TattleTech‚Ñ¢ has its origins in the shareware program TattleTale‚Ñ¢. TattleTech provides very complete information about your computer, peripherals, and system software. The information can be viewed on screen by category, printed, written to a standard text file in standard or a special Bug Report format, or output in database readable format. As such, it also provides a record of your system configuration that can be used for reporting problems to software and hardware manufacturers, to compare configurations across multiple computers, or to simply learn about your machine. Information categories covered are: General Hardware, Volumes + Drives, Monitors, Nubus Devices, SCSI Devices, ADB Devices, Serial Ports,Startup Environment (Boot Blocks, INITs Files, Other System Files (System, Finder, cdevs, etc.)), General System software, Processes, DAs, Fonts, Drivers, Open Files, Traps and their Patches, Applications, Special Resources, Special Files, and specific File/Folder information. In addition, it enables you to Mount Volumes, Close Files that were left open, and examine and set File and Folder Attributes. The information provided varies greatly among these categories and is best understood simply by going to the dialog window and browsing through the above categories.
NOTE: If you received this copy of TattleTech as part of another product, some of the features mention above may not be available.
System Requirements
TattleTech is compatible with the Mac+ and newer machines running System 6.04 or higher.
Installing TattleTech
TattleTech consists of up to three files:
• TattleTech
• TattleINIT
• Tattle.Traps
TattleINIT is not required for normal operation of TattleTech. TattleTech defaults to using internal INIT information generating routines if the generated files are not found. TattleINIT, if used, must be in the System Folder on 6.X systems and in the Extensions folder on 7.X systems. TattleINIT should be placed alphabetically at the beginning of the folder so the program can gather information on all subsequently loaded INITs. Its name is preceded by two non-printing characters to facilitate this. These two non-printing characters may be changed to other non-printing characters to accommodate INIT ordering requirements. (see Conflicts and Limitations below)
When TattleINIT runs at startup, it creates two files in the System Folder: TTINIT.TRecs and TTINIT.FRecs. These files contain information about the INITs that run after TattleINIT, and are used by TattleTech in subsequent reports. The first time TattleTech is run after start-up it converts these two files to TTINIT.TDB and TTINIT.FDB respectively.
Tattle.Traps, is required for all of the Trap-related reports except the Traps Patched by INITs report. Tattle.Traps if used, must be located in the System Folder.
Conflicts and Limitations
This section describes conflicts with other software and system limitations that affect TattleTech.
Accelerator Cards
Two conditions involving accelerator cards affect TattleTech. First, if your Macintosh has an accelerator card installed that copies ROM to RAM, you may need to disable this feature to run TattleTech. This problem occurs primarily on the Mac+/SE, but may occur with other configurations.
Second, if you have a Daystar Accelerator and:
• PowerCentral v2.0 with Enhanced FP routines is enabled, and
• QuickTime or Apple Photo Access is installed,
then you must disable Daystar Enhanced FP routines in the control panel.
Extension Manager
If you are running Extension Manager, EM Extension must be placed before TattleINIT in the Extensions folder.
List Manager
To conserve space, TattleTech uses the standard List Manager for both "Screen Reports" or "Printed Reports" and is therefore limited to 32K characters. Normally this is sufficient to handle the various lists within each Category. If a list runs out of space, however, a message is posted at the bottom of the list window. In this case, a full listing of the Category can be obtained by writing the Category report to the various forms of text files as described in Writing Reports to a Text File.
Using TattleTech
Selecting Categories From the Main Dialog Window
TattleTech consists primarily of the TattleTech dialog window and the TattleTech menu. Upon launch, the Main dialog window is visible and the first Category of information, General Hardware, is displayed in a scrolling "Screen Report" in the window. You can select other Categories from the pop-up menu above the list. Categories that are not available for a given computer and system software combination (for example, Nubus on a Mac+ or Processes under Uni-Finder in System 6.X) are disabled and cannot be selected.
Definitions
The Definitions button at the bottom of the dialog displays definitions for the fields contained in the displayed Category.
Other Buttons
Other buttons appear at the bottom of the dialog when certain Categories are displayed. When Volumes/Drives is displayed, the Mount button appears. This button attempts to mount any unmounted volumes. In the case of the Open Files Category, the Close File button appears. This button invokes another dialog which allows you to close any open file in the list. Finally, when File/Folder Info… is displayed, the Set button appears. This button invokes a dialog which allows you to set various attributes related to the file or folder currently displayed.
Copying Data Fields to Other Applications
Data Field lines in the "Screen Report" can be selected and copied to other documents.
Closing and Quitting
Click the Close button or the Close box to close the window but leave TattleTech active. Get System Info in the TattleTech menu reopens the window. Select Quit from the File menu to quit completely.
Getting Help
Selecting General Help... from the TattleTech menu activates an abbreviated on-line version of the TattleTech manual.
Printing the Current Category
Select Print Current... from the TattleTech menu to print the Category that is currently displayed in the dialog.
Page Setup
Select Page Setup… to set parameters for printing report pages.
Specifying Volumes
Specify Volume allows you to restrict the volumes for which files are reported. The Specify Volume menu item applies only to the Special Files, Applications, and DAs (System 7) reports available in the pop-up menu.
Generating Reports
Select Reports... from the TattleTech pull down menu. Select the Categories you want to report by selecting their checkboxes. Click the All button to select all Categories. Click the None button to de-select the Categories. Select Default Reports to choose the standard preset Categories.
