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Mac Forum / Applications / Mac Applications / January 2007double-click rebuilding of desktop on OS 9?
Is there a software tool or an Applescript technique to rebuild the Mac desktop through just launching the software? I'm using Techtool Light but it has a bizarre interface which has a bunch of steps before you can actually rebuild the desktop. Thanks. > Is there a software tool or an Applescript technique to rebuild the Mac > desktop through just launching the software? I'm using Techtool Light > but it has a bizarre interface which has a bunch of steps before you can > actually rebuild the desktop. > > Thanks. It's a while since I did this, but Techtool actually deletes the Desktop DB and DF invisible files, forcing them to be re-built. I think the usual way (which I can't remmeber now) does something else which isn't as good. All you'd need is an applescript that deletes those 2 files, then reboots. Andy >> Is there a software tool or an Applescript technique to rebuild the Mac >> desktop through just launching the software? I'm using Techtool Light [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > as good. All you'd need is an applescript that deletes those 2 files, > then reboots. Hi I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. With OS 7.6 and earlier the comments for each file would be lost but with OS 8 and 9 I think they would be retained, IIRC.  SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start > up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. No, it doesn't. The Apple method patches the database whereas the deletion method recreates it from scratch. Signature<http://designsbymike.biz/macconsultshop.shtml> Mac-themed T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/musings.shtml> Mostly muckraking T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/prius.shtml> Prius shirts & bumper stickers <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gift >> I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start >> up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. > > No, it doesn't. The Apple method patches the database whereas the > deletion method recreates it from scratch. I think it does work just as well. SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > >> I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start > >> up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I think it does work just as well. I've already specified the reason why the deletion method is technically superior. It will _always_ work as long as the drive's directories are sound, whereas the Apple method will not always work and can even create additional problems. Signature<http://designsbymike.biz/macconsultshop.shtml> Mac-themed T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/musings.shtml> Mostly muckraking T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/prius.shtml> Prius shirts & bumper stickers <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gift > I've already specified the reason why the deletion method is technically > superior. It will _always_ work as long as the drive's directories are > sound, whereas the Apple method will not always work and can even create > additional problems. Have you experienced these problems? If the directories are sound both methods work fine. It is true that either rebuilding or repairing the desktop files will create additional problems if the directories are not sound. This is as true of either method. It is as they say six of one and half a dozen of the other which method you use. On the subject of rebuilding or repairing the desktop files to the original poster I suggest that he/she first runs a good disk utility over the whole computer and make sure it is all as it should be. Then do the repair/rebuild of the desktop files if considered necessary. The Apple method will work just as well as the other one being suggested which requires a script or a third party utility. It is a long-standing myth that the other method which is deleting the hidden desktop files and thus having the OS forced to rebuild them is better. It isn't worse, but it's not better. The repairing/rebuilding of the hidden desktop files is not needed very frequently and with the later OSes, such as 8 and 9, never doing it at all is usually fine. If you find you need to do it frequently then it does suggest something is wrong. I'm going to cut and paste this response of mine into one other poor soul who is upset that the old "rebuild is better than patching" myth isn't true after all. However I'm not going to be participating in the thread after that because it's not very interesting having this discussion again. If it is important to these people that the myth continues then let them be happy :) SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> > > I've already specified the reason why the deletion method is technically > > superior. It will _always_ work as long as the drive's directories are > > sound, whereas the Apple method will not always work and can even create > > additional problems. > > Have you experienced these problems? Yes. > If the directories are sound both methods work fine. No, that's simply not true. If the desktop database is corrupted, rebuilding it using the Apple method can make the problem worse, whereas using the deletion method creates a new, aproblematic, one. > It is a long-standing myth that the other method which is deleting the > hidden desktop files and thus having the OS forced to rebuild them is > better. It isn't worse, but it's not better. You're simply wrong. I've had several occasions in which the Apple method either did not fix the problem or made it worse, but then using the deletion method (via Tech Tool) fixed everything. These involved drives on which I had already run Disk Warrior (or another utility prior to DW's existance). > If it is important to these people that the myth continues then let > them be happy :) If it's important to you to believe it's a myth, so be it, but please don't advise others to use an inferior method without informing them of this. Signature<http://designsbymike.biz/macconsultshop.shtml> Mac-themed T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/musings.shtml> Mostly muckraking T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/prius.shtml> Prius shirts & bumper