Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!afsg!ron
From: ron@afsg.apple.com (Ron Flax)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.aux
Subject: Re: Self-rearranging icons under A/UX 2.0 finder.  Help!
Message-ID: <461@afsg.apple.com>
Date: 27 Sep 90 02:16:22 GMT
References: <1990Sep26.145057.5245@tsa.co.uk> <434@dtg.nsc.com>
Organization: Apple Federal Systems Group
Lines: 42

In article <434@dtg.nsc.com> mikel@dtg.UUCP (Michael G. Lohmeyer) writes:
>In article <1990Sep26.145057.5245@tsa.co.uk> domo@tsa.co.uk (Dominic Dunlop) writes:
>>get munged, but it happens sooner or later anyway.  HOW CAN I NAIL THOSE
>>DAMNED ICONS DOWN?  (Sorry: can't RTFM, as FM's (where F stands for

This is by no means a fix, but this is what I do...

I've created a folder in /mac/sys called ".save", and I have
two shell scripts, one called "savedesk", and one called
"fixdesk", that I use to keep a backup copy of the desktop
database.

Here is the contents of "savedesk":
cp "/mac/sys/System Folder/.fs_cache"  /mac/sys/.save
cp "/mac/sys/System Folder/.fs_dirIDs" /mac/sys/.save
cp "/mac/sys/System Folder/Desktop DB" /mac/sys/.save
cp "/mac/sys/System Folder/Desktop DF" /mac/sys/.save

And here is "fixdesk":
cp "/mac/sys/.save/.fs_cache"  "/mac/sys/System Folder/"
cp "/mac/sys/.save/.fs_dirIDs" "/mac/sys/System Folder/"
cp "/mac/sys/.save/Desktop DB" "/mac/sys/System Folder/"
cp "/mac/sys/.save/Desktop DF" "/mac/sys/System Folder/"

After I have set things up how I like them, I logout, then
log back in under the Console Emulator and execute savedesk.
That way if I crash and have to exit without properly
logging out, I can at least recover most of my layout and
cache.  In fact I pretty much always login to the Console
Emulator, and start the mac environment by hand with
'mac32'.  This way I can quickly recover from a crash, and
can save my desk if I happen to make major changes.

The real problem is that the fs_cache only gets updated and
marked clean in the event of a safe logout.  If the file is
in a dirty condition, it is recreated and you start from
scratch.

--
Ron Flax
ron@afsg.apple.com	
Apple Federal Systems Group