This program is in the form of an FKEY, which means that it is accessed by typing the key combination Command-Shift-<number>, where in this case the number is 0, though this number may be changed using Suitcase™ or a similar utility.
This FKEY puts up an alert which gives the user a choice between shutting down, (similar to choosing Shut Down from the Finder™,) restarting, exiting to the Finder, or cancelling. As an additional option, the user may press Caps Lock when calling this FKEY to just shutdown without bothering with the dialog. This is provided so the user may shutdown properly even during a mouse freeze. Important: see note below under the Limitations & Known Problems section.
Compatibility
This FKEY requires System version 3.3 or greater, and should work on any Macintosh with at least that System version. If you have any problems, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.
Installation
Simply install the FKEY either in your System file or using Suitcase™, then you’re ready to go. If you are one of the few poor unfortunate users who don’t have Suitcase, and don’t have any other FKEY installers, you can use the magic of ResEdit to install the program:
1. Launch ResEdit
2. Open the Shutdown FKEY file
3. Select all resources in the file except the ‘vers’ one
4. Choose Copy from the Edit menu
5. Open a copy of the System file [Never use ResEdit on the current one]
6. Choose Paste from the Edit menu
7. Quit, saving the System file on the way.
Instructions
Important: Read the note in the following section before using this FKEY. To use it, you will normally just press Command-Shift-0 (or whatever you have set the key to) to be presented with an alert asking you whether you wish to shutdown, restart, exitToShell or cancel. Shutdown and restart are similar to the equivalent Finder™ commands, with the exception outlined in the following section; exitToShell is like choosing Quit from the File menu except that you can do it any time—even in the Finder. It simply aborts the current program and reloads the Finder. Remember that all three of these options do not give you a chance to save your work, and don’t give the open application a chance to tidy up any of its private files. Cancel does just that, returning you to where you were.
As an additional option, under special circumstances—for example during a mouse freeze—you may want to shutdown properly—so you don’t have to wait around when restarting for the directory to be rebuilt—but can’t or don’t wish to use the mouse: then you can press Caps Lock down first, and call the FKEY by typing the Command-Shift-0 combination. In this case, you are not presented with the alert: the computer is simply shutdown right then and there. I used to have this as the default option, but I kept on typing it by mistake which is rather frustrating!
Limitations & Known Problems
This FKEY doesn’t give applications or the Finder a chance to tidy up after themselves, e.g. if the application writes a temporary file to the disk while running (e.g. MacWrite’s scrap & undo files, ResEdit’s scrap file, etc) then this file will not be deleted. This is not a major worry, as the file will be correctly handled and deleted next time the program is run. However, if you use this FKEY in the Finder, the Desktop file will not be correctly updated, which means that any changes to folder or icon positions will be lost. I strongly recommend you use the Shutdown and Restart commands from the Special menu, and only use this FKEY when a bomb or other error prevents you from using the mouse or nothing else seems to work. Then this is an ideal utility.
Future Enhancements
If you have any ideas or would like some improvement done, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do.
1.0a1: 4 January 1990 Initial version which just shuts down or restarts
Docs: 6 January 1990 Rough description: mainly source code comments
1.0a2: 16 January 1990 Added alert to give shutdown, restart or
exitToShell
Docs: 19 January 1990 Updated docs to 1.0a2 & improved it heaps
1.0b1: 10 February 1990 Prepared for first distribution
Docs: 10 February 1990 Updated docs to version 1.0b1
About Shutdown…
I am releasing this FKEY as Freeware, which means that you may give it to anyone you like, and you don’t have to send me any money (though I wouldn’t be offended if you did!) Also, you may not charge anything for it, apart for the usual Freeware distribution charges. However, I ask that you send me a letter, postcard or e-mail to register as a user of this program (even if you don’t use it much!) as I maintain a database of my registered users, even for Freeware such as this. If you didn’t get this program from the Dejal Userware disk directly, please make sure you let me know where you got it from. Also, you may be interested in other programs written by me, including some high quality Shareware applications. Write to the address below, or contact me via e-mail, for more information. If you want to receive the Dejal Userware disk, send US$5 or provide your credit card details (I can accept VISA, MasterCard, Bankcard 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!
If you find any bugs, or would like any improvements done, please write to me and I’ll do my best to help you. Remember, this program is Freeware, not Shareware, so it is nowhere as good as my Shareware products, and hasn’t had anywhere near as much testing as them. Don’t judge the quality of my paying Shareware efforts based on free hacks like this one. Of course, I can accept no responsibility for any loss in profits, damage or whatever occurring from the use of this program (though let me know if anything like that happens!)
