Below and in the previous chapter are descriptions of nearly every Apple Control Panel ever released. If you're curious what the different control panels do, here's your source. If you're interested in whether or not you need various CP's, use the descriptions below to decide whether or not you want/need them. Most are from Apple; however a few are things that are so universal that I included them here (for some non-Apple control panels, check out the "Third-Party Control Panels" chapter).
NOTE: Control panels followed by the designation "REMOVABLE" do not need to reside in the System Folder to function. Many of them aren't really even INITs (they don't load any code at startup); they just change values in the PRAM of your computer, so the Control Panels folder seemed like the logical place to put them. Some are actually applications. Disclaimer: very few of these will actually save you RAM if disabled, and if you throw them away instead of merely disabling/ displacing them, they can be a pain in the rear to reinstall. I am including this info FYI so you can be more knowledgeable about your computer; do with this info as you please.
窶｢ Mac OS Easy Open (v1.1.3) [12.5/100]: see "Macintosh Easy Open" below.
窶｢ Macintosh Easy Open (v1.1.2) [12.5/100]: allows you to select the way a Mac or DOS/Windows file is translated/opened when you don't have the application that actually created it. Renamed "Mac OS Easy Open" under System 7.6 and later to reflect the fact that the System software is now called "Mac OS" and is also run on Mac clones. Note: this extension can cause constant desktop rebuilds. The solution is t restart with all extensions off except this one and allow it to (or force it to, using the standard desktop rebuild procedure) rebuild the desktop, then restart again normally. It has been reported that when both MEO and MacLink Plus are present Finder dragging and drag-and-drop operations are slowed down, or even get "stuck" under versions before 1.1.2. NOTE: There is a "bug" (or is it a feature?) where double-clicking on a preference file for an application opens up an application that is not in any way related to it. The solution it to click on the "delete preferences" button in the control panel, then select "Always show dialog box." This will clear up the stored preferences and then allow you to specify what application you want to be used to open the file.
窶｢ MacIPX: used with the MacIPX network extensions to provide support for the MacIPX network protocol.
窶｢ MacTCP (v2.0.6): Used to configure and connect to TCP/IP-based networks, either locally or dial-up. Replaced by the TCP/IP control panel under Open Transport.
窶｢ MacTCP DNR: This file, which is loose in your system folder, is not really a control panel, even though that's what it says it is... DNR stands for "domain name resolver" and contains part of the information needed by TCP/IP applications. Under System 6.x, control panels were loose in the system folder. Thus any application that needed TCP and/or DNR information would look for the MacTCP control panel in the system folder. Under system 7.x, all control panels were moved to the "control panels" folder. However, some applications still looked for TCP/DNR info in a control panel in the system folder. To ensure backwards compatibility, MacTCP creates this file to provide information for those applications. Some applications still look for the info in a control panel, so the "type" code of this file (and the file type listed in the "Get Info" box) is set to "control panel." For whatever purpose, even some newer applications still use the MacTCP DNR file directly, instead of using Mac TCP. Another reason this file exists, and the reason it still exists under Open Transport, is that it provides compatibility for applications that are not yet Open Transport-aware. These applications still use the above method for obtaining DNR information, rather than using the MacTCP compatibility model of TO. In order to support these applications, Open Transport provides the MacTCP DNR file in the system folder. This file is always provided, so you'll notice that even if you throw it away, it is recreated the next time a TCP call occurs. Supposedly Apple will finally do away with MacTCP DNR under Open Transport 1.1.1. Note: if you are having trouble with TCP/IP connections, or are upgrading to a newer version of MacTCP or Open Transport, it is often helpful to delete this file, along with the MacTCP Prep file in the Preferences folder; you may need to manually re-enter all your settings, so you should be sure to write them down.
