Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wuarchive!udel!princeton!phoenix!bskendig
From: bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: More Get-Info, and the DeskTop
Message-ID: <2857@idunno.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 27 Sep 90 04:25:36 GMT
References: <1990Sep27.032038.21661@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>
Sender: news@idunno.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Starfleet Academy: Princeton University  PQC PTC CIT EECS SCI
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In article <1990Sep27.032038.21661@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu> yip@mcgill-vision.uucp (McGill/CONCAVE Group) writes:
>Thanks to all who responded to my question on the Get-Info
>feature. As most wrote to say, rebuilding the DeskTop 
>does indeed erase the information fields, as I double-checked
>with a quick test. So what use can these information fields
>have then?

The information you put into them won't be erased as long as you don't
rebuild the desktop.  They'll be safe on locked disks, or read-only
AppleShare volumes.  (Or wait until System Seven.)

>While we're on the subject of the DeskTop ...
>1. Is there an analogous concept (to DeskTop) in the PC-world?
>   (i.e., what *is* the DeskTop anyways!?)

The desktop is the basic metaphor that the Mac is built on.
Everything is done analogously to the way you'd do it on your own
desk, with your own hands instead of the mouse.

The desktop file, if that's what you're asking about, stores
information about the files on the disk -- what they look like, how to
get to them, and so forth.  It's the directory information on the
disk.  Similar information is hidden in the disks of an IBM; you can't
get at it as easily.

>2. When I use DiskTop to find the DeskTop, it actually
>   finds several copies. Where did they come from, and
>   which is the real one? Should my information fields be
>   embedded in the real one?

You should only have one `Desktop' file, at the highest level of your
disk.  Finding one in your System folder is a Bad Thing, and may mean
that your computer is infected with the Scores virus.  (Use
Disinfectant to check.) Finding one in another folder means something
weird is going on.

>3. What does "rebuilding" the DeskTop mean?

Holding down Command-Option as the disk is mounted (i.e. whenever the
Finder starts up) will make the Desktop file forget about all the
icons it's remembered from all the files it's ever seen, and fetch the
icons from all the files it can get to on its disk.  This makes sure
that it's showing the real icon for a file instead of some old icon
that may be confusing it, and it also frees up the space on the disk
that was taken up by old icons that aren't used any longer (such as
from applications that you got rid of).

It also expressly clears out anything that doesn't really belong in
the Desktop file, including two viruses that live there.

I hope I've been coherent enough to help!

     << Brian >>

| Brian S. Kendig      \ Macintosh |   Engineering,   | bskendig             |
| Computer Engineering |\ Thought  |  USS Enterprise  | @phoenix.Princeton.EDU
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