Using A Template To Edit Finder Menus In Mac OS 8.0/8.1
by Michael Coyle, 05-13-1998
A template resource (TMPL) is used by ResEdit to "Break to code" of another resource. The template we will use here makes it much easier to understand what is happening inside the Finder's fmn2 resource; the group of ID's that control the Finder Menus.
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When the fmn2 resource for the File menu is opened (ID#515) using the template, it's much easier to understand what is happening.
Count: the count is the number of items in the menu, including the menu name (File), and any dividers.
MenuItem: The name of the menu as it appears in the bar.
ShortCut: is the command key equivalent for the menu item.
MenuItem: The name of the menu item as it appears in the dropped down menu. |
How to use the fmn2 template.
After downloading the template file, open it and a copy of the Finder with ResEdit. Copy the TMPL resource and paste it into the Finder. Now, whenever you want to edit the Finder menus, the template will be in the file.
If you have performed any of the previous Finder menu edits, you'll appreciate how much easier the ID's are to understand using a template. As long as you're working on a copy of the Finder, experiment by renaming a menu, a menu item, and adding command keys. It maybe possible to create a Finder that has more features than the Simple Finder, yet is less complicated than the full Finder. You can create the perfect Finder for you!
In the coming weeks, ResExcellence will cover the template in more detail. By the way, replacing the Help menu with a question mark is unrelated to Finder template. I've included it here as a hint of edits yet to come...
