thomas@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Thomas Summerall) (06/30/90)
I don't have enough detailed knowledge of the file system to design this in detail, but it strikes me that it would be pretty simple to eliminate Apple File Exchange in system 7 (or 8) in the same way that the Font/DA mover will go away. This is my proposal: Why not implement translation protocols as resource files that you put in a folder in the system folder called, what else, translators. Then, when a program calls the standard get file dialog, the system would look in the folder for any "foreign" files types that could be translated to work with the current application. It would then show all appropriate files in the dialog, and, upon opening, automatically tranlate those that needed translating. An inverse system would work for saving files. Ideally this would even deal with IBM files, perhaps by looking for appropriate suffixes to tell it what file types are available from an MSDOS disk. If the system were really smart, it could automatically find paths within the translations between packages not directly available. ie WriteNow->MacWrite->Word, if no Writenow->Word was available. This system has many advantages. The translation becomes virtually transparent to the user, making things faster and easier. This would greatly increase the ability to use several pieces of software to manipulate the same file, because companies could release translators to make their current products compatible with new releases without having to release a new version of their own. Many translator modules are available already with MacLink from DataViz, and these seem to adhere to some standard because they can be used with AFE. People would begin collecting translators like they collect FONTs and INITS. Perhaps even public domain modules would be released... And, best of all, if this were implemented entirely in the SFGetFile routine, programs written now could already take advantage of it. (I have no idea whether that could really be done.) The dialog could display all of the available file types by showing the application icons of their creators. I am sure that there are issues that I haven't thought of, but surely having a transparent and standardized translation system is better than the current mayhem where every package deals differently with opening files not created by it. I like PhotoShop's "Open As..." feature, but it epitomizes the current morass of methods currently used. Ever tried to find the path of packages required to change EPS to TIFF? What about WriteNow to Word. Try opening a MacPaint document in five different graphics programs. You'll find at least four different ways to do it. What do people think of this? Thomas Summerall thomas@eleazar.dartmouth.edu