窶｢ Map (v7.5.1): Allows you to select your "home" on the globe. By clicking on a city, or "finding" it, you can see its exact coordinates on the globe. Once you set your "home" city, you can see the distance between it and any other city in the world, as well as the current time in that city. By clicking on the words "Time Zone" you will be presented with the time difference between home and the other city. By clicking on the mi, km and dg units, you can see the distance in miles, kilometers and degrees, respectively. You can add cities to its database if you know the city's coordinates. (If you type "Mid" you will be sent to the "middle of nowhere" in the Atlantic Ocean.) Option-clicking on the "Find" button scrolls through the cities contained in the Map database. By opening the control panel with various modifier key combinations held down (shift and/or option) you will get higher magnifications. If you're traveling with your PowerBook, set the "home" city to your destination. Your clock will automatically be set to the local time! NOTE: If your "Date & Time" control panel does not have an option to set the local time zone (some older versions didn't), Eudora will freak out if it can't find "Map" in the C.P. folder; it uses the "home" setting for time zone information. FUN TIP: open the Scrapbook DA and scroll to the map of the world. Select "Copy" from the "Edit" menu. Open the "Map" C.P. and select "Paste" from the "Edit" menu. Voila! You now have a color Map! REMOVABLE
窶｢ Memory (v7.5.7) [0/6]: lets you control settings such as virtual memory, disk cache size, the Modern Memory Manager (see Chapter 8), and RAM disks. Turning virtual memory on and setting it to one MB above your actual RAM, or using RAM Doubler, will greatly enhance your system by reducing the amount of RAM that PowerPC-native applications require. On older systems, there is also an option to enable/disable "32-bit addressing." This feature allows your Mac to address more than 8 MB of RAM; some older apps are incompatible with 32-bit addressing. Some older Macs (the SE series, II series) could not use 32-bit enabling, and required either System 7.5 or the freeware "Mode32." Here's a tip: to start up normally, but with virtual memory temporarily turned off, hold down the command key at startup. (On a related note, if you are using RAM Doubler, to start up with extensions off but RAM Doubler on, hold down the shift and options keys at startup; to start up with extensions on, but RAM Doubler off, hold down the tilde [~] key.) Before 7.5.3, the default Disk Cache setting was 16K for every MB of physical RAM installed. Under 7.5.3, the default is changed to 32K for every MB of physical RAM installed. Tip: by option-clicking on the virtual memory drive menu, you will instead get a pull-down menu of the programmers' names. NOTE: on the PCI Macs, there is a quirk where if you boot the computer from the System CD-ROM, and the name of the drive is the factory-default "Macintosh HD," virtual memory will be turned on by default. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Monitors (v7.5.6): allows you to configure your monitors (# of colors/grays, resolution, main monitor on multiple-monitor systems) on non-PCI Macs and the 7200 series PCI Macs. Replaced on other PCI Macs by Sounds & Displays under System 7.5.2, and Monitors & Sound under 7.5.3 and later. By selecting lower bit-depth (# of colors) settings, you can speed up the graphics performance. Since you rarely need "thousands" or "millions" of colors (unless watching QuickTime movies or doing graphics work), setting your monitor(s) to 256 colors can significantly increase graphics speed, especially when doing things like scrolling through documents. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Monitors & Sound (v1.2) (formerly Sounds & Displays) [NA]: actually an application. Replaces the separate "Monitors" and "Sound" control panels, providing most of their functionality and more. Apparently, this is only installed on AV PCI Macs under System 7.5.5 and earlier. Some other models may be able to use it under earlier by doing a "custom" install. System 7.6 may install it by default on many others. AppleScript-able, but no longer requires AppleScript. NOTE: While this file provides most of the functionality of the older "Sound" control panel, one thing it doesn't provide is a way to record new alert sounds. For this functionality, you need to use either the "Simple Sound" application (usually installed by the System software and placed in the Apple Menu) or use a copy of the Sound control panel. NOTE: if you do a normal System software install on the PowerBook 1400, the System software will often install "Monitors," "Sound" and "Monitors & Sound." You should remove the Monitors control panel and the Sound control panel. If you do a non-custom "clean" install, the installer will neglect to install "Monitors & Sound" and you will need to do a "custom install" to get it. NOTE: If you ever get the message "Sorry... Sound & Displays/Monitors & Sounds cannot be used at this time. The required extensions cannot be found. These extensions have either been disabled or are not present. To use this application, first put the Sound & Displays/Monitors & Sounds extensions in your extensions folder, and then restart your Macintosh," the reason is that you are missing the extension "SystemAV". Although this file is stored in the Extensions Folder, it is not listed by the Extensions Manager control panel. However, it is listed by some third-party extension-managing software (such as Conflict Catcher). Make certain this extension has not been disabled or removed from the Extensions folder. If this extension is missing, reinstall it from the System CD that came with your computer. NOTE: if you get an error message when you try to open the Monitors & Sound control panel saying that the "System AV" extension needs to be installed, and it already is installed, the reason may be that there is not enough memory available to load the extension. You can make more memory available at startup by turning off unneeded extensions and control panels, or by turning virtual memory on in the Memory control panel. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Mouse (v7.5.4) [0/0]: Used to set mouse tracking and double-click speed. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Network: used to choose the type of network. Replaced by the AppleTalk control panel under Open Transport.
