Release February 14, 1995
This document contains information which was developed too late to be included in the manuals.
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Contact information for Bare Bones Software.
Obligatory Anti-Piracy Notice
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BBEdit is protected by U.S. and international copyright law against unauthorized redistribution and duplication. If you are using a non- demo copy that you obtained by a means other than a legitimate site license, product bundle, or direct purchase, then we encourage you to write to the address below and order your own copy. The pricing is reasonable, and options are available for discount and quantity pricing.
External Services and Startup Performance
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The first time BBEdit starts up, it attempts to locate the application associated with each external service. If the application isnÕt found, BBEdit will keep trying to find it on subsequent occasions, until it either finds the application, or until you turn off the corresponding check-box in the ÒExternal ServicesÓ section of the Preferences dialog.
Since an unsuccessful search for an application takes time, you should turn off the check box corresponding to any application you donÕt have available. Doing so will decrease the time that BBEdit takes to start up.
BBEdit and CodeWarrior ------ --- -----------
BBEditÕs support of integration with CodeWarrior requires version 1.2 of CodeWarrior (distributed in the ÒCW5Ó release). CodeWarrior takes a somewhat more passive approach to external-editor support, and for that reason, the following limitations apply:
- CodeWarrior does not provide a means to select the external editor. Thus, if you double-click on a file in an open CodeWarrior project while in CodeWarrior, your source file will open up in CodeWarriorÕs editor. As an alternative, open your CodeWarrior projects in BBEdit. In the project browser next to the ÒOpenÓ button is a small icon; click in this icon to open the project in CodeWarrior (and to launch CodeWarrior if itÕs already running). When you double-click on a file in a BBEdit project browser, BBEdit will open the source file, and will enable items on the Compiler menu if the source file belongs to the project thatÕs currently open in CodeWarrior.
- CodeWarrior does not arbitrate with the external editor for the text. The practical result of this is that you will need to save files before compiling them, if you wish your current changes to be compiled. If CodeWarrior is the target environment, BBEdit will ask if you wish to save an unsaved file before compiling it. Also, if you choose ÒBring Up To DateÓ or ÒRunÓ, and you have unsaved source files connected to the currently open project, BBEdit will ask if you wish to save them before compiling.
Desktop Database Problems ------- -------- --------
On occasion, you may find that the Finder doesnÕt display the correct icon for BBEdit documents, or that you canÕt drag documents onto the BBEdit application (or an alias to the application) to open them.
This behavior is not indicative of a problem with BBEdit; rather, itÕs an indication that the database that the Finder uses to associate applications, icons, and documents (known as the Òdesktop databaseÓ) has become confused or corrupted.
When this happens, itÕs usually desirable to force the Finder to reconstruct the desktop database. To do this, reboot your machine, and immediately hold down the Shift key until the message ÒExtensions OffÓ appears. As soon as this message appears, release the Shift key, and hold down the Command and Option keys. For each volume that mounts at startup, the Finder will ask whether you wish to rebuild the desktop database. Click ÒOKÓ, and the Finder will do so.
Corruption in the desktop database can also render BBEdit unable to locate external services. If you have an service installed (say, the THINK Project Manager), but BBEdit doesnÕt make the service available to you, rebuilding the desktop database will usually help. (This assumes that youÕve already checked to make sure that the application youÕre trying to use is of an appropriate version.)
The ÒOld MacTrapsÓ File --- ---- --------- ----
Versions 6.0 and later of THINK C and Symantec C++ contain a file called ÒOld MacTrapsÓ. This file is located in the ÒMac LibrariesÓ folder. The structure of this file is such that both the THINK Project Manager and BBEdit will crash while attempting to open this project.
If youÕre performing a multi-file search of your Mac Libraries folder, or of the folder containing the THINK Project Manager, BBEdit will crash when it encounters the ÒOld MacTrapsÓ file. To avoid this file, remove it, or switch the ÒFile TypeÓ popup menu (in the Multi-File Search options portion of the Find dialog) to ÒText FilesÓ.