TattleTech Reports
TattleTech provides several options for reporting the different Categories of information. The following is a list of available reports:
• "Screen Report" (See Selecting Categories From the Main Dialog Window above.)
• "Printed Report"
• "Standard Text File Report"
• "Bug Report"
• "Tab-Delimited Text File Report"
"Printed Report"
To print the selected Categories to a printer, select the Categories that you want to print, click the Print Std Reports button, and then click OK.
Writing Reports to a Text File
Writing reports to text files offers flexibility in communicating and using the information that TattleTech provides. In addition, TattleTech uses the standard List Manager for both "Screen Reports" or "Printed Reports" and is therefore limited to 32K characters. Normally this is sufficient to handle the various lists within each Category. If a list runs out of space, however, a message is posted at the bottom of the list window. In this case, a full listing of the Category can be obtained by writing the Category report to the various forms of text files as described below.
Writing a "Standard Text File Report"
To write the selected Categories to the "Standard Text File Report", click the Write Std Reports to Text File radio button.
Writing a "Bug Report" to a Text File
Click the Write Bug Report to Text File radio button to add "bug report" information to the "Standard Text File Report".
Clicking the Bug Explanation... button accesses a dialog that allows you to describe the problem and to Save and Load the text that you have created for future reference.
The User Info... button allows you to input standard information including who you are and how you can be contacted. This information is read at program startup and is retained until changed by you.
Note:
Generally, in cases where a particular Data Field is not an appropriate or possible attribute of a particular machine configuration, that attribute is not included in any report other than the "Tab-Delimited Text File Report". (Please refer to Writing the "Tab-Delimited Text File Report".) An example of this would be the reporting of DuoDock attributes for a Quadra, which cannot possibly have a DuoDock.
Writing the "Tab-Delimited Text File Report"
To write the selected Categories to the "Tab-Delimited Text File Report" and thereby create a database-readable file, click the Write to Tab-Delimited Text File radio button.
Set Unit Info
Click the Set Unit Info... button in the same dialog to enter information related to the owner of the system. Click the Unit Info checkbox to place this information at the beginning of the three text file reports ("Standard Text File Report", "Bug Report", and "Tab-Delimited Text File Report"). The information is preserved the next time TattleTech is launched.
• Miscellaneous Issues:
The Applications and DAs reports have a special feature under System 7.X. If you hold down the <option> key before selecting these menu items, the listing will not be sorted across volumes, thus giving you an unsorted volume listing.
If you are running System 7 and the finder does not automatically update the icons for you, TattleTech can do it for you. As you start up TattleTech, simply hold down the “<option> d” key combination until a dialog comes up which asks if you wish update the desktop database. If you hear a “beep” during updating, the updating was not performed for various possible reasons. In this event, your desktop database will be left in its original state and the program will continue. If updated, the new icons will appear after a subsequent machine restart. This method avoids having to rebuild your desktop (which is very time consuming on a large disk) just to update icons.
• BUG REPORTS: (Only for those who purchased TattleTech directly)
Bug Reports, comments, suggestions, etc. are welcome and encouraged regarding any matter whatsoever. Given the nature of TattleTech, however, please follow these guidelines in submitting a bug report: use the “Write Bug Reports to Text File” option explained below, include ONLY the General Hardware and General Software reports with your first message, compress the file, and then email it to one of the addresses below. Alternatively, if you want to include these two reports in the text of a regular message (by selecting, copying, and pasting), please make sure that you also include an adequate description of your problem and the actions that lead to it. After reviewing your report, I will get back to you for any additional information required. I am making this request due to the number of “very complete” reports which I have received. Given the total amount of information that TattleTech can generate, this can amount to considerable cost in time and money both for uploading and downloading.
• NOTICE:
This product is not free. If you did not receive it as part of another product, please refer to the accompanying pricing and ordering information. If you are a Level 1 Licensee as defined in the pricing information, TattleTech may not be used COMMERCIALLY or in a commercial environment for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to: bundling with commercial software or other products in any form or used in providing a service either internal or external to an organization.
If you received it as part of another product, that manufacturer has a a licensing agreement which includes you. You are, however, prohibited from giving TattleTech to anyone else and are bound by general licensee conditions, part of which is summarized below.
The TattleTech program is copyrighted and the TattleTech‚Ñ¢ name is trademarked. Credits and all documentation must be kept with the program. No modifications of any kind, other than the use of included dialog boxes, may be made to TattleTech. TattleTech may be freely distributed at no charge except media costs or normal downloading charges provided that all documentation, auxiliary programs, and pricing information accompany it. Any inclusion on media greater in capacity than 1.4 MB must be approved in advance.
This software is licensed for use by the company or individual whose name appears in the TattleTech About dialog (hereinafter referred to as “The Licensee”). The software is intended solely for the use as specified in the printed Software License Agreement included with the printed documentation.
TattleTech, its documentation, and any accompanying software represent proprietary program products and information of Tech Tools Corp and Decision Maker's Software, Inc. Neither receipt nor possession of such products or information confers any right to reproduce, use, or disclose, in whole or in part, any such products or information without prior written authorization from Tech Tools Corp or Decision Maker's Software, Inc. All rights under the copyright laws are reserved.
Any use not in conformance with this notice or the Software License Agreement is expressly prohibited. TattleTech, its documentation, and any accompanying software are distributed with no warranties implied or expressed except those as delineated in the above reference Software License Agreement.