窶｢ Network Time (v2.0.1): if you are on a network with a "time server," this control panel checks the server and synchronizes your Mac's clock. This system is useful for ensuring that all computers on the network are exactly in sync. Strange bug: you cannot use this control panel on a NuBus (non-PCI) Mac running Open Transport and the AutoPower On/Off control panel. The solution is to remove the AutoPower On/Off control panel.
窶｢ Numbers (v7.1) [0/0]: Allows you to specify the format for displaying numbers, including separators and currency designation. Provides 17 pre-set configurations, and allows for other custom configurations. REMOVABLE
窶｢ ODBC Setup: stands for Open Database Connectivity. It is installed by Microsoft Office for use when connecting to SQL database servers. Allows you to select your "source" database.
窶｢ Password Security (v1.0.3): provides hard drive security through password-based drive access. Only supported on PowerBook IDE drives. NOTE: if you have your hard drive partitioned, only the startup partition will be protected. IMPORTANT: if you are using At Ease 4.0.x on a PowerBook 3400 and the "Password Security" control panel is set to "Prevent users from bypassing security by starting up from a floppy disk," it will corrupt your hard disk driver and your computer will not be able to start up. In addition, you will not be allowed to start up from a floppy, CD or other drive, nor by using SCSI Disk Mode. DO NOT use this combination! Also, the Password Security control panel was only designed for PowerBook IDE drives formatted with Apple's Drive Setup utility; DO NOT use Password Security on other drives.
窶｢ PC Exchange (v2.1.1) [18/92]: allows your Mac to read files from MS-DOS and ProDOS disks, including SCSI fixed and removable media. Let's you designate certain apps to open different PC docs. Can also be used to probe for, and mount, SCSI devices (!). Turning PC Exchange "off" in the control panel only disables it until the next time you restart. To really disable it, move it to the Control Panels (Disabled) folder, or use a startup file manager. NOTE: there is a "bug" in v2.1.1 where some floppies which have been incorrectly formatted on a PC will not be recognized by PC Exchange. Version 2.0.7 and earlier of PC Exchange would actually ignore the problem and mount the disks. The current workaround is to either go back to an earlier version of PC Exchange or reformat the PC disks as PC disks on your Mac.
窶｢ PC Setup (v1.0.7/v1.6.1): version 1.0.x is used by Macs with the 610 PC and DOS Compatibility Cards and is replaced by the DOS Compatibility Software Update 1.5 (not necessary for PCI Macs with a DOS Compatibility Card). Version 1.6.1 is intended only for the 166 MHz PC Compatibility Card installed in the PowerMac 4400 or 7220. NOTE: after installing System 7.6 and OT/PPP 1.0, there is a chance your PC Setup Preferences file may become corrupt, causing a message which reads "Sorry, a System Error Occurred. PC Setup, Unimplemented Trap." The solution is to startup with all extensions off, throw away the "PC Setup Preferences" file, and restart.
窶｢ Performa (v7.1Px): included with Performa models running System 7.1P. Provides functionality similar to the General Controls control panel.
窶｢ Pointer Mode (v1.0.1): some 7200, 7300, 7600, and 8600 computers experience a problem where the cursor/pointer does not appear when screen shots are taken. This control panel fixes that problem. However, some users find that when using this feature, the pointer flashes when placed over graphics. If you experience this side effect, you can turn the feature on only when taking screen shots.
窶｢ Portable Control Panel: used only by Macintosh Portables (not the PowerBooks, but the "Portable") and PowerBook 100, 140 and 170 models running Systems 6.0.7 and 6.0.8. It was used mainly for energy/battery maintenance.
窶｢ POWER Emulator (v7.5ﾃ1): when the first-generation PowerPC processors (i.e. the 601) were released, they contained hardware support for "POWER" instructions which provided backward compatibility with the IBM POWER architecture. However, the newer 603- and 604-series processors do not provide this hardware support. The system software now contains low-level code to emulate POWER instructions, but applications which use POWER instructions will run very slowly on non-601 machines. Therefore, Apple recommends to developers that they remove all POWER instructions from their code. This control panel keeps track of POWER instructions which are encountered, and also allows you to disable the POWER emulator (which will cause the computer to return an "illegal instruction" error if a POWER instruction is encountered).