System 7.5 Menu Bug ------ --- ---- ---
System 7.5 contains a bug which will cause popup menus to behave strangely in certain circumstances, specifically, when a menu is long enough to scroll and is popped up close to the top or bottom of the screen. In BBEdit, this is most likely to happen in the ÒPreferencesÓ dialog.
At this time, thereÕs no workaround for this bug; you may avoid the symptoms by using the arrow control next to the popup menu in the Preferences dialog, or by using Command-down-arrow and Command-up-arrow to move from one preferences page to the next (or previous).
Apple has acknowledged the bug, and tentatively plans to fix it in an upcoming revision of the system software. As of this writing, no further details are available.
MacLink Plus 8.0 and Memory ------- ---- --- --- ------
We have received several reports of out-of-memory problems or crashes from customers who are using the ÒMacLink PlusÓ translator package from DataViz; these problems go away when the ÒMacLink Plus Translator BridgeÓ file is removed. If you have problems starting or using BBEdit and you have the MacLink Plus Translator Bridge installed, try increasing BBEditÕs memory partition size to a larger value, or turning off ÒClaris XTND TranslationÓ in the ÒServicesÓ section of the Preferences dialog. (If youÕre having problems starting BBEdit, hold down the Shift key while opening BBEdit to bypass all external services.)
ÒCanÕt UndoÓ Alerts ------ ----- ------
A number of actions, most notably many extensions, are not undoable.
As a matter of course, BBEdit will pose an alert: Ò
On Location 2.0, Quadras, and AppleShare
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There is a bug in On Location versions 2.0 and 2.0.1 which will cause
your Macintosh to hang if youÕre using a Macintosh Quadra, you have
AppleShare volumes mounted, and you attempt to perform an On Location
search with BBEdit. To avoid this hang, donÕt select ÒOn LocationÓ
from the ÒSearch MethodÓ popup in the ÒMulti-File SearchingÓ section
of the Find dialog.
(Note that an ÒAppleShare volumeÓ can be a fileserver volume or a volume
on someone elseÕs Macintosh published with Personal File Sharing under
System 7.0.)
THINK Project Manager
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The THINK Project Manager, used in THINK C and Symantec C++ version 6.0
and later, has a number of bugs and limitations which occasionally make
working with an external editor difficult. Presently, we are working
with the technical staff at Symantec to resolve these issues. They
should be taken care of for future versions of both BBEdit and the THINK
Project Manager.
The most noticeable problems are as follows:
- On occasion, the THINK Project Manager will inexplicably refuse
to provide the list of headers included by a given source file.
If you control- option-click in the title bar of a connected source
file and you donÕt get the list, this is most likely the cause.
Should this happen, deactivate the source window in question
and re-activate it, and BBEdit will try to get the list of includes
again. You can, of course, use the function popup in the status bar,
which will also provide access to the include files.
- The THINK Project Manager provides no atomic way for the external
editor to inform it that the name or location of a connected source
file has changed. This means that if you do a ÒSave As...Ó of a
connected source file, the TPM will continue to use the old source
file. Until this problem is resolved in the TPM, youÕll have to
manually remove the old file and add the new file to the proper
location.
- There is a bug in version 7.0 of the THINK Project Manager
which may cause it to crash after opening a file in the external
editor. This bug is fixed in version 7.0.3 of the TPM; an updater
package may be obtained from most online information services
or directly from Symantec.
- Version 7.0.1 of the THINK Project Manager has a bug in it which
will prevent the TPM from quitting if the external editor is running.
This bug is fixed in version 7.0.3 of the TPM; an updater
package may be obtained from most online information services
or directly from Symantec.
- In spite of the above fix, version 7.0.4 will refuse to quit
in some situations when the editor pointed to by the ÒEditorÓ
tool alias is running. We have verified that the problem is on
the TPMÕs end, and we are working with Symantec to identify and
resolve the problem.
- Because of latency issues between BBEdit and the THINK Project
Manager, certain menu items or services may not be available
immediately after bringing a window to the front. Usually, the
services will become available after one or two seconds.
