[comp.sys.apple2] Changing file types with FM

TMPLee@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL (11/13/90)

Could someone explain when the file type for a directory can be changed
and when it can't?  (I don't mean when it is OK -- in theory it never is
OK -- but when will GS/OS let you?)  I wanted to use Hartkopf's File
Manager to temporarily change the type of a directory to something else
so I could put it on the desktop.  (a known, but not well-known,
kludge.)  Something wouldn't let it happen, i.e., I couldn't change the
type.  HOWEVER, if I took something that already was a file (e.g., TXT)
and tried to change its type to Folder, that worked.  IT ALSO THEN
WORKED to change the type of that "folder" back to TXT (or anything
else.)  Hartkopf is stumped too.  What made my second "folder" different
from the first that allowed its type to be changed but not the first
one's?

TMPLee@dockmaster.ncsc.mil

taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) (11/14/90)

From TMPLee@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL:

> type.  HOWEVER, if I took something that already was a file (e.g., TXT)
> and tried to change its type to Folder, that worked.  IT ALSO THEN
> WORKED to change the type of that "folder" back to TXT (or anything
> else.)  Hartkopf is stumped too.  What made my second "folder" different
> from the first that allowed its type to be changed but not the first
> one's?

    What folder did you try to mess around with?  The System folder?  If so,
then it is understandable that GS/OS won't let you change the filetype of the
folder (it shouldn't in any case, but...)  There are files open inside the
System, and I think that is why it won't let you change it.  What error code
does it give you?  That might provide some clues.

    I've got a better way to drag folders onto the desktop:  it's called
Finder Patch.  It's a nifty little utility which will apply a few patches to
the Finder.  One patch will allow you to drag folders out of a window just
like any other file.  No fuss no muss.  Believe me, you don't want the hassle
of having a corrupted folder on your hands if your experimenting goes awry! 
I'll post it on comp.binaries later on (or I can e-mail it to you if you don't
get the comp.bin newsgroup).

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