窶｢ Power Macintosh Card (v1.0): in 68040 Macs with the PowerMac Upgrade Card, allows selection of either 68040 or PowerPC processor, although you must completely shut down your computer for the switch to take place (a restart won't do it).
窶｢ PowerBook (v7.6): only used on PowerBooks; allows you to adjust PowerBook-specific items, including hard disk sleep, system sleep, and screen dimming. You can also set processor cycling and (on certain PowerBooks) reduce processor speed. Also allows you to control backlight intensity and built-in video on some PowerBooks. Versions of this control panel since System 7 Update 3.0 include the ability to save two different configurations for when your PowerBook is operating off battery or AC-power. NOTE: you can disable "processor cycling" when using battery power by holding down the option key and clicking the "Easy/Custom" switch.
窶｢ PowerBook Display (v7.5.2): only used on PowerBooks; allows you to "mirror" the images on your PowerBook display on an external monitor. Works on the Macintosh PowerBooks 160, 165c, 180, 180c, 200, and 500 models. Actually has a space at the beginning of its name to force it to load early in the startup process.
窶｢ PowerBook Setup (v7.3.2): only used on PowerBooks; allows you to set a unique SCSI ID number for your PowerBook when you're using SCSI disk mode. Also allows you to specify a Normal or Compatible modem setting for your PowerBook. ("normal" is for communication applications that are compatible with the Macintosh Communications Toolbox; "compatible" is for communication applications that are not compatible with the Communications Toolbox). Works on all Macintosh PowerBook 200 and 500 models.
窶｢ QuickTime Settings (v2.5): actually just an application which changes the preferences for QuickTime. Allows you to select music/MIDI settings and Audio CD/CD-ROM "AutoPlay" options (see the "QuickTime" extension entry). NOTE: for the "CD-ROM AutoPlay" feature to work, the CD-ROM must be coded to allow auto-play. At this point in time, very few CDs are encoded this way. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Screen (v1.0.8): used by Macs with a built-in monitor (MacTV, Performa/ LC 500 series, Performa 250 & 275 and Performa/ LC 5200 series) to control brightness and contrast. Also allows you to automatically "sleep" the internal monitor after a specified period of inactivity (15-60). For the official Apple document on all the different "energy saving" control panels/applications, visit:
窶｢ ScriptSwitcher (v1.0b6): provides a quick way to automatically switch the primary script system resources in your System software. Unsupported.
窶｢ Scrolling (v7.0.1)[1/0]: an "unsupported" control panel which allows you to set the maximum window scrolling speed. Allows you to customize the time it takes to reach that maximum speed. Provides the option of "live" scrolling in windows (both in the Finder and within applications). NOTE: holding down the Option key temporarily restores the standard scrolling behavior. According to the author, Ken McLeod, an employee at Apple, he originally tried to get this control panel included as part of System 7.0.1 (hence the version number), but the "Blue Meanies" at Apple thought that "its functionality was 'too esoteric' and that it would confuse people."
窶｢ Serial Switch (v1.2): the Mac IIfx and Quadra 950 used a slightly different serial port. On these computers, this allows you to switch between the standard configuration or the "faster" special configuration. Note that under Open Transport, you must set this control panel to "compatible."
窶｢ Sharing Setup (v7.1): used to set file sharing options, the network name of your computer, and the owner name and password. When other users on a network use AppleShare to connect to networked machines, your "computer name" will show up in the Chooser. Also, if you access your machine from over a network, your "owner name" and "password" will give you full access to the machine if File Sharing is turned on.
窶｢ Sound (v8.0.5): used to set the alert sounds, volumes, and input/output options on non-PCI Macs and the 7200 series PCI Macs. Also allows you to record System sounds. Replaced on most PCI Macs by Sounds & Displays under System 7.5.2, and Monitors & Sound under 7.5.3 and later. Also often installed on recent machines for use with third-party audio hardware and software which was written to use the Sound control panel rather than with Monitors & Sound. NOTE: there is supposedly a bug with the volume control on the Quadra 660AV if you try to use v8.0.5 with System 7.1. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Sound & Displays (v1.0): replaced under System 7.5.3 by Monitors & Sound (see above). Avoid this control panel at all costs, as it is one of the most confusing things Apple has ever released!
