Mark Lim's Apple II Utilities for Mac OS X / MacOS now available

[Hugh Hood]

Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.

I think you will find these to be of very high quality. I certainly
consider them such.


They are:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. CiderXPress
- utility for both creating and working with Apple II disk images
akin to Andy McFadden’s CiderPress for Windows

-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II disk images



2. NuShrinkItX
- utility for both creating and working with Apple II archive files
(e.g. - .shk)

-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II archive files



3. SCIIBinX
- utility for extracting an Apple II file from a BINSCII file or
email segment containing BINSCII content

-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator



4. QuickViewDHGR
- utility for viewing Apple II graphics files

-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
viewing the contents of Apple II graphics files

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>


Thanks again to Rob for bringing these to everyone's attention, and to
Mark for allowing them to be released.





Hugh Hood

[Alex Lee]

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.
I think you will find these to be of very high quality. I certainly
consider them such.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. CiderXPress
- utility for both creating and working with Apple II disk images
akin to Andy McFadden’s CiderPress for Windows
-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II disk images
2. NuShrinkItX
- utility for both creating and working with Apple II archive files
(e.g. - .shk)
-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II archive files
3. SCIIBinX
- utility for extracting an Apple II file from a BINSCII file or
email segment containing BINSCII content
-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator
4. QuickViewDHGR
- utility for viewing Apple II graphics files
-- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
viewing the contents of Apple II graphics files
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
Thanks again to Rob for bringing these to everyone's attention, and to
Mark for allowing them to be released.
Hugh Hood

Nice work getting these really useful utilities out there Hugh!

But wait, there's more! :-) Ask Mark about QuickView SHR and
LZ4CompressorX! Let's get them added to your site as well.

Post by Hugh Hood
Also, your AppleWorks Pre-Launcher - Stops crashes from GS/OS Finder –
what is this actually doing to ensure AppleWorks launches properly?

Alex

[Hugh Hood]

Alex,

Post by Alex Lee
Nice work getting these really useful utilities out there Hugh!

Thanks, but I'm just the delivery boy. Mark did the real work.

Post by Alex Lee
But wait, there's more! :-) Ask Mark about QuickView SHR and
LZ4CompressorX! Let's get them added to your site as well.

I've contacted Mark and we'll see what he says. He did mention to me
that his QuickViewSHR and GraphicConverterIIGS might be acceptable. I've
asked him for his builds.

Post by Alex Lee

Post by Hugh Hood
Also, your AppleWorks Pre-Launcher - Stops crashes from GS/OS Finder –
what is this actually doing to ensure AppleWorks launches properly?

That is actually a precursor to, and superseded by my FinderLaunch Init
from my existing AppleWorksInitPack that I released back in 2017 and is
also currently available for download from the same site.

Basically it prevents a crash to the Monitor when AppleWorks is
re-launched from the GS/OS Finder after previously launching and
quitting in a single session.

While not all IIGS users suffer a crash upon re-launch from the Finder,
those who have multiple ongoing interrupt processes (e.g. Twilight II,
AppleTalk, UltraMacros) often do. This Init incorporates into AppleWorks
the same technique used by the late Glen Bredon in his PS.16.TO.8 from
ProSEL 16 when launching ProDOS 8 programs from GS/OS.

Since folks here (myself included) want the 'why' and well as the
'what', the problem stems from UltraMacros (built into AppleWorks 5.1)
running in the AuxMem language card and using the AuxMem stack.

Apple expects programs such as this to store the main memory stack
pointer at location $01/0100 whenever they switch to running a program
in AuxMem and using the AuxMem stack. Apple wants this so that IIGS
accessories that use interrupts (and run in main mem), when interrupting
UltraMacros, will first read the mainmem stack pointer at $01/0100
*before* and then use *it* before during their interrupt task.

UltraMacros, though, uses a location in main memory ($00/B4FC, IIRC)
instead of $01/0100 to store the main memory stack pointer.

When AppleWorks is quit the first time it is run, GS/OS places the
current value of the main mem stack pointer at location $01/0100. This
location is generally very 'high' in the stack (e.g. $00/01B4).

If you then re-start AppleWorks and UltraMacros begins, a IIGS interrupt
will see this 'too high' value for the main mem stack pointer and use it
to to perform it's task, even though it is not the correct main mem
stack pointer for the currently-running AppleWorks program.

When control is returned to AppleWorks, the stack pointer is in the
wrong place and a crash to the monitor occurs.

The late Glen Bredon actually figured out a workaround and prior to
running any ProDOS 8 program from GS/OS, he would place the value of $7F
at $01/0100 for the main mem stack pointer (halfway down the page) so
that IIGS interrupts would not interfere with the main mem stack
currently in use by AppleWorks.

