
InfoSheet 6:
Cumulus Network/Desktop resolvers
This infosheet gives you information about how Cumulus resolves aliases
to image files and how you can customize it to your own needs.
Cumulus internally uses the Macintosh Alias Manager to resolve an alias
to an image file. By writing a resolver plug-in you can customize the way
Cumulus resolves file references to find the original file. To develop a
new resolver to access images on special volumes (e.g. CD-Changer or other
storage media) is a possibility to access the files on volumes which are
not accessible by using the Macintosh Alias Manager and saves you from patching
it.
Cumulus comes with a full path resolver which tries to access the images
using the full path name of the file.
When the client user tries to access an image stored in a jukebox connected
to the server Cumulus tries to access the image on a local CD-ROM first
and prompts the user to insert the CD-ROM into the local drive. If the user
cancels the procedure Cumulus Client asks the server if he is able to resolve
the alias and the server offers a copy of the image to the client if possible.
In the case the user knows that all the images are stored in the jukebox
it is possible to install a resolver on the client that always returns an
error code indicating the client not to try to access the image on the local
CD-ROM and not to display the insert-dialog but to always ask the server
for a copy of the image.
The resolver has to be installed in the Resolvers folder in the Cumulus
application folder. This is the Cumulus Network (Server) folder on your
server or the Cumulus Client folder on your client computers. You can install
more than one resolver for Cumulus. The reolver returns one of the following:
1) The resolver can access the file
2) The resolver does not support the file. Cumulus activates the next resolver
if available
3) The resolver returns an error code (e.g. useful for accessing images
in the jukebox from the
client, see above)
Cumulus asks the different resolvers in alphabetical order. If the first
resolver is not able to access the image the second one is asked and so
on. If no one of the "external" resolvers can access the image
Cumulus uses the internal resolver (Macintosh Alias Manager).
The last "resolver" to be opened is the OPI resolver. This tool
is not a resolver at all because it does not resolve the alias but tries
to exchange the layout- or sample files with the high resolution files when
using the print or the edit functionality of Cumulus. This is why it is
only activated if one of the resolvers was able to access the image.
All the OPI "knowledge" was implemented in the adapters (QuarkXPress,
Photoshop, ...), in the file filters (EPSF, TIFF) and in the OPI resolver
itself. This makes Cumulus even more flexible and easier customizable to
the different OPI systems.
When writing a new resolver for accessing a new piece of hardware it is
recommended to return the status "not supported" when it is not
possible to resolve the alias. In this case another "external"
resolver gets the chance to access the image.
There are two different flags specifying the method to use when resolving
the alias and whether the resolver should be allowed to bring up a user
interface(dialog). Please be careful not to bring up an interface on the
server!
The delivered source code for developing a new resolver was implemented
in ThinkC. It is possible to use other C compilers like Metrowerks or MPW
(Macintosh Programmers Workshop) as well.
Cumulus comes with the source code for a sample resolver plug-in that calls
"MatchAlias" to get a list of up to 10 possible matches and lets
the user select one of them to be returned to the caller. This sample only
reacts on the "ExtensiveSearch" method because the search it implements
can take a long time.
If you have further questions please send email:
In the United States:
support@canto-software.com
In Europe and Asia:
support@canto.de
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