[comp.sys.mac] Resources, Resource Compilers, and Resource Editors

eberard@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu (Edward Berard) (03/09/88)

First, an apology: I know this message more appropriately belongs on
comp.sys.mac.programmers, but my host computer has yet to recognize the
existence of this group. The only way I seem to be able to read
comp.sys.mac.programmers is when it is appended to the end of
comp.sys.mac.

Now, on to the question: My company inherited an old (1984-5) Mac
application. With the source code came old RMaker input files, which
included inputs for icons, windows, menues, etc. (The icons are in the
form of hexadecimal numbers.) After a good deal of work, one of my
fellow employees got the thing up and running under MPW 2.0. However,
he left with out doing anything with the original RMaker input file.

We have begun to work on the Pascal source code, modifying it as
needed, and running the MPW build file (complete with a call to
RMaker) created by the dear departed. We now want to modify the icons
for the application and application documents. Our question is this:
Given an old RMaker (resource compiler) input file, what is the best
way to bring this system up to date? Specifically, we would like to
avoid using RMaker altogether, and place items such as icons in a
resource file which can be both edited and "linked" each time we
re-build the application.

				-- Ed Berard
				   (301) 695-6960

han@Apple.COM (Byron Han, fire fighter) (03/09/88)

>
>Now, on to the question: My company inherited an old (1984-5) Mac
>application. With the source code came old RMaker input files, which
>included inputs for icons, windows, menues, etc. (The icons are in the
>form of hexadecimal numbers.) After a good deal of work, one of my
>fellow employees got the thing up and running under MPW 2.0. However,
>he left with out doing anything with the original RMaker input file.
>
>We have begun to work on the Pascal source code, modifying it as
>needed, and running the MPW build file (complete with a call to
>RMaker) created by the dear departed. We now want to modify the icons
>for the application and application documents. Our question is this:
>Given an old RMaker (resource compiler) input file, what is the best
>way to bring this system up to date? Specifically, we would like to
>avoid using RMaker altogether, and place items such as icons in a
>resource file which can be both edited and "linked" each time we
>re-build the application.
>
>				-- Ed Berard
>				   (301) 695-6960

Use RMaker one last time to create the resources and place them in 
the target file.  Retire RMaker (with honor guard).  Now, 

use the MPW Tool DeRez to create a .r file which is in input format
for Rez.  Rez/Derez compile and decompile text files into resource files.

NOTE that RMaker input syntax is NOT compatible with Rez input syntax.

RMaker .r file  --rez-->  rsrc file --DeRez--> Rez .r file --rez--> rsrc file
Documentation is in (chapter 8?) of the MPW Reference.



To recompiler the text file:  Rez types.r filename.r -o filename

There are lots of things that can be done with Rez/DeRez.  So you'll
have to read the manual to get it all down.  Note that
you can also use ResEdit to edit resource files and then DeRez them
into text format so that you can use Rez in the Build process.

Hope I was not too longwinded.


------------------------ Byron Han,  Communications Tool ----------------------
     Apple Computer, Inc.  20525 Mariani Ave, MS 27Y  Cupertino, CA 95014
 ATTnet:408-973-6450    applelink:HAN1    domain:han@apple.COM     MacNET:HAN
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-- 
------------------------ Byron Han,  Communications Tool ----------------------
     Apple Computer, Inc.  20525 Mariani Ave, MS 27Y  Cupertino, CA 95014
 ATTnet:408-973-6450    applelink:HAN1    domain:han@apple.COM     MacNET:HAN
GENIE:BYRONHAN   COMPUSERVE:72167,1664   UUCP:{sun,voder,nsc,decwrl}!apple!han

tomas@Apple.COM (Tom Taylor) (03/10/88)

I thought I would add a tiny bit to the discussion of converting RMaker
resources to Rez format...

When you derez your application for the first time, be sure to skip the
code resources.  Basically, your command line should look something like
this:

	DeRez Application -s CODE Types.r SysTypes.r > Application.r

In your makefile, you'll want to have some lines such as:

Application	ff	Application.r
	Rez Types.r SysTypes.r Application.r -o Application -append

Now, whenever you change the resource text file, the resources will
automatically get Rez'd into the application.  Note that the ff characters
are special Macintosh characters (option-F).

Adios,
Tom Taylor - Development Systems Group

tedj@hpcilzb.HP.COM (Ted Johnson) (03/10/88)

I would just use ResEdit to edit the resource file. 
This is much easier than playing with hexadecimal
and other RMaker cryptic codes!

-Ted

drc@dbase.UUCP (Dennis Cohen) (03/10/88)

In article <328@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu>, eberard@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu (Edward Berard) writes:
> We have begun to work on the Pascal source code, modifying it as
> needed, and running the MPW build file (complete with a call to
> RMaker) created by the dear departed. We now want to modify the icons
> for the application and application documents. Our question is this:
> Given an old RMaker (resource compiler) input file, what is the best
> way to bring this system up to date? Specifically, we would like to
> avoid using RMaker altogether, and place items such as icons in a
> resource file which can be both edited and "linked" each time we
> re-build the application.
> 

This is pretty easy.  Use RMaker one time to create a resource file and then
use the MPW tool, DeRez, to create a Rez-compatible input file.  Or, as an
alternative, you could just keep the compiled resource file around, use ResEdit
to edit it when necessary, and have a small Rez file that includes it.  You
really should read up on the tools Rez and DeRez.  The descriptions in the
manual aren't great, but between Commando and Joel West's book (Programming with
MPW) you won't have any problems.

Dennis Cohen
Ashton-Tate Macintosh Division
dBASE Mac Development Team
--------------------------
Disclaimer:  Any opinions expressed above are those of the author.

dwb@Apple.COM (David W. Berry) (03/11/88)

In article <328@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu> eberard@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu (Edward Berard) writes:
>for the application and application documents. Our question is this:
>Given an old RMaker (resource compiler) input file, what is the best
>way to bring this system up to date? Specifically, we would like to
>avoid using RMaker altogether, and place items such as icons in a
>resource file which can be both edited and "linked" each time we
>re-build the application.
	The simplest way that I know of is to run RMaker one last
time and then run derez to turn the resource file back into rez
source.  Be sure and include types.r so the menu, window, and
dialog definitions will all look intelligible.
>
>				-- Ed Berard
>				   (301) 695-6960
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter
Line Filler for the demon line counter