Finder 7 has a new scheme for menus and cannot be edited like the former MENU resource. However there is a way to add command keys in the Finder for System 7.
1. Make a copy of the Finder.
2. With ResEdit 2.1 open the "fmnu" resource. You will see numbered resources. The main Finder menus are as follows:
#1252 = FILE Menu
#1253 = EDIT Menu
#1254 = VIEW Menu
#1255 = SPECIAL Menu
#1256 = LABELS Menu
(In this example we will give the "Make Alias" Command in the FILE Menu a Command Key of "L").
3. Open up #1252 – the FILE Menu resource. Locate the Alias Command by doing a Find ASCII "Make Alias". You will notice that three hex bytes preceding this is "00". Change the "00" hex to "4C". ("4C" in hex is equivalent to the "L" character in ASCII). It should look like the following:
4. Quit ResEdit and save changes. Drag the operative Finder out of the System Folder and into another folder. Put the new Finder into the System folder and reboot. Voila! "Make Alias" = Command L.
Other possible changes are the ever popular:
Restart = Command R
Shutdown = Command S*
and for the slightly more courageous:
Empty Trash… = Command T
*The Shutdown Command looks a little different and requires a slightly different approach. Instead of "Shutdown" you will see the word "shut" FOLLOWED by three hexbits. Change the third hex bit to the S character (number 53). Please see the diagram below
The corresponding ascii characters and hex bytes are as follows:
A = 41 J = 4A S = 53
B = 42 K = 4B T = 54
C = 43 L = 4C U = 55
D = 44 M = 4D V = 56
E = 45 N = 4E W = 57
F = 46 O = 4F X = 58
G = 47 P = 50 Y = 59
H = 48 Q = 51 Z= 5A
I = 49 R = 52
The existing menus and their command keys are as follows:
A Select All (EDIT)
B ---------
C Copy (EDIT)
D Duplicate (FILE)
E Eject Disk… (SPECIAL)
F Find… (FILE)
G Find Again (FILE)
H ---------
I Get Info (FILE)
J ---------
K --------- (NB. This is used by Suitcase II in the Apple Menu)
L --------- (Try "Make Alias" / FILE Menu)
M ---------
N New Folder (FILE)
O Open (FILE)
P Print (FILE)
Q --------- (Try "Shutdown" / SPECIAL Menu -- or "S")
R --------- (Try "Restart" / SPECIAL Menu)
S --------- (Try "Shutdown" / SPECIAL Menu -- "Q")
T --------- (Try "Empty Trash…" / SPECIAL Menu)
U ---------
V Paste (EDIT)
W Close Window (FILE)
X Cut (EDIT)
Y Put Away (FILE)
Z Undo (EDIT)
(This tip was developed out of comments made by Mel Beckman - 75226,2257 in the MacSEVEN Forum on Compuserve)