Feb 88 Mousehole
Volume Number: 4
Issue Number: 2
Column Tag: Mousehole Report
Mousehole Report 
By Rusty Hodgee, Contributing Editor, Mousehole BBS
On November 30, 1987, MouseHole switched to our new ProLine EMS software. This
software is much more sophisticated (albeit a bit more complicated for first-time
users). From now on, MouseHole is automatically limited to 300 active participants
at a time. Accounts that are inactive for more than 45 days are automatically purged
and room is made for new members. So no more SASE’s, no more waiting (too long) to
get a password. As accounts become available, MacTutor readers can call in and
register online.
Non-members can still login to the MouseHole message system by calling (714)
921-2252 and login as ‘GUEST’. To register for an account (if there are any
available) login as ‘REGISTER’. You can leave mail for any MouseHole member by
logging in as a guest and sending mail to their username, however, they can’t easily
reply to you unless you give them some other address to reach you at (since any mail to
the guest account can be read and deleted by any guest don’t expect getting reliable
replies!).
From: jimr (Jim Reekes)
Subject: add
The bogus FONT problem I’ve been complaining about with PageMucker also occurs in
Illustrator. It is exactly the same problem where all the fonts, menus, and dialogs are
totally unreadable.
I also had a similar problem today using MS Word 3.01 and the Background Print
application in MultiFinder. I had a page of Palatino text, which I printed with
“Fractional Widths” selected in the Print Dialog. As it began to print, the lower left
corner of Word’s window became garbage. This went away as soon as the print job was
completed.
But the other strange thing is when I switch over to the Print Monitor to view the job
in progress. It had the same problem that PageMucker and the rest have with FONTs,
menus, and the dialog. Its all full of garbage.
From: jimr (Jim Reekes)
Subject: Re: FONT problem solved!
Okay, so I spent nearly an hour trying to locate the source of my problems with
PageMaker, Illustrator, Word, Print Monitor, etc...
What I did was start with a fresh new copy of the system/ finder. Then added my Laser
fonts (which have been renamed to +Times, +Helvetica, etc.). That still worked fine.
Then I added the fancy ImageWriter fonts that I’ve used for the past few years. They
are Dali, Boston, Alexis, Dover, Florence, and probably another one or two. That’s
when I started getting into trouble with the above programs. Then I removed all of the
fancy ImageWriter fonts, but I still had troubles.
So, started back with a fresh new system/ finder. Added only my renamed Laser fonts
and settled with that. Never use the ImageWriter lately anyhow. My conclusion is that
the Font/DA Mover is scrambling the FONT resources. This is what got the above
mentioned applications into trouble. Even after removing the offending fonts, the
applications would remain screwed. So now I’m happy and using PageMAKER once
again.
[In the November issue, we published a solution to font problems with
Pagemaker. Check the FOND resource flag word with ResEdit and make sure it is set to
$6000 for older Imagewriter fonts. Pagemaker is trying to read a non-existent width
table in the FOND resource for these Imagewriter fonts and that is why the fonts are
messed up. We’ve done this and have had no further problems with fonts in our system
file. Pagemaker and Illustrator are the only two I know that use the FOND resources
for calculating character widths. -Ed]
From: dirck (Dirck Blaskey)
Subject: Font bugs
A font bug: Starting with system 4.1 and continuing on into 4.2, the following
occurred: An application has a font in it’s resource fork (e.g. Times 9). If said font is
not in the system file, a setfont will get a SCALED version of the font (e.g. Times 10)
from the SYSTEM file. If the font IS in the system file, a setfont will get the font from
the APPLICATION file. [We recommend removing all fonts from application files. -Ed]
From: mikesteiner (Mike Steiner)
Subject: A bug?
I had an “interesting” thing happen the other day. My finder would not recognize a
double click on an icon. If I double clicked on an icon to open it, the finder acted as if I
had clicked only once. If I clicked on a word in the name of the icon, it selected the
whole word. If I dbl. clicked in the get info window on a word in the info box, it
selected the word. In short, double clicking worked as it should everywhere except on
an icon in the finder. I was using system 4.2, finder 6.0, no Multi finder, and the
system was acting as a server on a TOPS network. The only way to correct the problem
was to shut down the network and reboot the computer. Now it works properly. Anyone
have any ideas as to what caused the problem?
