| 9/30/98
As confetti rains down upon our little site, ResExcellence is proud to have been selected as the Site of the Week from MacMadness. The folks at MacMadness scour the net looking for stories of interest for Macintosh users. If the day goes by and I haven't visited there, I get that queasy feeling in my stomach, as if I've gone on vacation and left the water running.
When I demonstrate an edit and use the Tecton font, many of you ask where to get it. That font is part of the Kaleidoscope 2.1 install. You'll find it in the Goodies folder.
MacOS 8.5 isn't even out the door, but Raul Gutierrez has already created a Theme Sound Set based on StarTrek. Be sure to also see Raul's GUI Goodies.
The artists from Epoch Icons have updated their site with lots of great looking files. In fact, they promise to provide new downloads every Friday for the next several months!
A Discussion on Ticks and Patches. Do you wonder what effect all your extensions and control panels are having on your processor speed? (Continued...)
9/28/98
The polls at ResExcellence continue to surprise me. I would have thought that the majority of readers to this site use Kaleidoscope, but as it turns out, only a little more than half of you do. Many of you emailed to say you've tried Kaleidoscope, but simply liked Apple's Platinum Theme the best.
While Platinum is also a favorite of Vicki Brown, she also likes to recommend Joriki 1.8 from our friend over at Blue Sky Heart Graphics. Think of it as Platinum with a little something extra! And don't forget, ResExcellence has a beautiful StartupScreen designed by Blue Sky.
Lately, all of the Mac news sites have been covering the Autostart Worm virus. While my entire company is on the Mac platform, I haven't heard of a single employee getting "Wormed". So this week's Polling Place asks, "Have you been infected by the AutoStart Worm?".
And while on the topic of viruses, congratulations to ResEx-contributor Mariel Lohninger for being the first to report on the 'Graphics Accelerator' virus. (link to MacNN's excellent coverage.) And kudos to ResExcellence for being the only site to spell Mariel's name correctly! :)
Anthony Saxton, author of ClipDragon, submitted this solution for an animated StartupScreen:
The technique is to create a series of animation layers in a paint program of the same dimensions, copy each layer, one by one, and paste them into a draw type program from the first frame to the last on top of each other. Select all of the "objects" and align then horizontally and vertically. Group them and copy the group to the clipboard. Using ResEdit, paste this "PICT" into 'PICT' resource ID 0 (zero). Save the file with the filetype set to 'SCRN' and use the resulting file as the startup screen. While size is an issue, the more and larger frames used the better and slower the animation.
On most PPC systems this animation may be too fast to even notice. The picture can also be created with dissimilar sized frames, but it takes a great deal of time and patience lining them up correctly. each layer must also cover the change areas of the previous frame. Also the result ends up much too fast. Also note that the graphics must not be extracted from JPEG files because Quicktime isn't loaded yet to display them.
 What's Michael Jackson's missing glove doing in OS 8.5? A report from our London office confirms that there are infact colored cursors in new System Suitcase. What this may mean to ResEx'ers has yet to be seen, since accessing the resource has been more difficult than snagging a Mark MacGwire home run ball.
9/25/98
For the past several months, ResExcellence has been displaying the great logo designed by Kevin Work of Houston InterWeb Design Inc. I finally got around to teaching myself about layers and the new text functions in Adode Photoshop 5, so I decided to try my hand at making a new logo for the site. I hope you like it..
I must admit that I have never thown money into the bucket of a fake Santa; never thrown a dollar into the case of the corner saxophone player; and when the guy tries to clean my windows at a red light, I tell him I like those bugs there - but I always register the shareware I keep!
I love shareware authors. They're the secret society. They think of the things the big companies left out.
That's why ResExcellence wants to help them out. Starting October 5th in the side bar, there will be a free advertising button for shareware authors. Just send me a small gif (155x155), and it will be rotated for at least a month.
Remember to register your shareware. The platform you save may be your own.
Ian Hayes was wondering, "Could you tell me if there is a way to make the startup screen an animation?"
