mirror of
https://github.com/ctm/executor.git
synced 2024-11-23 20:32:28 +00:00
1320 lines
55 KiB
Plaintext
1320 lines
55 KiB
Plaintext
|
\comment This is the source for the new Executor FAQ list, in
|
|||
|
\comment the Bizarre Format With No Name. It is turned into Lout
|
|||
|
\comment input, plain ASCII and an Info document by a Perl script.
|
|||
|
\comment The BFNN constructs here are patterned off of those in the
|
|||
|
\comment Linux FAQ.
|
|||
|
\comment
|
|||
|
\set brieftitle Executor FAQ
|
|||
|
\comment \set author <A href="http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/iwj10/">Ian Jackson</A> / <A href="http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/iwj10/contact.html">ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu</A>
|
|||
|
\set authormail questions@ardi.com
|
|||
|
\set title Executor Frequently Asked Questions with Answers
|
|||
|
\set copyholder ARDI
|
|||
|
\set copyrightref faqcopyright
|
|||
|
\call-lout startup
|
|||
|
\call-html startup executor.refs
|
|||
|
\copyto ASCII
|
|||
|
EXECUTOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
|
|||
|
`date '+%d %b %Y'`
|
|||
|
ARDI Staff <questions@ardi.com>
|
|||
|
http://www.ardi.com/executor-faq.html
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\endcopy
|
|||
|
\comment \copyto POST
|
|||
|
\comment #!/bin/sh
|
|||
|
\comment set -e
|
|||
|
\comment test ian@chiark = `whoami`@`hostname`
|
|||
|
\comment cat <<'END-OF-HEADER' >linux-faq.post-part1
|
|||
|
\comment From: ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu (Ian Jackson)
|
|||
|
\comment Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.answers,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.announce,comp.os.linux.help,comp.answers,news.answers
|
|||
|
\comment Subject: Linux Frequently Asked Questions with Answers (FAQ: 1/2)
|
|||
|
\comment Keywords: FAQ, Linux, part1
|
|||
|
\comment Summary: Please read the whole FAQ before posting to comp.os.linux.help.
|
|||
|
\comment Followup-To: poster
|
|||
|
\comment Approved: *.answers moderation team <news-answers-request@mit.edu>,
|
|||
|
\comment Matt Welsh <linux-answers-request@news.ornl.gov>
|
|||
|
\comment `./expirydate`
|
|||
|
\comment
|
|||
|
\comment Archive-Name: linux/faq/part1
|
|||
|
\comment Last-Modified: `date '+%d %b %Y'`
|
|||
|
\comment
|
|||
|
\comment END-OF-HEADER
|
|||
|
\comment pgp-auto +batchmode +force -fast <<'END-OF-PORTION' >>linux-faq.post-part1
|
|||
|
\comment \endcopy
|
|||
|
\copyto LOUT
|
|||
|
@Doc @Text @Begin
|
|||
|
@CenteredDisplay clines @Break {
|
|||
|
+5p @Font Bold @Font { Executor Frequently Asked Questions with Answers }
|
|||
|
-2p @Font {ARDI Staff {0.7 1.0} @Scale {Courier Bold} @Font "<questions@ardi.com>"}
|
|||
|
`date '+%d %B %Y'`
|
|||
|
}
|
|||
|
\endcopy
|
|||
|
\copyto INFO
|
|||
|
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
|
|||
|
* Executor FAQ: (executor-faq). Executor Frequently Asked Questions with Answers.
|
|||
|
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
File: $prefix.info, Node: Top, Next: Question 1.1, Up: (dir)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
EXECUTOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
|
|||
|
`date '+%d %b %Y'`
|
|||
|
ARDI Staff <questions@ardi.com>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\endcopy
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This is the list of Frequently Asked Questions about Executor, the
|
|||
|
commercial Macintosh emulator for DOS, Windows, OS/2, and Linux. This set of
|
|||
|
answers to Frequently Asked Questions is not designed to take the
|
|||
|
place of our Executor manual. However, currently our manual is not
|
|||
|
available on-line, so this FAQ does briefly touch on some issues that
|
|||
|
are covered more in depth in our manual.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In addition to this FAQ, there should be README files bundled with
|
|||
|
Executor and there is also an Executor/DOS document that describes how
|
|||
|
to get started with Executor/DOS from a DOS user's point of view,
|
|||
|
which may be useful to users of Executor on other platforms as well.
|
|||
|
That document is called "ERNSTOUD.TXT", since it's hard to come up
|
|||
|
with useful names when constrained by the DOS 8.3 filename limits and
|
|||
|
the author of the document is Ernst J. Oud.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Please check out these documents and this FAQ, before sending e-mail
|
|||
|
to ARDI or the Executor Interest mailing list.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\only post
|
|||
|
You can skip to a particular question by searching for `Question n.n'.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\comment Note that this posting has been split into two parts because of its
|
|||
|
\comment size.
|
|||
|
\endonly
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A new version of this document appears frequently.
|
|||
|
If this copy is more than a month old it may be out of date.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Index
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\index
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\comment ######################################################################
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Executor in General
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul What is the correct pronunciation?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Ig-ZEK-yu-tor
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Executor's Limitations
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 14may:whatversion What version of the Macintosh operating system does Executor emulate?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor knows how to emulate most of System 7.0, but the default
|
|||
|
version that Executor reports to applications is System 6.0.7, because
|
|||
|
some bad programs make calls to undocumented System 7.0 traps if we
|
|||
|
acknowledge that we've implemented System 7.0. Each time a different
|
|||
|
application is run under Executor, Executor checks an application
|
|||
|
specific configuration file for application specific settings. Many
|
|||
|
of the configuration files adjust the System to 7.0.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You can manually adjust the system version. Start Executor and call
|
|||
|
up the Preferences Panel with Cmd-shift-5 [see \qref wherecmd]. Set
|
|||
|
the System to 7 and click OK (don't save yet; these are just the
|
|||
|
Browser settings). Now start your application, call up the
|
|||
|
Preferences Panel again, and save it with the System 7 setting. After
|
|||
|
that, Executor will automatically invoke System 7 support when you run
|
|||
|
that application.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:limitations What limitations does Executor 2 have?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Because the OS and Toolbox have been rewritten from scratch, Executor
|
|||
|
2 has limitations, including no serial port access, no modem use, no
|
|||
|
AppleTalk, primitive sound, limited System 7 support, no INITs, no
|
|||
|
CDEVs and no Internationalization.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor can read and write 1.44 MB Mac formatted floppy disks, but
|
|||
|
due to limitations in PC hardware, \italic{can't\} read or write 800
|
|||
|
KB floppy disks.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In the lab we have limited serial port access and we're working on
|
|||
|
improving sound.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul If I have 800 KB floppies, what can I do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Very little. It is not ARDI's fault and there's nothing we can do
|
|||
|
about it, but the way that Apple squeezed 800 KB onto floppies when
|
|||
|
PCs were only getting 720 KB on floppies was to write more data on the
|
|||
|
floppy tracks far from the center than on the tracks near the center.
|
|||
|
This was clever, but extremely incompatible.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There \italic{are\} ways to squeeze more information onto PC floppy
|
|||
|
drives than PCs usually use. However, these methods \italic{cannot\}
|
|||
|
be used to write or even read 800 KB Macintosh formatted floppies.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Luckily, very little is supplied on 800 KB floppies anymore, but if
|
|||
|
you have some, you're almost definitely going to need the use of a
|
|||
|
Macintosh somewhere to copy the contents onto "HD" 1.4 MB formatted
|
|||
|
floppies (PCs and Macs use the same low-level format for 1.4 MB
|
|||
|
floppies).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
One Executor Enthusiast suggested using Kinko's public Macs for this
|
|||
|
purpose, and this description was given:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
1. Moving 800 KB Mac Files onto 1.44 MB Mac disks. The easiest thing
|
|||
|
that I have found when working on a real Mac is to preformat the
|
|||
|
Mac disks to 1.44 MB. Insert the 1.44 MB disk and eject it with
|
|||
|
(Cmd-E). Then insert the 800 KB mac disk. Drag the icon of the 800
|
|||
|
KB disk over the 1.44 MB disk. All the files will be transferred as
|
|||
|
will the file names. The Mactools fastcopy program can also copy
|
|||
|
between densities.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
2. Kinko's Public Machines. Kinko's public Macs are equipped with a
|
|||
|
program known as "Desk Tracy" which is designed to stop people from
|
|||
|
pirating Kinko's software from the hard disk. The problem is that when
|
|||
|
you are copying files between your own disks the program will still
|
|||
|
trigger if the file has a namesake on the Kinko's machine. What you
|
|||
|
will need to do is get a Kinko's employee to shut the program off,
|
|||
|
which is obviously a discretionary call with them. I didn't have a
|
|||
|
problem and have done it twice, but we obviously will be using
|
|||
|
different Kinko's.
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Does Executor have networking support?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Currently, no. Some Networking support may be included in Executor 3,
|
|||
|
but we do not yet have an estimated date of completion for Executor 3.
|
|||
|
The first platform to have networking support built in will probably
|
|||
|
be Linux. NOTE: networking support will most likely first be an
|
|||
|
implementation of Open Transport and/or MacTCP, followed by EtherTalk.
|
|||
|
Supporting AppleTalk over serial lines is unlikely to happen due to
|
|||
|
differences in PC and Mac hardware.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 11jul How do you install Fonts and Desk Accessories (DAs)?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You just drag them into the hot-band and our browser will do the right
|
|||
|
thing. However, we only support bit-mapped fonts, not Type 1 or
|
|||
|
TrueType fonts. In addition, there is a bug which causes the hot-band
|
|||
|
to forget which desk accessories have been loaded, which then makes it
|
|||
|
impossible to remove desk accessories.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Will Desk Accessories work under Executor?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Currently Desk Accessory support is very weak; most will not run.
|
|||
|
When we add support for extensions, we'll also go back and fix some
|
|||
|
desk accessory bugs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 12jul Why do some installers not work?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Currently there is one major class of application installer that is
|
|||
|
known not to work with Executor. Installers based on Apple's old
|
|||
|
Installer do not work. An example is Microsoft Word 5's installer.
|
|||
|
Some installers require that you use Cmd-shift-5 and set the system
|
|||
|
version to 7 and turn on the "Pretend" options before they'll work
|
|||
|
properly.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Using Executor
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:wherecmd Where are the Cmd (Clover) and Option keys?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
On a PC keyboard, Executor uses the left "Alt" key as a Cmd key and
|
|||
|
the right "Alt" key as the Option key.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul What is an image file?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Some Macintosh sites contain image files that are exact copies of a
|
|||
|
Macintosh Hierarchical FileSystem (HFS) volume with a few bytes of
|
|||
|
header information prepended. Executor allows you to use image
|
|||
|
files just like HFVs, although they should have the suffix
|
|||
|
"\courier{.ima\}" instead of "\courier{.hfv\}".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Can I launch applications directly from the command line?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Yes. If an application resides within a UNIX or DOS filesystem, you
|
|||
|
can specify the name of the application, and documents that you would
|
|||
|
like the application to open when it starts up, on the command line.
|
|||
|
Applications that reside in HFV files are specified using colons to
|
|||
|
delimit the pathname,
|
|||
|
e.g. "\courier{executor MyVolume:directory:application\}".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 26mar:ghostfonts I installed a font in Executor, but I still can't print in it. What's the deal?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You have to install the same font in Ghostscript. Otherwise,
|
|||
|
Ghostscript will use the default Helvetica font since it can't find
|
|||
|
the one you want. Don't forget to add the paths to the fonts into
|
|||
|
your fonts pfb file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Can I have Executor use more than 8 MB for the application zone?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You can use up to 64 MB for the applzone.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul An application I'm trying crashes. What should I do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Perhaps the most common avoidable cause of crashes is insufficient
|
|||
|
memory for the emulated application. You can fix this by increasing
|
|||
|
the "applzone" parameter. For example, many programs which normally
|
|||
|
die quickly will work with "executor -applzone 4m" (which allocates 4
|
|||
|
MB of space for the emulated application; see the list of command line
|
|||
|
switches and their meanings elsewhere in this document).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
DOS NOTE: If you run "executor -info", it will tell you how much DPMI
|
|||
|
memory is available and how much memory is being used by the applzone,
|
|||
|
syszone and stack. If there is less DPMI memory available than the
|
|||
|
sum of the applzone, syszone and stack memory requirements, then
|
|||
|
Executor will page between DPMI memory and a special "paging" disk
|
|||
|
file. This paging slows you down and also consumes disk space. It is
|
|||
|
possible to manually override the applzone, syszone and stack defaults
|
|||
|
with smaller values, but when you do so, you run the risk of not
|
|||
|
having enough memory for an application to run. Unfortunately,
|
|||
|
Macintosh programs are often not polite at all when they do not have
|
|||
|
enough memory. The Lemmings demo is an example of such a program; if
|
|||
|
you run that program on a real Mac and only give it 1200k of memory,
|
|||
|
weird errors will occur. Doing the same under Executor will also
|
|||
|
yield weird errors.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If Executor needs to make a paging file, and there is not enough disk
|
|||
|
space to create one, you will get an error message during Executor's
|
|||
|
startup. If you have the environment variable "TEMP" set, then
|
|||
|
Executor will try to place its paging file there, so if TEMP is set to
|
|||
|
point to a small RAM disk, or a disk that is nearly filled, Executor
|
|||
|
may run out of memory too easily.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Some programs are unhappy with Executor's limited sound support, and
|
|||
|
crash. You can turn on the "pretend sound" option before running the
|
|||
|
application in question and see if this helps. In addition, some
|
|||
|
programs have menu items, or preference check boxes that can be used
|
|||
|
to disable sound. It is always recommended that you disable sound
|
|||
|
from within a program in addition to using the Executor sound
|
|||
|
preferences, if you have to disable sound.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
One example of a program that will have problems with sound is
|
|||
|
"Ultimate Solitaire". If you do not disable sound from within
|
|||
|
Ultimate Solitaire, the game will play fine, until you win. At that
|
|||
|
point it will tell Executor to start playing a sound and request that
|
|||
|
Executor notify it when the sound is done playing. If sound is off,
|
|||
|
this will result in Ultimate Solitaire hanging after you win a game.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Some programs also save preferences in a file, and if something bad
|
|||
|
happens to that file, the program can then get confused and will not
|
|||
|
run properly. Occasionally this happens to Microsoft Word, and you
|
|||
|
need to use the browser to delete the file "Word Preferences" from
|
|||
|
your "System Folder".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Although it should not happen, even our file browser keeps a file
|
|||
|
around that can cause trouble if it becomes corrupt. That file is
|
|||
|
"godata.sav". It stores which folders you have open and the contents
|
|||
|
of your "hot-band". If that file gets corrupt, the file browser may
|
|||
|
not run. In the rare case that the browser won't run, you can use the
|
|||
|
"-nobrowser" switch when you start Executor to bypass the browser, but
|
|||
|
to get the browser back you'll need to either delete "godata.sav"
|
|||
|
somehow or replace exsystem.hfv with one from the original
|
|||
|
distribution.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Why do some applications claim I don't have an FPU?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The problem is probably that the applications you are trying to use
|
|||
|
try to directly manipulate the FPU unit that some Macintoshes have.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The key words are "directly manipulate". Apple warned software makers
|
|||
|
to not directly manipulate the FPU, but to instead use their numerics
|
|||
|
library ("SANE" Standard Apple Numerics Environment). Programs that
|
|||
|
don't use SANE, but directly manipulate the FPU run faster on Macs
|
|||
|
that have FPUs, but don't run at all on Macs that don't have FPUs. If
|
|||
|
that is actually the source of your problems, then such programs also
|
|||
|
wouldn't run on Apple machines like the Quadra 605. This limitation
|
|||
|
is also present on Apple's PowerPC based Macs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
One workaround for this problem is an "INIT" called "SoftFPU".
