Under Sytem 7, if you double-click on a TEXT or PICT file, and the parent application cannot be found, you are presented with a dialog which says “The application which created this document cannot be found. Do you want me to open it with TeachText?”. This is controlled by fmap resource #17010 in the Finder. Unfortunately, this opens as a chunk of hexadecimal, which, though intelligible, is somewhat nerve-wracking nonetheless. So, to make life easier for everyone, I have created a template for the fmap resource. It’s my first attempt at a template, so is somewhat rough, but it does work for editing fmap #17010.
For more information about using the fmap resource and installing templates and editors for ResEdit, read "Zen and the Art of Resource Editing"
To use the template, open a copy of the Finder, and open fmap resource #17010. The template will present you with a repeating list of fields. The first field in each division says “File Type.” In this field, enter the four-letter code for the type of file (for example, PICT or TEXT) you want to flag the dialog when the parent application isn’t around. The next field says “Opening App Signature” and this is where you type the four-letter signature of the application you want to open this type of document (for instance, ttxt for TeachText). This signature can be found by using ResEdit’s “Get File/Folder Info…” menu command to look at the application. The text you want is in the “Creator” field of the dialog. For more information about the “Get File/Folder Info…” and types and creators, look in the ResEdit book this came with.
To create a new set of fields, click on the second-to-last row of asterisks, and choose “Insert New Field” from the Resource menu.
IMPORTANT NOTES
The last row of this fmap resource must be all 0’s. This will show up in the template as two empty fields or as two fields filled with 0. It is very important that you not touch the last set of fields. That is why you should choose Insert New Field on the second-to-last row of asterisks, right above the last set of fields.
POSSIBLE USES
I have my fmap set up to open Microsoft Word documents with MacWrite II, and FlowFazer recipes to open with ResEdit. To do this, I typed WBDN into the “File Type” field, and MWII into the “Opening App signature” field. That tells the System that when it can’t find Microsoft Word, ask me if I want to open it with MacWrite II.
LEGAL STUFF
This template is absolutely free, and I encourage people to distribute as much as they want. However, because it is free, I don’t offer any technical support or upgrades to “registered users”. If you are interested in templates I may do in the future, or if you have suggestions for ways I could do this template better, please contact me at DFS BMUG on America Online. However, I don’t promise anything.
