[comp.sys.mac] INIT 31 should be enhanced!

chow@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Christopher Chow) (10/11/87)

With the proliferation of alot of inits, and the advent of the INIT 31 
mechanism since System 3.0, it is becomming difficult to just load in a
subset of your init files if you suspect a incompability caused by a init
file.

While there appears to be some movement towards a standard procedure to
disable init loadings upon booting, I believe that Apple should take the
lead and rewrite init 31 for the next system relese.  BTW, the emerging
standard which I'm refering to is holding the shift key during booting -
both Findswell and Suitecase won't load if the shift key is down during
reboot.  The problem with this scheme, is that its impossible to just
prevent the loading of a set of inits.  E.g:, if I hold down the shift key
during reboot, its a matter of guesswork as to when I should release the key
so that Findswell loads and not Suitecase.

I propose that Apple writes into init 31 some mechanism from which you can
pick the list of inits which you want loaded.  I.e., say you hold down the
shift key on reboot and a getfile box comes up with all the inits which
would normally be loaded, and you select/deselect from the box until you got
the subset of inits you wanted.  Note that this mechanism is only for the
time when you want to limit the inits loaded -- under normal booting, all
the inits in the system folder should still be loaded normally.

Comments welcomed.

Christopher Chow
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oster@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (David Phillip Oster) (10/12/87)

In article <2606@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> chow@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Christopher Chow) writes:

>I propose that Apple writes into init 31 some mechanism from which you can
>pick the list of inits which you want loaded.

Such a mechanism already exists. You start your machine. In the
Finder, you take all the INITs you don't want to run and drag them out
of the System Folder into some other folder. Re-boot the machine. Only
the INITs that you've left in the System Folder run. Simple.

--- David Phillip Oster            --A Sun 3/60 makes a poor Macintosh II.
Arpa: oster@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu --A Macintosh II makes a poor Sun 3/60.
Uucp: {uwvax,decvax,ihnp4}!ucbvax!oster%dewey.soe.berkeley.edu

chow@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Christopher Chow) (10/12/87)

In article <21250@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> oster@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP (David Phillip Oster) writes:
>In article <2606@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> chow@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Christopher Chow) writes:
>
>>I propose that Apple writes into init 31 some mechanism from which you can
>>pick the list of inits which you want loaded.
>
>Such a mechanism already exists. You start your machine. In the
>Finder, you take all the INITs you don't want to run and drag them out
>of the System Folder into some other folder. Re-boot the machine. Only
>the INITs that you've left in the System Folder run. Simple.
>
>--- David Phillip Oster            --A Sun 3/60 makes a poor Macintosh II.

This is exactly the method which I rather not put up with!  If I know about
INIT 31 then I know about this method :-)  Do you really think this is a
_elegant_ way of doing thing when you have lots of init files (& other
files) in your System Folder?

It seems that something as fundamental and as simple choosing (on occasion)
what customizations you'd like to boot up with shouldn't entail changing the
contents of the system folder.  Not to mention this method takes alot longer
if some of your inits crashes your machine.  Note that sometimes these inits
can crash your machine during the boot up process, which means that you have
to start from a different startup disk just to move files around, and then
reboot.  I think it's a lot easier if something like what I suggested is
implemented.

Christopher Chow
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dbw@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU (David B. Wollner) (10/14/87)

Before everyone starts debating the "correct" way of
enhancing INIT 31, it seems that a new init from CE
Software should solve the problem.  Its name is AASK.
It brings up a list of inits in the system folder,
and allows the user to choose which to run.  I have
not had a chance to play with this one, so treat it
as a rumor until you talk to CE software.

	CE Software
	801 73rd St.
	Des Moines, IA 50312
	(515)224-1995

As per usual, I have very little relationship with
reality, let alone this company.

	- dbw

andyc@omepd (T. Andrew Crump) (10/15/87)

In article <4086@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> dbw@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU (David B. Wollner) writes:
>Before everyone starts debating the "correct" way of
>enhancing INIT 31, it seems that a new init from CE
>Software should solve the problem.  Its name is AASK.
>It brings up a list of inits in the system folder,
>and allows the user to choose which to run.  I have
>not had a chance to play with this one, so treat it
>as a rumor until you talk to CE software.

I called CE Software and they are still working on it.  It may not become
a product since they are having alot of trouble getting to work right. 
Apparently there are beta-versions out, and some of those have made it
to some bulletin boards.  My experience as a very satisfied customer of
"DiskTop" is that CE Software does quality work.  They will not release the
software until it is ready.  So give these guys a break and don't flood them
with phone calls unless, of course, it is to buy their released software.

- Andy Crump

Disclaimer: As usual I am in no way affiliated with CE Software except as
a satisfied customer.