copyright 1993 by Mark Pilgrim, MerriMac Software Group
WHAT IT IS
Startup Screen Picker will let you have a random startup screen, displayed when you start up your Macintosh while system extensions are loading.
HOW TO USE IT
Copy the Startup Screen Picker INIT into your system folder (the Extensions folder under System 7). Create a folder in your system folder (NOT in the Extensions folder) called "Startup Screens". Note that the name of the folder should have one space between the words, two capital S's, and no quotes around it. In this folder, put as many startup screens as you want. Name them anything EXCEPT "StartupScreen" (without the quotes).
Whenever you start up your Macintosh, one of the files in the "Startup Screen" folder will be moved into the system folder and renamed "StartupScreen", so that the next time you start up, this file will be displayed while your extensions are loading. If there is already a "StartupScreen" file, it will be renamed to its original name and moved back into the "Startup Screens" folder. (If it was there before you installed Startup Screen Picker, it will be named "Old Startup Screen" and moved into the "Startup Screens" folder.)
THINGS TO WATCH FOR
• Your startup volume must be unlocked, or Startup Screen Picker will not load.
• When you first install Startup Screen Picker, your startup volume must have enough space free for Startup Screen Picker to create a 32-byte preferences file.
• Make sure the folder "Startup Screens" is spelled correctly and is in the system folder on your startup volume.
• Make sure there is nothing in the "Startup Screens" folder except honest-to-goodness startup screens. (No folders, no extraneous files, etc.)
• Make sure there is at least one startup screen in the "Startup Screens" folder.
• Make sure there is not a file in the "Startup Screens" folder with the same name as the original name of the current "StartupScreen" file.
• Make sure the "Startup Screens" folder is really a folder and not a file.
TECHNICAL STUFF
Startup Screen Picker does not duplicate any files; it just moves them around (via PBCatMove). Therefore, it will not require any more disk space than the startup screens themselves (except for its 32-byte preference file).
If you have the Notification Manager, Startup Screen Picker will use it to notify you of specific errors. Regardless, if there is an error, Startup Screen Picker will draw a large X through its icon when it loads.
FINANCIAL STUFF
Startup Screen Picker is free; there is no shareware fee. However, it is not public domain; the author retains all copyrights. You may only redistribute Startup Screen Picker UNALTERED and at NO CHARGE to the user. Redistribution for a fee, even a small disk-copying fee, is prohibited without consent of the author.
HOW TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR
My Internet address is f8dy@netaxs.com. Please direct all comments, suggestions, flames, bug reports, and requests for redistribution to this address.