mcgurrin@MITRE.MITRE.ORG (03/08/89)
Given the slowness of screen draws on the GS, why does it draw windows for each subdirectory as it backs out of the path for the last application run (e.g., draw skill.games window, then games window, then HD20 window) then redraw (or bring to front) the lowest subdirectory from which the last application was run (leaving intermediate directories behind the root). The Mac appears to draw from root down, only, saving window draws and leaving the desktop in a logical order. Why doesn't the GS do this, especially since it doesn't have the speed to spare for wasted draws?
keith@Apple.COM (Keith Rollin) (03/08/89)
In article <8903072212.AA24116@mitre.arpa> mcgurrin@MITRE.MITRE.ORG writes: >Given the slowness of screen draws on the GS, why does it draw windows for >each subdirectory as it backs out of the path for the last application run >(e.g., draw skill.games window, then games window, then HD20 window) then >redraw (or bring to front) the lowest subdirectory from which the last >application was run (leaving intermediate directories behind the root). >The Mac appears to draw from root down, only, saving window draws and >leaving the desktop in a logical order. Why doesn't the GS do this, especially >since it doesn't have the speed to spare for wasted draws? this was done for production time considerations. Not that we intentionally programmed it this way. It's just that there was a lot to do when programming the Finder, a routine was hammered out that worked, and it stayed that way because *it worked*. The big maxim around here is that if it isn't broke, don't fix it. And I think that everyone would agree that there are plenty of things that ARE broken that SHOULD be fixed. It would be nice to change the algorithm, but there are always other pressing matters (like adding AppleShare support under GS/OS). When the new Finder comes out on the 4.1 system disks, I think that you will be pleased with the new features! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Keith Rollin --- Apple Computer, Inc. --- Developer Technical Support INTERNET: keith@apple.com UUCP: {decwrl, hoptoad, nsc, sun, amdahl}!apple!keith "Argue for your Apple, and sure enough, it's yours" - Keith Rollin, Contusions
prw@meccts.MECC.MN.ORG (Paul Wenker) (03/08/89)
As long as we're talking about Finder, let me make a suggestion. How about a preference to turn off the zoom effect when opening/closing windows? It's a quick and easy enhancement that would significantly improve performance. --- Paul Wenker UUCP: prw@mecc.mn.org MECC, Advanced Development AppleLink: MECC.TECH
JDA@NIHCU.BITNET (Doug Ashbrook) (03/08/89)
> When the new Finder comes out on the 4.1 system disks, I > think that you will be pleased with the new features! Talking about new features, I recently had reason to use the relative new feature (added in 4.0, I think) where you can set a desk accessory to "inactive". It sure beats copying it out of the DESK.ACCS (or whatever it is called) subdirectory. Those kind of subtle improvements that really help productivity. ------------------------------------------------------------------- J. Douglas Ashbrook (301) 496-5181 BITNET: JDA@NIHCU ARPA: jda%nihcu.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu National Institutes of Health, Computer Center, Bethesda, MD 20892
shankar@haarlem.SRC.Honeywell.COM (Son of Knuth) (03/09/89)
In article <8903081014.aa08220@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> JDA@NIHCU.BITNET (Doug Ashbrook) writes: >Talking about new features, I recently had reason to use the relative >new feature (added in 4.0, I think) where you can set a desk >accessory to "inactive". How? --- Subash Shankar Honeywell Systems & Research Center voice: (612) 782 7558 US Snail: 3660 Technology Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55418 shankar@src.honeywell.com srcsip!shankar
phaedrus@blake.acs.washington.edu (the Wanderer) (03/09/89)
In article <18332@srcsip.UUCP> shankar@haarlem.UUCP (Son of Knuth) writes: >In article <8903081014.aa08220@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> JDA@NIHCU.BITNET (Doug Ashbrook) writes: >>Talking about new features, I recently had reason to use the relative >>new feature (added in 4.0, I think) where you can set a desk >>accessory to "inactive". > >How? From within the Finder, just select the desk accessory you want to deactivate (open the DESK.ACCS folder and select the file within it, that is; don't select it from the Apple menu), and press Apple-I to call up the Information window. In addition to the old "Locked" box that could be toggled on and off, there is now a box for "Inactive". Just click on that box, and the next time you boot the system disk, that desk accessory will not be loaded. In addition to desk accessories, this feature also works on everything else that GS/OS loads at startup time--drivers and system setup files. This is a *great* feature if, like me, you have 5.25" drives but only use them occasionally. Deactivate the 5.25" driver, and the long wait and obnoxious grinding noise caused by GS/OS looking for nonexistent disks in those drives goes away! Then, if you ever want to use those drives from GS/OS, just activate the driver again and reboot. (By the way, on the technical side, I believe that an inactive DA, driver, etc. is flagged by adding $8000 to its auxinfo field. I don't have my manuals with me, though, so don't quote me.) -- Mark VanWinkle Computer Science Hopeful, University of Washington INTERNET: phaedrus@blake.acs.washington.edu "APPLE ][ FOREVER!" (Or at least until I can afford a SE/30...)