窶｢ Startup Disk (v7.5.3): selects which disk you wish to use as your startup disk. Actually works by selecting the SCSI ID of the startup disk, which means that it can sometimes have problems with partitions on a single disk. If no disks are selected, the Mac will default to the highest numbered SCSI disk. To startup from a CD-ROM, hold down the "c" key (however, using "C" to startup from a CD does not work on PowerBooks hooked up to an external CD-ROM. Some people have reported that it does not work in the 1400, either). NOTE: if your Mac sometimes takes a long time before the "happy Mac" shows up, or if you frequently get a question mark and pause at startup before the computer eventually starts up correctly, it could be because you either have the wrong disk selected in this control panel, or because you don't have a device selected at all. Select the proper device/drive and restart and see if the problem goes away. REMOVABLE
窶｢ TCP/IP (v1.1) [0/0]: under System 7.5.2 and later, used to configure and connect to TCP/IP-based networks, either locally or dial-up. There is a known problem with memory leakage involving the loading and unloading of shared libraries under TCP/IP. One possible solution is to open the TCP/IP control panel, select "Options...", and uncheck the "Load only when needed" box.
窶｢ TCP/IP Options (v1.0): part of the Open Transport package, but not installed automatically. You should not have this control panel installed unless you are specifically instructed to do so by your network administrator. It is an unsupported utility developed by Apple. According to Apple, this control panel "allows you to modify Open Transport/TCP's default behavior to disable the 'Path MTU Discovery' feature and provide compatibility with certain third-party applications."
窶｢ Text (v7.1) [0/0]: Lets you change the options for text "script" and "behavior" on your Mac. These settings will affect sorting order, case conversion, and word definitions. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Things! (v1.0a2): a hack for early QuickTime developers which would find "components" which were registered with the System software. Supposedly works under Systems 6.0.7 through 7.0.x
窶｢ Token Ring (v1.0.1): only useful if you are on a Token Ring network. Under Open Transport, works with the AppleTalk control panel to allow access to a Token Ring network.
窶｢ TrackPad (v7.5.7): configures the trackpad behavior in trackpad-equipped PowerBooks. If you keep this control panel and the Mouse control panel you can set up separate preferences for the built-in trackpad and an external mouse. NOTE: There is a bug between System 7.6 and the trackpad on the PowerBook Duo 2300c and the PowerBook 190 where pressing the trackpad button when the computer is "sleeping" will sometimes cause it to crash. This problem is eliminated in System 7.6.1.
窶｢ TV Setup: used to control the TV functions on the short-lived Macintosh TV. Conflicts with the Video Startup extension installed by System 7.6; the MacTV does not need the Video Startup extension, so you should trash it.
窶｢ Users & Groups (v7.1): used to configure who can connect to your hard drive over a network under file sharing. Actually looks like a finder window when you open it (not very consistent with the rest of the Mac GUI).
窶｢ Video: part of the AudioVision package for the AudioVision 14" display. Only necessary on pre-7.5 systems.
窶｢ Views (v7.1) [0/0]: allows you to select the format used to view files/names of files in Finder windows. Provides options for automatic calculation of disk space used/available and folder sizes. AppleScript-able. TIP: Disable "calculate folder sizes" for faster Finder performance. TIP #2: This control panel includes a pop-up menu of all your fonts. If you have a corrupted font, it may prevent the control panel from opening or it may possibly freeze up your system. On that same note, if you have a lot of fonts installed, it can take as long as a few minutes for this control panel to load. TIP #3: If you have "Always snap to grid" checked, your icons will sometimes be moved on top of each other, and it may appear that some are missing! Use the Finder's "View" menu to view by name, and all of the files will then be visible. Tip #4: although this isn't really a control panel tip, it is often helpful when viewing a window by name, to sort by "Last modified." This will place the most recently altered files at the top of the window. REMOVABLE
窶｢ Window Shade (v1.3.1) [6/0]: lets you collapse a window by clicking on its title bar. If you use the ~Aaron extension, you do not need this control panel, since ~Aaron places a window-collapse toggle button in the upper right-hand corner of your windows. NOTE: click on picture of mouse button in control panel's window for secret credit box.
窶｢ 竏ℓowerTracer (v1.0a2NoOpt): development tool which patches certain traps and vectors at startup to provide developers with the ability to observe how their applications use the Macintosh Toolbox. Also allows engineers to see how different parts of the Toolbox interact with one another. The delta character at the beginning of the name is there to cause Power Tracer to load late in the startup process.
