Guide To Making Packages HTMLSample is a 'package aware' application that allows you to open Mac OS 9 HTML file packages. This guide itself is a Mac OS 9 package, and the application being used to view it is a package as well.

Packages provide a convenient way to group related files together in a directory that is treated as if it were a single mirroring the external qualities of the package's main file. Using packages is another way to simplify your development efforts and provide a simple user interface for your products.

Packages are a new concept for Mac OS 9 and they are documented in Technote 1188. This technote defines packages and discusses several implementation issues related to packages.

You can use the Package Tool to to make your own packages once you have formatted a directory as described in Technote 1188. Be aware, it is important that file sharing be turned off when you create a package so the alias file will not contain server information when it is created.

The source code for the HTMLSample application illustrates how you can recognize package type documents and open them in your application. It also shows how you can instruct Navigation Services to display package type documents in its windows so users can open them using that interface.

Source code for the PackageTool illustrates how you can recognize and accept package documents in drag commands.