The programs accompanying these notes will update any previous copy of OptiMem RAM Charger v2. A Change Log, describing the modifications made in each update since v2.0, is at the end of this file along with a Manual Addendum.
Please take the time to read about the new OptiMem Settings Wizard described in the Manual Addendum at the end of this document. We hope you will find this new feature very useful in getting the most out of your Mac's memory.
The update process is divided into three separate parts, for the OptiMem control panel, the OptiMem Settings application, and the file of optimization parameters, called OptiMem Preferences. This will allow you to update any part separately. In some cases you may wish to use the OptiMem Preferences Update more than once. In the future we may distribute a new OptiMem Preferences Update separately.
*IMPORTANT* Some system extensions (like virus protection software) and file sharing can interfere with the operation of the update programs. If they do not operate correctly, please disable all extensions (by restarting the computer while holding down the Shift key) and try again.
U p d a t i n g t h e O p t i M e m C o n t r o l P a n e l
• Before you begin, close the OptiMem control panel or "Heads-up" window, if open.
• Next, open "OptiMem Update,” which came with these notes.
• After clicking on the Update OptiMem button, you will be asked to locate the copy of "OptiMem" to be updated, using a standard Directory Dialog Box (for more information on using this see the documentation that came with your Macintosh® or MacOS software). Normally, this will be your currently installed copy which is located in the "Control Panels" folder in the "System Folder" on your startup disk. We recommend that you do NOT update your original OptiMem Installation disk.
• Optionally, you may now go to the “Startup Items” folder in the “System Folder” and if there is an OptiMem alias there, drag it to the Trash. (It is not needed with the new version but does not hurt anything if you leave it.)
• After the update is complete, you must restart your computer to put the new version into operation.
U p d a t i n g O p t i M e m S e t t i n g s
Updating the OptiMem Settings application is the same as for the control panel, above.
To begin, open "OptiMem Settings Update." You will be asked to locate the copy of "OptiMem Settings" to be updated. Normally, this will be your currently installed copy which is located in the "Preferences" folder in the "System Folder" on your startup disk.
U p d a t i n g t h e O p t i M e m P r e f e r e n c e s F i l e
Your personal configuration options for OptiMem along with the optimization parameters used for each application are stored in a separate file called "OptiMem Preferences." The "OptiMem Preferences Update" program is used to merge newly distributed optimization parameters into your existing OptiMem Preferences file so that you may update your active OptiMem Preferences without losing changes or additions you have made since installing. (The "OptiMem Preferences Update" program can also be used to install a fresh copy of OptiMem Preferences OR to undo the last update that you did with this program.)
While updating the OptiMem Preferences, there can be no other applications open or running on the computer. The update program will attempt to quit all of the open applications (with your approval). Some applications may have difficulties quitting in response to another program's request (currently, this is often the case). In such a case, the update will not be able to proceed and you will need to quit the other applications yourself before you are able to perform the update. If you continue to have problems with this, please disable all extensions (by restarting the computer while holding down the Shift key) and try again.
• To begin, open the "OptiMem Preferences Update" program, which came with these notes.
• When there are no open applications, you will be asked to locate the copy of "OptiMem Preferences" to be updated, using a standard Directory Dialog Box. Normally, this will be your currently active copy which is located in the "Preferences" folder in the "System Folder" on your startup disk (and the updater will try to locate this copy for you). We recommend that you do NOT update your original OptiMem Installation disk. The new OptiMem Preferences file to be merged in will normally be in the same folder with this OptiMem Preferences Update program. If so, the updater will find OptiMem Preferences there automatically and use it. If not, you will be asked to locate the new OptiMem Preferences that you wish to merge in.
• If you have updated your OptiMem Preferences before, you will be able to choose to undo the previous update as an alternative to proceeding with a new update. (You may wish to undo if you find that some part of an update was not what you wanted.) If you proceed with the installation, you will be given the choice of merging any new parameters into an existing OptiMem Preferences file or installing a new OptiMem Preferences in its entirety (if for some reason you wish to discard any changes made and revert to the original settings). When merging with your existing OptiMem Preferences, the update program will check to see if any of the new optimization parameters would alter any that are currently in use on your computer. If so, the program will give you the option, for each affected application, of installing the new optimization parameters or staying with your existing ones.
• After the update or undo is complete, you may begin using the new OptiMem Preferences immediately, without restarting the computer.
C h a n g e L o g
Notable Changes in the Updates to OptiMem RAM Charger
Version 2.1.1
• OptiMem Improvement: Accommodate optimization of additional applications on Power Macs that use the Code Fragment Manager and have unusual stack requirements.
• OptiMem Improvement: Better automatic OptiMization settings for native applications on Power Macs.
• OptiMem Improvement: Support for OptiMizing very old applications with non-standard version resources (like Excel 2.2) has been added.
• OptiMem Fix: Auto-opening of the Heads-up display has been delayed to avoid being in the way when rebuilding the desktop.
• OptiMem Fix: For Power Mac native applications (that use the “Code Fragment Manager”), the memory requirement sizes displayed in the OptiMem Settings window when virtual memory is off have been corrected.
• OptiMem Fix: Items added by some applications to the Help menu were removed occasionally, when another application was opened. This has been fixed.
• OptiMem Fix: Some applications which had not been OptiMized before, when selected from the Apple menu, did not open correctly. This has been fixed. (Also removed the “write to address 0” when displaying the alert during launch.)
• OptiMization Settings: Included a default setting for Netscape to run unoptimized. This Web browser has been designed to grow and fill all available memory, keeping in memory all the web pages that are visited, to provide the best speed of operation. Therefore, if you run it OptiMized, it will gradually fill up all the free memory in your machine. For most use, it will be preferable to decide how much memory you want to dedicate to Netscape, set its Preferred Size to that amount, and run it unoptimized.
