Ñ NEWS FOR USERS THAT HAVE MODIFIED THEIR HARD DISK'S BOOT BLOCKS Ñ
WARNING: System Picker updates the selected hard disk's boot blocks using the boot information from the chosen System file. This will reset the boot blocks to their original default settings. Users that have used utility programs to change specific boot block settings, such as their system heap size and maximum number of open files may not want to use System Picker.
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ INSTRUCTIONS AND BASIC INFORMATION ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ
System Picker is a utility application which allows the user to choose the folder that will be the active System Folder upon restart. When System Picker is first opened it starts looking on all hard disks (including the Portable's RAM disk ) to create a list of blessable System Folders. This list of System Folders is contained in the pop-up menu that appears when the user clicks on the pop-up menu in the window of System Picker. Selecting a System Folder from the pop-up menu, and clicking the "Restart" button restarts the Macintosh using the selected System Folder. It's that easy!
REASONS FOR USING SYSTEM PICKER
Switching between System 6 and System 7 can be as easy as selecting a System Folder from System Picker's pop-up menu and clicking the "Restart" button. There might be applications that are happier in System 6, but features in System 7 are nice; so System Picker makes switching fast.
Other uses might include switching between customized System Folders. Perhaps, one System Folder has lots of fonts and additions for word processing, and the another System Folder is simple for playing games, or for the kids.
WARNING: System Picker updates the selected hard disk's boot blocks using the boot information from the chosen System file. This will reset the boot blocks to their original default settings. Users that have used utility programs to change specific boot block settings, such as their system heap size and maximum number of open files may not want to use System Picker.
THE RESTART BUTTON
The "Restart" button is enabled when the user selects a folder from the pop-up menu. If other applications are open when the user clicks the "Restart" button, the user will be allowed to safely quit the other running applications. After all applications are quit System Picker records the chosen folder and instantly restarts the Macintosh.
System Picker records which System Folder to be the active System Folder upon restart by saving two pieces of information. First, the disk that the folder is on is saved just as if the user had selected it using the Startup Disk Control Panel. The second piece of information, the folder, is recorded on that disk by saving its ID to disk.
SEARCHING OPTIONS
How deep System Picker looks in the folders on the mounted disks is determined by the search depth number set by selecting "Search Depth" from the "Options" menu, then the number from the hierarchical menu. To make searching faster, System Picker saves the current list of folders when quitting, then retrieves this list when opened the next time. When opened, this list of folders is verified and presented as quickly as possible. While waiting for the user to choose a folder, System Picker continues searching the disks looking for additional System Folders. During searching, the user can still use any of System Picker's controls.
SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR MAC PLUS USERS
Since a startup disk can not be specified on the Macintosh Plus using the Startup Disk Control Panel, System Picker must be tricky about getting the Plus to startup on the chosen disk. Instead, I make the chosen disk the only disk that contains a recognizable ("blessed") System Folder. System Picker does this by "deblessing" all System Folders on all mounted disks, except for the System Folder that the user chose from the pop-up menu. Therefore, if the user tries to use one of the other disks to start up which System Picker has "deblessed", the Macintosh will not find a System Folder and will display the disk icon with a question mark. Either insert a floppy startup disk, or attach a hard disk that has a "blessed" System Folder. Once in the Finder, open and close the System Folder to "bless" it, or use System Picker.
SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR USERS WITH PARTITIONED DRIVES
If one SCSI drive is partitioned into several volumes, the Macintosh normally starts on the first partition it finds that has a "blessed" System Folder. To solve this problem, System Picker "deblesses" all System Folders on the partitioned drive, except for the System Folder that the user chose from the pop-up menu. Upon startup, the Macintosh checks each partition looking for a "blessed" System Folder, skipping the partitions that do not have "blessed" System Folders.
IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, BUGS TO REPORT, OR SUGGESTED ENHANCEMENTS, PLEASE SEND THEM TO:
Kevin Aitken
1670 El Camino Real #162
Menlo Park, CA 49025-4101
AppleLink: AITKEN.K
America Online: HartAitken
SYSTEM PICKER CAN BE FREELY DISTRIBUTED. ENJOY!
---------------- FEATURES YET TO COME -----------------
Ñ NuBus RAM disks, NuBus SCSI cards, or other nonApple products may go unnoticed during searching.
Ñ More than one hard disk with the same name is not recommend.
Ñ I needlessly search locked volumes like CD-ROMs, which can be made a startup disk, but the blessed folder can't be changed.
Ñ Give the option to not update boot blocks.
Ñ Show version information about the System files in the listed folders.