|
|||
|
SoftFPU will make a Mac without a co-processor work as though there is
|
|||
|
one there, however the floating point computation will be done very
|
|||
|
slowly. However, SoftFPU can't be used with Executor until Executor
|
|||
|
supports INITs.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:compact Why does Compact Pro have trouble with multi-volume archives?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor takes a short cut that causes trouble for some programs;
|
|||
|
Compact Pro is one of them. The problem is that a real Macintosh can
|
|||
|
keep track of volumes that are not physically in the drive. That is
|
|||
|
why Macintoshes sometimes tell you to put one disk in their floppy
|
|||
|
drive, then they eject it and ask for another one, then eject it and
|
|||
|
ask for the first one. Executor currently isn't so clever. When a
|
|||
|
disk is ejected, Executor forgets about it. Few programs count on the
|
|||
|
behavior of a real Mac, but those that do currently won't work with
|
|||
|
Executor.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In Compact Pro's case you can just copy all of the pieces of the
|
|||
|
archive to your hard disk, then open the last piece from the hard disk
|
|||
|
and everything will work properly. This workaround requires more hard
|
|||
|
disk space than you'd need if you could just read the pieces off a
|
|||
|
succession of floppies.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Since this difference affects very few programs, it's not as high
|
|||
|
priority as adding other new features.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 04jul:internet How can I use Mac software from the internet?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Find a site that legitimately has Mac software for use. There is a
|
|||
|
Macintosh FAQ that lists many sites -- here are some of them:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\call startlist
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon www.ardi.com : \ftpin /pub/samples (USA)
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon liquify.isca.uiowa.edu : \ftpin /mac/infomac (USA)
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon wuarchive.wustl.edu : \ftpin /systems/mac/info-mac (USA)
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon ftp.technion.ac.il : \ftpin /pub/unsupported/mac (Israel)
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon ftp.sunset.se : \ftpin /pub/mac (Sweden)
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon src.doc.ic.ac.uk : \ftpin /packages/info-mac (UK)
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
\ftpon ftp.is.co.za : \ftpin /info-mac (South Africa)
|
|||
|
\call endlist
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Our \docref{samples directory\} is there to give you a few files in a
|
|||
|
variety of different formats that are known to work with Executor. If
|
|||
|
you have trouble downloading Mac software from the internet, you may
|
|||
|
want to practice these instructions using the files in our
|
|||
|
\docref{samples directory\} first, so you'll know you're not
|
|||
|
attempting something impossible.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Before transferring a large application, you might want to see what
|
|||
|
the requirements of that application are, most sites have a collection
|
|||
|
of small notes about applications that you can look at first.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Use BINARY mode to transfer the files that you want to use. Files
|
|||
|
whose names end in ".hqx" are usually the easiest to handle.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In general, StuffIt Expander will do well with many different types of
|
|||
|
files. However, some of the Web Browsers out there interfere with
|
|||
|
StuffIt Expander by trying to expand the files as you're downloading
|
|||
|
them from the net. The browser sees that you're not running on a
|
|||
|
Macintosh, so the non-Macintosh information (like the type and
|
|||
|
creator) is thrown away! One way to avoid this problem with some of
|
|||
|
the web browsers is to hold the shift key down when you click on a
|
|||
|
link that contains a Macintosh file. There are other ways that
|
|||
|
specific browsers can be configured to tell them to \italic{not\}
|
|||
|
expand Macintosh files as they're picking them up.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Under DOS, you need to make an HFV file [see \qref makehfv] that will
|
|||
|
be large enough to hold the files as you've downloaded them and also
|
|||
|
hold the files after they've been expanded. Once you've made the HFV
|
|||
|
file, copy all the files you've downloaded into it, then follow the
|
|||
|
remaining directions.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Under all operating systems, your next step is to run StuffIt Expander
|
|||
|
and use the "Expand..." menu item from the "File" menu to open each
|
|||
|
of the files you've downloaded. In general, especially when dealing
|
|||
|
with files whose names end in ".hqx", StuffIt Expander will do the
|
|||
|
right thing. However, some sites do not store files in ".hqx" format,
|
|||
|
and StuffIt Expander may fail. Remember, under DOS, you must do the
|
|||
|
StuffIt Expansion inside an HFV file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If StuffIt Expander fails, you can try using the Get Info option of
|
|||
|
Executor's browser to change the creator and type information of the
|
|||
|
file. If you believe the downloaded file in question is a StuffIt
|
|||
|
Archive, you can change the type and creator each to "SIT!" and then
|
|||
|
try StuffIt Expander again. If you believe the downloaded file is a
|
|||
|
Compact Pro archive, you can change the creator to "CPCT" and the type
|
|||
|
to "PACT" and then try StuffIt Expander again. Similarly, you can use
|
|||
|
creator "BnHq" and type "TEXT" if you think that the file is a
|
|||
|
MacBinary file. StuffIt Expander 4.0 should be much better at
|
|||
|
automatically determining what format an archive is in.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 04jul How can I use Mac software from Bulletin Boards?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In general, follow the procedure in \qref internet -- know the
|
|||
|
limitations of what Executor can run, transfer in binary mode and use
|
|||
|
StuffIt Expander to unpack the files you download. Just like with
|
|||
|
files downloaded from the internet, sometimes you'll need to change
|
|||
|
the file type and creator, first.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 04jul How can I use Mac software from AOL?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
AOL sometimes (about half the time) uses a format that StuffIt
|
|||
|
Expander under Executor has trouble with. For DOS/Windows users, use
|
|||
|
this workaround. Get a copy of unstuff.exe (available on AOL
|
|||
|
compressed as unsitins.exe) and use the -mb tag to convert your
|
|||
|
downloaded files to MacBinary format before ever moving them into
|
|||
|
Executor. E.g.:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
unstuff -mb somefile.sit
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
And you'll get somefile with a different extension.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Then start up Executor and use BinHex's Download --> Application
|
|||
|
function to convert the file to an application and move it into
|
|||
|
an Executor volume simultaneously.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Note that if the file can be unstuffed in the usual manner, then
|
|||
|
trying to use this workaround will break it. It's usually best,
|
|||
|
therefore, to try normal unstuffing first.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 09sep:textfiles Why do files which aren't text files look like text files?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Macintosh files have File Type and File Creator information stored in
|
|||
|
their directory entries on a Macintosh filesystem. These two pieces
|
|||
|
of information are often lost when the file is put onto a PC.