From: d.goss (David Goss)
Subject: Re: A bug? confirmed
I had the same thing happen in a stand-alone system. I was in system 4.2 but cannot
remember if I was in MultiFinder or not. Anyway, I also had to reboot to clear the
problem. It has only happened once - no idea why.
From: sam (Sam)
Subject: Re: A bug?
I’ve had the same “no double click” at the Finder bug happen to a friend of mine. The
system is a Mac Plus with an AST (eeek shrill... I know..) 2000 Rodime hard disk and
MacServe. The problem only occurs after a MacServe volume is opened -- I assumed
it was MacServe. This is interesting. Has this happened to anyone else? [I have also
seen this problem on my Mac II a few times. Don’t know what it is...hasn’t happened
lately. -Ed]
From: mikesteiner (Mike Steiner)
Subject: Re: A bug?
I was using a Mac Plus (no ADB port, obviously) with system 4.2 and finder 6.0
without Multifinder active. It has happened only once so far (knock wood!). It seems
that it is not an isolated case since others have reported it here. Has anyone reported it
to Apple yet?
From: powerhopeful (Power Hopeful)
Subject: ADB
I mentioned awhile ago that I had many SCSI problems when I replaced my regular
keyboard with an “extended” one. I’m interested to see these other ADB comments. Is
there anything someone can say explicitly about how the ADB affects the other
equipment connected? I just wondered if there’s a basic explanation for what now
seem to be quirks?
From: davidw (David Whiteman)
Subject: Mac II problem with ADB
Has anyone heard of problems with the Apple Desktop Bus circuitry with the
Macintosh II? Three Mac II’s owned by friends of mine had to have motherboards
replaced because the Mac would not respond to either keyboard or mouse input. This
occurred after they switched from the standard keyboard to the extended keyboard, and
subsequent attempts at trying different cables, keyboards or mice did not fix the
problem. Has anyone else been having this type of trouble? [I have the extended
keyboard and the Mac II and no problem like this. -Ed]
From: powerhopeful (Power Hopeful)
Subject: Re: Mac II problem with ADB
Yes, I’ve had problems like that. Mine seem too to interact with SCSI. Anytime I add
anything new or change the order of SCSI devices, it takes me about a day to get things
to function correctly.
From: rick (Rick Boarman)
Subject: Re: Mac II problem with ADB
I had to replace the mother board on my MacII for those exact reasons. I think what
killed it is that I pulled the keyboard cable out with the power still on (I know, it was
stupid to do that).
From: s.winders (Scott Winders)
Subject: PRam and System 4.2
Clearing PRam with System 4.2 is slightly different. The “Shift-Option-Command
key down while opening the Control Panel” function remains the same. The difference
is this: Only the PRam locations that can cause problems with the system are reset.
These include: Startup Device, serial port settings, sound settings, and a few more.
Things like the time, date, keyboard, mouse, and sound volume settings are not affected.
This undocumented change has led to the confusion about this function not working.
From: jimr (Jim Reekes)
Subject: PRam and System 4.2
I just got hold of David Ramsey’s new INIT file for Mac II users. It will protect us
against the evil PRAM woes. I’m not exactly sure what it does yet, but David has
expressed to me that he knows what is wrong with the PRAM and has solved it. This
INIT will become part of the next system release, sometime in the first quarter of ’88.
I think I already saw this file on the download, I’ll have to double check.
From: max (Jim Wolcott)
Subject: AST’s Mac286 card
I’ve been messing around with AST Re search’s Mac286 board for the Macintosh II for
about a month now (in fact, I am doing a magazine article on the beast). As you may
recall from the glowing product announcements, this is supposed to be an IBM AT
computer, completely fit on a board for the Mac II. Even has a socket for the 80287
co-processor chip. The results: Forget it! It’s junk! Running Lotus 1-2-3, the
“screen refresh” takes nearly ONE SECOND, and, worse, the refresh takes place AFTER
EACH CHARACTER IS TYPED! Want to do something as pedestrian as a 10-character
cell-formula? Ten seconds, please. What a joke! I contacted AST, and asked about the
speed (without identifying myself as a magazine reviewer). The guy said “Well,
right now, it’s somewhere between molasses and...” As his voice trailed, I offered
“Glacial?” “Yes, I guess you could say ‘Glacial.’ But we hope to have a software
update in about 4 weeks that will help... but it won’t make it fast... the processor is
whipping right along, but the user sees the screen. Even with the update, it will be
slow. Intolerably slow? In my opinion, yes.” At that point, I said “Well, I guess I
should have bought an AT clone, and the TOPS network. It even would have been
cheaper.” His response? “Yes, if you’re a serious AT-user, that’s what I would do.”
