Re: FinderExtras Folder

[nathan@cco.caltech.edu (Nathan Mates)]

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?

   There are some programs that can go into both places. Most
(but not all) Finder Extensions can be placed in System.Setup,
but the reverse isn't true. The main difference between the two
is:

- Things in System.Setup are loaded once, when the GS boots, and stick
  around when all programs are running
- Things in FinderExtras are [re]loaded every time the Finder starts,
  but are dumped from memory when the finder quits.

   Therefore, things in FinderExtras use less memory when you're
not in the Finder, but if you do a lot of quitting to and from the
finder, they must be reloaded every time. It's a tradeoff between
memory and speed here.

   If you boot into something other than the Finder (GNO, for example),
and rarely use the finder, you may want to drop these extensions in
FinderExtras just so that your GS boots faster.

   Programs like IR and all are designed to work best under the Finder,
but they can work outside of it. There's some random NDA that lets
you select a file, just like double-clicking on it from the Finder,
but the name escapes me. That way, you can tell IR to load something
from the middle of AWGS, and all. 

   There are a number of programs now that are explicitly "Finder
Extensions," and pretty much have to be put in the FinderExtras
folder. If they aren't there, they can do some bad things, such as
crash, etc. (Not going to name any names yet ;) The fastest way to
check on this is to get info on the file from the Finder. If it says
'Finder Extension,' take it safe, and drop it in FinderExtras.


Nathan Mates



-- 
* Nathan Mates nathan@cco.caltech.edu * MSC #850, Pasadena CA 91126 *
* Ftp humor archiver: ftp to cco.caltech.edu, look in pub/humor     *
* Largest collection of Clinton Jokes, other canonical lists        *
* Support Twilight II, the best screen saver for the Apple IIGS!    *