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Other 3.0 doc
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1987-01-03
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Other╔ 3.0 doc (MacWrite file)
Other╔ 3.0
Documentation
Other╔ 3.0 is both an improvement over and a regression from the 1.x
versions (up to version 1.6b at this writing). They both have the
same objective: to allow you to run desk accessories that haven't been
installed in the System file, but instead reside in a file (created
by Apple's Font/DA Mover or by Dreams of the Phoenix's DA Installer
or DA Installer+), either on the disk you are using or on another disk.
Other╔ 1.x took an approach to this problem that made it clumsy to
use; limited you to running a single "additional" desk accessory at
a time; and did not allow you to use that desk accessory simultaneously
with the program you were running. The 2.x series of Other╔ (and of
the FKEY DA Key, which does substantially the same thing but installs
as an FKEY) represent a new approach, which I hope will be easier to
use and more functional.
Other╔ 3.0 installs the vagrant DA in the Apple menu (it will stay
there until you quit the program you are running, or remove it with
Other╔), and you can operate it just like any other desk accessory
in the menu. There is no finagling with "save screen" options, and
none of the frustration of seeing your program's window on the screen
and being unable to access it. Moreover, although Other╔ 3.0 is not
crash-proof, in my own testing it has proved far more resilient than
the 1.x versions. I have not come close to testing it with every available
DA. However, in my own experience it seems to have problems only with
DA's (like SkipFinder) that expect to survive beyond a single application
and a few DA's that don't follow Apple's guidelines for desk accessories.
Note: I think the current version of Other╔ (2.1) is pretty solid
on new ROM machines, but have not tried it on machines with the old
ROM or on a Mac XL. I would particularly appreciate hearing of reproducible
bugs from users with the old ROMs or Mac XLs.
Installing Other╔
Other╔ installs as a desk accessory in the System file. It can be installed
using the Font/DA Mover from Apple, or DA Installer+ from Dreams of
the Phoenix (on Quick & Dirty Utilities¬ vol. 1). However, if you
use DA Installer+, you should thereafter check the MENU resource in
the System file and make certain it is set as unpurgeable.
Running Other╔ 3.0
Adding accessories to the menu
Run Other╔ just like any other desk accessory from the Apple menu.
It will appear, insert a menu and show the SFGetFile box. (If you
are running HFS, DAKey should set the SFGetFile box to open to the
Blessed Folder, if one there be on the default disk.) From that box
you can select any Font/DA Mover or DA Installer+ file to install --
but the file should contain only a single desk accessory. Select the
file and click "Open", or just double-click the file name. You can
keep the menu from appearing by holding down the Option key when you
invoke Other╔.
If all goes well, the desk accessory you chose will be opened and its
name installed at the bottom of the Apple menu. The name will be preceded
by the sign to distinguish it from desk accessories installed in
the normal manner╤see ConCode and Camera in the display below:
You can then treat the newly-installed accessory just like any other,
opening and closing it as you will. It will remain installed and available
until you quit the application or remove it with Other╔ 3.0 (see below
for instructions how to remove the accessory).
Automatic Renumbering
If the desk accessory you chose has an ID that is already in use, Other╔
3.0 will tell you that the slot is in use and ask whether you would
like it to be renumbered. Renumbering will take a while (usually about
a minute with the old ROMs, less with the 128K ROMs), and (although
I believe I have the renumbering routines working correctly now) renumbering
could damage the desk accessory file on your disk, so you should not
agree to renumber unless you have a backup of that file.
Closing and Removing the Installed Desk Accessory
A desk accessory installed by Other╔ 3.0 can be closed (and reopened)
in the usual fashion. In addition, if you like you can both close the
accessory and remove it from the Apple menu by choosing the "Remove
Accessory" item from the Other╔ menu. This will bring up a dialog
box that looks more or less like the following:
From this dialog box, you can click "Cancel" to do nothing; "Remove
All" to remove all desk accessories installed with DA Key; or you can
click on the name of an individual desk accessory to remove it and
free up the slot. (If you have the old ROMs, the accessory's name
in the Apple menu will be replaced by the disabled word, "Gone".)
Testing and Bug Reports
I have used Other╔ for some time on my system [512K Mac with new ROMs
and a MacBottom hard disk drive]. In addition, I have attempted to
test the old ROM routines by using those calls on my system. I have
fixed all the bugs that I have found but there are certainly others
I haven't found. Moreover, I haven't been able to test it at all on
a Lisa running MacWorks. I'd appreciate receiving bug reports and suggestions
for improvement.
Bug reports are most useful to me if you can tell me (a) your setup
(version of the Mac and System you are using), (b) what program you
were running, (c) what desk accessory you attempted to install, and
(d) if possible, what DA's were already installed (and what if any
were running) when the error occurred.
Application Notes
1. Each desk accessory installed by Other╔ takes up some additional
memory, and requires the system to open (and maintain) one additional
resource file. This means that with several accessories installed by
Other╔, some operations may slow down somewhat; and it generally means
that the practical limit to the number of additional accessories you
can install at once is below the theoretical limit. In practice, I've
found that 4 or 5 is generally safe; more than that may cause problems,
depending on how the accessory, and the program that is running, handle
memory. I have, however, successfully installed ten additional accessories
at one time. Let me know your experiences.
