Subject: Info-Mac Digest V16 #156 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="Info-Mac-Digest" --Info-Mac-Digest Info-Mac Digest Mon, 17 Aug 98 Volume 16 : Issue 156 Today's Topics: [*] macos8_startupscreen [*] Midius ProjectPlanner 1.1.1 updater [*] NetCD 1.2/68K - An Internet-saavy CD Player Program [*] PictFader123-A pict playing screensaver latest release [*] Texturations Subscription Series Sampler (1024x768) [*] TNT Nag! 1.2 icon desktops (A) Cleansing Hard Disk (Q) Sound Always Muted (Q) Help with damaged file (Q) Old equipment questions [A] After Dark conflicts [Q] Open Transport PPP does not recognize busy signal? About Cleansing Hard Disk Connecting switches to a Mac Ethertalk for two Fax servers recording vinyl to cd-r Testing ethernet card wanted: a cash-register-like calculator The Info-Mac Network is a volunteer organization that publishes the Info-Mac Digest and operates the Info-Mac Archive, a large network of FTP sites containing gigabytes of freely distributable Macintosh software. For more information, visit the Info-Mac Web site at . Email Addresses and Instructions: * To submit articles to the digest, email . * To subscribe, send email to with subscribe in the Subject line. * To unsubscribe, send email to with unsubscribe in the Subject line. * To change your address, unsubscribe from the old address, then subscribe from the new address. If that fails, try using the list maintenance form at before contacting us. * Please send administrative queries to . * To submit files for the archive, email the binhexed file with a description to . Submissions must be made by the author or with permission of the author. It may take up to a week to process; check mirror sites for the status of new uploads. FTP and Web Addresses and Instructions: * To submit files larger than 800K, email a description to and then use an FTP client to upload the binhexed file to info-mac.org, using the userid "macgifts and the password "macgifts". Or, click . * A full list of Info-Mac mirror sites is available at the URL below: * Search the archive at . Info-Mac volunteers include Gordon Watts, Adam C. Engst, Demitri Muna, Mike O'Bryan, Michael Bean, and Liam Breck. The Info-Mac Digest is sponsored in part by StarNine Technologies, developers of Internet server software for the Macintosh, including Web and email publishing systems. We'd also like to thank AOL for the main Info-Mac machine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --Info-Mac-Digest Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="----------------------------" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Info-Mac Digest V16 #156" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:14:50 -0700 From: sandbox@cyberdude.com Subject: [*] macos8_startupscreen I was looking for a decent startup screen for my Mac, so I made this one. I thought someone else might like it too. Comments welcome. It will probably work on any version of System 7.x or 8.x, but from the graphic itself is pretty pointless to use on anything less than 8. -- Adam Sander sandbox@cyberdude.com [Archived as /info-mac/art/grf/macos-8-startupscreen.hqx; 756K] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:14:56 -0700 From: m-arc@algonet.se Subject: [*] Midius ProjectPlanner 1.1.1 updater Midius ProjectPlanner is a tool for creating Gantt charts. It is suitable for small and mediumsized projects. With the Midius ProjectPlanner you can: + create Gantt charts + customize default base week work hours + customize team members=92 work hours + customize default and team members calendar to adapt to local holidays and team members vacations. + track slips in the time schedule You make printouts and also export the chart in PICT, JPEG or HTML format. The Midius ProjectPlanner is only 35 USD for a single user license. System Requirements: System 7.1 or later 68020 or better Colour display More info and pictures at http://www.softsys.se/ProjectPlanner/ Version 1.1.1 corrects a couple of crash bugs and corrects a freeze bug which occured when entering a duration of 0 days for an activity. [Archived as /info-mac/app/bus/mpp-111-updater.hqx; 80K] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:14:57 -0700 From: trush@unoco.edu Subject: [*] NetCD 1.2/68K - An Internet-saavy CD Player Program NetCD 1.2 for 680x0 Macintosh by Toby W. Rush http://members.xoom.com/tobyrush/software.html This is the 680x0 version of NetCD. A PowerPC version is also available. NetCD is an audio CD console program that can download information about the currently playing CD from the Internet. The program accesses a global system of servers called the CDDB (www.cddb.com) and returns information such as disc and track titles and extra information which is not encoded on standard CDs. Version 1.2 adds the ability for the use to submit CD information to the global database. NetCD requires a Macintosh or Power Macintosh computer, the Apple CD Driver, and a CD-ROM drive. To take advantage of the internet capabilities of NetCD, you must have Open Transport and an internet connection. [Archived as /info-mac/gst/snd/netcd-12-68k.hqx; 758K] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:14:54 -0700 From: stossj@mail.mpx.com.au Subject: [*] PictFader123-A pict playing screensaver latest