Version 2.1
• OptiMem Improvement: The Settings Wizard was added to observe/report on memory used by an application and make suggestions for adjusting OptiMization settings for better results. (For more information, see the following Manual Addendum section in this file.)
• OptiMem Improvement: The dialog box displayed when a new application is to be opened, provides additional options and does not require the use of special keys to access options.
• OptiMem Improvement: Improved interaction when using the keyboard shortcut to change the OptiMization setting while opening an application.
• OptiMem Improvement: Auto-opening the Heads-up window at startup is now performed without placing an alias to the control panel in the Startup Items folder. This avoids all of the problems with Startup Items that exist in current versions of system software.
• OptiMem Improvement: Improved type-in entry of number fields in the OptiMem Settings window.
• OptiMization Settings: Revised settings for WordPerfect 3.1 to avoid unusal situations of being tight on memory, introduced in OptiMem 2.0.2.
• OptiMization Settings: Revised settings for M.Y.O.B. to avoid slow-down when using large files.
Version 2.0.2
• Application fix: Added a fix for applications that have the “purgable WDEF bug.” This bug is found in a number of popular applications (reported in ClarisWorks and WordPerfect) and causes infrequent crashes (with system error #87), unrelated to OptiMem. OptiMem now fixes any application with this problem when it is run OptiMized.
• OptiMem Improvement: Add to the “Squeeze When Switched To Background” option so that more free memory is recovered outside of application initial memory blocks.
• OptiMem Improvement: Better techniques avoid blocking of system memory in more situations. Auto-Stretch System default increased to 100K.
• OptiMem Improvement: Loading of OptiMem CODE resource at system startup time now works even during very unusual limited memory conditions.
• OptiMem Improvement: When the Heads-up window (or other control panel) is forced to close by the Finder thinking that memory is tight, provide easier access to auto-re-open them.
• OptiMem Improvement: More effective maintenance of the “Emergency Reserve.” This helps some unusual applications that might otherwise crash in the background, such as “Open Sesame!”
• OptiMem Improvement: Changed name of Heads-up auto-open alias in the Startup Items from “OptiMem” to “OptiMem alias.” This makes it more clear that it is an alias and avoids the Now Startup Manager bug seen on some Macs.
• OptiMem Improvement: Several minor cosmetic improvements.
• OptiMem Fix: Use the correct Partition Size during launch of a new application where the user turns OptiMization off with the keyboard shortcut.
• OptiMem Fix: Fix bug which caused unpredictable behavior during unusual system startups. For example, it caused a crash when starting up with At Ease in control and then immediately starting the Finder, when there were items in the Startup Items folder.
• OptiMization Settings: Revised settings for new versions of applications that did not work well using settings inherited from previous versions: MacTools Pro AutoCheck 4.0, Now Contact 3.0.1, Now Up-To-Date 3.0.1.
• OptiMization Settings: America Online 2.5.1, increased default initial memory block so imaging module will load without complaint.
• Installer Improvement: Simplified the standard “Easy Install” sequence. Also, display progress while merging new preferences with old.
• Demo Improvement: The demo installed without a Serial ID now lasts 7 Days.
Version 2.0.1
• Improved compatibility with At Ease, or other “substitute” finders (the real Finder too, if it has been renamed.)
• Improved remembering of OptiMem Heads-up window location, even when closed improperly (for example, when the system or Finder crashes) or when relocated while using At Ease.
• Made Installer more robust under some unusual memory configurations.
• Added alert and help for user to re-open Control Panels that the Finder has closed due to a momentary memory shortage.
• Made OptiMem Settings more robust when encountering a damaged or missing SIZE resource in an application.
• PowerMac only: Now able to optimize native-only applications even if they do not have a CODE resource.
• PowerMac only: Found additional bugs in Apple’s Modern Memory Manager.
a) Fixed MaxApplZone clobbering the end of application heap. (RAM Doubler users could crash when it encountered the damaged heap early in app launch.)
b) Added a work-around for the modified behavior of SetApplLimit, which caused some applications to break down under tight memory conditions (for example, CP AutoCheck).
• Mac Plus w/ System 7.0 only: Fixed “Unimplemented Trap” crash when using pop-up menus in the OptiMem Settings window.
M a n u a l A d d e n d u m
Additions and Clarifications to the Manual
• NEW DIALOG BOX WHEN AUTOMATICALLY OPTIMIZING NEW APPLICATIONS
When OptiMem RAM Charger gives notice that a new application is to be opened OptiMized, a new dialog box is used to provide more flexibility. The notification window now lets the user choose between a Better and Safer OptiMization level—or None at all—to use with the new application. The Safer level uses the application’s preferred size for a better chance of successful operation. The Better level uses the most beneficial OptiMization Method and a minimum sized Initial Memory Block in attempting to save more memory. The Quit button aborts launching of the application. If the computer is unattended, or a button is not clicked within two minutes, the notice is automatically canceled and the application is opened without being OptiMized.
• OPTIMEM SETTINGS WIZARD
If you wish to adjust the OptiMization settings for an application, OptiMem RAM Charger now has a Settings Wizard that helps you get started in the right direction. It observes the memory use of an application while you use it. After you quit, the Wizard reports what it found to help you make effective adjustments.
To use the Settings Wizard, open the OptiMem Settings window (click the go-light button in the Heads-up window, if it is open) and select the application you wish to monitor. Then launch the application. All the while you use the application, the Wizard will observe its memory use. When you quit the application, and return to the OptiMem Settings window, the Wizard will report on the application and suggest adjustments you might wish to make.
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