MaxAppleZoom (or MAZ, for short) is an Extension which reprograms Apple-brand NuBus video cards so that they display a larger ( up to 704 * 512 pixels ) screen instead of the normal 640 * 480.
Nearly every application software you use (be it Word processing, Spreadsheet, Graphics, Music composition etc. etc.) will gain more usefulness and comfort thanks to this larger display area !
Monitor compatibility
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The factory setting of the image size on the picture tube on all Apple monitors I have examined is compatible with the larger display area. If you think however that you would like a wider black border around your picture, you can adjust the picture size controls on the back of the monitor ( those hidden behind a small rectangular cover. Pop this cover off using a flat screwdriver ). Doing so however will also shrink the image size when in 640 * 480 mode, and you may find the normal image size ridiculously small especially after you have become accustomed to the display size provided by MAZ.
Most models of the Apple 12" Monochrome Monitor cannot display a 704-pixel wide display. If you use one of these monitors, it is probably better to limit yourself to the 672-pixel mode.
If you were too greedy and chose a resolution that cannot be displayed by your monitor, restart your Mac while holding down the “shift” key or the mouse button to disable MAZ.
Video card compatibility
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MAZ is designed to be used with Apple-brand video cards only. It will refuse to work with “third-party” (e.g. RasterOps, Radius, SuperMac etc. ) video cards. This is because MAZ uses capabilities specific to the Apple *NuBus* color video cards. For the same reason, MAZ won't work with the integrated (i.e. non-NuBus) video of the IIci, IIsi, LC, Quadra and Centris.
Apple has produced a variety of color video cards since it introduced the Macintosh II computer in 1987, and MAZ supports most of them.
Currently (June 1993), the supported cards are:
- the Apple Toby Frame Buffer Card
- the Apple Macintosh II High-Resolution Video Card
- the Apple Display Card 4.8 and Display Card 8.24. Note that MAZ will refuse to activate if the screen connected to the card is an unsupported type (e.g. a 21" monitor, a RS-170 display...)
The following Apple video products are not supported:
- all Apple monochrome video cards
- the Apple Display Card 8.24GC
- the internal video of the Mac IIci, IIsi, LC, Quadra and Centris.
How do You use MAZ ?
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MAZ is a INIT/CDEV (or “Extension”, in System 7 parlance), which means that if you want to activate it, you must put it in your System Folder and then restart your Mac.
If your Macintosh is running System 6, MaxAppleZoom's controls are accessed via the Control Panel. With System 7, put MaxAppleZoom in the “Extensions” folder in your “System Folder” and open it by double-clicking.
MaxAppleZoom requires “32-bit QuickDraw”. This operating system module is integrated in the ROM of the Mac IIci and all newer machines. Users of machines with older ROMs (II, IIx, IIcx) should make sure that the file “32-Bit QuickDraw” is present in their System Folder if they are running System 6, or better yet use System 7.
MAZ provides the following controls:
- Buttons for selecting the display width (640-, 672- and 704-pixel modes) and display position (to center the display on your monitor's picture tube).
- A button to activate/deactivate the 900-pixel high virtual “Portrait” screen emulation.
- A check box for disabling 24-bit color on the Display Card 8.24. This frees some video memory on the card, making possible a slightly taller display. If most of your work doesn't require 24-bit video, you might want to check this option.
- A scrollable list of all the MAZ-compatible video cards present in your Mac.
- A button to create a “MaxAppleZoom Registration Form“. Use it ! :-)
If you need help, you might want to try System 7's “Balloon Help”
Use the video card list to select a video card, and then use the controls to modify the various settings associated with that card. You must restart your Macintosh for the new settings to take effect.
If you have two or more video cards in your Mac, drag MAZ to your System Folder and then follow these steps to activate MAZ:
- Open the “Monitors” Control Panel, and press down the “option” key on your keyboard. In one of the several rectangles – representing your monitors – displayed by “Monitors”, you'll see a tyny "happy Mac" icon appear. In one of the rectangles, you'll also see a tiny menu bar. While holding down the “option” key, drag the tiny "happy Mac" icon to the rectangle containing the menu bar. MAZ will work properly ONLY if the tiny happy Mac icon and the tiny menu bar are in the same rectangle.
- Open MAZ and configure each video card to your liking.
- Restart your Mac. Mouse around to check that the Finder desktop's layout on your monitors matches the physical layout on your real desk, i.e. verify that the left-to-right layout of the monitors on your real desk corresponds to the layout your Mac thinks is correct. If there are any discrepancies, reorganize the “Monitors” Control Panel's rectangles to match the physical layout of your monitors. Close “Monitors” and restart. MAZ installation will then be complete.
