Command Key to Hide Applications (pre 8.5 systems)
Wade Cosgrove sent me an email asking:
"I was wondering if you could make a hack for hiding applications. Like if you are in the Finder and you hit command-h (or something like that) to hide all the background applications."
Well Wade, you're in luck. I've found a way to do it. My goal was to add a command key equivalent to the Process Menu option, "Hide Others"
When I first did the hack, I used Command-H, since it was not used in the Finder, but the flaw in that thinking is that other applications use Command-H. I settled on Command-` (the tilde key). If you discover an application that uses Command-`, you'll have to hunt for another key.
System Resources
Open a copy of the System suitcase in ResEdit and find the MENU resource.
Open it with a double-click.
The two menu resources and called "rANdy" and "Maura". Mac legend says the two were original System programers.
rANdY represents the Help menu and Maura the Finder Process menu.
Open Maura with a double-click.
As shown above, click once on the menu option "Hide Others" and enter your choice for the command key.
Save your hacked System and replace the old one in the System folder. After restarting the computer, you'll have a new menu option to hide all the background applications.
The two menu resources and called "rANdy" and "Maura". Mac legend says the two were original System programers.