release PictFader=81 is an application/screensaver that displays slideshows of PICT and JPEG ( PICT in JPEG type) files. It has relatively low memory requirements considering the high standard of display that is achieved. See the "About PictFader 1.2" document for more details. Requirements A Macintosh/ Mac-Compatible with atleast the following features: * 68020 processor or greater * System 7.1 or greater * Quicktime 1.5 ( Quicktime 2.0 or more preferable ) for JPEG pictures. * 240 to 500 K Ram and 300 K disk space New features: * Slide shows can now be controled by arrows keys. * Better updating routine. * moving cursor to Never Fade Corner now turns slideshow off if ignore mouse movement is on. [Archived as /info-mac/app/ss/pictfader-123.hqx; 477K] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:14:52 -0700 From: kindall@manual.com Subject: [*] Texturations Subscription Series Sampler (1024x768) The Texturations Subscription Series is a membership-only service that delivers a fresh, premium desktop picture every week. All are 100% computer generated, 100% original, 100% cool. Helps fight Stale Desktop Syndrome and leaves a fresh lemon scent! This sampler contains four sample desktop pictures showcasing the quality and style of the graphics forthcoming in the Texturations Subscription Series. These images are completely free for personal use and may be included on the Info-Mac CD-ROM. (Since they are freely available, they will not appear as part of the Series itself.) The images are available in four resolutions to fit most Macintosh displays. This is the 1024x768 version. Service begins September 1, 1998 and special introductory pricing is available until December 31, 1998. For more information, visit http://www.manual.com/tss/. [Archived as /info-mac/art/grf/tss-sampler-1024x768.hqx; 1068K] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:14:53 -0700 From: M.C.Tully@durham.ac.uk Subject: [*] TNT Nag! 1.2 TNT Nag! 1.2 by Mark Tully & TNT Software TNT Nag! is a quick & very easy to use reminder utility for the Macintosh with many features found in commercial products. Appointments can be set which you do not wish to forget about and Nag! will remind you of them at the proper time. Custom sounds and pictures can be chosen to appear with your message and messages can be grouped and edited with ease and set to reoccur regularly; you will never miss your favourite TV program again! Nag! has a very small memory footprint and runs in the continuously in the background. It is an application so it does not cause any extension conflicts like some time managment products and whenever you need an extra 200k of ram you can quit it. As part of the Nag! package there is also a control panel called "Quick Nag!". You can use this to set up hot keys for creating messages from inside any application, making Nag! even quicker to use. Quick Nag! is NOT required for Nag! to function. System Requirements: =95 System 7 or greater =95 250k free ram =46or more information see the enclosed manuals. Thanks, Mark Tully TNT Software [Archived as /info-mac/app/tnt-nag-12.hqx; 718K] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 02:20:21 GMT From: "Jesse Kaysen" Subject: Vittorio Barabino asked > I'm reading some long e-texts on screen, so I need a text reader that > allows to save the exact location of the last lines I was reading before > quitting Two answers come to mind. -- BBEdit Lite (freeware from http://www.barebones.com) has an option that allows one to save the location of highlighting. (Edit:Preferences:Honor Saved State). So you'd simply highlight your last sentence read, make one small change in the document, and save. Presto! when you next open the file, that's where you'll be. BBedit understands the page up and page down keys, and one could certainly use a macro utility to remap the space bar to page down if desired. And you'd have a fabulous text editor at your fingertips at the same time. -- EasyView is a older but completely reliable text-reader that has "set bookmark" "jump to bookmark" commands. It can get cranky with huge unstructured texts, but if there's any pattern that breaks your text into chapters/sections/books, you can define an EasyView of it and it will provide you with lovely corpus navigation as well. EV is freeware at any Inf ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 07:57:51 -0400 (EDT) From: colvinrd@erols.com Subject: X- e-mail don't call Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 07:57:43 -0500 To: Info-Mac From: Ron Colvin Subject: Re: Emulator problem Trevor Davis At 4:14 PM -05008/15/98 said >I have to use a Windows program on my Mac at work. I use SoftWindows 95 >as an emulator. I have purchased a HP Laserjet 6MP printer which prints >beautifully on the Mac side of things - but I keep getting a Postscript >error when I try to print through Windows 95. >Is there a different Printer Driver that I have to find or are there >other explanations? >I'm usin a 7300/200 with system 8. >I hope the question isn't tooo obscure > Play around with the settings in the properties of the printer, and also install the non-postscript driver for that printer. One of the things to definitely turn off is the print postscript errors report. Ron Colvin ever unfinished homepage