dce@Solbourne.COM (David Elliott) (06/27/89)
While, I don't normally use programs that won't run on an 8-bit screen (in fact, usually they go right into the trash can), I found SimCity entertaining enough that it's worth a little trouble. Basically, SimCity has two problems: it doesn't like 8-bit screen mode and it doesn't like MultiFinder. MultiFinder isn't a problem right now, and you might even suggest that I can use Switch-a-roo to easily change the screen depth, but I also use Russ Wetmore's Kolor cdev to change my button and window colors, and my internal button color is not white (it's green). The result is that when I run in 1-bit mode, my buttons are all black; I can't see the text at all. So, the way I run SimCity is that I have a floppy that contains a Finder and a System with no color resources, the INITS and cdevs I really need (including SuitCaseII), a copy of the ForceMount INIT (sorry, I forgot the author's name) and a copy of Bill Steinberg's Launcher program. SimCity and my city files are installed on my hard disk. To run the program, I start my system with this special floppy. I have it configured so that Launcher is the startup application. Launcher is configured to put the machine in 1-bit mode and execute SimCity from my hard disk. ForceMount makes sure that my hard disk is installed before Launcher runs. When I restart the machine from my hard disk, I'm back in 8-bit mode with everything working like I expect. In other words, I haven't had to completely change my configuration just to use a program. Of course, when I get the color upgrade to SimCity, I won't need to do any of this, though if they don't do a MultiFinder-compatible version by the end of the year, I'll have to go back. Also, I guess an simpler solution might be to get Switch-a-roo to switch the System color resources as well. In any event, the point here is that ForceMount and Launcher can be used together fairly effectively to create special environments. -- David Elliott dce@Solbourne.COM ...!{boulder,nbires,sun}!stan!dce
chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) (06/27/89)
>that when I run in 1-bit mode, my buttons are all black; I can't see >the text at all. >So, the way I run SimCity is that I have a floppy that contains a >Finder and a System with no color resources, the INITS and cdevs I >really need (including SuitCaseII), a copy of the ForceMount INIT >(sorry, I forgot the author's name) and a copy of Bill Steinberg's >Launcher program. SimCity and my city files are installed on my hard >disk. Maybe I'm being too simplistic, but isn't that a lot of hassle? I just chose similar colors that happened to also be readable in 1 bit mode. I know color choice is a personal experience, but it seems to me you're going to a lot of work for your button colors. Chuq Von Rospach =|= Editor,OtherRealms =|= Member SFWA/ASFA chuq@apple.com =|= CI$: 73317,635 =|= AppleLink: CHUQ [This is myself speaking. No company can control my thoughts.] You are false data. Therefore I shall ignore you.