◊ cdevEloper is an FKEY that works inside ResEdit 2.1 or later (I only tested it under 2.1.1). I made it because I write many control panels ('cdev' code resources) and I missed a way to check the panel’s rectangles while adjusting its dialog items.
◊ cdevEloper reads the 'nrct' -4064 resource in the file being edited by ResEdit and draws the corresponding control panel rectangles in the frontmost window (which must be a 'DITL' editor window). It also paints a gray rectangle that shows the size of the old System 6 control panel window (if you want your control panel to run under System 6 you’ll have to make your nrct’s fit in there).
◊ Any update to the window will erase cdevEloper’s cool graphics. Until Apple gives us a cdev-savvy DITL editor, you’ll have to keep calling cdevEloper over and over to manually update your window.
• Installation
◊ To install cdevEloper, copy the 'FKEY' resource from the cdevEloper file to the “ResEdit Preferences” file. The resource ID is currently set to 0, which means you’ll have to type Command-(Shift)-0 to invoke it; you may change the resource ID to any number from 0 to 9 if you want to use a different key combination.
◊ I do not recommend installing cdevEloper in the System file (although it works just as well from there) because that takes away an otherwise useful FKEY number.
◊ cdevEloper checks the current application name before executing, so your copy of the ResEdit application MUST be called “ResEdit”. Aliases may have any name you like.
◊ cdevEloper only runs if the frontmost window’s name begins with “DITL ID = ”. If you invoke at any other time it will just beep and do nothing else.
• Distribution
◊ cdevEloper is free. You may give it away to your friends, post it on BBS's or include it in any non-commercial stuff you can possibly think of, as long as the file and documentation is not modified in any way. If you really like cdevEloper, send me a postcard. You may include suggestions or bug reports if you want to.
