Legacy Document

Inside Macintosh: More Macintosh Toolbox /

Chapter 1 - Resource Manager / Resource Manager Reference

Resources in the System File

The System file's resource fork contains resources that are shared by all applications and system software. The sections that follow describe these resources.

WARNING

Your application should not directly add resources to, delete resources from, or modify resources in the System file.

If your application needs to install drivers, you should ship it with the Installer and an Installer script for drivers. To distribute the Installer, you need to license the Apple system software, which includes the Installer.

The next section describes resources in the System file that provide information
about the computer on which your application is currently running, such as the user's name, the computer name, and the current printer type. You can use Resource Manager routines or the Gestalt function to obtain this information. Subsequent sections list system software routines kept in packages in the System file and function key resources.

In System 7 and later versions of system software, users can add resources such as scripts, keyboards, and sounds to the System file by dragging the resource icons to the System Folder. Desk accessories and resources such as system extensions are stored in the subdirectories of the System Folder, not in the System file. In System 7.0, users can also add resources such as fonts to the System file by dragging their icons to the System Folder. In System 7.1 and later versions, fonts are stored in a subdirectory of the
System Folder rather than in the System file. (See the chapter "Finder Interface" in Inside Macintosh: Macintosh Toolbox Essentials for details.)

The folders in the System Folder and some system resources are represented by standard icons. "Standard Icons" beginning on page 1-119 lists the most important standard icons.

---

Subtopics

User Information Resources

Packages

Function Key Resources

Standard Icons