Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.programmer:5614 comp.sys.mac:30057
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!bbn!gatech!prism!loligo!pepke
From: pepke@loligo.cc.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: DTS and Compatibility (Was: MF)
Summary: I want a straight answer or the admission that I won't get one.
Message-ID: <579@loligo.cc.fsu.edu>
Date: 13 Apr 89 04:28:13 GMT
References: <1562@neoucom.UUCP> <28399@apple.Apple.COM> <3637@brunix.UUCP> <1304@internal.Apple.COM>
Reply-To: pepke@loligo.UUCP (Eric Pepke)
Organization: Supercomputer Computations Research Institute
Lines: 42

So asking whether MultiFinder is active or not is the Wrong Question, and
Apple will never let us know.  Here is a Real Question.

I have an application which needs to launch other applications.  I need to
be able to find out the answer to these questions about Launch before I call
it:

1) When I call Launch, will it return immediately and launch the application
   at a later time, or will it wait until the user quits the subapplication
   before returning?

2) If the former, will my calling program still have windows at which the user
   can look before quitting the subapplication?  Will it still be able to do 
   stuff that affects these windows from time to time?

I don't care what version of the system I am running.  I don't care whether
the machine has a 68000, 68020, 68030, 68040, or a MIPS processor running an
emulator.  I don't care whether it is running Finder, Switcher, MultiFinder, 
A/UX, or Dr. Tongue's 3-D House of Windows.  Honest.  You could even be 
running OS-9 or Magic Pustule or whatever it's called without peeving me in
the slightest.

The only reason I occasionally screw up and ask about MultuFinder is that at 
least three Mac Tech Notes and the MultiFinder Development package say that 
how Launch behaves is related to the presence of MultiFinder.  Personally, I 
don't care a whit, tittle, or jot.  Not a sausage.  Nada.  Nichts.

It is cold comfort to me that the Notes say that most applications shouldn't
need to worry about this.  I am not writing most applications; I am writing
this one.  And yes--it *is* an integrated development system, so I am 
entitled to consider using Launch.

So, what is the answer to this question which has absolutely nothing to do
with MultiFinder in any way whatsoever?  

Eric Pepke                                     ARPA:   pepke@gw.scri.fsu.edu
Supercomputer Computations Research Institute  MFENET: pepke@fsu
Florida State University                       SPAN:   pepke@scri
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052                     BITNET: pepke@fsu
 
Disclaimer: My employers seldom even LISTEN to my opinions.
Meta-disclaimer: Any society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.