This system extension allows switching between Systems 5, 6 and 7 without having to boot off a floppy or whatever. It is useful for switching between Systems to avoid compatibility problems, e.g. to run an old application which is incompatible with System 7 under System 6. Please read the comments under Installation, below, for more information.
——— Installation ———
To install, simply drag the 5-6-7 INIT icon into your System folder. The next time you restart or turn your machine on, it will be available. That’s the easy part. As it is, the INIT will not do anything at all, except display its icon when you start up to show it is there. In order to actually be able to switch between Systems, you have to do a bit of work. Firstly, you need to have a different version of the System and Finder from the one you use normally (so you’ve got something to switch to). Note that you cannot (easily) use two different Systems previous to System release 6.0, as the earlier ones lack the ‘vers’ ID 1 resource necessary to switch. (Hackers can add or modify this resource—the INIT looks only at the very first field of the resource, which contains the major release number, e.g. 6 for System 6.0.5 and the rest.)
Once you’ve got two distinct but recent System and Finder files, one of these sets should be installed as per normal on your hard disk, and the other should be renamed as “System 7” and “Finder 7”, if they are from the System 7 release, or “System 5” and “Finder 5” for Systems previous to release 6.0, regardless of their actual version number. You get the idea. Simple enough, except the Finder doesn’t allow you to rename these files. You can get around this by using a utility like DiskTop or FileMaster which doesn’t have this restriction.
Having renamed the second System and Finder as appropriate, you may do a third one also if you have one. Once all done, drag them into the System folder. Since they have different names from the current System and Finder, they won’t replace them. Also, you should make sure that all System and Finder files are unlocked, otherwise the INIT will be unable to switch the locked ones. You are now ready to try it out!
——— Compatibility ———
This INIT should work on all Macintoshes, especially the Plus and above. However, you are warned that several users have had problems with this INIT, including myself. I no longer support it, but since many users reported no problems with it and find it useful, I am not withdrawing it from availability. Use at your own risk.
Note that you really need a hard disk for this INIT to be of use, as you can’t practically fit two different System and Finder files on a single floppy disk. In any case, floppy users can simply boot up with different disks, so they don’t need this INIT.
——— Usage ———
To use this INIT, firstly follow the Installation instructions above. Once this is done, you can use the INIT. If you wish to switch to System 6 (and you aren’t using it already) simply restart the Mac and hold down the ‘6’ key on the keyboard (not the numeric keypad, though) while the startup screen and INIT icons are shown. Unless you have changed the name of the INIT (which comes with a couple of spaces before its name so it will load first) it should be the first or almost first INIT to load. This is good, as it saves you having to go through the INIT sequence twice.
When my INIT operates, it looks to see which key you are holding down, out of ‘5’, ‘6’, ‘7’. If one of these keys are being held down, it then checks if a file called “System ” followed by that number and a file called “Finder ” followed by that number is present in the System folder. If not, then either it is currently in use or not there at all, and does nothing more. If it is there, an icon indicating which System you are switching to is displayed instead of the same one as in the Finder, and the files are renamed so that the requested System and Finder are activated, and the current one is deactivated, along with careful checking so nothing goes wrong. If all is well, a nice zoom effect is drawn and the machine is restarted so the new System and Finder is used.
One problem you may encounter is that some INITs and cdevs may not be compatible with differing versions of the System software, and MultiFinder may not work also. I found that the MultiFinder for System 6.0.5 would not work with System 4.2 (called System 5 by 5-6-7). The simple answer to this problem is to hold down the Command key while starting to avoid MultiFinder when it doesn’t work, and to turn any incompatible INITs etc off temporally (using INIT/cdev or a similar utility) while using the older System.
Docs: 18 January 1995 Updated to reflect my new name and to use styled text
——— Dejal Userware ———
This program is being released as Freeware. You may give it away to anyone, provided you include this document with the software, and both are unmodified. Since it’s not Shareware, you may continue to use it without paying me any money, however if you’ve found it useful and want to donate something, I wouldn’t turn you down!
If you come across any bugs, please let me know. Rest assured I have checked it quite extensively, and found it works fine on my machine and those of my Beta Testers, but I accept no responsibility if it trashes your hard disk or blows up your Mac.
You may be interested in other programs I’ve written, including some high quality Shareware applications. Here are brief descriptions of just two of them:
• SndConverter Pro (Shareware): my most popular product to date; this application allows you to quickly convert a batch of sounds from one format to another. Additional options include the ability to downsample or compress sounds, filter the sound names, change sampling rates, convert 16-bit sounds to 8-bit, plus other features. It will help you find and extract sounds, and supports Apple events (file, folder and disk dropping), resolving aliases, and other features.
• QuickEncrypt (Shareware): drop a file on this application to quickly and securely encrypt it, or decrypt previously encrypted files. It is very configurable and has many features, including support for files of an unlimited length, multiple worksets, user-controlled password limitations, a default password, automatic encryption and/or decryption, verification of validity, the option of a standard source folder and various destination options, opening files once decrypted (via AppleEvents), and more.
Write to the address below, or contact me via e-mail, for more information. If you want to receive the Dejal Userware™ disk, which includes every program I have written and released as Shareware or Freeware, plus my sound catalogue, send US$5 or provide your credit card details. I can accept VISA, MasterCard, Bankcard, Diners Club and American Express, as well as cash & checks in any major currency or international money orders — I can even accept credit card orders via e-mail! I prefer cash (any currency, not only NZ$ or US$) for small amounts like US$5.
Please let me know if you use this program, by writing or e-mailing:
Snail: Dejal Userware, PO Box 33-1011, Takapuna, Auckland 1309, NEW ZEALAND
Internet: dejal@iconz.co.nz (preferred) or dejal@deepthnk.kiwi.gen.nz
Dejal Userware home page: http://amug.org:80/~dejal/
CompuServe: >INTERNET: dejal@iconz.co.nz or 100033,2435
I read the Internet mail every day, and will reply immediately (allow a day or two for net.delay), but only call CI$ once a fortnight, or less.
Note: my software is now available for anonymous ftp at ftp.amug.org in the /pub/dejal directory. Most of the software is also available on sumex-aim and its mirror sites, though my ftp site has the advantage of having all my software in the one directory, and you know they are the latest versions.
