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TOPIC
- Newton package activation
- Reseting the backdrop
- Freezing packages
This article discusses the following topics of Newton 2.x operating systems:
DISCUSSION
Getting Rid Of Undeleteable Applications
Here's a tip to help you deal with incompatible packages, even ones that mess the system up so badly you cannot delete them.
NOTE: Newton packages can be an application or a system extension.
Previously, if you had an application or package in internal memory that caused trouble at startup your only option was to completely erase internal memory. This was accomplished by resetting the unit with the power switch down (hard reset). Similarly, if you had a package on a card that interfered with mounting the card you had to force the card to be erased. This was accomplished by inserting the card with Prefs application open.
In the Newton 2.x OS, it is possible to keep applications or extensions from becoming active by suppressing the activation of packages. This is not the same as freezing packages (see section below on freezing packages). This allows the MessagePad to start up, or a card to be inserted without running any of the packages' code. This gives you a chance to delete the problem package instead of having to completely erase the memory in which it stored. Macintosh users will find this similar to starting up with the shift key down to keep extensions from loading.
Suppressing Package Activation in Newton's Internal Memory
To suppress package activation in internal memory:
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1. Reset the Apple MessagePad.
2. Turn the Apple MessagePad over and hold the pen down in the left 1/4-in. of the screen. Please note that the left edge is based on the display orientation. Keep the pen down until you see a message asking if you want to activate the packages in the internal memory (stor). [This process can be complicated if a password (PIN) is active, see note below. For better results turn off all password access.]
3. Select "No."
The only "trick" is that you can put the pen down too far to the left - resting against the raised edge of the plastic case. There is a small "dead" area at the border of the screen and the case that you need to avoid.
Note: If you are using a PIN number, you should wait until the PIN number box appears on the screen before pressing down on the left side of the screen.
The message comes up before the splash screen disappears, so if the splash screen disappears, you need to try again - holding the pen a little further in from the edge.
Activating a Package Once It Has Been Deactivated
Tapping on an icon which has an X through it causes the package to be activated. Activate them one at a time until you identify the package giving you trouble. For example, if the symptom is application A will not open anymore, tap on an icon with an X, and once the X disappears see if application A works.
If at this point you can delete the icon, do so. If problem re-occur, you'll have to reset again suppressing package activation. This time you should just delete the icon without first activating it.
When searching for the offending package, remember to look in the extensions folder (or show "All Icons"). [In 1.X systems there were some packages that did not have a corresponding icon in the extras drawer. In 2.x, every package has at least one icon.]
Storage Cards
The same procedure can be applied to cards. Insert the card. Hold the pen down near the left edge of the screen. You will be asked if you want to activate the packages on the card.
Resetting Backdrop Application
If you reset the unit and hold down the pen near the top edge of the screen (instead of the left edge), in addition to freezing packages, the backdrop application will be reset to its defaults - the Notepad returns to the backdrop. With the Newton OS 2.0 units, this process also would reset the display's orientation to portrait.
This is useful if you have some application that seems to be working fine - until you make it the backdrop.
The top edge only has these additional features when you reset the unit. When inserting storage cards, you can use the top or left edge to suppress package activation.
Other Times Icons are X'd Out
An icon with an X indicates its package is inactive. Even if you don't suppress package loading, there are other circumstances when you might run into inactive or frozen packages. The most common would be if you have two copies of the package installed. For example, package "foo" is on the internal store and a card containing "foo" is inserted. The icon for "foo" on the card will have X over it.
If you see an inactive icon, go ahead and tap on it. The system will attempt to activate and launch it. If there is a problem you will get an error message. The message should be an informative one like: "The package "foo" (on store "my card") was not activated because a package by the same name (on store "internal") is already in use."
Package Freezing
If you do not know what frozen packages are, you probably will soon.
Note: There are a variety of third party developers providing utilities that turn on this latent feature of the Extras Drawer.
Frozen packages are inactive packages. The difference is that they are purposely made inactive by the user and stay inactive until the user taps on them. Suppressing package activation as described above only deactivates packages temporarily. If you reset the unit (or reinsert the card), the icons that were X'd out will not be anymore.
Activating packages uses up some of the system's working memory and takes time. Cards with a large number of packages can take a long time to mount and can cause you to run low on memory.
A way to work around this is to selectively "Freeze" (deactivate) the packages you don't use very often. You freeze a package or group of packages by selecting them in the Extras Drawer and choosing freeze from the action button. Its icon will turn into a snowflake indicating that it's frozen. You thaw (activate) a frozen package by simply tapping on it.
ExtraExtras - < http://www.hyprmynd.com/products/extensions/extra-extras.html >
Power Pref 2.0 - < http://www.tiac.net/users/jdb/index.html#PP2 >
Power Preferences - < ftp://ftp.amug.org/pub/newton/_2.0-savvy/util/power-prefs-1.0.sit.hqx >
Freeze Utilities - < http://www.interaccess.com/newton/products/freezeutilities.html >
NewtCase 3.0 - < http://www.newts.com/newton/nc30.html >
Inactive or Frozen Packages in List View
A package's status, whether it is active, inactive or frozen, gets more confusing. If you are viewing the Extras in the List View format, the System has to have a way of telling you what the status is. The text style (bold, italics or plain) is used to do this. Active packages are bold, inactive packages are italized and frozen packages are in plain text.