[comp.sys.mac.misc] Changing "Document" files to MacPaint

jem@hpisod2.HP.COM (Jim McCauley) (09/12/90)

I have generated some images on an HP-UX (UN*X) system using some
image-conversion utilities, which have resulted in the generation of
several MacPaint images stored in UN*X files.  I have downloaded these
to my Mac, but I can't call them up in MacPaint because to the Mac,
they look like ordinary document files.

How can I get MacPaint to open up these files for display?  More
generically, how do I change a Mac file from one "Kind" to another?

Jim McCauley          jem@hpulpcu3.cup.hp.com       (408) 447-4993
Learning Products Engineer
Hewlett Packard Company, Open Systems Software Division
MS 48SO, 19447 Pruneridge Avenue, Cupertino CA  95014
Disclaimer: My opinions are my own, not my employer's.
 

michel@etl.go.jp (Michel Pasquier) (09/14/90)

In article <26380004@hpisod2.HP.COM> jem@hpisod2.HP.COM (Jim McCauley) writes:
>
>I have generated some images on an HP-UX (UN*X) system using some
>image-conversion utilities, which have resulted in the generation of
>several MacPaint images stored in UN*X files.  I have downloaded these
>to my Mac, but I can't call them up in MacPaint because to the Mac,
>they look like ordinary document files.
>
>How can I get MacPaint to open up these files for display?  More
>generically, how do I change a Mac file from one "Kind" to another?
>

 Generically, you have to use some application or DA that will give you
access to the TYPE and CREATOR fields that specify the status of a Mac
file. At work I use Disktop DA (via get-info, in advanced mode), which
is a neat tool anyway, for that purpose or others.

 Specifically, a MacPaint file has its TYPE set to PNTG and its CREATOR
set to HKPT. Beware that this setup is necessary but not sufficient and
that your file has to be properly formatted.
 I have used a couple of times some image-conversion utilities too (PBM
and others), and sometimes MacPaint could open the file normally but
other times it just got stuck to the point where only reboot could help.
I could not figure out what the problem was nor how to solve it. Maybe
I miss something and more is needed than setting type and creator... but
I don't think so. So while we are at it, does anyone have a Sun-rasterfile
to Macpaint 2.0 or also a Xwindow-dump to Macpaint 2.0 file conversion
utility program that really *works* ?

>Jim McCauley          jem@hpulpcu3.cup.hp.com       (408) 447-4993
>Learning Products Engineer
>Hewlett Packard Company, Open Systems Software Division
>MS 48SO, 19447 Pruneridge Avenue, Cupertino CA  95014
>Disclaimer: My opinions are my own, not my employer's.
> 
  ...................................................................
  Michel Pasquier ........................ AIST/MITI Guest Researcher
  ElectroTechnical Laboratory . Intelligent Machine Behaviour Section
  Tsukuba, Ibaraki 205, Japan .  Tel: 298-58-5964 .  Fax: 298-55-1729
  Email: michel@etl.go.jp . "I've no employer, so who do I speak for?
  ...................................................................

Chris.Gehlker@p12.f56.n114.z1.fidonet.org (Chris Gehlker) (09/14/90)

jem@hpisod2.HP.COM (Jim McCauley) asks:

> How can I get MacPaint to open up these files for display?  More
> generically, how do I change a Mac file from one "Kind" to another?

Just change the file's creator with ResEdit, DiskZap, DiskTools, DiskTop, 
SUMTools,
Norton Disk Editor or whatever.

 

--  
Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!asuvax!stjhmc!56.12!Chris.Gehlker
Internet: Chris.Gehlker@p12.f56.n114.z1.fidonet.org

aland@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Alan D Danziger) (09/14/90)

In article <46734@etlcom.etl.go.jp> michel@etl.go.jp (Michel Pasquier) writes:
    Generically, you have to use some application or DA that will give you
   access to the TYPE and CREATOR fields that specify the status of a Mac
   file. At work I use Disktop DA (via get-info, in advanced mode), which
   is a neat tool anyway, for that purpose or others.

    Specifically, a MacPaint file has its TYPE set to PNTG and its CREATOR
   set to HKPT. Beware that this setup is necessary but not sufficient and
   that your file has to be properly formatted.

Actually, in order for the file to come up as a MacPaint document
(rather than generic document) it must have CREATOR= MPNT.  At least,
for MacPaint 1.4 thru 2.0.  Also, SPNT = Superpaint, which is also a
good program.

But, the emphasis should be on the TYPE and the format of the file.
If the type is PNTG (short for painting) then MacPaint can open it
from the "open" dialog in its file menu no matter what the creator is.
More importantly, if the format is not correct, MacPaint can crash
violently at times.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Alan D. Danziger,            | Reality is a function of the delusion factor
753 South St,Waltham MA 02154| If at first you DO succeed, Congratulations
aland@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu  | For those about to Rock, we salute you
MB 3130/Brandeis University  | Life's a beach & then you drown! Catch the Wave
PO Box 9110 Waltham MA 02254 | (617) 894-6859                   (617) 647-3720
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

--

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Alan D. Danziger,            | Reality is a function of the delusion factor
753 South St,Waltham MA 02154| If at first you DO succeed, Congratulations
aland@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu  | For those about to Rock, we salute you
MB 3130/Brandeis University  | Life's a beach & then you drown! Catch the Wave
PO Box 9110 Waltham MA 02254 | (617) 894-6859                   (617) 647-3720
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=