rq02+@andrew.cmu.edu (Richard Quadrel) (06/05/90)
There are two system files in my System Folder whose origin and function are completely unknown to me. Can someone tell me where the "Backgrounder" and "Finder Startup" files come from? And what do they do? Thanks! Rich rquadrel@cad.cs.cmu.edu
anders@penguin (Anders Wallgren) (06/05/90)
Backgrounder (when background printing is enabled) looks for files in the Spool Folder of your System Folder and invokes PrintMonitor when it finds any. Finder Startup is a file used by the Finder to store a list of applications and DA's to start up when the Finder starts up. You can tell the Finder what these are by using the Set Startup option from the Finder's Special menu. anders
chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively) (06/06/90)
In article <kaOdDkq00WB8AAHUMO@andrew.cmu.edu> rq02+@andrew.cmu.edu (Richard Quadrel) writes: > There are two system files in my System Folder whose origin and function are > completely unknown to me. Can someone tell me where the "Backgrounder" and > "Finder Startup" files come from? And what do they do? > Thanks! > Rich > rquadrel@cad.cs.cmu.edu Easy. Finder Startup is the document that the Finder creates to specify what it should start up whenever you start up your Macintosh (i.e. it's the data file that's created to hold your "Set Startup" information). Backgrounder is a bit weirder: it's a little application with no user interface that's always running if you are running MultiFinder. Its sole task (pre-System 7.0) is to check to see if the user prints with background printing and, if so, it launches Print Monitor automagically. The intent was always to provide some kind of ability to automagically launch stuff that always did its thing "in the background," but it's taken us System 7.0 to actually get that working (System 7.0 will feature a "Startup Items" folder into which you can drop stuff that you want launched whenever you boot). __________________________________________________________________________ Paul Snively Macintosh Developer Technical Support Apple Computer, Inc. chewy@apple.com Just because I work for Apple Computer, Inc. doesn't mean that I believe what they believe, or vice-versa. __________________________________________________________________________
jay@argosy.UUCP (Jay O'Conor) (06/06/90)
In article <8541@goofy.Apple.COM> chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively) writes: > >Backgrounder is a bit weirder: it's a little application with no user >interface that's always running if you are running MultiFinder. Its sole >task (pre-System 7.0) is to check to see if the user prints with >background printing and, if so, it launches Print Monitor automagically. >The intent was always to provide some kind of ability to automagically >launch stuff that always did its thing "in the background," but it's taken >us System 7.0 to actually get that working (System 7.0 will feature a >"Startup Items" folder into which you can drop stuff that you want >launched whenever you boot). > Huh? 6.0.4 (and probably 6.0.5, but I haven't tried it) supports automatically launching apps at boot time if they're in the "Background Folder" within the System Folder. At least I think it's named "Background Folder". I'm not at my Mac at the moment, so I can't verify the name, but it's there and I know it works 'cause I use it to launch the Globe app (it makes a fun program to monitor how well MultiFinder multitasking is performing). How does System 7.0's "Startup Items" differ from the current "Background Folder"? One thing that _will_ be nice about 7.0 in this regard will be the ability to drop an alias for the app into the "Startup Items" folder. At least I assume this will be possible. Anyone care to confirm/deny this? Jay O'Conor jay@maspar.com
peltz@cerl.uiuc.edu (Steve Peltz) (06/06/90)
In article <568@argosy.UUCP> jay@idiot.UUCP (Jay O'Conor) writes: >Huh? 6.0.4 (and probably 6.0.5, but I haven't tried it) supports >automatically launching apps at boot time if they're in the "Background Folder" >within the System Folder. At least I think it's named "Background Folder". Huh? The way to specify an application should be started when multifinder starts is to open those applications you want, go to Set Startup, and tell it to open "Open Applications and DAs"... if there is a "Background Folder", it is not documented in anything I've seen. BTW, the Finder Startup file is only used when running Multifinder. When using Multifinder, Set Startup sets the application name in the boot sector (or sets it to Finder or Multifinder as appropriate). -- Steve Peltz P-ASEL C-G Internet: peltz@cerl.uiuc.edu PLATO/NovaNET: peltz/s/cerl
chewy@apple.com (Paul Snively) (06/07/90)
In article <1990Jun6.154344.15507@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> peltz@cerl.uiuc.edu (Steve Peltz) writes: > In article <568@argosy.UUCP> jay@idiot.UUCP (Jay O'Conor) writes: > >Huh? 6.0.4 (and probably 6.0.5, but I haven't tried it) supports > >automatically launching apps at boot time if they're in the "Background Folder" > >within the System Folder. At least I think it's named "Background Folder". > > Huh? The way to specify an application should be started when multifinder > starts is to open those applications you want, go to Set Startup, and tell it > to open "Open Applications and DAs"... if there is a "Background Folder", it > is not documented in anything I've seen. You're both right. The reason that the "Background Folder" trick is undocumented is that it really doesn't do what it was intended to do. Let me explain a bit further. What I meant in my original posting was that there was always intended to be a mechanism for allowing things like Print Monitor. What makes Print Monitor kinda weird is that it pops up under some condition, and goes away under some condition--automagically. There is no "Quit" menu item anywhere; when Print Monitor comes and when it goes is not under user control. It's just there, providing a service. Pre-System 7.0, there isn't a supported mechanism for launching and quitting from such applications. When you Restart or Shutdown under MultiFinder, it goes through this elaborate mating ritual with all of the currently-running applications in order to convince the applications to quit themselves just as if the user had selected "Quit" from the "File" menu. That's kinda hard to do if you have nothing equivalent to a "Quit" item. Ordinary apps do indeed work just fine in the "Background Folder." __________________________________________________________________________ Paul Snively Macintosh Developer Technical Support Apple Computer, Inc. chewy@apple.com Just because I work for Apple Computer, Inc. doesn't mean that I believe what they believe, or vice-versa. __________________________________________________________________________
jay@argosy.UUCP (Jay O'Conor) (06/08/90)
In article <1990Jun6.154344.15507@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> peltz@cerl.uiuc.edu (Steve Peltz) writes: > >Huh? The way to specify an application should be started when multifinder >starts is to open those applications you want, go to Set Startup, and tell it >to open "Open Applications and DAs"... if there is a "Background Folder", it >is not documented in anything I've seen. You're right. It's not documented. However, it's there and it works! I learned about this feature here on the net - I don't remember who found it, though. Jay O'Conor jay@maspar.com
Michael.Burton@p3.f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Michael Burton) (06/08/90)
Richard Quadrel wrote: > Can someone tell me where the "Backgrounder" and "Finder Startup" > files come from? And what do they do? They came from the System Tools disk when you installed the system software on your drive. Backgrounder is necessary if you're using MultiFinder and spooling documents to a LaserWriter with Print Monitor (which is also part of the system software). Finder Startup is a document used by the system to determine whether you wish to boot with MultiFinder active, and whether you want any applications or DAs opened on startup. -- Michael Burton via cmhGate - Net 226 fido<=>uucp gateway Col, OH UUCP: ...!osu-cis!n8emr!cmhgate!200.3!Michael.Burton INET: Michael.Burton@p3.f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG