CompuServe Thread

#PDF reader wanted

13 messages in this thread
#132517From: Paul MalchodiFeb 17, 1994 4:43 PM
Brian thanks again for the help. No Icon files don't make much sense for a former mac user. But there must be a good reason for them. Another thing that I've found that I don't understand is the existence of "info" files. I'm using atalk3 to access CI$ and my session record files all have another file created with them with a .info extension. This is confusing, and with long file names hides the extension out of menu selection windows. It has created a few messes for me already. Paul
#132525From: Christopher TolmieFeb 17, 1994 5:13 PM
Paul, The .info file extension is the ICON attached to the file. It is easy to replace the icon with a different design by copying to new icon using the old name. Without the .info file no icon will show up unless you choose from the Window icon Show All Files. Chris
#132761From: Paul MalchodiFeb 19, 1994 7:24 AM
Chris THanks, I think I would have built the icon into the file header, but at least It makes sense, that explains why I have some folders (oops, "drawers") with no icon. Now if only I could figure out why there are folders named "c", "l", "s" etc. that seems to be the ultimate in nonidentifiability to me. I wonder what happens when I append a session log to an icon file. (ive done it a few times…) Paul
#132764From: Christopher TolmieFeb 19, 1994 8:10 AM
If you mean put the icon in the file like the MAC, well it wouldn't be as easy would it to alter, change, mutilate and spindle the icons to your liking now would it? Then there are files that don't need icons, shouldn't be seen on the WB and would just add clutter to the display. This way you got two ways to view a file, via the Shell and DirUtild or by icons. There are lots of files I haven't a desire to see on my WB. Plus this way if you need to save space you can delete the icon.info files. Chris
#133038From: Paul MalchodiFeb 21, 1994 1:27 PM
Chris You're correct, most of the time, one doesn't need to look at most small system files. Actually, it's easy to change mac icons, I'm not sure how it works but any graphic can be put in place of a mac icon. I suspect the same is possible on the AMiga as well, but I havent' gotten that far in the manual yet. I prefer to see all the files on a given disk on my workbench. Let me figure out which ones are important to me.
#133082From: Christopher TolmieFeb 21, 1994 5:52 PM
Paul, Yeah, in Sys 7x it is easy to change the icon, using the Information box, and the clipboard. To change the icon on the amiga one only has to replace the filename.info file. BTW how large an icon can the MAC handle? With the Amiga you can make them an ungodly size. In fact some commercial stuff has generated these huge icons and I've had to scale them down to a smaller size. PS If you prefer to see all the files on a given disk does that include the desktop file for the MAC? Those are usually hidden and for good reason. Trash that file and your system must rebuild them.
#133449From: Paul MalchodiFeb 23, 1994 6:32 PM
Good thought about the desktop file, I never did figure out where that is kept, there are probably others too, Though the user never needs to edit them. Im not sure how big icons can get though I've never seen one larger that the large standard size (about .75 x .75 inches) I have seen photos shrunk down into Mac icons too. I must stop thinking about the old days though and get on with learing this machine. By the way, any ideas why the serial port on the 3000 is limited to 31,200 when that doesn't seem to be a standard rate, (and my modem can take date input at 57,600)? Thanks Paul
#133719From: Christopher TolmieFeb 25, 1994 9:38 AM
Paul, I'm not sure but I'd guess the desktop file is hidden on the root directory of the disk. I've seen the file a couple times, there are different versions of it. Something like desktopA, desktopB, etc. Sometimes they'll show on an IBM disk I've written to on the mac and then read in the Amiga. Come to think of it a directory (folder) shows up and in it is the Desktop file(s) The different versions appear when you read a disk on system 6.x and then load sys7.x. Each version generates its own uniquely named desktop file. Each time I drop down to Sys 6 or go back to Sys7, the SyQuest cart (or fixed disk if written to) I wrote to has its desktop file updated the OS. No idea, on the serial port limits. Although I'm sure someone else will offer an explanation. Christopher
#132772From: Christopher TolmieFeb 19, 1994 9:58 AM
Paul. "Now if only I could figure out why there are folders named "c", "l", "s" etc…" Those are the system folders, err a… directories :-). l: is for handlers and FileSystems libs: contains libraries c: holds the commands s: Script files like startup-sequence and user-startup DEVS: device drivers These directory files don't need icons, are called upon by running programs and many of them are not "launchable" like system files in the MAC system directory, err a… folder. 🙂 A session log, as in a capture file using a term program? Well you can attach any icon to the file, it is good to use one that is for Projects, if not you can load it into the IconEDITor and change it.
#133042From: Paul MalchodiFeb 21, 1994 1:33 PM
Christopher Thanks, I will post that list in the front of my manual. What I actually did was append a a session log to the log.info file from my previous session. Mostly because the .info was hidden outside the selection window so I had two files with apparently the same name. If nothing else this is a learning experience. I just wish it didn't take so much time and effort to learn. I want to use my computer, not spend time trying to figure out that some shortcutting programmer at commodore used the name "s" for a directry full of script files rather than calling it "script_files" Thanks again Paul
#132559From: Christopher TolmieFeb 17, 1994 8:32 PM
Paul, .info That is a leftover from the 1.x OS. I recall it had something to do with the filesystem directory but I don't think it was ever implemented. If you meant filename.info then that is an icon file for a data or program file of the same name without the .info extension. In my previous post to you I believe I didn't mention anything about the .info file. You can type it out in a shell and you'll see a few names of the files in that particular sub-directory. Shell 1> TYPE .info Chris
#132762From: Paul MalchodiFeb 19, 1994 7:26 AM
Chris, Thanks, I'll try that. What access program do you use to keep your CI$ costs down? Thanks Paul
#132765From: Christopher TolmieFeb 19, 1994 8:12 AM
Paul, I've been using AutoPilot and before that, Whap!. (Whap! no longer supported, thus not available) Chris