|
|||
|
Executor's default is to assume that a file is a text file, because
|
|||
|
text is the most universal of file types. If the file is not a text
|
|||
|
file you'll probably want to use StuffIt Expander (see \qref internet)
|
|||
|
to expand the archive, or in rare cases you'll have to change the File
|
|||
|
Creator and File Type.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To change a file's Creator and Type information, run Browser, select
|
|||
|
the file's icon, and choose Get Info from Browser's File menu. Then
|
|||
|
change File Creator and File Type to the appropriate codes from the
|
|||
|
filetype.txt list in the docs directory of your Executor CD.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NOTE: in addition to having Type and Creator information, Macintosh
|
|||
|
files also often have information in the "Resource Fork" portion of
|
|||
|
the file. That information is also often lost when a file is
|
|||
|
transferred to a PC, so it's possible that changing the Type and
|
|||
|
Creator information will not be sufficient to allow you to use a Mac
|
|||
|
file on a PC under Executor unless you use some sort of archiving
|
|||
|
program (e.g. StuffIt, Compact Pro) to make sure all the Mac
|
|||
|
information is stored in the "Data Fork" of the file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 10jun What does "You may open a 32000 character selection" mean?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As mentioned in \qref textfiles, files that don't have a file type are
|
|||
|
assumed to be text files. That means that if you double-click on
|
|||
|
them, Tex-Edit will try to open up the file, even if the file is in
|
|||
|
some other representation. Executor does not use filename extensions
|
|||
|
to determine a file's types, so if you download a file named
|
|||
|
"testfile.bin" and then let Executor see the file, it will still
|
|||
|
appear to be a text file, even though the name strongly suggests that
|
|||
|
it's a BinHex file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You can use StuffIt Expander (see \qref internet) to expand a variety
|
|||
|
of different file types, but you'll have to start StuffIt Expander up
|
|||
|
directly, by double-clicking on it and then use the "Expand..." item
|
|||
|
in the "File" menu to select the file you want to expand
|
|||
|
(e.g. "testfile.bin").
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 17jul What is Speedometer?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Speedometer is a shareware application that we have included with
|
|||
|
Executor for demonstrational purposes. We have done so with
|
|||
|
permission of Speedometer's author, Scott Berfield. It benchmarks
|
|||
|
Macintoshes (and PCs running Executor) to find out how quickly their
|
|||
|
CPU, graphics, floating point and disk subsystems work. The current
|
|||
|
version of Speedometer is Speedometer 4.x, but that uses a timing
|
|||
|
mechanism that Executor currently doesn't support. Speedometer 3.23
|
|||
|
can give you a rough approximation of how quickly your PC is emulating
|
|||
|
a Mac. Remember, Speedometer is shareware, and ARDI has not paid the
|
|||
|
shareware fee for you. If you repeatedly use Speedometer, please
|
|||
|
register it with Scott.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Speedometer will show you that Executor is a very efficient emulator.
|
|||
|
Please note, ARDI has not put special hooks into Executor to recognize
|
|||
|
Speedometer's code and bypass it; Speedometer is treated just like any
|
|||
|
other application when run under Executor. Yes, it would be possible
|
|||
|
for us to cheat and make Speedometer return values that are higher
|
|||
|
than you could expect to see in real life, but we don't do that sort
|
|||
|
of thing.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 17jul How can I get a screen dump of Executor?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Just type Cmd-Shift-3, just like on a Mac. The difference is that the
|
|||
|
screen shot will be in TIFF format (uncompressed, for now) and will be
|
|||
|
written in the directory that contains \courier{executor.exe\} under
|
|||
|
DOS, or in \courier{/tmp\} under Linux.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 11jul How does your Browser show file size?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Listing mode will show you the combined size of a file's resource and
|
|||
|
data fork. There is currently no way to determine the size of a
|
|||
|
folder.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 11jul How does your Browser show free space?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Select the volume, then choose "Get Info" from the File menu.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 10jun Why does Browser display question marks for some documents?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Browser uses the question-mark icon for documents for which it doesn't
|
|||
|
recognize the file type and creator. Furthermore, Browser isn't good
|
|||
|
about remembering type and creator information.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Here's how Browser works: when Browser starts, it examines each
|
|||
|
application that is either on the hot-band or is in a folder that is
|
|||
|
open on Browser's desktop. Then, as it is drawing the icons for
|
|||
|
documents, it only uses icons for those applications that it saw upon
|
|||
|
startup.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
So, if the application that creates a document isn't either on the
|
|||
|
hot-band or in an open folder, browser will present a question-mark
|
|||
|
icon. A real Mac remembers any icons that it has ever seen (until you
|
|||
|
rebuild the desktop).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you have the application that corresponds to the document that has
|
|||
|
a question mark, you can get rid of the question mark by dragging the
|
|||
|
application onto the hot-band and then quitting Executor and
|
|||
|
restarting (or by running an application and then quitting the
|
|||
|
application). When Browser restarts it will see the application in
|
|||
|
the hot-band and then remember the icon that should be used for
|
|||
|
documents of that type.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Executor/Win32
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul How does Executor/Win32 compare to Executor/DOS?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/Win32 is a Win32 application and can run only under Windows
|
|||
|
95 or later and Windows NT 4 or later. For those platforms,
|
|||
|
Executor/Win32 is preferred, since it will usually have fewer
|
|||
|
compatibility problems and it runs in its own window, or full-screen.
|
|||
|
Some people are still running OS/2, Windows 3.x or even DOS, and they
|
|||
|
can't run Executor/Win32. Additionally, Executor/Win32 can't be run
|
|||
|
on a SX-class 386 machine. Such machines are very old and very slow,
|
|||
|
but they can still run Executor/DOS.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Our product, Executor for Windows, includes both Executor/Win32 and
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS, so you don't have to choose one or the other when
|
|||
|
ordering.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 10jun How do I use command-line switches with Executor/Win32?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Command-line switches can be used by creating a
|
|||
|
short-cut or by creating the file \courier{commands.txt\}, or a
|
|||
|
combination of both.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To use command-line switches with a short-cut, you need to create a
|
|||
|
short-cut to \courier{executor.exe\}, then select it and choose "Properties..."
|
|||
|
using your right mouse. The Properties panel has several tabs, one of
|
|||
|
which is labeled "Shortcut". After selecting the Shortcut tab, you can
|
|||
|
then edit the "Target:" field. Keep the information that is already
|
|||
|
in there (e.g. "\courier{C:\backslashExecWin32\backslashexecutor.exe\}") and then add a space,
|
|||
|
followed by the command-line option(s) you want to use when you
|
|||
|
double-click on that short-cut (e.g. " -size 800x600 -applzone 4m").
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Since you can use command-line switches to specify a Macintosh program
|
|||
|
for Executor to run, you can create individual short-cuts for
|
|||
|
individual programs (e.g. " C:\backslashExecWin32\backslashApps\backslashFreeware\backslashRisk!").