http://www.erols.com/colvinrd ------------------------------ Date: 16 Aug 98 17:01:48 -0400 From: "D. Scott Beach" Subject: icon desktops Nick Schmitt asks: >A number of cd that I have been getting lately have had pictures on them >created by placing colored icons on them (Hope I'm not being to vague). >Does anyone know of a program that will take and image and created those >icons for placement? Nick: You're looking for Iconizer by John McLaughlin. - Scott ************************** D. Scott Beach, sbeach@front.net A rabid Mac dude in Toronto. ************************** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 16:45:20 -0400 From: "Stephen R. Holmes" Subject: (A) Cleansing Hard Disk A freeware file obliteration utility called "Burn" will probably do what you'd like; try /info-mac/disk/burn-24.hqx [119K] /s.holmes In Info-Mac Digest V16 #153, Peter Sealy (psealy@tyndale.apana.org.au) asked: >Does anyone know how to ensure files on your HD can not be retrieved after >you sell your machine. Possibl by completely filling it up by repeatedly >installing a large application to overwrite what files there are on the >HD? How could you do this without getting RSI of the wrist? ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 22:42:45 -0400 From: robert.girouard@tcs.wap.org Subject: (Q) Sound Always Muted I have a Power Mac 6100/66 running OS 7.6.1. The Sound CP is v8.0.5. When I restart, the sound is always muted. I go to "Volumes" on the Sound CP and find that the "Muted" box under "Built-in" is always checked. I uncheck it, but the next time I restart, it comes up checked...again! Very frustrating. I have run Norton Disk Doctor and it finds nothing amiss. When I installed OS 7.6.1, I saved a virgin copy of my Finder File and System Suitcase to a Zip drive. I have, several times, trashed my old Finder File and System Suitcase then copied the virgin ones from the Zip drive. This, sometimes, corrects the problem, but it always returns. Any suggestions as to how to permanently fix this would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. Bob Girouard **Be nice to your kids. They'll be choosing your nursing home.** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 06:47:22 -0400 From: wayne ingalls Subject: (Q) Help with damaged file I'm looking for help to bring back a damaged file. One of my coworkers took home a large (3.5 MB, plus uses up to 200 MB in linked graphics) FreeHand v7 file to work on it over the weekend. She had logged in to our network over ARA and opened her e-mail to check for notes. While the e-mail was downloading a file, she launched the FreeHand file. She had changed the name of one of the linked graphic files earlier. While she was watching FreeHand go through its routine of opening and listing its progress, she was able to see the names of the linked graphic files go by. When it got to the renamed file, FreeHand (and the e-mail) crashed. Since then, she has not been able to open the file. Between the two of us, we have tried on a few different machines, getting either type 1 or type 2 errors. We have also tried Debabelizer, CanOpener, GrahphicsConverter, Illustrator, etc. with no luck. Anyone out there have some ideas on how to bring a damaged FreeHand file back to life? She does have a backup from _before_ the weekend, but that would mean several hours of repeat work. Any help or suggestions are welcome. thanks! wayne ingallsw@frontiernet.net ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 11:02:34 -1000 From: Jerry Levinson Subject: (Q) Old equipment questions I am the lucky recipient of some old hardware (hand-me-downs from our main campus). Among the goodies is a LaserWriter Plus and a Mac II. No manuals, of course. Re the LW Plus: it came with no cables so...on the side are two ports, one 9-pin and the other 25-pin. I assume the 9 is AppleTalk and the 25 is serial. But, since I have no cable I need to know if a ImageWriter I to ImageWriter II (9-pin to 8-pin mini-din) will work to connect the printer to a Mac. Or what else would work. Re the Mac II: Works fine except the disk drives. One is good, but needs grease to speed up the inject-eject process. When you put a disk in (or eject one) it slo-o-o-owly goes in (or comes out). So what type of grease can I use (along the sides only) to smooth things out? I think I used a bicycle grease once previously. The second drive has a similar and different problem. Same slow in-and-out problem, but also another one: Someone tried to fix the problem by greasing everything. When I opened the Mac and removed the drive, there were a couple of small pools of oil between the mounting bracket and the mounting plate. There is also a lot of grease all over the drive, even in places that should be dry. One of these places is where two small sliders move over when a disk is ejected. One of these activates a catch so the drive opening stays up to receive another disk. Now the old grease slows them down and the catch doesn't. So when you go to put a disk in, the opening is below the slot on the case. So: can I soak the drive in some kind of solvent to clean out all the gunk, or should I just try to clean it as best I can with q-tips or whatever fits? Thanks, Jerry ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 22:19:45 +0100 From: Ian Goldby Subject: [A] After Dark conflicts >Anyone heard of a screensaver called DarkSide and where I can get it? >It supposedly lets you use AfterDark modules but has fewer compatability >problems (or so I am told). I can't help with After Dark causing freezes; I have always used DarkSide. I got it from the info-mac archive, but it appears not to be there anymore - info-mac seems to have a limited shelf-life. You could always try the UMich archive. They seem to keep old software longer. I had a look and had some difficulty finding a working mirror of UMich. The following address is one that works. Unlike After Dark, DarkSide is freeware. Ian. (P.S. Someone recently was looking for TTConvertor, which also disappeared from info-mac. Again, this may be found at UMich.) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 21:39:43 +0000 From: Robert Brockman Subject: [Q] Open Transport PPP does not recognize busy signal? I'm using OpenTransport 1.3 and OT/PPP 1.0.1 on a clone running OS8.1. When I dial my ISP, I often get a busy signal. It's a little different than other busy signals I've heard: the "busy" tones come a little faster. Anyway, OT/PPP doesn't recognize this as a busy signal, apparently because it doesn't match what it thinks a busy signal is supposed to sound like. * Has anyone else had this problem? * Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions to help? Thanks in advance for any help! Please feel free to respond to me personally as well as to the digest. Robert -- Robert Brockman, aka robertb@nb.net ------------------------------ Date: 16 Aug 98 16:56:46 -0400 From: "D. Scott Beach" Subject: About Cleansing Hard Disk Peter Sealy wrote >Does anyone know how to ensure files on your HD can not be retrieved after >you sell your machine. Possibl by completely filling it up by repeatedly >installing a large application to overwrite what files there are on the >HD? How could you do this without getting RSI of the wrist? Peter: Norton Disk Doktor comes with a utility that does just that. It's called "Wipe Info". It overwrites a single document, a whole volume or just the unused space. - Scott ************************** D. Scott Beach, sbeach@front.net A rabid Mac dude in Toronto. ************************** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 13:01:12 -0400 From: Niall Connolly <101355.1367@compuserve.com> Subject: Connecting switches to a Mac I am trying to obtain a Mac based programme which can operate as a lap counter/timer on a Mac base. The lap counter/timer will be used on a mod= el car racing track where there are two lanes. I need to count laps and tim= e laps and keep track of time. There are many PC applications to do this b= ut none in the Mac world. = I have found a Mac stop watch which the writer belives can be modified bu= t they need additional information. The timing signal will be generated via a microswitch on the track which will be activated by the passage of the car. How can a micro switch or switches be connected to the Mac and how can the Mac recognise different switches. Obviously the Mac can recognise the different signals from each of the ke= ys on the keyboard so how can this effect be recreated with individual microswitches. Also, how do external switches hook up to the Mac? Via Serial = port, ADB or SCSI? And what is the protocol of these ports or how do I fi= nd it? Any suggestions or guidance to technical resources would be very much appreciated. Regards Niall Connolly London UK 101355,1367@compuserve.com = ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 21:14:49 -0700 From: kee nethery Subject: Ethertalk for two >>I've really got sick and tired of the lousy speeds of Apple-talk. I >>frequently need to transfer files between my two Macs and so far I've used >>a printer cable between the printer ports of the Macs but it's sooo >>sloooow. Many times it's quicker just to throw in a floppy disk and do the >>copying. >> >>However I've started to wonder if it isn't possible to connect the >internet >>ports directly to each other and in that way create a local (two >computers) >>and fast network. Do I need any (expensive) routers for this or is it as >>easy as just plug in a cable ? > >Magnus: >To use Appletalk over Ethernet (Ethertalk) instead of Localtalk, all you >need is a crossover cable. That' an ethernet cable with the transmit and >recieve wires crossed so no hub is required. >- Scott If you do not have a crimp tool to make ethernet cables, you probably do not know what a crossover cable is and it is not something you normally can buy. But it is easy to make using common household implements. You'll need to get an ethernet cable and some solder. All the other stuff you need is probably sitting around your house. You'll need to take an existing ethernet cable and cut it and solder it back together. This is pretty easy to do and even if it is your first time to solder something you'll do fine. This is easy to do but you need something like a ohm meter or continuity tester to determine if this wire connected to that wire. You need to make sure that you are connecting the correct wires together. You can make a temporary continuity tester by disassembling a flashlight and using tape, wire and paperclips. Tape a paperclip to a wire and that wire to the battery. Tape a wire from the battery to the light bulb. Tape a wire from the light bulb to another paper clip. If you touch the two paperclips the light should go on. For soldering you need some solder (small and thin is better but you can use the thick solder used for pipes) and a butane lighter or candle or kitchen matches (I prefer a Bic disposable butane lighter). Most any hardware store or Radio Shack will have solder. Take the "unshielded twisted pair" ethernet cable (two eight pin telco style conectors one on each end) and cut it in half. Peel back a several inches of insulation from each end. Maybe four or five inches. Look at the telco connectors. You need to orient it so that the flap is on top and you are going to plug it into your eye (but do not plug it into your eye :-). Starting from the left pin, 1 = RD+, 2 = RD-, 3 = TD+, 4 and 5 are not used, 6 = TD-, 7 and 8 are not used. Use the continuity tester to find out which wires are connected to pins 1,2,3 and 6 on both halves. For each half, label wires 1,2,3 and 6. Label one cable half "A" and the other "B" You want to connect pin 1A on one half to pin 3B on the other half. Pin 2A to pin 6B. pin 3A to pin 1B and pin 6A to pin 2B. Strip off about an inch of insulation from wires 1,2,3 and 6. Try to just cut the insulation and not the copper wire inside. Nicking the copper wire reduces it's strength but as long as it doesn't break it will not bother the ethernet signals. Fold the ends into little hooks (bend it in half) and connect the A hook to the B hook. Losely twist the ends on A around the A wire and B around the B wire. Flatten the hooks so that there is no air pag between the halves of the hook. Basically you have just created a chain that mechanically connects A and B. Take about an inch of solder and wrap it around the connecting point. Spiral from the top of one hook past the connection to the top of the other hook. Hold the wire connetion horizontally and melt the solder with your flame. Solder will drip so have something like cardboard to catch the drip. Once the solder has melted, remove the flame and let the connection cool for a couple of seconds. If you have done it correctly, it is now a solid connection. Test to make sure that you have continuity from the pins at the ends of the cables. If that is OK, do the next ones. You do not need to solder the unused wires. Wrap the connections with some kind of tape. Electricians tape is good but transparent tape is adequate as is duct tape, just about anything will do. If you think your tape might conduct electricity, wrap the solder and bare wires with paper then tape the paper to keep it in place. Wrap the whole mess with tape to kind of seal it against spilled cokes and such. Finally, you want to connect the part of one half that did not have the insulation removed to the insulated part of the other half with tape or a tie-wrap or wire twisty or something. Basically if you pull on the two ends, you do not want the solder connections to feel the force. Plug the cable into both ethernet ports, set AppleTalk to ethernet, and turn on file sharing. Kee Nethery ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 13:40:32 +1000 From: Stephen Peilschmidt Subject: Fax servers Can anyone out there with better knowledge on these matters than me please let me know what options there are out there for fax servers - ie a server that operates on a single modem and gives people access to faxing via a network. Networks is mostly Macs - but has the odd PC. Shareware preferred - but it may have to be a commercial application. Regards ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:04:35 +0000 From: dead nancy Subject: recording vinyl to cd-r >> ...connect my record turntable to my Power >> Tower Pro 250 to capture an audio signal... > I digitized each track...using SoundEdit capturing each track by itself would be a nightmare, and makes recording anything not chopped into discreet pieces impossible. try using quick recorder 1.0 (in the archives.) it records aiff files straight to disk, bypassing stiff ram demands (45 minutes of 44-16 stereo is about 500 megs.) good luck. dead nancy http://www.merkins.com/ it'd be a lot cooler if you did... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 12:03:53 +1000 From: Glen Hawkins Subject: Testing ethernet card I have an ethernet card in my PM 7500/100 (upgraded multiple times) but I = cannot form a simple network to my flatmates G3 266 desktop. Is there a soft= ware program that tests the internal integrity of the ethernet card without = being on a network itself? Cheers Glen ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 20:48:01 -0500 From: Vincent Cayenne Subject: wanted: a cash-register-like calculator I'm trying to find a calculator DA that works like a cash register. For instance, when you put in the following: 12+ 6- ENTER The result is 6, NOT 18! Also the ability to fix the number of decimal places, a printable tape, and the facility to copy/paste from/into the tape are all desirables. --------- "Crumpled bits of paper filled with imperfect thoughts" (Rutherford/Robertson) Vincent Cayenne -------------------------------- --Info-Mac-Digest-- End of Info-Mac Digest ******************************