE: Boing crashes on Mac+
Date: 26-JUN 22:07 Network Digests
 
>Date: Tue, 24 Jun 86 17:24:35 EDT
>From: ms1g@andrew.cmu.edu (Mark Steven Sherman)
>Subject: Boing crashes on Mac+
 
>I downloaded Boing and it seems to crash when quitting (on a Mac+). Also,
>there is no sound (despite its name). Anyone else have this problem (or a
>suggestion on how to avoid the crash)?
 
The Vanlandingham program (a/k/a "Mac's answer to Boing!") uses high memory to
store various images of the rotating ball.  If you run it with the cache
enabled on the Mac+ (or new ROMs in general) you will clobber the cache,
leading to a system crash.  Similarly, beware of running it with RAMdisk or
Macsbug occupying high memory.  It has no sound, because the processor is
running full tilt to do the animation.  If you move the mouse quickly back and
forth while it is running, you'll see how much the wheel-tick interrupts slow
it down.
 
peter
 
------------------------------

From: DDUNHAM (9604)
Subject: RE: INFO-MAC Digest V4 #80 (Re: Msg 9594)
Date: 27-JUN 05:02 Network Digests
 
To:  Robert L. Wald  <6090617%PUCC.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU>
In C, you don't use & in front of function names.
 
To:  schlichter.Wbst@Xerox.COM
Yes, MacPaint has problems under new ROMs.  I use DiskInfo to Set
Default to the System Folder before doing any cut/paste.
 
------------------------------

From: STOSH (9608)
Subject: MacDraw Font Sizes!
Date: 27-JUN 12:07 Business Mac
 
Does anyone know of a way to use other than the default font sizes in
MacDraw???  The only Mac'er at our co. is being very limited by its
limits.
 
thanks
 
josh
 
------------------------------

From: RICKLEPAGE (9612)
Subject: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop
Date: 27-JUN 15:46 Business Mac
 
Well, I had my first "experience" with the new System/Finder
today, and lost big time.
 
I did a bit of folder manipulation from the Desktop (moved a couple
of folders around into a folder at the root of my hard disk).  When
I finished, I closed the folder at the root level.  Looking at my
root level window, I noticed that the folder was no longer there!
(this was from a View by Name window).  I loaded up DiskInfo, thinking
that I had inadvertantly moved the folder into another folder, but
it told me that my folder was still there, at the root!!!!!!
Not sure what to do next, I viewed the window by icons, but
my folder was still not visible.
 
Next, I started to panic over a group of files i had just worked on
that had been moved into the folder.  I loaded Locater, to see if I
could find a file I knew should be in the lost folder.  Located ran,
but almost all of the text in its dialog boxes was trashed (boxes, weird
symbols and general gibberish).
 
Nothing else on the DeskTop indicated that there was a problem, so
I still tried to locate a file from the folder, but to no avail.  I
checked the Trash, thinking I might have inadvertantly thrown it away.
Nothing.
 
Next, I decided to launch HFS Backup, thinking that it might be able
to Backup the invisible folder that was visible to SFGetFile boxes and
DiskInfo, but my System crashed (froze -- no error box).
 
I rebooted, but no luck with the folder, and now, DiskInfo said it
wasn't there anymore.  I loaded Locater again (which looked normal this
time), to try and find a file from the folder, but they were definitely
gone now.
 
So here I am, with approximately 2MB of data lost to my hard disk.  I am
not too worried, because I had all but two files backed up with the most
current changes.  But what does worry me is the feeling that my system
might decide to trash another folder with similar reckless abandon at any
time.
 
The rest of my disk seems to be fine,though I did do a complete backup
to be on the safe side.
 
 
-------------->
 
   Does anybody have _any_ idea why this might happen? Or how?
 
 
I am running a Dataframe 20 (SCSI) on a Plus with the original
ROMs, 256K cache, System 3.2/Finder 5.3, nothing funky.  My drive
is only about 2/3rds full. (though now it is closer to half).
 
 
Ah well, life's a beech.....help, suggestions, or similar stories welcome.
 
rick
 
------------------------------

From: PEABO (9613)
Subject: RE: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop (Re: Msg 9612)
Date: 27-JUN 17:50 Business Mac
 
Get rid of the cache, Rick.  Until there is a honest write-through
cache for the Plus, I won't trust it (and I'm running a slower disk
than yours!).
 
The ads for TurboCharger 2.0 say it works with Mac Plus now ... have
you heard from those guys yet for a followup on your review of version
1.1?  I have always been happy with version 1.1, though I stopped
using it when I began working with a hard disk last fall.  I recently
installed 1.1 back on my System 3.2/Finder 5.3 floppy system on my
512K Mac, and it *seems* to be working just fine!
 
peter
 
------------------------------

From: RICKLEPAGE (9617)
Subject: RE: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop (Re: Msg 9613)
Date: 27-JUN 21:30 Business Mac
 
But how could that even _begin_ to explain a whole Sargasso Sea of lost files?
 
rick
 
------------------------------

From: PEABO (9618)
Subject: RE: Wierd Scenes Inside the Desktop (Re: Msg 9617)
Date: 27-JUN 22:28 Business Mac
 
I don't know, but the cache is the first thing about your configuration that I
would be suspicious of.  Maybe you just had some bad luck (after all, the
garbage you encountered trying to run Locater doesn't inspire confidence). It
sure would be nice if there were already a tag-based file scavenger, wouldn't
it?
 
peter
 
------------------------------

From: DSACHS (9616)
Subject: RE: INFO-MAC Digest V4 #79 (Re: Msg 9480)
Date: 27-JUN 20:23 Network Digests
 
The unlucky  user who had trouble with fonts on a MacPlus, probably encountered
a System file that had been munged with an old version of the Font/DA mover, or
Fontastic.  The FONTs on that system file have to be deleted, and then put back
on with version 3.2 of the Font/DA mover.
 
------------------------------

From: PDIBARA (9632)
Subject: COBOL
Date: 28-JUN 17:13 Programming
 
Does anyone know of a good COBOL compiler for the Mac? If so would you please
indicate the company and the approx. cost. Thanx Much!
 
------------------------------

End of Delphi Mac Digest
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