Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!rosevax!rose3!starfire!merlyn
From: merlyn@starfire.UUCP (Brian Westley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Finder 6.0 "feature" is a pain
Message-ID: <186@starfire.UUCP>
Date: 14 Dec 87 16:07:28 GMT
References: <4025@pucc.Princeton.EDU> <3601@hoptoad.uucp>
Organization: Starfire Consultings Services, Mpls., MN
Lines: 31
Summary: A possible way...

Tim Maroney wants:
> [opening a file whose creator can't be found, e.g. MacPaint -> Superpaint]
> ...if the
> creator application can't be found, bring up a list of applications which
> could be used for the file and let the user select as normal in the list..

What about this...

1) trap the "Can't find an application to open this file"

2) Scan a list in a well-known place which has
MPNT=SPNT  (i.e. files created by macpaint are to be opened by superpaint)
ZSYS=RSED  (systems files opened by resource editor)
...  (I know I'm not using the right identifiers, this is only a simulation)

3) Find all existing applications that can handle a type of file; if
   the total is 0, error msg as usual; if 1, launch it; if >1, dialog box

This is upward compatible and allows the user to decide what opens what.
If the "well-known place" is designed carefully, with a list on an inserted
floppy have precidence over a list on the hard disk, then you could insert,
say, a floppy with binary editor to momentarily tweak files.  Maybe this
routine should trap ALL application launches, not just unfound ones, so the
binary editor could grab ANY file opened. (*=BNED or whatever)

No more mass conversions needed either.  Just move the original application
out of sight, and map the old files to launch the superceding app.

Well, I've done the hard part (design :-), anyone care to implement it?

Merlyn LeRoy