meynard@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Meynard Yves) (03/12/91)
To all those out there wiser than I : One of the last touches tbefore we (finally) release our application here is to add a SIZE resource. However, after trying various setups (usually copied from commercial apps like PageMaker et al), we still can't figure out how the last two fields work (suggested and minimum memory). If you understand them clearly, and can put it in writing even more clearly please let me hear from you! Thanks in advance to all those who respond. Serge Meynard (guest of Yves Meynard)
peirce@outpost.UUCP (Michael Peirce) (03/14/91)
In article <1991Mar12.052919.12389@IRO.UMontreal.CA>, meynard@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Meynard Yves) writes: > > One of the last touches tbefore we (finally) release our application here > is to add a SIZE resource. However, after trying various setups (usually > copied from commercial apps like PageMaker et al), we still can't figure > out how the last two fields work (suggested and minimum memory). If you > understand them clearly, and can put it in writing even more clearly > please let me hear from you! Thanks in advance to all those who respond. The suggested size is the amount of memory MultiFinder will assign your App if it can. For example, you are running on a Mac with 6 Meg free, but your App has a suggested size of 2 Meg. When MultiFinder launches your App, it will give it 2 Meg, leaving 4 Meg free for other things. If your suggest size is more than the amount of memory that is free, then Finder will tell the use that there is not enough memory to open your App, and ask if you want it opened in the available memory. An example of this would be 2 Meg free and the App has a suggested size of 4. The minimum size is the minimum amount of memory that your App will run in. Often, if programs are run in less than this amount, they will crash (try running most Apps in 50K!). The run of thumb I use is that the minimum size should allow the App to run, but performance might not be very good (because of segment swapping and such), and the suggested size should give enough memory for the App to run well with a resonable amount of data - though not hog all the memory in a machine if that can avoided. You should also read what Apple has to say about SIZE resources in the tech notes. -- michael P.S. (WARNING: self serving advertisement to follow) To figure out how much memory is really appropriate for min and suggested sizes is often a trial and error process. AppSizer can help with this by making it very easy to keep rerunning your App in smaller and smaller sizes until bad things start to happen. -- Michael Peirce -- outpost!peirce@claris.com -- Peirce Software -- Suite 301, 719 Hibiscus Place -- Macintosh Programming -- San Jose, California 95117 -- & Consulting -- (408) 244-6554, AppleLink: PEIRCE
dorner@pequod.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Dorner) (03/14/91)
In article <0B010004.51uxla@outpost.UUCP> peirce@outpost.UUCP writes: >You should also read what Apple has to say about SIZE resources in the >tech notes. Apple has said some pretty wild things about the SIZE resource. The minimum size should be chosen such that the application would never "system error" if required to run in this amount of memory. Some application writers may choose to specify as minimum the amount of memory required merely to bring up an "I don't have enough memory" dialog. Others may choose to use the minimum useful amount of memory here. The preferred size should be chosen to allow the application to perform 90% of its function without problems. On the other hand, it shouldn't be too greedy. Remember that in the MultiFinder environment that applications are sharing the machine with one another, and an application with a 1024K preferred size is likely to be viewed with contempt by users and other application writers alike. Taken from "Are You Multifinder Friendly?", written August, 1987 (but purchased much later than that). My, how times (but not necessarily Apple documentation) have changed. I'm not even sure this was good advice when it was written. Enough memory to put up a "not enough memory" alert? 90% functionality? -- Steve Dorner, U of Illinois Computing Services Office Internet: s-dorner@uiuc.edu UUCP: uunet!uiucuxc!uiuc.edu!s-dorner