Unfortunately, the only picture format supported by the MacOS for a StartupScreen is the PICT format, and that format doesn't support animation. It would be great if animated gifs would work, but in the meantime, here's a little work around.
You can use GraphicConverter to sequence a series of pictures, as you would in an animated gif, and then export the file as a Moov (Quicktime Movie). Name the file "Startup Movie" and put it in your System folder. When you restart the computer, the movie will begin to play when the Quicktime extension loads. To play it even earlier while booting, rename the Quicktime extenstion, putting in a space as the first character to move to the top of the Extensions folder.
In a previous edit, we added the Command key symbol to a bitmapped font so it would display better in the menus.
Gray Ginther performed the edit, and asks:
I just got done changing my Geneva font into the system font. Your command symbol hack worked great, but the little bullet mark next to open applications in the application pulldown menu is still a square. Sort of annoying. Could you tip me to the correct resource to edit?
First, go back and read the original edit to refresh your memeory on the procedure, then open the font in ResEdit, and find the NFNT resources. There is one ID for each bit map size. Open them up and create a checkmark symbol in ASCII position 195. That should do it.
9/23/98
While looking for some Linux info, I stumbled upon two great sites for desktop pictures:
eThemes is a site dedicated to Linux window themes (and you though Unix was all stuffy command line!). On the main page is a link to the backgrounds.
At Digital Knight, not all of the graphics are sized for the desktop, but this site has dozens of neatly organized, beautiful graphics. I wish I had known this guy when I needed a Chapter screen for my Marathon map.
Want to see my Powerbook's desktop when it's running Linux?
Jason Ellis maintains a massive archive of "About This Mac" replacements, and several nice icon sets. We're talking dozens of replacements!
Need some good lookin' cursors to use in Monday's edit? John Chermak suggests CoolCursor, one of the many replacements you can find on the MacPlaza Cursor Page.
 If things seem a little quiet around here over the next couple of weeks, it's only because the staff is busy preparing edits for Apple's MacOS 8.5.
I will still maintain the normal update schedule, but they may be a little light on incredible edits!
9/21/98
What a busy weekend! My front lawn was invaded by a little grubbs. Most of Saturday was spent pulling up dead grass and purging the soil of almost as many bugs as you'll find in a Microsoft application!
Then Sunday, the family and I went to see the Chicago FFFFFF Sox beat the Boston Red Sox in the last home game of the season. The FFFFFF Sox were able to handily beat the Red Sox because Boston made more errors than in a Microsoft application! :)
35% of ResExcellence readers have Macs at home, but use a Wintel PC at work. You are truly to be admired! Buying a Mac is the tough choice in a situation like that. You have PC support people in the office, all of your work documents are PC files, any yet you still picked the Mac for home. Way to go buddy!
Greg Landweber, the author of Kaleidoscope, has to be the luckiest guy around. Several years ago, he created Aaron, a little extension to supply the look and feel of the long dead Copland. With the imminent release of OS 8.5, it looked as if Kaleidoscope's days were numbered because of the implimentation of Apple's Themes.
But if now looks as if Themes are once again on the back burner and Kaleidoscope has a new lease on life. To be honest, I usually don't run Kaleidoscope simply because I like the Platinum Appearance, but I do wonder, "Do you run Kaleidoscope?". That's the query for this week's Polling Place.
Is it SimCity, or are they icons? IconTown is a different kind of icon page. All the little creations are meant to fit together like a small village - complete with roads!
Michael Thibault recommends this little utility:
A simpler way than ResEdit to suitcase existing sound files is Sound Caser. It may be found in an archive containing many of Alessandro Montalcini's freeware offerings.
Alessandro is also the author of KeyQuencer.
Substituting a colored cursor across many applications.
 A previous edit covered the locations and editing of Black and FFFFFF cursors, and briefly touched on colored cursors.
This new edit will detail color cursors and how to insert them into various applications. Before we start, you need to pick up the freeware color cursor extension written by Mattais Ulrich. This link provides several versions of the extension modified by Janet Paris. (Continued...)