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you have some command-line switches that you want to apply to
|
|||
|
\italic{all\} invocations of Executor, you can create a file called
|
|||
|
\courier{commands.txt\} in the same directory that includes
|
|||
|
\courier{executor.exe\}. You can put all the switches on one line, or
|
|||
|
use a separate line for each switch.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Switches in commands.txt override the ones that are specified in
|
|||
|
short-cuts.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 10jun Why do I get only a black screen when running Executor/Win32?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You've encountered a bug. The bug may be in your video driver or in
|
|||
|
the screen-accessing DLLs that Executor uses.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To see if it's in your video driver, try adjusting your Display
|
|||
|
settings. In the Control Panel there's a Display icon.
|
|||
|
Double-clicking that should let you select a panel named "Settings",
|
|||
|
which probably has an "Advanced..." button. If you click the
|
|||
|
"Advanced..." button, you should be able to select a panel named
|
|||
|
"Performance". Try turning the Performance down and see if that fixes
|
|||
|
the problem. You might also want to try downloading a newer driver
|
|||
|
from the maker of your video card.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To see if it's our screen-accessing DLLs, Try renaming the file
|
|||
|
"\courier{SDL-dx5.dll\}" to "\courier{SDL-dx5.dll.SAVE\}". That will
|
|||
|
prevent Executor from seeing that DLL, so Executor will then use a
|
|||
|
different DLL (\courier{SDL-dib.dll\}) which will cause it to access
|
|||
|
the screen in a different way. If that solves it, then you may have
|
|||
|
found a bug in \courier{SDL-dx5.dll\}. If so, please send e-mail to
|
|||
|
\email bugs@ardi.com and let us know.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Executor/Linux
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 26mar I can't get the option key to work under X. What should I do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor doesn't map raw keys to Mac modifiers, instead it uses the
|
|||
|
X "Meta" (mod1) modifier to mean command-key and the X "Mode Switch"
|
|||
|
(mod3) modifier to mean option-key. Many X configurations
|
|||
|
automatically set up the left Alt to be Meta and the right Alt to be
|
|||
|
mode switch, but not all.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you're using XFree86, check to make sure your XF86Config file
|
|||
|
doesn't have the right-alt function definition commented out. They
|
|||
|
are commented out by default in some distributions.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you're not using XFree86, or you don't want to change your
|
|||
|
XF86Config file, you can use xmodmap to make your right Alt key be
|
|||
|
"Mode Switch" (mod3):
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
xmodmap -e 'remove mod1 = Alt_R' -e 'add mod3 = Alt_R'
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Where are the bitmaps stored on the Linux version of executor?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
All versions of Executor maintain an internal bitmap corresponding to
|
|||
|
the actual screen. We accrue a "dirty rectangle" as the program draws to
|
|||
|
what it thinks is the screen via Executor's QuickDraw implementation.
|
|||
|
We periodically update the _real_ screen (e.g., the X window) by
|
|||
|
transferring the "dirty rect" across. So basically our graphics
|
|||
|
interface to the host machine consists of nothing more than blitting
|
|||
|
rectangles to the screen, which aids our portability. Under X, we use
|
|||
|
shared memory extensions for speed, but we don't do anything fancy
|
|||
|
like trying to cache Mac fonts on the X server side. Spending time
|
|||
|
trying to do so would be a bad idea for a number of reasons we won't
|
|||
|
go into.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Refresh" mode is useful when the program directly manipulates the
|
|||
|
frame buffer itself. In this mode, we periodically analyze the
|
|||
|
internal screen memory to decide what has been changed, and transfer
|
|||
|
the changed data to the real screen.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 22nov:svgamouse My mouse won't work with the SVGALIB version. What's the deal?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Make sure your mouse works with other SVGAlib programs before you
|
|||
|
suspect there's an Executor specific problem. Make sure your
|
|||
|
/etc/vga/libvga.config file contains the proper mouse information and
|
|||
|
that /dev/mouse is a symbolic link to the right device.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 09nov:linuxb How do I get E/L to see my second floppy drive?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Before running Executor, set the MacVolumes environment variable to
|
|||
|
point to the entry in "/dev" that represents your B: drive, as:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Using "sh", "bash" or other Bourne Shell like shell:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
$ export MacVolumes="/dev/fd1"
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Using "csh", "t-csh" or other C Shell like shell:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
% setenv MacVolumes "/dev/fd1"
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This should work as long as you have permission to access the drive in
|
|||
|
question ("/dev/fd1" in the above example). If it doesn't, try using
|
|||
|
the -nodrivesearch switch to disable Executor's usual probing for
|
|||
|
devices.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Why does Lemmings's splash screen take so long to be drawn?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/Linux tries
|
|||
|
to cooperate with X-Windows when assigning colors. That leaves X in
|
|||
|
charge of "the colormap", which means Executor can't quickly change
|
|||
|
the colors in the colormap itself. If you use the "-privatecmap"
|
|||
|
option when you start Executor, you'll find that Lemmings splash
|
|||
|
screen will come up much quicker, but you'll also experience the
|
|||
|
"creepy colors" problem in other windows.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul What free projects has ARDI supported?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ARDI sent a copy, with the appropriate legal release, of its HFS
|
|||
|
implementation to Paul Hargrove to aid him with his implementation of
|
|||
|
a true HFS filesystem under Linux. This saved him considerable time
|
|||
|
reverse engineering various undocumented aspects of HFS.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To build Executor/DOS, ARDI uses \docref DJGPP, a free 32-bit
|
|||
|
programming environment for DOS based mostly on GNU tools. As users
|
|||
|
of \docref DJGPP, we have contributed bug fixes and some source code
|
|||
|
to the project. For more information about \docref DJGPP, see
|
|||
|
\courier{<http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/>\}.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
ARDI has also done a minor rewrite of Checker to make it much faster
|
|||
|
and fix many bugs. Unfortunately, the modifications were in the hands
|
|||
|
of one of ARDI's contractors and appear to have slipped through the
|
|||
|
sands of time.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Is Executor localized for languages other than English?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Not yet. We recently added international keyboard support, so
|
|||
|
romantic language localization is not difficult, per-se, but we're
|
|||
|
concentrating on building awareness of Executor in English speaking
|
|||
|
countries first.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 04jul Can I Macintosh format disk drives?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Yes, but if you do not consider yourself a UNIX wizard, you probably
|
|||
|
shouldn't do it. All you have to do is find out the formatted disk
|
|||
|
capacity and then run makehfv [See \qref makehfv] with arguments so it
|
|||
|
writes directly to the disk drive you want formatted. You can only do
|
|||
|
this if you have write permissions on the drive in question.
|
|||
|
Obviously all data currently residing on that drive will be lost, and
|
|||
|
if you make a typo and inadvertently specify the wrong drive, you'll
|
|||
|
erase the data on the wrong drive.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 14jul How can Executor be configured for multiple users?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor has a variety of environment variables that can be altered to
|
|||
|
allow individual users to override the default locations Executor
|
|||
|
expects to find key files. Here are the important environment
|
|||
|
variables and their default values:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\call startlist
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
ConfigurationFolder "+/Configuration"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
SystemFolder "+/ExecutorVolume/System Folder"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
PublicDirectoryMap "+/DirectoryMap"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
PrivateDirectoryMap "~/.Executor/DirectoryMap"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
DefaultFolder "+/ExecutorVolume"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
MacVolumes "+/exsystem.hfv;+"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
ScreenDumpFolder "/tmp"
|
|||
|
\call endlist
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The leading "+/" represents the directory "/usr/local/lib/executor".
