Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions

Default Folder doesn't switch to the default folder I have in my link set.

Check to make sure you are using the right link set by looking in the middle pop-up menu.  The currently active set is shown with a check mark.

If you have System 7.5, make sure that the General Controls control panel has the "When opening or saving documents, take me to" option set to "Folder which contains the application."  Apple put a rudimentary default folder capability into System 7.5, and this can override Default Folder's actions when the other settings are used.

Default Folder only switches to the default folder sometimes.

This behavior is intentional.  If you start an application by double-clicking on a document, Default Folder will not switch the file dialogs to your default folder.  It assumes that you will be saving files in the same folder as the start-up document.  This is generally more consistent with people's expectations (where would you expect to be if you opened a document and then chose "Save As…" to save a copy with a different name?).  

If you want to, you can change Default Folder's settings to override this.  See the "Folder Switching" section of the "Preferences" chapter.

I've changed the name of my hard disk, and now none of my default folders work.

Because of the limitations of the Macintosh System, there is no practical way to store the identity of a disk between restarts except by using its name.  So, if you change the name of a disk, Default Folder will no longer be able to find any of the folders on that disk.

The simplest way to work around this shortcoming is to export your link sets from the Default Folder control panel before changing the name of the disk (if you've already renamed the disk, change it back and export your link sets).  Then rename the disk and edit the exported link set files with a word processor, replacing all occurrences of the old name with the new one.  Finally, import the link sets back into Default Folder.

Default Folder has suddenly forgotten I'm a registered user.

Your Default Folder Prefs file may have gotten corrupted.  Take the following steps:

From the control panel, export all your link sets to text files using the "Export…" button.  

Close the control panel.

Throw the Default Folder Prefs file in the Trash (the file is in the Preferences folder inside your System folder).

Open the control panel and import your link sets back in using the "Import…" button.

Re-register your copy by clicking on the question mark icon in the control panel and using the "Register" button.  If you've misplaced your registration code, contact St. Clair Software and we'll send it to you again.

Is Default Folder accelerated for PowerPC?

The portions of Default Folder that can benefit from PowerPC acceleration are PowerPC native.  However, as of System 7.5.3, most of the parts of the Mac OS that Default Folder patches are still running in 680x0 emulation mode.  To provide PowerMac trap patches for these routines would be pointless -- Default Folder's CPU usage is minimal, so the code speedup would not offset the cost of switching from emulation to native mode and back.  In other words, it wouldn't run any faster (and might actually be slower).

Why doesn't Default Folder do <feature XYZ>?

Default Folder's feature set has been chosen to provide the greatest functionality while keeping memory and processor demands low and ensuring compatibility.  In keeping with this philosophy, there are certain features that have been intentionally avoided, including keeping track of recently used files for each application.  

Suggestions for further improvements are always welcome.  Please contact us at one of the addresses listed in the "Shareware Registration" chapter.