stickers <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gift >>> I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start >>> up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I think it does work just as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work as well. There are cases where the database is corrupt in such a way that simply rebuilding the existing database does not correct the problem. This is a well-established fact, and is well-known among those of us who have been around long enough to have made regular use of Macs back in the days before Mac OS 9 and X. SignatureJR >>>> I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start >>>> up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > been around long enough to have made regular use of Macs back in the > days before Mac OS 9 and X. Well I have indeed been using Macs since long before OS 9 and X :) If the directories are sound both methods work fine. It is true that either rebuilding or repairing the desktop files will create additional problems if the directories are not sound. This is as true of either method. It is as they say six of one and half a dozen of the other which method you use. On the subject of rebuilding or repairing the desktop files to the original poster I suggest that he/she first runs a good disk utility over the whole computer and make sure it is all as it should be. Then do the repair/rebuild of the desktop files if considered necessary. The Apple method will work just as well as the other one being suggested which requires a script or a third party utility. It is a long-standing myth that the other method which is deleting the hidden desktop files and thus having the OS forced to rebuild them is better. It isn't worse, but it's not better. The repairing/rebuilding of the hidden desktop files is not needed very frequently and with the later OSes, such as 8 and 9, never doing it at all is usually fine. If you find you need to do it frequently then it does suggest something is wrong. I'm not going to be participating in the thread after this because it's not very interesting having this discussion again. If it is important to people that the myth continues then let them be happy :) SignaturePatrick Brighton, UK <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk> >>>>> I think the usual way, holding down command and option keys at start >>>>> up, works just as well as deleting the DB and DF invisible files. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > If the directories are sound both methods work fine. The only way I know how to put it is: You're wrong. I hope that's not too harsh - it's the truth regardless. When you do a simple desktop rebuild, the system removes all Desktop DB records for applications that no longer exist on the system, but leaves intact any Desktop DB records for applications that are still currently installed on your system. If one such entry is corrupted, after a rebuild of the Desktop DB, the problem entry still remains. One classic symptom of this (there are others as well, of course) is a document or application whose icon is corrupt (usually a seemingly random mix of colored bits) even after a normal "rebuild" of the desktop. I've personally had such a problem on multiple occasions in the past, and deleting the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files, resulting in a clean rebuild, fixed it each time. SignatureJR > When you do a simple desktop rebuild, the system removes all Desktop DB > records for applications that no longer exist on the system, but leaves > intact any Desktop DB records for applications that are still currently > installed on your system. If one such entry is corrupted, after a > rebuild of the Desktop DB, the problem entry still remains. And, if the DB is sufficiently corrupted to begin with, it may become worse. I've seen _all_ icons go generic a couple of times when the computer froze during the rebuilding process. Signature<http://designsbymike.biz/macconsultshop.shtml> Mac-themed T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/musings.shtml> Mostly muckraking T-shirts <http://designsbymike.biz/prius.shtml> Prius shirts & bumper stickers <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gift >> When you do a simple desktop rebuild, the system removes all Desktop DB >> records for applications that no longer exist on the system, but leaves [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > worse. I've seen _all_ icons go generic a couple of times when the > computer froze during the rebuilding process. Come to think of it, so have I. And I could always count on deleting the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files fixing that problem as well. SignatureJR > >> When you do a simple desktop rebuild, the system removes all Desktop DB > >> records for applications that no longer exist on the system, but leaves [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Come to think of it, so have I. And I could always count on deleting > the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files fixing that problem as well. Can I say "Me too"? Me too. > When you do a simple desktop rebuild, the system removes all Desktop DB > records for applications that no longer exist on the system, but leaves [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > the past, and deleting the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files, resulting > in a clean rebuild, fixed it each time. Testify. I can confirm all of this, based on my experience doing tech support from System 6.0.1 to present day. > Is there a software tool or an Applescript technique to rebuild the Mac > desktop through just launching the software? I'm using Techtool Light > but it has a bizarre interface which has a bunch of steps before you > can actually rebuild the desktop. > > Thanks. Sure. Enter this script into Script Editor in Mac OS 9 (watch for line wraps introduced by news readers!): -- begin script >> property pRemoveItems : {"Desktop DB", "Desktop DF"} >> [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] >>>>> return theParOffset >> end OffsetInList -- end script Save the script as an application. Then double-click it to run it. The next time you restart your computer, the desktop databases will be rebuilt. SignatureJR |
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