9/18/98
Recently, several readers have asked for an edit that would bring Netscape's Personal Toolbar to the Mac. Well, what do you know, Netscape 4.5 PR2 finally has the feature implemented! (Thanks MacNN).
Ross Smith warns of a trick to replacing the Netscape Splash screen:
I copied a PICT 128 Application Splash Screen file in the Netscape Communicator 4.5b2 application. I restarted the Netscape Communicator 4.5b2 application and the new Application Splash Screen PICT file did not appear on startup.
Upon further investigation I discovered Netscape Communicator 4.5pr2 changed the file location. I had to paste the PICT 128 file in the Netscape Communicator 4.5b2 Folder : Essential Files: AutoAdminLib file. I then restarted the Netscape Communicator 4.5b2 application and the new Application Splash Screen PICT file appeared on startup.
 In User Contributions, I've placed a set of 32 folders that match my blue replacement System icons
Mike Apprin submitted this little trick to resize a window. I've been using it for a couple of days, and now I can't imagine how I got by without it!
Here's a little KeyQuencer Macro I thought you might like. Kalidoscope 2.x Schemes, with their funky shapes, can cause your windows to run off the screen every time you decide to switch to a new one. I got tired of constantly having to resize and move and wondered if KeyQuencer could help. Whalla! This is a slight alteration of a macro done by someone at Binary.
You might have to adjust the Drag coordinates. Give it an easy key combination...
MoveWindow top left
MouseJump -3 -3 window right bottom remember
Wait 2
Drag from mouse to 750 550 screen
MouseJump restore
Sometimes when trying to demonstrate a problem, ResEx'ers will send me a Snapshot of their desktop. I'm always impressed at now nice they look, and at the obvious number of ResExcellence edits that are implimented.
If you feel your desktop is particularly unique, you should submit it to MacPlaza.
Replace the icon used in the
Iomegaware Control Strip Module
 John Gunnison commented on how ugly Iomega's CSM icon looked. You can follow these easy instructions to replace it with a more appropriate Zip drive icon.
9/16/98
Three new Throbbers for Netscape have been submitted by Harold Bakker and can be found on the User Contributions Page. As he converts more of them, plan on visiting his interesting web site.
Matt Aprin has shorter AppleScripts to launch an email program and check for mail. The ones I posted were created using the Script Editor, which adds a lot of extra code. Matt's versions cut right to the chase introducing the Activate command.
Here's the Eudora example:
tell application "Eudora Pro"
activate
connect with checking
end tell
No path name is requred, and no interaction with the Finder! Matt also sent along scripts for other mail programs.
Incase you've recently returned after being abducted by aliens, here is an icon site you may have missed: Gort's Icons. I especially appreciated the compilation of hardware icons!
Mike Annino asks a two part question:
I've tried the Hack which allows you to create Sound Sets and place them into the Fonts Folder. My question is, do I have to load sounds into my System Suitcase and paste them into a Font Suitcase everytime I want a new set? Is there another way of simply opening sound files in ResEdit and combining them into one Sound Resource?
I was also wondering how font management software reacts to this hack. I tossed all of mine awhile ago, but most utilities check for corruption and attempt to repair the files.
 The previous edit showed how to move all of your System sounds into a Font suitcase. If you want to add an individual sound to the Fonts Folder, you can open the single sound file and the Font Suitcase that's full of sounds in ResEdit. Then paste the new sound into the font suitcase being sure to not to have duplicate ID's.
In addition, you can open a single sound in ResEdit and change the file type to FFIL. Miraculously, the sound becomes a font suitcase that you can put into your Fonts Folder and turn on or off with Conflict Catcher.
My main reason for conceiving this edit was to keep me from accidentally trashing sounds after a Clean Install!
As for the second part of Mike's question, I have to request responses from ResExcellence readers since I do not use any font management software. Does it cause a problem? Let me know.
9/14/98
A whopping 80% of you would like to see some occasional AppleScript info. That's great! I guess I better start boning up on my scripting skills.
I think most people buy the same computer for home that they use at work. That's why many columnists feel that for Apple to grow, they must make more headway with corporate American. This week's Polling Place asks a series of questions to put this belief to a test.
ResExcellence has received many emails in the past asking how to disable the Startup Chime. Here are a couple of AppleScripts by Rupert Stubbs that can help. They reside in the Startup and Shutdown folders and turn the sound on and off. (simple, but effective.)
If you're not running Internet Config, evan submitted this little AppleScript that registers Eudora as the mailto: help for the stand alone Navigator:
tell application "Netscape Navigator"
register protocol "CSOm" for protocol "mailto"
end tell
CSOm is the creator code for Eudora. You can substitute the code of your favorite mail program.
Several of you have emailed to say that the Netscape contextual menu edit doesn't work under the new version 4.5 release 2.
An updated resource is here.
9/11/98
The Previous edit on using an AppleScript to check for mail, has been updated with a script and instructions Outlook Express.
The User Contributions Page has been updated again with several new items - including our first Throbber replacment for Netscape (under miscellany).
If you want to create high quality 32 bit icons in OS 8.5, you better start saving your money. One option that our desert correspondent uncovered involves a new template for Resourcerer.
Speaking of icons, Epoch Icons launches a new site on their own domain. To celebrate, MacPlaza has exclusive new icons!
Disabling the CAPS LOCK Key
Geoff Attrill, a junior high teacher from Australia asks:
I would like to be able to completely disable the Caps Lock key. Young children (constantly) accidentally engage caps lock when typing and are so intent on finding the keys on the keyboard that they forget to look at what is appearing on the screen until it is too late.
I have tried an extension called "Option Caps Lock" but it creates its own set of problems.
9/9/98
Screenshot Central is a new web site by Andrew Johnstone that features...well...screenshots! In addition, you can find some nice looking skeletal desktop pictures.
Michael Annino has some contextual menus that he needs help translating from Japanese to English. If you can help, drop him a line.
 Change the location and icon for "My Netscape"
Do you configure Netscape for your company, or a lab at school? David Grant needed an obvious Help Button for his users to push, but you can confingue this edit to go to any site. (Continued...)
9/7/98
The Icon Factory released a special Unknown Icon Set that featured some of the first 32 bit icons for Mac OS 8.5. When questioned about what tools were used in the making of them, our ResExcellence reporter was warned, "I could tell ya - but then I'd hafta kill ya."
While the icons were pulled from their server after 48 hours, they can be downloaded from the Pentagon at http://www.pentagon.mil
It is reasuring to know that tools should be available soon to create these little gems.
One report from Area 51 mentions a little tip to get 32 bit icons. "If you select a 32x32 pixel area in Photoshop, you can paste it into a folder just like in previous OS versions, and this will give you a down-and-dirty 32 bit icon". More to follow...
The User Contributions Page has been updated...
Jeff Shulman is the author of the recently demoed Scheme to Theme convertor. In recent newsgroup posts on the topic of making the convertor public, he states:
The Kaleidoscope people made their 2.x format "proprietary". If they say Apple can use it to convert 2.x schemes to Themes, we probably will provide it. FYI - This would be for scheme 2.0 authors to *assist* in converting to Themes. Additional work will still be needed. At this time how, and if, this tool is distributed in undecided. Don't talk to me, talk to SJ.
He also says that Themes are "data only" - no init code is needed. This bodes well for the idea of a shareware application like Designer's Studio to create Themes.
To be notified if Jeff ever releases the tool, send mail to
toolbox@apple.com.
While most ResEx'ers think the edits are too easy, a nearly equal number think they're just right. As one reader pointed out to me, "The reasons the edits are easy is because you describe them so well!".
Most of the edits are ideas submitted by readers of the page, so if some of you wish to see more complex edits, send them my way.
Today's ResExcellence post dips into AppleScript (it was recently voted your most common Macro/Scripting tool). After reading the tip, stop back at the Polling Place and answer the question, "Would you like to see ResExcellence include an occasional AppleScript tip?"
Dan Finegan asked, "How about a change to Navigator 4 (the stand-alone version) that would add a menu to recieve and/or send E-mail via Eudora?"
While that feature can't be added to the browser, here are some work-arounds.
To get the stand alone Navigator to use your favorite email application, under Preferences -->Identity, tell the program to use Internet Config. Then make sure Internet Config's Helper Application for mailto is set to your favorite email program. Now when you click on a mailto: link in Navigator, it will launch the email program and enter the address.
Use an AppleScript to Check for Mail. Dropping this little script into your AppleMenu allows you to launch an email program and check for mail. (continued...)
9/4/98
This will be it...
the last weekend of summer...
time to dig out my long sleeved shirts... :(
Even though Monday is a national holiday here in the U.S., I do plan an update so stop by if you're not too busy trying to barbecue some burgers!
It's one of the silliest programs ever written for the Mac, but I remember the first time I saw it, I thought Macs were cool - The Talking Moose is back!
Mac Plaza has started a new section: Best of KSA Monthly.
Every month, they will feature the best Kaleidoscope Schemes
from the Kaleidoscope Schemes Archive (KSA). The first of these, for August 1998, is now on line.
In a previous edit, ResExcellence showed how to replace the Thobbers used by Netscape and Explorer. Mike Perry was wondering:
My question is to do with the Netscape Throbbers, and how to replace them. It's fair enough when you've got the cicn resources already there for you, but i have a sequence of images I want to convert to 'cicn', and I can't find a tool to do it easily.
If you download one of the throbbers in BMP graphic format, the only way to convert it is to open it up in a graphics program and cut and paste the sequence of images into a ResEdit cicn resource. At the time of the edit, I asked that if anyone did take the time to do this, that they submit the throbber for the User Contributions page. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened yet.
Anthony Saxton stirred the following bits, stuck them in a packet, and POP'ed them to ResExcellence:
In response for your request for a solution to using a previous version
of a program as the default application, I am attaching a very old, but
still functional Freeware utility. It's called BNDL Banger. What this
does is search through the entire drive and turns off the BNDL bit of
every Application with the same creator except the one that is dragged to it. It also removes the entries from the desktop database. What this does is fools the Mac into acting as if the target application is the only
copy of the program on the disk!
Unfortunately, this version does not work if the Application is present
on multiple disks. For that, you would need BNDL Banger Pro (Need to pay for that one!).
Another solution using ResEdit is to use the 'Get File/Folder Info...' on the other copies of the program, manually turn off the BNDL bits. Then restart the computer, and rebuild the desktop (Command-Option when Finder launches). This would have the same effect as using BNDL Banger, and it's just a little safer. Note that Nortons and TechTool Pro will both report this as a problem and should be instructed to "Don't Fix."
This should also come in handy after editing the icon resources of an application, and they're reluctant to show themselves on the desktop! BNDL Banger has been added to the software page.
Change the package info for Extensions and Control Panels
Rocky Bomgaars asks, "How does the Extensions Manager know which package an item belongs to?" The information is stored in the vers resource. Here are instructions on how to add or change, package information. (Continued...)
9/1/98
Control Strip Replacements: Based on the recommendations of readers, I downloaded GoMac, Extension Strip and Desktop Strip. Extension Strip was my favorite, offering extra features like mini-buttons and vertical arrangement. It even supports its own color schemes. If you're bored with the color and placement of Apple's supplied Control Strip, check out Extension Strip.
Control Strip Haven has a large collection of strip modules.
More on Date & Time locations: Travis Ahrens recommends How far is it? for finding the latitude and longitude of international cities.
Another excellent site is Astrodienst, suggested by Lee Jarrett. It even found the small town in Ireland where my Grandfather lives!
Feeling a little devilish? Take a look at these two gothic desktop pictures from Laurent Poidevin. Laurent also passed along this link to a great icon site I had never seen before - Hide's Icons.
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