Symantec C++ for Power Macintosh
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BBEdit 3.1 supports Symantec C++ for Power Macintosh version 8.0, known
among cognoscenti as ÒRainbowÓ. At the time of BBEdit 3.1Õs release,
Rainbow is still in prerelease form. If you are a Rainbow beta site or
a Symantec DeveloperÕs Advantage customer, and youÕre using BBEdit with
Rainbow, please let us know. We are working closely with Rainbow users
and Symantec to ensure that BBEdit provides a high level of support for
this new environment.
Printing with Substituted Fonts
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Because of idiosyncracies in the LaserWriter driver 7.1 and earlier,
there are some character spacing anomalies when printing with a
substituted monospaced font (i.e. Monaco). To avoid these problems,
print in a non-substituted, monospaced PostScript font such as Courier.
(With BBEdit, you can of course edit in one font, and print in
another.)
These problems appear to be resolved as of version 8.1.1 of the
LaserWriter driver.
Fractional Spacing
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BBEdit 3.1 supports a ÒFractional SpacingÓ option when printing. We
recommend that you use this option if you are printing in a small
(less than 9-point) font size.
FaxSTF ÒFaxPrintÓ Printer Driver
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Version 2.2.3 of the ÒFaxPrintÓ printer driver, supplied with the FaxSTF
fax software package, has a bug in it which can cause all applications,
not just BBEdit, to malfunction. STF Technologies has been notified of
the problem. In the meantime, to avoid potential problems, choose another
printer driver, such as the ImageWriter or LaserWriter driver, except
when youÕre planning to fax documents directly from within BBEdit.
Contact STF Technologies for the latest information on the availability
of a fix. (As of the writing of this note, FaxSTF has been updated
to version 3.0.)
NOW Utilities
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Older versions of Super Boomerang have a bug which affects BBEdit;
in particular, you cannot type upper-case letters in the ÒSave AsÉÓ
dialog. This bug is fixed in version 4.0 and later of the NOW Utilities
package; contact Now Software for an update.
Now Save causes BBEditÕs ÒFileÓ menu to get scrambled. To avoid this,
turn off Now Save when running BBEdit.
Standard File Hacks
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There are some third-party extensions which modify the standard ÒOpenÓ
and ÒSaveÓ dialogs (known colloquially as ÒStandard FileÓ). In a couple
of known cases, some of these extensions have a bug which causes
correctly written applications to crash. Specifically:
- ÒClick, there it is!Ó, version 1.0.1. Version 1.0.4 is current, and
fixes this problem. Registered owners should contact the author for
more information.
- Quickeys version 2.1 also appears to have a similar problem.
If either of these extensions is installed, BBEdit will most likely
crash when trying to bring up a Standard File dialog. (BBEditÕs ÒOpenÓ
and ÒSaveÓ dialogs should work correctly, but dialogs in other parts of
BBEdit, such as the File Types section of the preferences dialog, will
not.)
In addition, problems have been reported in which the Standard File
Package crashes, or BBEdit takes an Òemergency exitÓ, when Peter
LewisÕ ÒCDIconKillerÓ extension is in use.
The BalloonWriter INIT
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Version 1.0.1 of AppleÕs ÒBalloonWriterÓ extension interferes with
the correct display and operation of BBEditÕs dynamic menus. To avoid
this conflict, disable or remove BalloonWriter from your system.
The ProgrammerÕs Editor Package
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BBEdit was written with libraries which are part of the ProgrammerÕs
Editor Package. The PE Package provides high-performance text editing,
searching, directory search, and pattern-match capabilities for use
in text-manipulation programs. For more information, write to the
address below.
Documentation Errors?
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If you find an error in the documentation, please let us know. One of
the reasons weÕre on CD-ROM with electronic documentation is so that we
can make revisions to the manual and incorporate the improvements in
subsequent pressings of the CD. The same logic applies to improvements
and fixes to the software. In addition to uploading free patches to fix
bugs in the software, we plan to offer a policy by which registered
owners can obtain a new CD at nominal cost.