Serious AT-user? What? With the cost of the Apple PC 5.25 Drive, the end cost is
about $2,000.00. If you weren’t a serious AT-user looking for IBM compatibility,
you wouldn’t buy one.
At this time, everybody connected with this project (including Apple, who helped fund
this boondoggle) is ticked off. Worse, AST has sold/shipped over 2,000 of these
turkeys. (By the way, Mr. Jim Reekes, you are vindicated.)
From: don (Don Melton)
Subject: PrintMonitor bug & MacDraw
I discovered a peculiar bug with MultiFinder’s PrintMonitor a few weeks ago. It seems
the good folks at Apple didn’t set the default memory size large enough on PrintMonitor
to make it compatible with their own MacDraw.
Normally, PrintMonitor comes out of the box set at 78K. Printing several documents
from MacDraw will give Apple’s favorite spooler a case of the royal hic-ups right
away. In fact, it will continually beep at you requesting that the PrintMonitor be
brought to the front, and then you will be informed that you need to close a desk
accessory to free up some memory. And soon after that you’ll be told by PrintMonitor
that you need to quit an open application to free up memory -- even if the only thing
open at the time is the Finder and the Print Monitor. It’s real fun to watch. If you’re
real lucky you may even get the first document you requested printed.
Here’s the fix:
From the Finder, click on the PrintMonitor and choose Get Info from the file menu.
Change the preferred memory size from 78K to 80K. Close the Get Info window.
That’s it. Two stinking kilobytes of RAM! That drove me nuts for an afternoon. Has
anyone else had this problem?
From: davidk (David Kosiur)
Subject: PrintMonitor Size
Where did you get your copy of PrintMonitor from? Mine came with Apple’s System
Upgrade 5.0 and the size resource was already set to 80K. Someone may have played
with yours before you got it.
From: don (Don Melton)
Subject: Re: PrintMonitor Size
I got my PrintMonitor from Developer Services like all the other certifieds around
here ... and mine was set at 78K. Apparently they know I’m funny looking or
something.
How ‘bout everyone else? What was your PrintMonitor memory size set at? 78K?
80K? Or perhaps some other enchanting number. Amaze your friends.
From: billr (Bill Rausch)
Subject: finder open command
One simple way to solve some of the folder confusion when using Multi-finder and
Finder and other programs would be to have Apple modify the Finder Open command
slightly. If no file is selected when Open is picked from the File menu, have Finder
bring up the standard file dialog box with only applications listed. This way you could
launch programs from MF without having to reorganize your desktop all the time. It
would be useful from the regular Finder also although the Option-Open of the folders
does the trick there.
From: alfred (Alfred Martinez)
Subject: Re: finder open command
It would also be neat if it allowed you to throw things away using a Standard File dialog
type menu instead of having to re-size all your windows to find the trash can. [You can
always blast a hole in the windows, as Greg Marriott showed us in the October issue!
-Ed]
From: powerhopeful (Power Hopeful)
Subject: T-trash, etc.
About being able to through away files with a command-key sequence - or doing just
about anything else you can think of - Quickeys can do it all. I just got it and besides
having a lot of fun with it, it’s allowing to me substitute ALL the annoying Mac tasks
(like dialing MH until connected) with a single keystroke!
I said I didn’t like my extended keyboard, but that has changed since Quickeys. Also, you
can add any Quickey anywhere, but for access to the menu you need to boot with only
Finder. (I think there’s another way..)
Anyway, I really like it and it’s saving me from many of the time-consuming Mac
demands.
From: dumacker (John Vinje)
Subject: Suitcase
Alsoft is coming out with Font/DA juggler. Does anyone know if it works well with
Multi finder? Has anyone seen it yet?
From: frank (Frank Henriquez)
Subject: MF observations
I just upgraded my Mac 512 to 1 meg, with a Dove upgrade, and can finally play with
Multifinder at length on my machine. It’s too bad MF was released at the same time as
Referenced by (2):