The “Portrait” mode
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When this mode is activated, MAZ uses the video memory present on the Video Card to create a 900-pixel high by 640-, 672- or 704-pixel wide virtual display. The card's hardware doesn't support horizontal scrolling, so the width of the virtual display is limited to the width of the screen. The screen acts as a scrolling window over this virtual display. Vertical scrolling is automatic: the screen follows the mouse-controlled cursor.
The major advantage of using video memory to hold the virtual display is that scrolling is extremely fast and smooth, and that little or no system RAM of the Macintosh is used.
The major disadvantage is that it limits the maximum number of colors displayable on the screen. This is because a larger number of pixels than usual must be kept in the same amount of video memory, and thus there is less memory available for each pixel. On 8-bit (256-Color) video cards, the maximum pixel depth in Portrait mode will be limited to 4 bits (maximum 16 simultaneously displayable colors ), and color icons and desktop appearances will thus be altered. On the Display Card 8.24, the maximum number of colors will be reduced to 256.
Automatic scrolling by cursor tracking can be irritating when one wishes the screen to stay put. Quickly pressing twice the “Control” key on the left side of the keyboard will “freeze” the screen at its current position. To re-enable scrolling, press again twice the “Control” key. On multiple monitor systems, the Control key will only operate on the screen containing the cursor, thus allowing you to selectively freeze and un-freeze your screens.
On extended keyboards only the “Control” key on the left side of the keyboard will be recognized to lock or unlock the screen.
MAZ allows you to set a default setting of the Portrait mode (On or Off). You can override and invert this setting at restart by holding down the “P” (“P”ortrait) key. This will temporarily enable Portrait Mode for all the Video Cards present in your Mac for which the default Portrait Mode is “Off” and vice-versa. This feature saves you the trouble of having to open MAZ to change its settings before restarting.
MAZ Q & A
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Q- When will the internal video of the Mac IIci, IIsi and LC be supported ?
A- The answer is "never". I'm afraid the internal video circuitry hasn't the flexibility needed to support stretched displays and even if it were possible, the project is not worth the effort.
Q- And what about the compact Macs ? (Plus, SE/30, Classic etc)
A- Same answer as above, and besides their picture tube is probably too small. At least with the Mac IIci, IIsi etc. you can choose your picture tube (i.e. monitor) yourself...
Q- And the internal video of the Quadra- and Centris-series Macs ?
A- Well, MAZ in its current state is already incredibly expensive to support...
Q- Is MAZ compatible with A/UX ?
A- No. My free time is far too limited to implement MAZ's direct control of the video card's hardware with a protected memory operating system like A/UX.
Q- Why is it necessary to restart the Mac when you want to change the display's size ? A Dynamic Desktop Size like the Radius Pivot would render, say, the simulated Portrait mode of MAZ far more useful.
A- Well, you're absolutely right, but a dynamically sized desktop is very difficult to develop. Radius has more resources and staff than I do. They are also working full-time on these kind of things, and presumably they have more information about the inner working of various third-party software packages than I have. I would also like to point out that a copy of MaxAppleZoom is significantly less expensive than a Radius Pivot :-)
Q- What has changed since version 1.43 ?
A- The most significant change is that v1.44 should be far easier to activate than previous versions. Also, MAZ doesn't object anymore to the presence of some data acquistion and multi-port serial NuBus cards. A bug in the 672-pixel mode of the Display Card 4.8 and 8.24 has been corrected. Added support for the new model of the Display Card 8.24. Desactivation of 24-bit video on 8.24 cards to obtain a taller display. Some minor cosmetic changes to the user interface.
Acknowledgements and Business Matters
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I'd like to thank the registered users of the previous versions of MAZ for their support and encouragement.
Paul Mercer authored the code (ShowINIT) which displays MAZ's icon during startup.
This software is distributed under the shareware system, which allows you to try it before you buy. I retain all rights on it, but feel free to duplicate and distribute it to your friends or upload it to bulletin boards etc., on condition that you do NOT separate MaxAppleZoom from this documentation.
If you wish to continue to use this program after a reasonable period of trial, you should become a registered user by sending in a shareware fee ( US$ 25, or an equivalent amount in your local currency ). For your convenience, MAZ can create a “Registration Form” for you to fill in. I urge you to use this form.
The payment methods available are:
- A check in US$, drawn on a US bank. This method is generally available only to US residents. Due to the high commisions levied by Belgian banks, NO other checks can be accepted: I generally end up paying the bank more than the value of the check !
- By Credit Card: VISA or MasterCard
- INTERNATIONAL Postal Money Order
- Cash in an envelope. This is probably the easiest method, as I'm willing to accept it in almost any currency :-) Besides, mail confidentiality is protected by law in most countries and this method is thus more secure than it might seem at first.
