RAM Disk Iconer is a control panel/system extension that allows you to customize the name and the icon of your RAM Disk. The control panel allows you to choose the name and to activate or deactivate any of the options. The system extension code gets executed at startup. If these options are checked, it will rename the RAM Disk and/or create the custom icon file. Once this is done, it just quits. Thus, it will not use any memory nor slow down your system after it has booted. RAM Disk Iconer doesn't patch any traps and should not conflict with other system extensions or control panels.
Note : If your RAM Disk has a custom icon but is empty when you shutdown, the system won't warn you that the RAM Disk content will be lost at shutdown.
•• REQUIREMENTS ••
To use RAM Disk Iconer, you'll need a RAM Disk capable Macintosh with Color QuickDraw running System 7.0 or higher. It should work without problem on a PowerMacintosh, but this has not been tested. If your Mac doesn't meet these requirements, you won't be able to open the RAM Disk Iconer control panel. If you install it, it will displays a crossed icon during startup.
•• INSTALLATION ••
To install RAM Disk Iconer, just drop it on your Control Panel folder. Then make sure RAM Disk Iconer comes after the Memory control panel in the alphabetical order. If this is not the case, rename RAM Disk Iconer to ~RAM Disk Iconer or •RAM Disk Iconer.
It's the Memory control panel that initializes the RAM Disk when your turn on your Mac. If the RAM Disk is not initialized when RAM Disk Iconer loads, it won't be able to customize it. That's why RAM Disk Iconer must load after the Memory control panel.
When it is installed, RAM Disk Iconer displays its icon during startup. If the icon is crossed out, then your Mac doesn't support RAM Disk Iconer (see REQUIREMENTS above) or an error occured.
To deinstall RAM Disk Iconer, simply remove it from the Control Panel folder. If you deactivate your RAM Disk with the Memory control panel, you don't need to deinstall RAM Disk Iconer.
•• SETTINGS ••
Note : RAM Disk Iconer supports Baloon Help.
The first time you open it, RAM Disk Iconer displays two information dialogs. Click on them to dismiss them. If you wish to display them again later, click on the question mark icon in the upper right corner of the control panel window.
◊ “Use custom name”
If you'd like to use a custom name for your RAM Disk, check this box and enter a name in the edit text field. Colons (:) are not allowed in disk names. The maximum length for the name is 27 characters. Copy, cut, paste and delete are supported.
You will hear a beep in the following cases :
— You typed a colon.
— The name is 27 characters long and you typed a letter.
— You tried to paste, but the Clipboard contains one or several colons.
— You tried to paste, but this would cause the name to exceed 27 characters.
◊ “Use custom icon”
If this box is checked, the icon displayed on the left will be used for the RAM Disk. You can click on the custom icon to see how it looks in its normal and selected state.
You can change the custom icon by modifying icon family (ICN#, icl8, icl4, ics#, ics8, ics4) ID 1000 inside the control panel with a resource editor like ResEdit. The color and small icons are not required.
When you use this option, RAM Disk Iconer creates the icon file at startup. This causes the Finder to rebuild the RAM Disk desktop when it starts. This usually takes a few seconds only. It's not very aesthetic, but I couldn't find a workaround.
Note : When you turn on an option, the change will take effect after you restart, but when you turn off an option, you will need to shutdown your Mac to see the changes.
•• AUTHOR ••
Written by : Patrick Stadelmann
Vergers 22
2022 Bevaix
SWITZERLAND
e-mail : Patrick.Stadelmann@etudiants.unine.ch
You can send comments, suggestions & bug reports via e-mail, but this doesn't count as a postcard !
•• DISCLAIMER ••
Use this software at your own risks. The author makes no warranty at all regarding this software and takes no responsability for any problems that this software may, directly or indirectly, cause.
