Re: 816/Paint - deprotect

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Shawn Beattie writes ...
> 
> ....
> 
> Here's what I found out:  If I drag PAINT.DBL.HIRES onto my
> Applications partition (which is not the boot partition),
> and launch it, it comes up crippled - no load/save options.
> 
> If I drag PAINT.DBL.HIRES onto my _boot_ partition, and start it,
> everything works.  So it looks like it isn't able to find the
> System folder unless it is on the same partition.  Why this
> would cause it to disable load/save is beyond me...I could see
> it disabling printing and fonts or something.
> 
> I tried fooling it by putting the SYSTEM folder off the 816/Paint
> disk in the root directory of my Applications partition but that
> did not work, although it did use the fonts from that folder.
> 
> I can't quite figure out if this is copy protection or a bug.
>

     Thanks for the additional info. It led to a more thorough tryout. 

     The 8-bit version of 816-Paint appears to be a package which 
utilizes an interface specially tailored for a relatively small ProDOS 8 
IIe/IIc environment. The pull-down menus, etc. are attractive 
innovations; however, in terms of running from hard disk on a GS under 
System6, some of these special features, mainly relating to the Save 
function, behave oddly.

     First, Z816.SYSTEM appears to be just a program selector and 
launcher. Sometimes, using it is helpful; however, as you note, the 
programs can be launched directly from the Finder.

     Evidently, when an 8-bit 816-Paint program, like the DHR painter, is 
launched, it always sets the Prefix to match the name of the volume on 
which it resides (whether or not it resides in a folder on the volume).  
As you observe, it expects to find FONTS and PRINTERS folders in a folder 
named "SYSTEM" in the main directory of the volume. This, alone, is a 
pretty good reason for putting your 8-bit 816-Paint program files on the 
boot volume.

     Running from a folder on the hard disk boot volume, everything in 
the DHR painter seems to work well except Save. An attempt to Save to 
some volumes produces an I/O error message.

     If the DHR painter program is located in the main directory of the 
hard disk boot volume, all functions seem to work okay. For example, 
successful Saves were done to other hard disk volumes (or folders on the 
volumes) as well as /RAM5 and Zip Drive volumes.

     The Hires painter is different. Even launched from its original 
diskette (after booting the diskette), the hires painter simply does not 
like the GS. Using it and doing a Save could corrupt the directory 
structure of a volume.

     Bottom line ... The problems are not due to some kind of copy 
protection. The 8-bit version 816-Paint programs run fine on our IIc+ 
(from the original or copied to a 3.5" diskette). Unfortunately, GS 
and/or hard disk compatibility is somewhat limited.


Rubywand