If you run a disk optimizer, like Disk Express, on your hard disk and it tells you that you have bad blocks, rename the file which is sitting on the bad block as BadBlock#1 and lock the file. Use your backup to replace the “real“ file. Now when you get a bad block message, check to see if it identifies BadBlock#1 as the culprit. If it does, you can rest easy. That block will never get written to, since your BadBlock#1 is “covering” that block. If you run into another bad block, make a BadBlock#2 to cover it, and so on.
Illustrator Hint
Yes, you can edit in Illustrator’s Preview mode. Hold down the Option key and click the pointer tool. Now you can move or copy selected objects. (Seattle DBUG News.)
When is a Plus a Plus?
Filemaker’s latest does not work on 512kEs with an extra half-meg added. A Plus, yes, but not the upgraded 512kE. The fix is to use FEdit or MacSnoop and change B06DA2566F122F3C to B06DA25660122F3C. (Thanks, MacFUG News, U of Utah MUG.)
Resource Limit
I don’t care how big your hard disk is, there is a desktop limit of 2727 resources, according to TNs #141 and 210. Since many applications have 8 or 9 resources, you could run into this limit. If your Mac won’t let you add a file to the hard disk, this may be the problem. Remove a few resource-heavy files and try again.
Straightening Out MacWorld
I read in MacWorld how to use Print Merge in Word 3.0X to print out TWENTY FOUR labels on a 33-label sheet. That means you use only 62.5% of your labels. But, if you export your Word “data base” (tabs between fields, returns between records, and with your first “record” consisting of the field names) as a text only document, you can open Silicon Press and design a label template for 33 labels, import the Word text only file and get all 33 labels printed on a LaserWriter. You must be careful to use the very same spelling for field names in Silicon Press as you did in your Word data base.
If you have five line labels, extra long names or addresses, or use very large type, you may not be able to do this. You can use 9 point Helvetica, 4 lines of copy, and reasonable address lengths just fine, thank you. Silicon Press costs less than $50 from mail order ads. Dartmouth University uses Silicon Press for all their labels, tickets, and all kinds of other paperwork.
Making Word’s Clipboard Behave
Here’s how to help Word 3.0X’s cranky Clipboard behave. Open and close a DA and then the Clipboard will “take” and operate in a Mac-like manner. You know, with the look and feel of a Macintosh, not of Windows or something else non-Maclike.
Zapping PRAM Reminder
If you occasionally feel the need to zap the PRAM on your Mac II and you keep forgetting what the keystroke is, remember SOCC it to PRAM. SOCC stands for Shift/Option/Command and Control Panel. So you hold down Shift/Option/ Command and open the Control Panel.
I don’t have a handy helper code for the Interrupt code to get back to the finder using the programmer’s switch. You just have to remember to type this in (space and all): G 80D5CE
Oldie But Goodie Time
Here's an oldie but goodie: The Option/grave (`) symbol in Geneva 20 gives you a picture of a Macintosh. Of course you probably should have all sizes of Geneva in your System. This serves several purposes. It gives you better ImageWriter printout in the smaller sizes, it allows you to use small sizes of Geneva in reasonable resolution on a LaserWriter, and it lets you look at better letters in large sizes of Geneva on screen. And now you can add the advantage of typing little Macintoshes all over the place.
Boot Faster
What makes your Mac take a long time to boot?
• Lots of INITs — are you sure you need ‘em all?
• A reeely big StartupSound — ditto
• Lots of RAM — 2 megs takes longer than 1 meg
• The desktop needs rebuilding — boot while holding down
Option/Command keys
Thanks, Ken Peterson!
Is your System Folder jammed with LaserWriter downloadable font printer icons? What a mess. Get the shareware SetPaths DA, which includes a System file called BootPaths. Put all those downloadable printer icons into a folder. Name the folder Downloadable Fonts (or whatever you wish). Select SetPaths. Lead it to your folder. SetPaths will remember where those printer icons are, and BootPaths will unerringly lead your LaserWriter to that folder. It forces your Mac to look there if it doesn’t find what it needs in the System Folder.
Some other System Folder clutter may be handled the same way. Generally, files which get written to do not work well with SetPaths. For example, Word will create a new Word Settings in the System Folder, even if you hid a Word Settings file in a folder for SetPaths. You’ll have to experiment. SetPaths is shareware, $20. (Thanks, Ken Peterson, Mouse Tracks, Portland [OR] MUG.)
Avoiding Crashes
If you keep getting crashes and screen freezes, replace the entire System Folder from your most recent System Tools Disk. The next step is to replace applications with clean, fresh copies from your master disks. Can’t hurt! And System 6.0.2 seems stable, at least for me.
