SHULMAN@sdr.slb.COM (Jeffrey Shulman) (09/16/88)
Date: Fri 16 Sep 88 08:46:26-EDT
From: Jeff Shulman <SHULMAN@SDR.SLB.COM>
Subject: Delphi Mac Digest V4 #16
To: Delphi-List: ;
Message-ID: <590417186.0.SHULMAN@SDR.SLB.COM>
Mail-System-Version: <VAX-MM(218)+TOPSLIB(129)@SDR.SLB.COM>
Delphi Mac Digest Friday, September 16, 1988 Volume 4 : Issue 16
Today's Topics:
MACINTOSH USES IN LIBRARIES
re: Spell Checker for MockWrite
Strange Mac II keyboard (4 messages)
RE: MultiFinder Problems (3 messages)
RE: INFO-MAC Digest V6 #84
MPW Make Tool
re: Need WriteNow file format
re: Opening and Closing the Printer Driv
RE: LCD displays
mac price increases
World geography
I learned About Prgraming from that.
MultiFinder stuff
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: SANMATEOCO
Subject: MACINTOSH USES IN LIBRARIES
Date: 6-SEP-12:56: Business Mac
I AM LOOKING FOR ANY LIBRARIANS OUT THERE WHO USE A MAC IN THEIR
LIBRARIES. WHAT SOFTWARE HAVE YOU FOUND MOST HELPFUL? WHAT SPECIAL
LIBRARY TASKS HAVE YOU FOUND USEFUL ON A MAC.? THANKS
------------------------------
From: DDUNHAM
Subject: re: Spell Checker for MockWrite (Re: Msg 27389)
Date: 7-SEP-04:42: Network Digests
>From: kriss@AUSTIN.LOCKHEED.COM (R M Kriss)
>Subject: Spell Checker for MockWrite
Thunder (aka Thunder!) should work fine with MockWrite (or miniWRITER).
David Dunham "Whenever you see a sign 'No Exit,' it means Maitreya
Design there is an exit."
------------------------------
From: FIDELITYIC
Subject: Strange Mac II keyboard
Date: 8-SEP-11:14: Hardware & Peripherals
I've encountered a very strange and intermittent problem with 3
different Mac II keyboards. Occasionally the "O" key (that's the letter
not the number) will not display when pressed. Repeated pressing of the
key will not generate any O's. The keyboard w ill appear to be locked
for that one key. When a different key is pressed, this key will not
appear either but then when any third key is pressed (including the "O")
everything will be fine. This problem does not occur very often but I
have had witnesses for 2 different instances.
Does anyone have any idea what or why this occurs?
-Tim
------------------------------
From: FIDELITYIC
Subject: RE: Strange Mac II keyboard (Re: Msg 27426)
Date: 8-SEP-11:16: Hardware & Peripherals
Also, this occured on 3 different Mac II's not just different keyboards.
-TIm
------------------------------
From: HALL
Subject: RE: Strange Mac II keyboard (Re: Msg 27427)
Date: 8-SEP-14:04: Hardware & Peripherals
What System/Finder were you running? What CDEVs/INITs? You wouldn't
happen to be running QK Cache or KeyAhead or something like that?
What's common to all 3 Mac IIs?
Brian
------------------------------
From: FIDELITYIC
Subject: RE: Strange Mac II keyboard (Re: Msg 27428)
Date: 8-SEP-17:06: Hardware & Peripherals
We're talking about stock Mac II's running with system version 5.0 no
common s or INITs other than what Apple provides. No QK Cache or
KeyAhead. Commonalities are: more than 1 meg RAM, Apple color monitor
and card. (That was system verion 5.0 w/ System 4.2, Finder 6.0). Note
that this problem has happened about 20 times total over the past year
or so. At one point shortly after I got the Mac II I had the keyboard
swapped but the problem did not go away. The last time it happened was
at Macworld right in front of the sales rep for a Canadian firm that
makes a software 3270 emulation product (they're name escapes me). He
had never seen it occur before.
Have any other Mac II people out there experienced this?
------------------------------
From: SQZDEV
Subject: RE: MultiFinder Problems (Re: Msg 2545)
Date: 8-SEP-14:59: Programming Techniques
I found out after much fooling around with Sublaunching under
Multifinder that you cannot Sublaunch another application unless you
have done at least one GetNextEvent or WaitNextEvent. This is another
problem similar to the problem of ensuring that your about boxes come up
in front of windows belonging to other layers instead of getting hidden
in behind after they are created where your users can't see them. The
Multifinder Layer Manager delays bringing a newly started application's
windows to the front until that application has done a WNE/GNE call. All
sorts of problems happen when a program sublaunches another program
before it has called GNE - Multifinder switches context back to the
parent application doing the sublaunching and refuses to let it switch
to the application which was launched even though it was loaded
properly. I found that when I called Standard File to ask for the name
of the file to Sublaunch everything worked, but when I used a file
name/volume name/dir ID from my configuration file that this problem
occured. The difference is that SFGetFile calls GetNextEvent. Thanks to
MacNosy for finding out why this occurred as I disassembled Multifinder.
Try ensuring that a dummy call to GNE or WNE is made before doing the
SubLaunch.
Gordon Finlay - SQZDEV
------------------------------
From: SQZDEV
Subject: RE: MultiFinder Problems (Re: Msg 2548)
Date: 12-SEP 19:41 Programming Techniques
Yes, the sublaunch does happen when the next WNE is called but your
layer has to be brought to the front first before you call Launch. The
only way to get MF to bring your layer to the front is to call WNE
before you call Launch. The Launch routine will return a positive return
code if the call was successful ( this is effectively the process id of
the child program) and if there is not enough memory it returns a
negative result. The actual change of context actually occurs at the
following GNE/WNE. I was advised that I should make my parent or
Launcher program stick around instead of chaining because any working
directories it creates prior to doing a SetVol will be destroyed as soon
as it does an ExitToShell. Then the launchee program will have a working
directory removed from under its feet and is likely to get nsvErrs ( no
such volume ). Credit on this point should go to DEWI (Dewi Williams)
who provided the source for HDRunner to me. Thanks DEWI if you read
this.
Gordon (SQZDEV)
------------------------------
From: PMANDEL
Subject: RE: MultiFinder Problems (Re: Msg 2556)
Date: 13-SEP 23:55 Programming Techniques
Well I'm still having problems, but they only occur when I use the SFGet
routine. Once I have the information stored in a resource I can
retrieve it and do the setvol and launch without receiving the 'Can't
load the Finder' message when the next program takes over. I did try
the GNE call before the launch routine and this had no effect on the
problem. One other thing, if TMON is running I do not get the error
message. The Launch takes place without a problem. Would love to get
some more advice on where
to look.
THanks. Thanks Paul
------------------------------
From: DSACHS
Subject: RE: INFO-MAC Digest V6 #84 (Re: Msg 27432)
Date: 10-SEP 12:23 Network Digests
Re: The nessage about invisible file InvisiHDMainBo3b:
The file InvisiHDMainBo3b is created by HD Backup, the backup utility
that is supplied free with Apple's system releases.
I feel that HD Backup is worth every cent it costs. The file can be
deleted without causing any problems unless you intend to use HD Backup
for incremental backups.
------------------------------
From: MACEQUATION
Subject: MPW Make Tool
Date: 10-SEP 17:57 Macintosh Developers
Here is my problem. I want the MPW Make tool to output a script file
that contains the following string: " {Status} ". I can not seem to do
it.
Here is why I want to do it. I want to divide my source files into two
groups: Active and Inactive. Active files are the source I am currently
editing: source that will change from one build to the next. Inactive
files are stable over many iterations of program building. I want to
write a Make file that keeps all the inactive source files in one large
special Lib.o file. If Link fails because of undefined code/data, a
Lib.o is automatically remade from all source files.
Michael J. Daniel
------------------------------
From: DDUNHAM
Subject: re: Need WriteNow file format (Re: Msg 27440)
Date: 11-SEP 22:04 Network Digests
>Subject: Need WriteNow file format
>I would like to know if the file format for WriteNow 1.0 is available,
Yes. I got it from either NeXT or T|Maker. I realize it's easier
asking the net, but the publisher is the appropriate target for your
question. (I hope you asked in parallel.) There is a remote chance
it's here in the DELPHI databases, but I think all I uploaded was the
Sample WriteNow.
It would be difficult to hack out, BTW, but it's moderately
straightforward (i.e. for a word processor :-). And the WriteNow 2.0
format is supposed to be the same.
David Dunham "Efficiency is intelligent laziness." Maitreya Design
------------------------------
From: DDUNHAM
Subject: re: Opening and Closing the Printer Driv (Re: Msg 27442)
Date: 11-SEP 22:04 Network Digests
>From: glennr@cognos.uucp (Glenn D. Rasmussen)
>Subject: Opening and Closing the Printer Driver
Be aware that if you're a desk accessory, and you close the printer
driver, you'll crash MacDraw. Be aware that if you're a desk accessory
and you don't close the printer driver, you'll make other programs
unable to print. *sigh*
David Dunham "If it has syntax, it isn't user-friendly." Maitreya
Design
------------------------------
From: MACWEEKBOS
Subject: RE: LCD displays (Re: Msg 27393)
Date: 13-SEP 09:51 Hardware & Peripherals
nVIEW just announced the ViewFrame II+2, an LCD display for the Mac II
with 8 shades of gray. It's supposed to ship this month complete with
cables and carrying case for $1850 list.
nVIEW Corp., 11835 Canon Blvd. C-101 Newport News VA 23606; 804-873-1354
Ric
------------------------------
From: DRITTNER
Subject: mac price increases
Date: 14-SEP 21:00 MUGS Online
An Ode to Apple by Don Rittner
There once was a little boy named steve who planted a small apple seed.
