Alessandro Levi Montalcini
C.so Re Umberto 10
10121 Torino
Italy
e-mail: LMontalcini@pmn.it
anonymous ftp: //ftp.alpcom.it/software/mac/LMontalcini

 

Errditor 1.1 documentation - March 1995

• Shareware: $5
◊  This application is distributed as shareware: if you like it please honor the shareware system by sending $5 to the author at the address above. Since cashing international cheques is very expensive, please send cash only (U.S. dollars are best, but any other currency is fine).
◊  If you work on the Macintosh, there are many things you can send me instead of the money. Here are some suggestions: original software (but don't send any shareware/freeware unless you're the author), books or computer-related magazines (any free issue or subscription is welcome), CD-ROMs, any piece of new or used hardware, or anything else you've created.
◊  There's still another thing you could do: I'll finish my physics studies sometime in 1996 and I'm looking for a one-year job as a programmer (or maybe a scientist?) outside of Italy. Let me know if you have anything to offer.
◊  If you can't afford any of the above an e-mail, a postcard or a letter is welcome. I speak English, French and Italian. Please forgive me if I don't answer to all of your letters - I am often overloaded with my school work.

• Introduction
◊  Errditor is a powerful graphical editor for system errors and system startup alerts. It lets you modify and move text, icons, buttons and even procedures (assembly-language programs that are associated to some of the alerts).
◊  When launched, Errditor automatically reads the current System alert tables (DSATs), makes a copy of them and displays the first alert of the first DSAT- which will usually be the "Welcome to Macintosh" alert. Use the "<<" and ">>" buttons to move across the alert tables. You may choose to see empty alerts and unreferenced procedures from the Options menu. The System will not be modified unless you select "Install into current System" and repeatedly confirm your command. It would be a good idea to close all open applications before installing to the System.

• Text items
◊  Double-clicking on a text item brings up an edit dialog where you can type a new text for the alert. System alerts have a very primitive text formatting, so you'll have to type <Return> when you want a new line. There's currently a 255-character limit on the text length, which is due to the program and not to the system alert handler, but I don't think you'll ever have to write alerts with more than 255 characters. You can paste text directly in a text item if it's hilited.

• Icons
◊  Double-clicking on an icon brings up an icon editor with simple drawing features. If you need a more complete editor, just use your own: select the icon, copy it, paste it in your icon-editing or painting program, modify it, and copy/paste it back. You may paste ICONs, ICN#s and PICTs on an icon (under system 7 you can copy a file's icon from the Get Info window and then paste it into the alert).

• Buttons
◊  Double-clicking on a button brings up a dialog with the button text and size. Note that the System always draws the text in the upper left corner of the button, regardless of its size. You may paste text direcly in a button if it's hilited.

• Private and shared
◊  There are two classes of objects in an alert: PRIVATE and SHARED. You can edit both of them, but shared objects are used in more than one alert and your changes will affect all of them. Text is usually private, while icons and buttons are often shared. Objects can't be shared across different DSAT's. Errditor can't currently make a copy of a shared object to make it private, but this may be implemented in future versions.

• Markers and bounds
◊  When moving objects, you may need to align them across different alerts. The "Show Markers" option displays a couple of movable lines that don't change their position when you move to another alert. Click on the small black squares and drag to move the lines. "Show bounds" displays a gray outline around the objects.

• Resume
◊  Each system alert has two different button configurations: the first pops up when there's no resume procedure installed in the current application, the other comes out when a resume procedure has been defined. You may switch between the two configurations (which are usually identical, except for alerts that have a "Resume" button) with the "Resume" check box in the lower right corner of the window. The "Keep Normal & Resume in Sync" option (in the Options menu), which is on by default, allows you to modify both configurations at once. If you want to make the two configurations look different, just disable this option and work on each one separately.

• Expert Mode
◊  Programmers and expert users: alert procedures can be copied  and pasted into ResEdit (as 'PROC' resources) to be decompiled and explored. Errditor has an Expert Mode that also allows you to paste back modified procedures or add your own procedures to alerts that don't have one. Since it's easy to mess up the System this way, Expert Mode is not immediately available as a menu command. Write to me (and send your shareware fee) if you want to learn how to enter Expert Mode.

• Version history
◊  1.1 - Added online documentation and recompiled with Code Warrior.
◊  1.03 - Minor fixes.
◊  1.02 - Minor fixes, never released.
◊  1.01 - Added warning dialog and watch cursor during System installation.
◊  1.00 - First final release.

• Distribution
◊  Errditor is ©1992-95 Alessandro Levi Montalcini. It can be freely distributed as long as it is not modified and there’s no charge for it, but it may not be included in any commercial package without my consent.
◊  You may find the latest version of all my shareware programs by anonymous ftp to ftp.alpcom.it, inside the /software/mac/LMontalcini directory. The complete ShareDisk package, which contains all my stuff and can be registered at a very low price, is also available there.
◊  All online services and bulletin boards may make it available to their users at no charge other than the normal connection fees.
◊  All non-profit user groups may distribute it at no charge.
◊  All magazines may publish it on floppy disk without asking me first, as long as I get a copy of the issue containing my software.
◊  All CD-ROM shareware collections and CD-ROM magazines may include it without my prior consent, as long as I get either a copy of the CD-ROM or an offer to buy the CD-ROM at a discounted price.
◊  All redistribution companies such as Educorp may distribute it, as long as I get a copy of each media containing my software and a catalog of the company’s offerings (where applicable).

• Disclaimer
◊  Errditor shouldn’t cause any damage, but you’re using it at your own risk. As an independent software developer, I can make no warranties whatsoever on it.

• Have fun!
◊  And don't forget to $$$ send your contribution $$$ so that more cool utilities will see the light in the near future, at the low-low-low costs of shareware.