Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!waikato!aukuni.ac.nz!gmoff From: gmoff@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Moffat) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: desktop manager Message-ID: <1990Oct31.083509.27038@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz> Date: 31 Oct 90 08:35:09 GMT References: Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand. Lines: 37 eatme@iastate.edu (Swanlund David L) writes: >Hi netters. I'm looking for information on Apple's desktop manager. >Stuff like what it does .. Replaces the invisible Desktop file with two invisible files called 'Desktop DB' & 'Desktop DF' which keep their information in the DATA fork rather than as resources. I don't know if it is still possible to see icons etc as could be done before with ResEdit. This gets round the limits of the resource manager when you have large hard disks (ever noticed how long it takes to 'update desktop' when copying files once the drive has about 30M ?) and updates are quick again. These files are open for write and some utilities may not be able to look at them - SUM II, for example, cannot defragment them or optimise a volume while they are open. Boot from a non-DM floppy (see below) to do this. > ... and how to use it would be great. Just put it in the system folder and reboot with the cmd & option keys down to rebuild the desktop. After this you can trash the original Desktop file, but if ever you boot from a non-DM drive (or floppy) you will have to wait while a new Desktop is rebuilt. I originally did this to save space (desktop was 160K) but have since decided (after doing experiments with various macs & drives) that it's more convenient to leave the damn thing on there). Stick a copy on any boot floppies you may have, although it doesn't produce or use the new desktop on them. But then be aware that using them to boot a mac with a non-DM drive will probably cause some strange desktop-related errors (generic icons, double clicking on documents not opening the application, are two that I've come across) until you rebuild the desktop. In short, it's best to standardise on one or the other for all macs you may deal with (If you're [un]lucky enough to have many at your disposal *B^)) -- Graeme Moffat, Phone : +64 9 737 999 x8384 Computer Aided Design Centre, Fax : +64 9 366 0702 School of Engineering, Mail : Private Bag, Auckland, NZ University of Auckland Email : g.moffat@aukuni.ac.nz