Forms Hints
When making a form on the Macintosh, consider:
• will it be typed or handwritten when filled out — line spacing
• will senior citizens use the form — type size
• will it be mailed — folds and window envelope capability
• will it be 3-hole punched — margins
• will there be a mail-back — what information is on the back of the form
• use check boxes whenever possible
• is there a precise title at the top of the form
• consider sans serif bold for titles, serif type for body type
• consider some graphics, reverses and bold type for aesthetics
• use snap to guides or rulers to make life easier, if available
• if form is one of a family, use familiar modules in all forms
Look Around Big Boy —
See What We Missed!
If you drag a folder to another disk, guess what gets copied? Well, the stuff inside the folder, naturally. But any item you parked on the desktop doesn’t come along to the destination. A word to the wise…
Cursor, Cursor, Where Are You?
Your cursor has gone south! It is nowhere to be seen. To get back to where your cursor is in many word processing programs, tap the Enter key.
Make the Mouse Crawl
In FullPaint, Command/F slows the mouse to a crawl. Since it is a toggle, hit it again to get back to normal speed. (Thanks, MacValley Voice, Burbank [CA] MUG.)
Speeding Up Word
For a speedier Word 3.0X, turn on the Program and File check boxes in the Preferences dialog box. This makes Word load itself and your current document into memory. Sort of like using a RAM disk.
Not So Kinky, Pleeeze!
Oh, oh! BMUG says don’t wrap your mouse cord around the mouse for travel purposes. No sharp bends, please. AND do NOT unplug your Mac II’s mouse when the Mac is on. You can blow the motherboard, so watch it!
Faster Copying
How are you copying disks? CopyIIMac is faster than the finder and retains the volume date on the copied disk. (Thanks, Gold Coast [FL] MUG.)
Fastback, a disk backup program, also copies fast and flawlessly. Try it
Better Than Promised
Users are reporting that the MacIIX is 5 to 17 percent faster than Apple's promised increase in speed.
Finding Daddy and Mommy
Do you have generic folded corner paper icons instead of "the real thing?" Rebuild your desktop by holding down Option/Command while booting. Of course icons for documents whose application is no longer on your hard disk or floppy will lose their distinctive icons, but all those generic icons which find their parent application on the disk will reassume the correct icon.
Fix It: Get a Bigger Hammer
When I was an aircrew aviation ordnanceman in the Naval Air Corps we had a saying, "If it won't work, get a bigger hammer." I just found a modern day version of that. FatBits (Thousand Oaks, CA MUG) says that if a data disk causes a "disk is damaged" message, first try tapping the disk gently (no hammers, please) on the table surface. Hey — sometimes it works. After the disk-tapping, FatBits suggests a sector copy with CopyIIMac (save the original disk just in case), then try the copy. Next, try on other Macs, other drives. Then rebuild the desktop (Option/Command while booting). If all of those fail, it's time for Apple's Disk First Aid (the little ambulance). After that, it is time for something like Symantec's SUM disk utilities or First Aid Kit (commercial and more powerful than Disk First Aid. But be sure that you have at least version 1.5 if you are using Symantec SUM, since earlier versions are reported to have some problems.
Cheapo Mac Imitation
Can't afford a MacPlus? The Atari ST 1040 with a Spectre 128 installed runs Mac software faster than a Plus. It costs less than $1200. Andy Hertzfield questions the genuineness of the Mac ROMs they are using in Spectre. The Spectre 128 is backordered. Also, a used Plus can be obtained for less than $1000. If money is a problem, why not buy a used Plus, have it checked out by an Apple dealer and place it under AppleCare. The cost of the used Plus and a year of AppleCare is still less than $1200.
IBM Exec’s Daughter: “It’s terrible!”
IBM's recently released Collegiate Pack software for college students is a bust. IBM's William Lowe gave it to his daughter, who told him "…this is terrible." A newer version still does not measure up, observers say.
Avoiding Cleanup
Another way to clean up the edges of screen dumps of dialog boxes is to go to the Control Panel and select white for the desktop pattern. Now your screen dump won’t need cleaning up.
Take Your Pick
There are lots of date formats besides 12/25/89 built into your Mac. To find them, use ResEdit. Go to the System’s it10 resource. Open it10 "US" ID=0 and change the dateOrder setting as follows: 0 = month/day/year (mdy), 1 = dmy, 2 = ymd, 3 = myd, 4 = dym, 5 = ydm. Take your best shot.
If you want to alter the slash (/) to a period, dash, bullet, or whatever, you can do that at the SepDate header. You can add a leading zero on months (07 for July instead of 7), and you can add the century, 1989 instead of 89. (Thanks, Mouse Times, Goleta, CA MUG.)
Anyone have a MacIIX?
The MacIIX's Super Floppy will ask to be initialized if you are not running Apple File Exchange. Watch out or you will lose data.
Header/Footer Hint
To make sure that all of the page number, date and time icons in headers and footers gets changed to the font you choose, be sure to select the space all the way up to the ruler, even if that line or lines are blank. (Thanks, MUD Slinger, Macintosh Users of Delaware.)
Connectivity Disk
Do you transfer information between Macs and MS-DOS? Get a free connectivity disk from your Apple dealer. Ask for the Compatibility Guide Disk.
