Requires: System 7.0, a 68020 or later, and a RAM Disk capable Mac.
RAM Disk Helper is a system extension that keeps your RAM Disk in sync with a folder on your hard disk.
-- Installation --
Drag the RAM Disk Helper extension to your system folder and reboot. RAM Disk Helper will create a folder named "RAM Disk Image" in your system folder. Move files, folders, and/or aliases into this folder. Open your Memory control panel and create a RAM Disk. Reboot again.
-- Operation --
At startup, RAM Disk Helper will create a directory structure on the RAM Disk matching the one in the RAM Disk Image folder. It will resolve any file aliases and copy the files onto the RAM Disk.
As you work, RAM Disk Helper will periodically scan the RAM Disk for any modified or newly created files and will copy them back to the appropriate directories on your hard disk. You can force changed files to be immediately copied back to your hard disk by holding down the CONTROL and OPTION keys simultaneously. The cursor changes to a RAM chip when RAM Disk Helper is busy copying files.
If you reboot again, your RAM Disk's contents will be preserved by the Mac OS. RAM Disk Helper will perform a quick scan of the RAM Disk to verify this.
You can duplicate the RAM Disk Image folder and keep several around for different projects. Just give the one you want to use the magic name "RAM Disk Image", reboot, and away you go.
-- Limitations --
1. RAM Disk Helper does not notice newly created folders. They will not be copied back to your hard disk. Files within such folders will be saved into the top level of the RAM Disk Image folder.
2. Files or folders deleted from your RAM Disk will not be deleted from your hard disk.
3. Aliases within the RAM Disk Image folder must point to files on the startup volume.
3. Renamed files or folders will not be changed on your hard disk. The act of renaming a file does not change its modification date.
4. Files copied to your RAM Disk will not be copied back to your hard disk unless they are also modified. Copying a file does not change its modification date.
5. If you remove a file from your hard disk that was copied to your RAM Disk, and you later modify the one on the RAM Disk, RAM Disk Helper will complain with an error -43.
6. If RAM Disk Helper encounters a problem and puts up an alert, it also turns itself off until the next time you reboot.
-- Customizability --
With ResEdit you can change the name of the RAM Disk volume RAM Disk Helper looks for, the frequency of RAM Disk scans, and the hot keys to cause an immediate scan.
STR# resource 1000
entry 4: the name of your RAM Disk, default = "RAM Disk"
entry 5: the number of seconds between RAM Disk scans, default = "300"
entry 6: the first key code of the hot key combination, default = "58"
entry 7: the second key code of the hot key combination, default = "59"
entry 8: the number of seconds to wait after booting before loading the RAM Disk, default = "0" (increase this if your RAM Disk takes a while to mount)
-- About RAM Disk Helper --
RAM Disk Helper is freeware. I own the copyright, but the program may be freely distributed on any medium to anyone who finds it useful. Comments or feature requests may be sent to:
