Re: FinderExtras Folder

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <199406101418.KAA15681@beauty.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>,
Timothy F Schmidt <tschmidt@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
> I have a number of Finder Extensions (IR, QuickLaunch, Alias, etc).
> They're currently located in System.Setup.  I was looking through
> my System folder the other day and found a FinderExtras directory,
> but it was empty.  It must've been created when I installed 6.01.
> Anyway, what is supposed to go there?  Should I move my Finder
> Extensions there?

It is probably documented in the online help for Finder.

Finder Extensions which are INITs may be placed in FinderExtras or in
System.Setup, unless the documentation supplied with the extension
tells you that it has to go in System.Setup.

Finder Extensions which use the special file type for Finder
Extensions must go in the FinderExtras folder.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each location.

- Files in the System.Setup folder are loaded at boot time, and remain
in memory until you shut down.  If they are only usable inside Finder,
this wastes memory while other programs are running.

- Files in the FinderExtras folder are loaded whenever you enter or
return to Finder, and are unloaded when you launch another program or
quit from Finder.  This takes extra time whenever you enter Finder,
but it saves memory while you're using other programs.

- If the extension displays an icon at boot time, the icon will only
be visible if the extension is placed in the System.Setup folder.

Of the extensions you listed, IR can be used outside of Finder.  It
hooks into the SendRequest mechanism, and other programs can ask IR to
install or remove a program.  There is an NDA available which lets you
use IR from any desktop program.

If you place IR in FinderExtras, then it can only be used from Finder.

QuickLaunch and Make Alias are only usable inside Finder, so could go
into the FinderExtras folder without any loss of functionality (but
you won't see icons at boot time, and it will take longer to start up
Finder when returning from other programs).
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand