RE: [MacPerl] beginner's q...

[Brian McNett <webmaster@mycoinfo.com>]

Creede Lambard (Volt Computer), <a-creela@microsoft.com> wrote:

>> Where it says "TYPE", put in the creator code of the app you want to open
>> the textfile with, which for SmpleText is "ttext" (case is important I
>> believe).
>
> So is using only four letters <grin>. Of course you meant "ttxt", and of
> course you have every right to ask, who is this Lambard guy to talk about
> typos? (An expert on the subject, I assure you, having made more than my
> share in mumbledy-mumble years of keyboarding).

Robin:  For clarity, you should say "CRTR" (that is "creator code") where you say "TYPE", as "TEXT" is an instance of a *file type*, where "ttxt" is the creator code (just for clarity's sake, mind you, otherwise the answer is spot on).

And why are you using SimpleText (SmpleText?) anyway?  Oh, yah, the original poster wanted that. ;-) Well, for everyone else, why not set the creator code to something more useful, like McPL, or R*ch (MacPerl or BBEdit)? Aside: file type and creator codes can be mixed-case, and may contain 8-bit characters like "Mërc" and "Mpïf" (plug-in files for the shareware game "Escape-Velocity, FYI).

Just a note: Setting the file type and creator codes is an important last step when saving files created by MacPerl, especially when the type ISN'T text, and you need the file to be read by the appropriate app. (e.g. you've just finished writing a GIF file, and you need it to open in GraphicConverter).  MacPerl defaults to saving files with MPW as the creator (which isn't too useful for folks without MPW).  It's all in MPPE, obviously (Chapter 8, pg 121), which is why I know it (the book is always within arm's reach when I'm at my Mac).

So it may have been a beginner's question, Nick (if you're still reading this), but it's an important one.

--B



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