From the seed it did grow, and its branches did flow, reaching from sea
to sea.
Now onto these branches grew little red fruit, its harvest, steve hoped,
would be the best. His apple tree was becoming big and strong and
passing all the tests.
Now steve wanted all to share in the harvest yes, you, me and all the
herd. And so he proclaimed let those Macs remain and his following
spread the word.
Now little boy steve was content with his tree it bore fruit year after
year after year, but his friend little johnny yelled an orchard could
make more money and then we could compete with the pear.
So johnny pushed steve from the orchard, and told the world his apple
would taste like the pear. So those with more money than the original
pickers would hopefully buy more than their share.
The apple got bigger and johnny was chipper but somehow failed to see,
that those original pickers would soon go flipper over the price
increases and leave!
Now the pickers johnny courted came from pear country and were imported,
they didn't grow up with the tree. The bigger the price, johnny was
rolling the dice, he didn't know how it would be.
And so johnny looked good for a while as his apples got bigger in style.
So pear growers agreed, to make the pear like the apple they need,
johnny's ego got tattered.
So he threatened and sued to keep those pear growers in check, and his
apples began loosing their shine. But johnny shrugged his shoulders, he
said heck a pear shouldn't act like an apple this time.
Now johnny was happy to throw them a curve and stood under his apple
tree eager to observe.
When his apples grew bigger and tasted the best, he yelled "Let the
world pay the most for the biggest and best." But all those pear pickers
didn't jump ship in fact, they didn't think johnny was that hip.
So the biggest and best soon fell from the tree cause poor little johnny
didn't understand gravity. As they crashed to the earth he looked for
the MUGS to reach out their hands, embrace, give him hugs.
But the story ends sadly as you will see, those skyrocketing prices sent
everyone back to steve. As johnny looks bewildered, dumbfounded,
perplexed, he hears from a distance......NeXT!
copyright 1988, Don Rittner (as though someone would steal it, right!)
------------------------------
From: MCW96910
Subject: World geography
Date: 15-SEP 14:33 HyperCard
Looking for educational software to teach world geography to young
adults. Any format would be welcome.
Mike
------------------------------
From: PMANDEL
Subject: I learned About Prgraming from that.
Date: 15-SEP 23:16 Programming Techniques
Peter, Here's one for you. After I left the last message I decided to
start taking code out of the INIT until I isolated the problem. I setup
the INIT so that it would load and wait for the ShutDown trap to be
called. It seems that there is an incompatability incompatibility
between the LaunchFlags being set at $C0000000 and $00000000 and running
MultiFinder. The first set of LaunchFlags sets up a subLaunch, but the
second set just does a standard Launch. When you use MultiFinder and
the SFGetFile call with t he LaunchFlags set to $00000000 it generates
the 'Can't load the Finder' error. If you store the dirId and use it to
generate a WD reference number for the next launch-The same code sill
launch and not generate the 'Can't load the Finder' error. I think This
qualifies for the 'I learned about programing from that' award. I'm not
sure what I learned, but I know it must be something. Any ideas on why
this occurs? Paul
------------------------------
From: APERLIS
Subject: MultiFinder stuff
Date: 16-SEP 00:19 Programming Techniques
I looked forward to Apple's support for double-clicking documents of
open applications and having the application then open the document.
However, Apple seemed to have assumed that applications open all their
documents through the same command, since one can only specify one quit
command and one open command in the special resources. Many
applications, such as LSC, open text documents one place and other
documents (such as projects) in another place. Apple should have allowed
the developer to specify filetype codes in addition to menu commands, so
that MultiFinder can choose the right command for the right filetype.
I'm not sure, but I guess one can work around MultiFinder's limitation
in its current implementation. Using LSC as an example, the OpenTextFile
menu command normally brings up standard file and only presents text
files. I assume that when I double-click on a project file then
MultiFinder still issues this OpenTextFile command but patches StdFile
and immediately returns with the name of the project file. So LSC must
check the filetype of the file to be opened, even though it only
displayed text files in the standard file list, and if the filetype is a
project then it should open a project instead of a text file. I suppose
this approach would work.
Of course the whole idea of patching StdFile and all that seems to be
getting out of hand. At program startup we pass files to be opened in a
certain structure, and later we patch StdFile, and such. It is all so
complex and is just asking for trouble. Maybe a new type of event should
be created, a "File Event", which allows MultiFinder to inform
applications of various things, such as opening a file, or perhaps
printing a file, or in the future even additional stuff like "this file
has been moved to another directory" or "this file has been renamed". At
application startup the files chosen to open the application are passed
one by one as events rather in the data structure, and if the user later
double-clicks on a document then it comes in as a special type of event.
I guess we can only hope for the best and not always get it.
Any commens on any of this? Does anyone agree that MultiFinder's current
methods are kludgy at best? Anyone have better ideas for improvements?
Heck, I love to start new discussions like this...........Alexander
------------------------------
End of Delphi Mac Digest
************************
-------