This time around, the biggest new things have to do with what's where. All of the other really cool new stuff is being held back until Apple IIGS System Software v.6.0 and HyperCard IIGS v.1.1 are released.
Because of the rather long path names involved, the icons used on this CD to connect Apple IIGS documents to their applications have very generic (or none at all) application path names built into them. The Finder.Data file is limited to 64 characters for a path name, but all of the applications on this CD are more than 64 characters deep — ex: “:Dev.CD Vol.XI:Development Platforms (Moof):Apple II:Essentials:QuickMountGS:QuickMount” is the full path name to the QuickMount application. Simply copy the applications you want to use, and their icon files, to your hard drive (or a floppy) and then edit the application path names within the icon files so they point to your copy of the applications.
The next big change is the elimination of the ProDOS partition! That's no accident this time and it'll stay this way for the future. With the advent of Apple IIGS System Software v.6.0, Apple IIGS's will be able to read the HFS partition just as easily as they've always read the ProDOS partition. On prior CD's, the contents of the ProDOS partition were repeated on the Macintosh partition so that all of the Apple II files could be accessed over an AppleTalk network. This ate a fair amount of space (20 megs or so) while providing a lot of extra work for the folks that prepare the CD (configuration control had an extra 2000+ files to contend with).
So, several problems are being eliminated at once by only putting the Apple II stuff on the HFS partition. How do you get to the HFS partition from an Apple IIGS? Like always, it can be accessed over an AppleTalk network, or you can use the HFS FST found in Apple IIGS System v.6.0.
Don't have Apple IIGS System v.6.0 yet? The System 6 Beta CD was sent out to most Apple II Partners & Associates in November. Install the beta version of System 6 (or just boot from the System 6 Beta CD) and you'll be able to read HFS disks just as easily as you've always read ProDOS disks.
Constructive comments, questions and suggestions for the Developer CD series are always welcome. You can write to us at:
TIM SWIHART is currently part of the Apple II Product Marketing Group at Apple where he manages Apple II Developer Tools, System Software, and HyperCard IIGS (including HyperMover). In his spare time, he writes articles/XCMDs/etc, tutors budding HyperCard IIGS scripters, and sometimes spends time doing non-nerdy stuff.