2. I have used Other╔ to run two copies of Acta simultaneously, making
it easier to move back and forth between outlines. I do this by installing
one copy of Acta in the System file, and keeping another copy in a
desk accessory file with a special name (like "Acta Renamed"). The
copy must have a different name from the version of Acta installed
in the System file)╤you will probably have to use ResEd or DA Installer+
to do this. (Note that just renaming the file isn't enough╤the accessory
itself should be renamed.) You can then use the regular version normally,
and use the copy, as a second one, through Other╔.
If you do this, be careful not to open the same file in both Actas;
you may get confused about which one you're using. (I have my System
copy configured to automatically open the System file, and my other
copy configured not to.) And if you do this from the Finder, you will
note that some icons (trash can, floppy disks) turn into Acta icons
because of a resource conflict. I think you can safely remove the extra
ICN#'s from the renamed copy of Acta, but I'm not certain. Proceed
with caution.
You can probably use a similar trick to run multiple copies of other
desk accessories. Let me know your experiences.
Compatability Notes
The following desk accessories, as far as I know, will not work properly
if run from Other╔. They may do nothing; they may do nothing useful;
or they may cause a system crash or other serious error.
Crash Fix. Installs and appears to run properly, but a System crash
will generally produce a second, unrecoverable crash after the "resume"
button is pressed.
SkipFinder (5.3, 6.0). Installs properly, but has no effect. Needs
permanent installation in the System file to work.
FadeToBlack will not work properly with DA Key. It is hardcoded on
the assumption that it resides in the System file.
The following desk accessories, as far as I know, will work if run
from Other╔, but may cause occasional problems. I am not certain whether
the problems relate to Other╔ or to the desk accessory running under
HFS.
Cheap Paint. On one occasion failed to save changes, presenting an
error message, "Can't save to the Scrapbook". The result was a damaged
Cheap Paint desk accessory file, but no other damage. I think it is
best to avoid using desk accessories that open other files (and thus
may reset the default volume) while using Cheap Paint under Other╔.
Sidekick (1.0). Sometimes has trouble finding the files it needs under
HFS. I think this is a general HFS problems, and not specific to DA
Key. A workaround is to keep the needed files ("DeskStuff" in particular)
in the root directory on a floppy disk that can be inserted as needed.
These DA's (partial list) have been run successfully with Other╔.
Talking Moose. Still has to have MacInTalk and Moose Phrases in the
System file.
ConCode 1.3.
Time Out.
Acta (1.1).
MiniWriter (1.1).
Control Panel
Key Caps
Alarm Clock
Cray Calculator
Abacus
╡-Paint
BackDown
Q&D VT-52
MockPrinter
MockWrite
MockTerminal
Calendar Book (Sidekick)
Versions and Bug Fixes.
Version 2.x is the first release version of this general form of the
accessory.
Version 3.0 is the first release version of the recoded (in C) accessory.
Notes for Hackers and Developers
1. Other╔ allows the technical user to "lock out" some driver slots
to assure that Other╔ will never attempt to install a desk accessory
in that slot. The list of locked-out slots is contained in a resource
of type 'mAsK' as an array of 48 bytes; $FF means the slot is locked
out, $00 means the slot can be used (if Other╔ doesn't find something
else installed in it). As shipped, Other╔ locks out slots 0-11, which
are reserved by Apple. It doesn't lock out anything else. You can
change the list of locked out slots with a resource editor such as
ResEdit.
2. Other╔ 3.0 will attempt to open files of type 'DFIL' or 'DAMN'.
I gather that some development systems make it difficult to set the
Type bits on a newly-created desk accessory. If you want, you can use
FEDIT+ to search for 'DFIL' or 'DMOV' and replace the four characters
of either one to whatever your development system sets as the Type
bits. Alternatively, if you send me a blank disk, a mailer, and an
extra $5 with your registration, I will provide you with a version
of Other╔ that will attempt to open all kinds of files.
4. I believe strongly that Other╔ and similar accessories should not
be necessary: the System, or at least the application, should support
a similar feature. To this end I am willing to make my source code
available to any developer who would like to add the feature to his
or her application. Contact me if you are interested.
Registration
Other╔ 3.0 isn't public domain software: it's shareware, and it's copyrighted.
Feel free to try it out; but if you continue to use it after a week
or so, you should send me $10.00 for registration. ($15 if you want
a copy of the latest version on disk.) The program has taken me a
long time to write and will take me more time to support. Please,
if you use it, register it.
If you registered any previous version of Other╔ before September 30,
1986, you should consider version 3.0 a free upgrade.
It will help me in knowing where to post upgrades if, when you register,
you tell me what version you have and where you got it.
Loftus E. Becker, Jr.
41 Whitney Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Compuserve 70206,67
Delphi LOFTUSBECKER
GENIE LBECKER
MCIMail LBECKER
Users' groups and others distributing disks may freely distribute Other╔
under three conditions: (1) you distribute this documentation file
along with the FKEY; (2) you aren't charging users significantly more
than your costs of duplication and distribution for the disks you distribute;
and (3) if you charge anything for the disks, you let me know (by postcard,
electronic mail, or otherwise) that you are distributing Other╔, and
which version you are distributing.
Other╔ may be posted on any bulletin board without my prior permission
so long as the documentation file is posted along with the FKEY. I'd
appreciate knowing where you post it, but that's a wish, not a requirement.
Individuals may make as many copies of Other╔ as they want for their
own use, and as many copies as they want for other people as long as
the documentation file is always included with the FKEY on copies they
make for others.