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From: bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Is there a limit on the number of files?
Message-ID: <9492@idunno.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 13 May 91 03:09:14 GMT
References: <76189@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Sender: news@idunno.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Starfleet Academy: Princeton University
Lines: 46

In article <76189@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> v109lptc@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu writes:
>>In article <10173@castle.ed.ac.uk> crs@castle.ed.ac.uk (C R Smart) writes:
>>>Is there a limit to the number of files which the mac can handle?
>
>Actually there is a limit.  It arises because the desktop file for the Finder
>has its information stored as resources, and there is a limit to the number of
>resources any given file can contain without the system crashing.
>
>... I've heard that this problem is fixed in system 7.0.  Can anyone confirm
>this?

Correct.  System 7.0 has the Desktop Manager built in, so file
management is much faster when you're using a hard disk with a lot of
files on it.  As an added bonus, System 7.0 no longer nukes the text
in the "Get Info" boxes of your files when you rebuild the desktop.

(The Desktop Manager uses two new data-only (no resources) files:
Desktop DB and Desktop DF, both invisible and at the root level of
your hard disk.  It still uses the old-fashioned Desktop file on
floppy disks.  You can erase the old Desktop file from your hard drive
once you upgrade to System 7.0, but if you ever mount your hard drive
on a System 6 machine not running the Desktop Manager, it will
complain that your hard drive needs minor repairs, and if you give it
permission to attempt repairs, it'll just create a Desktop file.)

If you have to stick with System 6 for some reason, it's still
possible to obtain a copy of the Desktop Manager INIT: grab the
"Oscar" program from ftp.apple.com; the INIT is stuffed in there.
This is functionally equivalent to having the Desktop Manager built
in.

I believe it was System 6.0.4 or 6.0.5 that first included hooks so
the Desktop Manager could be used, and it'll probably be built into
System 6.0.8 so upgrading will mean you don't need that INIT.  (No,
6.0.8's not out, yet.)

If, when you copy a file onto your hard drive, the machine sits there
on "Updating the desktop file..." for forever and a day, then it's
time to either rebuild the desktop or get the Desktop Manager INIT.

     << Brian >>

| Brian S. Kendig      \ Macintosh |   Engineering,   | bskendig             |
| Computer Engineering |\ Thought  |  USS Enterprise  | @phoenix.Princeton.EDU
| Princeton University |_\ Police  | -= NCC-1701-D =- | @PUCC.BITNET         |
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