Re: [NTLK] About .rsrc (was Re: Newbie problems, ebooks)

From: Michael J. Hußmann (michael_at_michael-hussmann.de)
Date: Mon May 17 2004 - 01:02:22 PDT


DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net) wrote:

> Macs don't use file extensions (admitted, files on a Mac *may* have
> extensions, but the System doesn't read them, it's just a name the user or
> the app gave, nothing the OS cares about), they store the affiliation
> between a specific file and what app to open it with in a separate file
> called "ressource fork".

Sorry for nit-picking, but the type and creator codes are not stored
inside the resource fork (otherwise, a file with an empty resource fork
wouldn't have those codes), but rather in a special storage space for
file meta data. In general, a file on a Macintosh consists of three
parts: the data fork, the resource fork, and meta data such as type and
creator codes. Either or both of the two forks may be empty.

Under Mac OS X, the situation is slightly different, insofar as the OS is
recognizing and actively using, even sometimes enforcing filename
extensions (the latter is a pity, on several accounts). Also, developers
are encouraged to use the data fork of a separate file for storing
resources, rather than the resource fork of an existing file. Resource
forks are still supported under Mac OS X, though, even with file systems
such as UFS that don't support forked files natively.

- Michael

Michael J. Hußmann

E-mail: michael_at_michael-hussmann.de
WWW (personal): http://michael-hussmann.de
WWW (professional): http://digicam-experts.de

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