Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.programmer:15257 comp.sys.mac.system:490
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!munnari.oz.au!uniwa!vaxa.uwa.oz!a_dent
From: a_dent@vaxa.uwa.oz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Changing the 10 open files limit - good idea?
Message-ID: <1990Jun11.195357.1886@vaxa.uwa.oz>
Date: 11 Jun 90 11:53:57 GMT
Organization: University of Western Australia
Lines: 33

I've been working in FoxBASE+/Mac and one of my databases is really complicated,
the easy way out has been to leave 9 datafiles and 19 indexes permanently open.

The only trouble with this is the limit on open files - the standard boot 
block setting is TEN files (apparently regardless of machine size - CPU, RAM,
diskspace - you name it).

My choices are:
1)  A lot of painful coding to try to keep within the limit of 10 files.

2)  Write a utility to set the limit (no problems technically).

I've already had an argument with one Mac support person (Richard, are you
reading this?) about the safety/validity of step 2).

So, what's the Net's opinion on increasing the number of open files?  Would you
be happy to run a "setup program" of this nature, if you bought an off-the-shelf
package?

Also, for the techies, what IS the impact of "n" open files.  Does it cost much
memory (I can't think of anything else it could affect)?


By the way, the limit seems to apply across the entire Mac system, not just to 
one program, under Multifinder.  This seems a ridiculous restriction - a 5Mb
Mac with two applications running could easily get close to 10 files just
by handling a couple of documents per application.  

Thanks in advance

Andy Dent                     A.D. Software phone 09 249 2719
Mac & VAX programmer          94 Bermuda Dve, Ballajura
a_dent@vaxa.uwa.oz            Western Australia  6066