|
|||
|
So to allow multiple users to all have their own preferences, you can
|
|||
|
create an executor directory for each potential user like this:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
~/executor/
|
|||
|
~/executor/Configuration
|
|||
|
~/executor/SystemFolder
|
|||
|
~/executor/ScreenDumps
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
Then reassign these environment variables:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\call startlist
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
ConfigurationFolder "~/executor/Configuration"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
SystemFolder "~/executor/SystemFolder"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
PublicDirectoryMap "~/DirectoryMap"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
DefaultFolder "~/executor"
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
ScreenDumpFolder "~/executor/ScreenDumps"
|
|||
|
\call endlist
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You'll then need to populate the System Folder either with copies of
|
|||
|
what's in "/usr/local/lib/executor/ExecutorVolume/System Folder", or
|
|||
|
with symbolic links to the actual files. The Desktop Textures program
|
|||
|
actually modifies the System File, so if different users are going to
|
|||
|
want different desktops, or if you want to make sure there's no
|
|||
|
interference between users, then you should use copies rather than
|
|||
|
symbolic links.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Executor/DOS
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:whatishfv What is an HFV file?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor has the ability to store an entire Macintosh "volume"
|
|||
|
(i.e. filesystem corresponding to a disk drive or a partition within a
|
|||
|
disk drive) in a DOS or UNIX file. Under DOS, this feature is very
|
|||
|
handy because there is no way to have files with long names and upper
|
|||
|
and lower case characters in their names unless you use an HFV file.
|
|||
|
See \qref makehfv.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In general, HFV files should have filenames that end in "\courier{.hfv\}".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 04jul:makehfv What is makehfv?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The program makehfv (formerly called mkvol) allows you to create
|
|||
|
virtual Macintosh volumes [see \qref whatishfv]. It is now part of
|
|||
|
all Executor distributions, although it is more useful under DOS than
|
|||
|
under Windows or Linux.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
To use makehfv you need to pick a name for the new HFV file, a name
|
|||
|
for the Macintosh volume that your new HFV file will represent and the
|
|||
|
number of kilobytes or megabytes that you want the HFV file to use.
|
|||
|
Here's an example that creates a file named "\courier{bigtest.hfv\}"
|
|||
|
that will appear in Executor as "BigTest" and will have 10 MB of space
|
|||
|
in it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
makehfv bigtest.hfv BigTest 10m
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS will automatically see HFV files if they are placed in
|
|||
|
the same directory as \courier{executor.exe\}, which is usually
|
|||
|
\courier{C:\backslashEXECUTOR\} and their names have the suffix
|
|||
|
"\courier{.hfv\}".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/Linux will automatically see HFV files if they are placed in
|
|||
|
the same directory as ExecutorVolume (NOTE: \italic{not\} in
|
|||
|
ExecutorVolume itself), which is usually
|
|||
|
\courier{/usr/local/lib/executor\} and their names have the suffix
|
|||
|
"\courier{.hfv\}".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If you're using DOS or Windows, if you use a compressed filesystem or
|
|||
|
if you plan to make a compressed archive containing an HFV file,
|
|||
|
you'll want to use the "-zeros" command line option to makehfv. That
|
|||
|
tells makehfv to explicitly write zeros in the new hfv which takes a
|
|||
|
little more time but makes the resulting HFV file much more
|
|||
|
compressible.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul What are the hardware requirements for Executor/DOS?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Required: '386 or better, VGA, 15 MB disk space, and 4 MB RAM. A SCSI
|
|||
|
Controller is needed only if you want to access external Macintosh
|
|||
|
hard disks or PowerBooks.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Recommended: '486 or better, SVGA, 15 MB disk space, and 8 MB RAM. A
|
|||
|
SCSI Controller is needed only if you want to access external
|
|||
|
Macintosh hard disks or PowerBooks.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS 2 should work in sixteen colors on any VGA. In addition,
|
|||
|
if you have a Super VGA that is VESA 1.0 compliant, Executor/DOS
|
|||
|
should be able to provide 256 colors and a range of screen sizes. If
|
|||
|
you have a video card that is VESA 2.0 compliant, Executor's graphics
|
|||
|
will be significantly faster.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:vesa What do I do if my Super VGA card isn't VESA compliant?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There is a shareware SVGA utility that provides VESA compliance for
|
|||
|
SVGA cards that normally are not VESA compliant. \docref{SciTech Display Doctor\} is available from
|
|||
|
\courier{<http://www.scitechsoft.com/>\}. If you use it, you should pay
|
|||
|
the shareware fee as described in the documentation. If you have a
|
|||
|
recent SVGA card you probably don't need SciTech Display Doctor,
|
|||
|
although it may improve Executor's performance.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 23sep:white Why is there a bright white border on the screen?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The problem starts with Macs and PCs using different values to
|
|||
|
represent white and black. That's not too big of a problem, because
|
|||
|
Executor knows about this difference and translates things
|
|||
|
appropriately. The rest of the problem has to do with the fact that
|
|||
|
on video screens (unlike on laptop screens) there is a part of the
|
|||
|
screen that is outside the pixel area that is still illuminated by the
|
|||
|
video gun. That portion of the screen is known as the "overscan"
|
|||
|
area and the VESA 2.0 specs don't provide a way to set what color the
|
|||
|
overscan should be displayed as. Instead they use the value that is
|
|||
|
used for the binary representation that represents black on PCs. That
|
|||
|
works well, except we're already mapping that representation to be
|
|||
|
white.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This only happens when Executor detects and can use a "linear
|
|||
|
framebuffer". That's the fast way that allows Executor to write
|
|||
|
directly to the screen without an intermediate copy to an offscreen
|
|||
|
representation of the Mac screen. If we can't get access to a linear
|
|||
|
framebuffer then we can use the normal PC color mapping and patch
|
|||
|
things up as we transfer from the offscreen image. That allows the
|
|||
|
overscan area to be black but it's actually slower (significantly
|
|||
|
slower for some games).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:doa E/D dies during startup. Why?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The most common cause of E/D not running under DOS is the lack of file
|
|||
|
descriptors that you might get if you don't have the line:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
FILES=30
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
in your config.sys. If Executor is giving you trouble and you don't
|
|||
|
have such a line in your config.sys file, please add it, or if you
|
|||
|
have a smaller number than 30, please increase your number to 30.
|
|||
|
There is no reason to decrease your number if it is greater than 30.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Windows NT doesn't use config.sys, instead you need to use the
|
|||
|
configuration file that is listed when you get to the "Program"
|
|||
|
portion of "Properties" and click on the WindowsNT button. The
|
|||
|
default Config Filename is
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
%SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
"%SystemRoot%" will automatically be replaced with the
|
|||
|
location of your Windows NT file, which is likely
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
C:\WINDOWSNT
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
The default CONFIG.NT file has
|
|||
|
"FILES=20" in it, so you need to either change the contents of
|
|||
|
CONFIG.NT probably
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
or use the WindowsNT button on the Program page of the
|
|||
|
Properties panel to use a different configuration file.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
When all else fails, you can use the command line option "-desperate"
|
|||
|
to tell Executor to use as few extended features of your computer as
|
|||
|
possible in an attempt to avoid running into a problem. Under DOS you
|
|||
|
just add "-desperate to the command line, i.e.:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
C:\> executor -desperate
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
Under Windows, you need to make a short-cut to Executor and then use
|
|||
|
the Properties menu item to change the command line to include "-desperate".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 16feb:winwedge E/D runs under DOS, but not from Windows. What do I do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There are several things you can check:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\call startlist
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
Do you have FILES=30 or greater in the appropriate config file [see \qref doa]?
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
Are you running in 386-enhanced mode?
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
Is virtual memory turned on?
|
|||
|
\call item
|
|||
|
Is your mouse driver loaded and enabled (not just installed)?
|
|||
|
\call endlist
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If this checking produces no insights, write to \email questions@ardi.com
|
|||
|
and we'll try to track down the cause of the problem.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 17jul What causes errors when transferring files?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Error -42 is the error code generated inside a Macintosh when too many
|
|||
|
files are open. Executor internally generates this error when the
|
|||
|
underlying operating system disallows the opening of a file. This
|
|||
|
error is usually symptomatic of not properly setting \courier{FILES\}
|
|||
|
in your config.sys [see \qref doa].
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Similar errors may result when you try to copy Macintosh file to a DOS
|
|||
|
disk because many Macintosh file names are illegal under DOS. You can
|
|||
|
fix this by renaming the file to a normal DOS eight-dot-three name.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor versions that are older than 2.0j [available in mid June]
|
|||
|
have trouble with Windows 95's long file names. Specifically, any
|
|||
|
Macintosh file with a control-character as part of its name will cause
|
|||
|
trouble, and filenames will appear to all be in lower case. 2.0j
|
|||
|
solves these problems.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Why does my screen look funny when I run Executor?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Your video driver may not be fully VESA compliant. If Executor
|
|||
|
detects VESA compliance, it will try to use VESA modes. In general,
|
|||
|
this is a good thing, however, if these modes have bugs in them,
|
|||
|
Executor will invoke the bugs, and Executor may fail. Try getting a
|
|||
|
newer driver for your video card if this happens [see \qref vesa].
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
NOTE: If you run Executor with the "-info" switch, Executor will print
|
|||
|
out information it finds out about your video card. That information
|
|||
|
may be helpful in tracking down your problem.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Does E/D require an ASPI driver to access SCSI?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If your SCSI drivers patch the "INT 13" BIOS calls, then an ASPI
|
|||
|
driver is not needed. As long as "INT 13" can allow Executor to read
|
|||
|
a SCSI drive, there is no need to use ASPI. Similarly, if you have a
|
|||
|
16-bit MSCDEX CD-ROM driver installed, Executor will be able to see
|
|||
|
your CD-ROM drive (whether it's SCSI or not) even without ASPI
|
|||
|
drivers.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Why won't Executor/DOS work with my Diamond Viper PCI card?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS requires VESA compliant graphics cards. Many cards are
|
|||
|
not directly VESA compliant and need a TSR to be run before they will
|
|||
|
work with Executor/DOS. On a Gateway computer, you can do this with
|
|||
|
the "vprmode VESA" command [see \qref vesa].
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Why doesn't my mouse work when I run Executor under OS/2 Warp?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If it's not already there, you may need to add this line:
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VMOUSE.SYS
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
to your CONFIG.SYS. This, and related issues, are described on pages 206-207
|
|||
|
of _User's Guide to OS/2 Warp_. This line should already have been added for
|
|||
|
you when you installed Warp.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Also, you may need to load MOUSE.COM in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, for
|
|||
|
example:
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
LOADHIGH C:\OS2\MDOS\MOUSE.COM
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
You can also create an AUTOEXEC file specifically for Executor, place it in
|
|||
|
the same directory as Executor, and configure Warp to execute that file
|
|||
|
whenever you launch Executor.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Any OS/2 Warp suggestions?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Here is the advice of an Executor Enthusiast:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
I haven't been having any problems with running Executor/DOS in
|
|||
|
OS/2. What he needs to do (assuming he has Warp) is to run "Add
|
|||
|
Programs" object in the "System Setup" folder. This will make a object
|
|||
|
for Executor on his desktop (usually in the "Additional DOS Programs"
|
|||
|
folder). Go into the settings for that object, and select the
|
|||
|
"Session" tab. Set it to "DOS Full Screen", and choose "DOS
|
|||
|
Settings". He wants "All DOS Settings". Primarily, Executor needs the
|
|||
|
"DPMI Memory Limit" set to 16 megs, and "DPMI Memory Limit" set to
|
|||
|
enabled. Since it defaults to 4 megs and automatic, it won't work. For
|
|||
|
additional performance, he should set "DOS High" to on, "EMS Memory
|
|||
|
Limit" to 0, "Video 8514a XGA IOtrap" to off, "Video Retrace
|
|||
|
Emulation" to off, "XMS Memory Limit" to 0, and "XMS Minimum HMA" to
|
|||
|
63. The biggest boost comes from "Session Priority". Set this to at
|
|||
|
least 16, and if he is going to run no other programs, set it
|
|||
|
higher. If he is going to run other programs, this should be left
|
|||
|
at 16, and the "DOS Background Execution" needs to be set to on.
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Does Executor/DOS work under Windows 95?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Yes, Executor/DOS works well under Windows 95. But you should run
|
|||
|
Executor/Win32 under Windows 95. It has fewer compatibility problems
|
|||
|
and is just as fast.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 16feb:dosbugs Executor/DOS dies, what should I do?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If Executor dies even running the demo applications, try temporarily
|
|||
|
moving your config.sys and autoexec.bat files aside and create minimal
|
|||
|
versions of each, leaving only the lines that you need to initialize
|
|||
|
your mouse driver and the
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
FILES=30
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
line in your config.sys. Then reboot and try running Executor. If
|
|||
|
Executor then starts working, you will have to slowly add back the
|
|||
|
things that are in your normal autoexec.bat and config.sys files until
|
|||
|
you know exactly what is causing the problem. Once you know that, you
|
|||
|
should send information to \email bugs@ardi.com.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If Executor only dies on a particular application, try increasing the
|
|||
|
amount of RAM dedicated to the application by using the "-applzone"
|
|||
|
switch when you run Executor. Also try turning on "Pretend Sound",
|
|||
|
or if the screen seems to be only partially
|
|||
|
updated, try turning on "Refresh".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Once you've done as much as you can to figure out the problem,
|
|||
|
\docref{send a bug report\} via \courier{<http://www.ardi.com/bugform.html>\}.
|
|||
|
Run Executor with the "-info" switch
|
|||
|
and include that information. Make sure you also include the version
|
|||
|
of Executor you're running (e.g. Executor/DOS 2), the name and version
|
|||
|
of the application that is dying (e.g. HyperCard 2.1), the name and
|
|||
|
version of the operating system you're running (e.g. DOS 6.22) and
|
|||
|
enough details to reproduce the crash (e.g. "start the application,
|
|||
|
choose the "more Elvis" from the "adjust music" menu and the
|
|||
|
application will crash"). If the application you are running is
|
|||
|
publicly available via anonymous ftp, telling us where we can pick it
|
|||
|
up for testing purposes also helps.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We accept bug reports from everyone, although paid customers' bug
|
|||
|
reports are almost always higher priority than those of potential
|
|||
|
customers.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul How does printing work under E/D?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS will print directly to a PostScript-compatible printer if
|
|||
|
started with the switch -printer lpt1 (or lpt2, lpt3, or whatever as
|
|||
|
appropriate). Otherwise, it prints to a PostScript file. The first
|
|||
|
time you print, the file will be named \courier{execout1.ps\} and will
|
|||
|
be located in the same directory that \courier{executor.exe\} is
|
|||
|
located in. You can then print this file on a PostScript printer, or
|
|||
|
if you have a PostScript compatible driver, you can use a
|
|||
|
non-PostScript printer. A popular PostScript compatible printer
|
|||
|
drivers is \docref Ghostscript, available for free
|
|||
|
(\courier{<http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/>\}).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul Why does E/D under Windows 3.x have problems hot-keying?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
When you use a hot-key to switch away from Executor, Windows 3.x
|
|||
|
doesn't know how to save the screen, because it only knows about the
|
|||
|
original VGA screen modes, but Executor uses SVGA/VESA screen modes.
