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1994-02-04
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MacHFS v1.04 4/2/94
===================
Overview
========
MacHFS is a utility which reads Apple Macintosh high density discs and
provides a filer-like interface. It allows you to move through a discs
hierarchy and transfer files from the Mac disc to a RISC OS filing system.
Using MacHFS
============
To launch MacHFS, just double-click on the !MacHFS icon which will then
appear on the left hand side of the icon bar.
To mount a Macintosh disc, insert the disc into drive 0 and click on the
MacHFS icon. A directory window similar to the standard RISC OS filer
window will open and display the contents of the root directory.
Double-click on a directory icon to open a filer window for that directory.
Files may be transferred by clicking the MENU button over the desired file
and moving to the “File” sub-menu, transferring either the “Data fork” or the
“Resource fork” via the appropriate save dialog.
Certain characters in Macintosh file names are not suitable for use under RISC OS
and MacHFS replaces them with an under score. File names are also truncated to 12
characters, since Mac file names can be up to 32 characters long.
Menu’s
======
Icon Bar Menu
=============
Info -> displays the standard information dialog
Quit -> quits the MacHFS application
Filer Window Menu
=================
Disc Info -> displays information about disc associated with this window
File ‘ ’ -> link to submenu for file transfer
Filer Submenu
=============
Data fork -> transfer data fork using save dialog
Resource fork -> transfer resource fork using save dialog
Data or Resource fork?
======================
On the Macintosh filing system, files are split into two forks, the resource
fork and the data fork. The resource fork can contain machine code, icons,
sounds, palette information, in fact any resources used by an application.
The data fork stores the information on which the application works. A file
can have either a resource fork or a data fork or both.
MacHFS allows you to transfer both resource and data forks. For the average
user data forks are more useful than resource forks.
The following table may be of use in locating certain data types:
Data type Where
Text data fork
Sound data fork
System sounds resource fork
Limitations
===========
MacHFS doesn’t read 800K or 400K Mac discs, only 1440K or 720K discs.
If you can get your hands on a 720K Mac disc, then owners of machines with
low density drives will also be able to use MacHFS to transfer files. The
720K Disc Formatter extension is part of Apple’s Hardware System Update 2.0
disc which should be available from Apple dealers.
MacHFS does not currently support many of the standard RISC OS filer
functions, such as multiple selections, dragging files etc.
MacHFS is currently limited to coping with a maximum of 8 discs at once and
does not provide a dismount option.
MacHFS has not been tested under RISC OS 2, but should work.
On a more technical side MacHFS 1.04 currently only supports the first 3
extents of the Macintosh catalog file, imposing a limit on the number of files that can be
read from a disc. I have so far only been able to create a disc which uses the first
2 extents of the catalog and that was pretty large (30 directories + 80 files). So
this shouldn’t be a problem for most people.
The Future
==========
My estimates for future versions of MacHFS have changed since MacHFS v0.1
and my plans to create a image filing system have been scrapped due to the nature
of the Macintosh filing system.
The future hopefully holds the following :
Improved interface/multiple selections etc. - end of February
The ability to write/format Mac discs - may be by mid March
The ability to read/write Hard discs/Bernoulli’s - April
These times are rough and should be taken with a tub of salt.
Released Version History
========================
MacHFS v0.1 24/12/93 - First Version. Very limited functionality.
MacHFS v0.2 6/1/94 - Cured a minor bug.
MacHFS v1.04 4/2/94 - First version with filer like interface.
Acknowledgements
================
Many thanks to Darryl, for his testing of MacHFS, long phone calls and enthusiasm
for MacHFS.
Point of Contact
================
If you have any queries/suggestions then please write to me, Paul Gee, at either:
Arcade: “Paul Gee” (081 654 2212/081 655 4412)
TWOC : “Paul Gee” (0749 670030)
or
Kilmarth,
Stick Hill,
Edenbridge,
Kent.
TN8 5NL
or PaulGee@arcade.demon.co.uk
© Paul Gee, All Rights Reserved 1993,1994.
This program has been placed into the public domain by
Paul Gee. It may be freely copied and distributed for
non-profit making purposes, so long as the code is not
altered and this text file remains present and unaltered.
I accept no responsibility for loss of data or damage
resulting from the use of this application.
Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc.