Please read this entire file before using DeBNDLer.
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Ñ Copyright Notice
The DeBNDLer software and this documentation are copyright ⌐ 1990-91 Stephan Somogyi, all rights reserved.
Permission is granted to make and distribute copies of the software and accompanying documentation for non-profit purposes only. DeBNDLer may not be included in any for-profit product without written permission from the author.
This documentation is part of DeBNDLer and must accompany the software.
Ñ Disclaimer
Use this software at your own risk.
While I have tried to ensure that this application is bug-free, I make no claims, express or implied, about the suitability of this software for any purpose whatsoever.
Ñ Warning
DeBNDLer irrevocably alters the PostScript font outline files that it processes.
Ñ Changes from Version 1.0
DeBNDLer 1.1 is the result of user feedback.
The most frequently requested feature was the ability to ╥fix╙ PostScript font outline files other than those made by Adobe. This feature is activated by checking the ╥Convert all PostScript font files╙ check box. With this feature on, any PostScript font file, Type 1 as well as Type 3, and from any vendor, will be changed.
The second, somewhat un-obvious, change in this version is that the font vendors╒ version/copyright information (visible in the Finder╒s Get Info dialog) stays intact when using DeBNDLer 1.1 ╤ this was not the case with 1.0. While no-one complained about the loss of this information per se, many people dislike DeBNDLer changing a font file╒s creator and, consequently, its appearance. Keeping existing version and copyright information allows people to keep track of a font╒s origin.
If you have font outline files that were fixed by DeBNDLer 1.0 and you care about version information, you may want to delete them, get your original files, and then run DeBNDLer 1.1.
DeBNDLer 1.1 also has a new icon for itself and for fonts. Please rebuild your desktop after replacing DeBNDLer 1.0 with 1.1 on your hard disk.
Version 1.1 also contains some of ╥under the hood╙ changes that are detailed below.
Ñ Introduction to DeBNDLer
If you keep a lot of PostScript font outline files ╤ also known as printer fonts ╤ on your Mac╒s hard disk to use with Adobe Type Manager, you may find that rebuilding your desktop and opening folders that contain font outline files takes a long time.
This is because the Finder keeps information about applications, their documents, and their icons in the Desktop file. Each application has a Bundle resource that lets the Finder know that it contains icon information. Documents don╒t have Bundles because their icons are stored in their application of origin. For example, Microsoft Word has a Bundle that tells the Finder about the application╒s icon as well as about the icons for all Word documents.
To guarantee that every PostScript font file has an icon, Adobe and most other type vendors ship each file with a Bundle. If you have 20 outline files on your disk and you rebuild your Desktop, the Finder will find 20 instances of the same information. If you have many printer fonts and you use Apple╒s Desktop Manager INIT (part of the AppleShare server software) or System 7 (which has the Desktop Manager built in), it can take a long time to open folders containing printer fonts or to rebuild the Desktop.
To solve this problem of long Desktop-rebuild and folder-open times, I╒ve written a small application named DeBNDLer. DeBNDLer scans either the active system folder or the volume where DeBNDLer resides, depending on which radio button you choose ╤ Process Current System Folder or Process This Volume. DeBNDLer then removes the Bundle information from the files and changes their creator to that of DeBNDLer. Because all printer fonts are now treated by the Finder as DeBNDLer documents, rebuilding the desktop is much faster.
If you would like more information about the Desktop Manager, please see my article in the April 1990 issue of MacUser on page 275.
DeBNDLer does not affect ATM, Adobe╒s Font Downloader, or Adobe Type Reunion.
Ñ How To Use DeBNDLer
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In the main dialog you choose whether you want DeBNDLer to search through the volume that it was launched from, or only in the currently active system folder. ╥Process System Folder╙ is the default, since most people keep their outline files in their System folder or in a folder therein. DeBNDLer scans the currently active system folder and all folders within it.
Enabling the ╥Convert all PostScript font files╙ check box allows DeBNDLer to ╥fix╙ all PostScript font files it finds, not only Adobe╒s.
Once you╒ve made your choices DeBNDLer scans and changes the outline files it finds.
After DeBNDLer finishes you must rebuild your Desktop file(s).
Ñ Rebuilding your Desktop(s)
Restart your Macintosh and hold down the Command and Option keys as the Finder launches, i.e. after the last INIT has loaded. If you are not sure when this is, just hold down Command and Option after the restart. Continue to hold down the two keys until you see the Finder╒s dialog asking whether you wish to rebuild your desktop. The request dialog will appear once for every volume.
After DeBNDLer is finished and your Desktop is rebuilt PostScript font outline files have the following icon:
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Ñ Care and Feeding
Keep a copy of DeBNDLer on each volume that contains PostScript font outline files. Only those volumes that have DeBNDLer on them will display the proper icon for the font outline files.
Every time you copy new font outline files to a volume, run DeBNDLer. You don╒t really have to rebuild your desktop each time as well, but I╒m leaving the wording in the closing dialog as it is; rebuilding once too often is always better than not often enough.
Ñ System 7 Information
System 7 categorizes PostScript font files as ╥Extensions╙, therefore DeBNDLer will not launch when you double-click on them. The Finder╒s Get Info dialog will refer to PostScript font files as extensions and not as DeBNDLer documents.
DeBNDLer provides color icons for PostScript font files that it has converted.
Ñ Virus Information
DeBNDLer will not set off anti-viral alerts in normal operation. The DeBNDLer application should also never be modified. There is cause for suspicion if your anti-viral protection ever brings up an alert stating that DeBNDLer is being modified.
I strongly recommend that you use anti-viral software if you do not already do so.
Ñ Nerd Stuff
DeBNDLer removes the outline files╒ BNDL, FREF, ICN#, and owner resources and clears the file╒s Bundle bit. Each outline file╒s creator is changed from its original to ╘DeBN╒, DeBNDLer╒s creator.
A number of people favor the approach of only clearing a font file╒s Bundle bit. This approach will cause utilities such as BundAid to reset the Bundle bit since Bundle information is still contained in the file. BundAid is used to correct instances of inconsistent Bundle information ╤ only clearing the Bundle bit is such a case.
Another reason people like the non-creator-changing approach is because they want to keep the original icon around to see the origin of the font. DeBNDLer 1.1 converts a font file╒s owner resource to a ╘vers╒ 1 resource if no vers 1 already exists, thereby keeping existing version and copyright information intact.
Version 1.1 also uses the disk searching scheme that John Norstad developed for Disinfectant. It copes with files being created and/or deleted while DeBNDLer is running. With the introduction of FileShare and MultiFinder always being active under System 7 this situation is more likely to occur on any given Mac, not just on a server.
DeBNDLer was developed using THINK C, Mathem╛sthetics╒ Resorcerer, ResEdit, MacsBug, and TMON Pro.
DeBNDLer is 32-bit clean and System 7 compatible.
DeBNDLer 1.1 was tested on a variety of non-Adobe Type 1 and Type 3 font files ╤ there were no problems processing any of these files.
Ñ Errors and Bugs
If you encounter a reproducible problem, please let me know so that I can fix it.
Ñ Feedback
If you want to suggest improvements or report a bug, these are the best ways to reach me.