Copying Disks
Finder 6.1 sector copies disks when you duplicate a disk. Prior versions did it file by file.
Old Hint Revisited
Remember how I told you to reformat portions of a large MacWrite document? The hint was to paste a ruler before the existing ruler, make all the changes in the newly pasted ruler, then delete the old ruler immediately below it. Saves time. Well, what if the offending ruler is the first ruler? MacWrite does not let you do away with it. So paste the new ruler immediately below the first ruler. Now make all changes in the first ruler, then delete the one you just pasted. Works fine.
PageMaker Hints
Here’s how to make a screened line in PageMaker. Use the rectangle tool. Draw a very narrow rectangle. Working at 200 or 400 percent, size it to suit. Now fill it with your choice of gray and click on No Lines for the border. (Seattle DBUG News.)
If you use Page Setup instead of the margin markers in Word to change column width, the text will place in PageMaker filling the entire column width. If you didn’t do it that way, or the text refuses to go all the way to the right margin marker, do a Command/I and drag the right margin marker over to the correct margin measure. If it doesn’t need to move, return to your document and PageMaker will have adjusted it correctly anyway.
Aldus says that the following spoolers work with PageMaker 3.0X and Aldus Prep: Laser Share, Laser Speed 1.6, Super Laser Spool 2.0, Tangent Spool and Laser Server.
As you may have discovered, master page graphics in PageMaker can’t be wrapped with text on pages of the publication — just on the master page. To get around this, draw a “no shade/no line” box or oval to match the graphic shape. Now specify Text Wrap and simulate wrapping the graphic by wrapping your invisible shape. You can see where it is in Text Wrap mode, because the wrap border will be showing. You have to redo this on each page which needs the wrap.
HyperCard Hints
If you are building data bases in HyperCard, remember to compact your stacks twice under HyperCard 1.2.1 and lock the stack. This really speeds up search times.
You can get a miniature copy of any HyperCard card. Here is the script:
doMenu 'Copy Card"
type "v" with CommandKey, ShiftKey
-- Thanks Phil Wyman in The Mouse -- Times, Goleta (CA) MUG.
Test any stack you are going to distribute at all user levels. Remember, some of "the rest of us" don't program, even in HyperCard. If you just don't want to do this much work, put an OpenStack message to change the user level to the level you desire the stack to use. Be sure to put the user's existing level into a variable and return the user to that level on CloseStack.
Delete Card in HyperCard is also accessed with Command/Backspace, making it easy to goof. Here's a script to prevent deletion without confirmation (sounds like a church service):
on doMenu command
if the command is "Delete Card" and¬ the CommandKey is down then
answer "Delete this card?" with¬ "Okay" or "Cancel"
if it is "Cancel" then exit doMenu
end if
pass doMenu
end doMenu
The Hypertalk expression "show all cards" blazes through your stack once. On the other hand "show cards" keeps flipping cards until you click the mouse. (David Dunham, from Steve Maller, appearing in The Mouse Times, Goleta (CA) MUG.)
Another way to do grayed out Chicago for “disabled” buttons in HyperCard. Member Paul Chance reports that Lofty Becker has a font out called Disable. Find it on bulletin boards as DISABL.FNT.
Mini Finder Still Useful
When Dick Thies switched to Finder 6.0 and System 4.2, he was sorry to see that minifinder was no longer an option. When he found that multifinder is not useful on a MAC+ because it takes up too much space and bombs, he found a way to use minifinder: (1) shut down (2) insert a disk with system 4.1 and finder 5.5 and restart so the hard disk is not in control (earlier system/finders probably will work too but some won't be able to see inside your hard disk file folders) (3) open the file on your hard disk containing the applications you want on the minifinder and activate the ones you want (4) select "use minifinder" and install (5) Command-option on the hard disc finder and you are back in business. Thies find it useful to also have a short document on the main desktop for each application he uses a lot, so he can go quickly from there too.
McDrawII Comments
MacDrawII it is a nice upgrade; e.g. it now allows small rotations. It’s big but it runs fine on a MAC+ with hard disk. Beware of leaving Caps-Lock on; objects jump around like they want a grid and won't rotate to small degrees. The other problem is that rotated objects that laserprint fine from McDrawII don't quite stay lined up when cut and pasted to word processing documents. You can paste the text into McDrawII, but isn't always a good solution. And when you select a draw and text combination and paste to McDraw it only transfers the McDraw part (true for either McDrawII or older McDraw). You can, of course, do it in two transfers for a simple case. (Submitted by Dick Thies.)
Switcher-TOPS
Switcher and TOPS appear to be incompatible (on a MAC+ anyway). It says "bomb" when you try to use TOPS. The good part is, it really only kicks you out of the current application. If you try to use TOPS again it will bomb totally, but otherwise you can reload your application or exit from switcher to use the TOPS network. (Thanks, Dick Thies.)