|
|||
|
So when you switch back, Windows 3.x doesn't know how to replace the
|
|||
|
screen with what it used to contain.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This problem is further compounded by the fact that Executor has no
|
|||
|
way of knowing when it's been switched out and switched back. To make
|
|||
|
matters worse, some Windows drivers (ATI Mach 32, for example) don't
|
|||
|
even restore the mode properly, so not only will the screen be
|
|||
|
incorrect, but Executor will die shortly after you switch back.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Luckily this is less frequently a problem in Windows 95 or OS/2.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 17jul Why can't I eject or format my DOS formatted floppy?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS allows you to see DOS drives other than the drive you
|
|||
|
install Executor on. It also allows you to format floppies in the
|
|||
|
Macintosh format (it used to read and write Mac formatted floppies,
|
|||
|
but it wouldn't do the formatting itself).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Currently, the two abilities conflict. What we do is if a DOS
|
|||
|
formatted floppy is in the drive when E/D starts, we treat that drive
|
|||
|
as a fixed drive from that point on. You can no longer eject the
|
|||
|
floppy, nor can you convince Executor to consider that floppy as a Mac
|
|||
|
formatted floppy or a candidate for Mac formatting. This is confusing
|
|||
|
and ugly; but we haven't found a better solution yet.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 22nov Do E/D and QEMM fight?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We don't have QEMM in house for testing, but apparently older versions
|
|||
|
of QDPMI are incompatible DPMI providers for Executor. We have heard
|
|||
|
that QEMM 8.0 works with Executor, but we have not tested it. DPMI
|
|||
|
providers that are known to work are the supplied CWSDPMI, the DPMI
|
|||
|
provider in Windows 3.x and Windows 95, the DPMI provider in OS/2,
|
|||
|
and 386Max.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For now, if you have lines similar to these two:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 /SIZE=8880 C:\QEMM\QDPMI.SYS
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SWAPFILE=DPMI.SWP SWAPSIZE=1024.
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
in your config.sys file, you should "rem them out" -- i.e. add "rem " to the
|
|||
|
beginning of each line -- at least when using Executor:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\verbatim
|
|||
|
REM DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:1 /SIZE=8880 C:\QEMM\QDPMI.SYS
|
|||
|
REM SWAPFILE=DPMI.SWP SWAPSIZE=1024.
|
|||
|
\endverbatim
|
|||
|
\nl
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 19jul Does Executor fight with Novell DPMS?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Yes. Novell DOS and Stacker both use this memory manager, but
|
|||
|
Executor will crash when Novell DPMS (DOS Protected Mode Services) is
|
|||
|
running. Fortunately, Stacker can be run without it if you are using
|
|||
|
another memory manager such as 386Max. Additionally, Stacker won't
|
|||
|
use DPMS when run under Windows.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This is another compatibility problem that we're looking into,
|
|||
|
although it has been reported that some other well known programs
|
|||
|
crash under DPMS's DPMI support (PKZIP, Geoworks and Logic Magician's
|
|||
|
Oberon System).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 17jul How can I speed up Executor/DOS?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor/DOS is of course dependent on the speed and type of CPU in
|
|||
|
your PC. Obviously you can make E/D run faster if you upgrade your
|
|||
|
386 to a Pentium. However, there are other, non-obvious ways in which
|
|||
|
sometimes you can dramatically improve Executor's speed.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Use the "-info" switch to see how much DPMI memory you have compared
|
|||
|
to how much physical memory you have. In general, Executor itself
|
|||
|
will consume approximately 2 MB of memory even if you could have an
|
|||
|
applzone, syszone and stack size of 0 (which you can't). So on a 4 MB
|
|||
|
system, you can only allocate another 2 MB total to applzone, syszone
|
|||
|
and stack if you want to avoid paging (paging slows Executor down
|
|||
|
considerably), and that's only if you don't have drivers in your
|
|||
|
config.sys file or autoexec.bat tying up more of your memory. If you
|
|||
|
are low on memory, you should use DOS's "mem" command and see how much
|
|||
|
Extended (XMS) memory DOS thinks you have. The more you can increase
|
|||
|
that figure before Executor starts up, the more DPMI memory Executor
|
|||
|
will have and the easier it will be for Executor to avoid paging.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\italic{If\} you have plenty of memory, then you can also speed
|
|||
|
Executor up a little bit by running a disk cache. However, you should
|
|||
|
only run the disk cache in a write-through mode -- in other words you
|
|||
|
should enable the disk cache so that all disk writes are immediately
|
|||
|
sent to the disk. Failure to do so may result in corrupt HFV files
|
|||
|
after Executor dies.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor can access video cards in three different ways. The slowest
|
|||
|
is by using VGA calls. This is also the least flexible -- you are
|
|||
|
often limited only to 16 colors when using VGA calls, since the only
|
|||
|
VGA mode that supports 256 colors is too small to use with Executor.
|
|||
|
If your card is VESA compliant, or has a driver that makes it VESA
|
|||
|
compliant, Executor can drive the video card more efficiently. There
|
|||
|
are two major levels of VESA compliance -- VESA 1.x and VESA 2.x.
|
|||
|
Executor is even more efficient if it can drive your video card using
|
|||
|
a VESA 2.0 driver, \italic{if\} that driver supports "linear mapping".
|
|||
|
The SciTech Display Doctor driver allows many popular video cards to
|
|||
|
be linear mapped. If you want Executor to run quickly, you should
|
|||
|
probably pick up a copy of SciTech Display Doctor and test it on your
|
|||
|
system to see if it improves things. You can use "Speedometer" or
|
|||
|
"Globe" to get a rough approximation of how much it helps. On many
|
|||
|
cards, use of SciTech Display Doctor can double Executor's graphics speed.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 24jun How do I make Executor/DOS run faster under VirtualPC
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Using the "\courier{-oldtimer\}" switch can speed Executor/DOS up by
|
|||
|
more than a factor of two when it's running under VirtualPC, a PC
|
|||
|
emulator made by \docref Connectix \courier{<http://www.connectix.com/>\}.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\section Esoterica
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul May I bundle the DEMO version of Executor on a CD-ROM?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The short answer is "yes".
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You are able to freely copy and distribute demo versions of Executor,
|
|||
|
as long as you follow the restrictions set forth in Executor's license
|
|||
|
panel. Please run the demo version of Executor and choose "About
|
|||
|
Executor..." to see the restrictions that you must follow.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A suggestion: contact us to make sure you have the latest version of
|
|||
|
Executor. We can tell you if a new release is imminent.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:thanks Who wrote this FAQ? Who helped?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This FAQ was written and is maintained by ARDI employees. After
|
|||
|
learning about them via the old Caldera FAQ, we rewrote our existing
|
|||
|
FAQ to use the same tools that the Linux FAQ is built with. Those
|
|||
|
tools were written by Ian Jackson \email ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
We've also had contributions from many Executor Enthusiasts worldwide.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Thanks.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\question 02jul:faqcopyright Is this FAQ Disclaimed and Copyrighted?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
This document is provided as is. The information in it is
|
|||
|
\italic{not\} warranted to be correct; you use it at your own risk.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Executor Frequently Asked Questions with Answers is Copyright 1996-1999 by
|
|||
|
ARDI \email info@ardi.com.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
\comment This end comment may be necessary to force final paragraph out
|