Desk Sw

Here are some notes on how to increase the utilization of Desk Accessories while using the "Switcher". Thanks to Maug and other sources, I have collected quite a few Desk Accessories (hereafter called "DA's"). However, because of the limitation of the pull-down menus, you can only get 18 DA's to show at any one time. This note describes how to obtain more DA's for your use while using the Switcher. It is not commonly known that you may include DA's (and fonts) as resources in Applications such as MacWrite or MacPaint. The trick in increasing the number of DA's is to place logically useable DA's in applications. For example, you may want to include a word counter DA in MacWrite or the Art Thief (paint grabber) DA in MacPaint. Likewise, you may want to include a autodialer DA in your favorite Communications application. You group these DA's so they are grouped logically for a particular application. DA's which you want to use in all applications would be placed in the System as normal. So, if you have 12 general DA's in the System, that leaves you 6 you can place in "each" application. As you switch around using Switcher, each set of DA's will pop up depending on which application you are using. You can also place DA's in the Finder, so that when the Finder is in view, you can have 6 additional DA's there too. The same goes for the Switcher application. So, how do you do all this magic? There are a few preliminary pieces of information you must have. Normally, you could use REDIT to merely copy and paste DA's from a System file to an application. BUT, I found out the hard way, you do not get the entire DA everytime with this procedure. You must use a DA mover program which leaves the DA as a "complete Resource" when you copy a DA. Using DA mover from Quick & Dirty Vol 1 from Dreams of the Phoenix is such a program. The new one from Apple may do it also, but I have not checked that one out yet. You must be able to get at the "DITL, DLOG, MENU, STR#" resources of a DA in addition to the DRVR resource. Then and only then will you have the entire DA. Use REDIT to copy and paste each section of the DA into your application. This will be a mutiple step process. If the DA has a "DITL,DLOG,STR#,DRVR" resource, then copy first the DITL, then DLOG, STR#, and DRVR sections. DO NOT COPY THEM ALL AT ONCE. I have had REDIT bomb that way. Putting 12 DA's in the System and 6 each in the Finder, Switcher, MacWrite, and MacPaint gives a total of 36 DA's you may use. This is twice as many as normally can be used. And this is only using three out the four slots available in the switcher. I personally use Desk Accessories alot. Grouping them with applications has given new meaning to the use of these gems. I hope you can use this information to increase the pleasure of using your Macintosh. Rees Roberts 70705,1420 Racine, Wisconsin.