TLDR - a better explanation is in the source code to the FinderLaunch
Init on the site.

Maybe you're sorry you asked. ;-)

BTW, a while back you asked about the status of the update to the
AppleWorksInitPack which adds four new inits. All the inits are done,
and I still have the docs to finish for the last of the four, and the
website html code to construct.

It seems I'm sidetracked by doing some support files for Kent's KEGS and
trying to tweak some high-speed serial drivers, as well as do real work
during office hours. Time to focus, no doubt.




Hugh Hood

[Hugh Hood]

Post by Hugh Hood
When control is returned to AppleWorks, the stack pointer is in the
wrong place and a crash to the monitor occurs.

Let me correct that -- the stack pointer is in the right place, but
valid parts of the main mem stack have been overwritten by the init.

I'll pass on correcting all the grammatical errors in that post, too. My
third grade English teacher would have really red-penciled it.




Hugh Hood

[I am Rob]

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.
Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>

Excellent news.

Maybe you could hint his way that to make CiderXPress perfect, it only needed two things. The ability to view text and Appleworks files, which is already prorgammed into NuShrinkitX. Hopefully wouldn't be two much to copy/paste the source into CiderXPress. And the other would be to have the volume name show up in the window so one could drag the volume name of a 140k or 800 kb disk onto a 32 Mb harddrive that copies over as folder and contains only the disk's file contents. One can drag a floppy disk image to a hard drive, but it just makes a copy of the disk image on the hard drive. The folder thing would have been a real time saver.

[Byte Knight (Captain's Quarters II BBS)]

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.

Thank you for making these available for download! What format do HD disk images need to be in for CiderXPress? I've tried .2mg, .hdv, and .dsk without any luck...

Todd

[Hugh Hood]

Todd,

I might suggest restarting your Mac after installing CiderXPress. I know
that fixed an issue I experienced at first.

I've been able to use .po and .hdv ProDOS images just fine. CiderXPress
even shows them in the MacOS Finder with a custom icon.

I haven't yet tried .2mg nor .dsk images.




Hugh Hood

Post by Byte Knight (Captain's Quarters II BBS)

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4)
Mac OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and
Graphics Files.

Thank you for making these available for download! What format do HD
disk images need to be in for CiderXPress? I've tried .2mg, .hdv,
and .dsk without any luck...
Todd

[I am Rob]

Well !!! This is disappointing. I had dragged these applications all into a folder to compress them, to send them to your, and now both CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX don't work. I now get a message "The document “DELIVSRC.PO” could not be opened. CiderXPress cannot open files in the “Apple ][ disk image” format."

I put them back into their original location and still don't work.

So far I have restarted the computer which automatically fixes permissions, redid the security preference to allow CiderXPress and NuShrinkIt to be allowed to run.

I am at a loss to get these working again. Is this my pennance for uploading these files?

Anyone have any other ideas what to do on a Mac?

[Hugh Hood]

Rob,

Try this. Since both of those register file types in the LaunchServices
database (and have Spotlight and QuickLook), drag both the applications
to the trash, empty the trash, and shut down the system.

Then re-start and re-install both CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX to the
applications folder.

Finally, re-start the Mac so that it will re-read the file types handled
by the applications back into the LaunchServices database. Then try
using them again.

BTW, Mark sent me four more of his utilities, including one or two you
asked for. I'm preparing the announcement now.




Hugh Hood

Post by I am Rob
Well !!! This is disappointing. I had dragged these applications
all into a folder to compress them, to send them to your, and now
both CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX don't work. I now get a message
"The document “DELIVSRC.PO” could not be opened. CiderXPress cannot
open files in the “Apple ][ disk image” format."
I put them back into their original location and still don't work.
So far I have restarted the computer which automatically fixes
permissions, redid the security preference to allow CiderXPress and
NuShrinkIt to be allowed to run.
I am at a loss to get these working again. Is this my pennance for uploading these files?
Anyone have any other ideas what to do on a Mac?

[I am Rob]

Post by Hugh Hood
Try this. Since both of those register file types in the LaunchServices
database (and have Spotlight and QuickLook), drag both the applications
to the trash, empty the trash, and shut down the system.
Then re-start and re-install both CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX to the
applications folder.
Finally, re-start the Mac so that it will re-read the file types handled
by the applications back into the LaunchServices database. Then try
using them again.

That didn't work but it did lead down the right path. When CiderXPress and ShrinkItX were moved out of Applications, It turns out that Virtual II had not only hi-jacked the disk image icons, but they also made it so that any file associated to it could not be opened by other, or even the original, Applications. Dirty !!!

The solution was to drag Virtual II to the trash, empty the trash and restart.

[I am Rob]

Well !!! This is disappointing. I had dragged these applications all into a folder to compress them, to upload them, and now both CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX don't work. I now get a message "The document “DELIVSRC.PO” could not be opened. CiderXPress cannot open files in the “Apple ][ disk image” format." Same message for .DSK and .2MG,

I put them back into their original location and still don't work.

So far I have restarted the computer which automatically fixes permissions, redid the security preference to allow CiderXPress and NuShrinkIt to be allowed to run.

I am at a loss to get these working again. Is this my pennance for uploading these files?

Anyone have any other ideas what to do on a Mac?

[Hugh Hood]

Mark Lim has sent me four (4) more of his Mac OS X / MacOS Utilities for
Apple II graphics and file compression.

They are:

1. QuickViewSHR- utility for viewing AppleIIgs SuperHires graphics
(packed and unpacked) files -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook
generator for quickly viewing the contents of Apple II SHR graphics files

2. IIGSGraphicsConverter- utility for converting unpacked AppleIIgs SHR
graphics files to a packed format

3. LZ4CompressorX- utility for general file compression

4. CompressIIX- utility for compressing ordinary Apple II graphics files
-- supports compression to Andy McFadden's file types (LZ4FH)


Find all eight (8) here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>

Thanks again to Mark Lim. So far, his CiderXPress has had a substantial
# of downloads from my site, though it's only been up a short while.

None of *my* stuff even comes close. ;-)




Hugh Hood

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4)
Mac OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and
Graphics Files.
I think you will find these to be of very high quality. I certainly
consider them such.

[I am Rob]

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has sent me four (4) more of his Mac OS X / MacOS Utilities for
Apple II graphics and file compression.
1. QuickViewSHR- utility for viewing AppleIIgs SuperHires graphics
(packed and unpacked) files -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook
generator for quickly viewing the contents of Apple II SHR graphics files
2. IIGSGraphicsConverter- utility for converting unpacked AppleIIgs SHR
graphics files to a packed format
3. LZ4CompressorX- utility for general file compression
4. CompressIIX- utility for compressing ordinary Apple II graphics files
-- supports compression to Andy McFadden's file types (LZ4FH)
Find all eight (8) here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>

Thank you for folllowing up and getting in touch with Mark.
Make a note to people too, not to use Virtual II in conjuction with these Applications.

[Hugh Hood]

Thank you for folllowing up and getting in touch with Mark. Make a
note to people too, not to use Virtual II in conjuction with these
Applications.

Hey, if you had not brought Mark's apps to my attention, those still
wouldn't have been made widely available.

Concerning Virtual II -- I had the same issue with file type and icon
conflict.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Before putting Virtual II in the applications folder, right-click and
'show package contents'. Tunnel down and find both the SpotLight and
QuickLook folders and delete them, or move them somewhere where they
won't be recognized.

2. Locate a file type you want Lim's applications to open (instead of
Virtual II), do a 'Get Info', and select the application you want to
open it, and also tell it 'all' files like that.

And, #2 might not be necessary if you add Virtual II _after_ having
added Lim's application. I think LaunchServices will use the first one
as the default.

Of course, if you don't also use Virtual II, just remove it, like you've
already done.

I haven't yet had a need for Virtual II (I'm a KEGS guy now), but when I
did download it and take a look at it I must say that it is a very, very
well polished application. Putter does a nice job with it.

I do like how Virtual II has Saturn 128K card emulation, and supports
DOS 3.3 volume numbers, as I still keep a running IIe with a Saturn card
and Houston Instruments plotter at the office just to access some old
legacy CAD drawings I have that were made on software that requires that
card and DOS 3.3 volume numbers. I'd like to retire that IIe, but can't.
Anyway, that's off topic.





Hugh Hood

[I am Rob]

Post by Hugh Hood
1. Before putting Virtual II in the applications folder, right-click and
'show package contents'. Tunnel down and find both the SpotLight and
QuickLook folders and delete them, or move them somewhere where they
won't be recognized.
2. Locate a file type you want Lim's applications to open (instead of
Virtual II), do a 'Get Info', and select the application you want to
open it, and also tell it 'all' files like that.
And, #2 might not be necessary if you add Virtual II _after_ having
added Lim's application. I think LaunchServices will use the first one
as the default.

1. Good to know. I don't use SportLight or QuickLook much, so I don't know much of their inner workings. I am more of a "having a hundred text files open at the same time" kind of guy.
2. I did this originally with CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX but when I moved the Apps out of their original place, Virtual II took over and I didn't realize what happened at first. I also did the "Apply to all files" to CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX when I moved them back, which didn't change Virtual II's behaviour. This shouldn't have been application specific when applying to all as it shouldn't have realized I was trying to apply control back to the original apps. I still think this is all unnecessary programming maybe more on Apples account for putting such things into their code.

I totally agree with Kegs being the main emulator now. Now if I can just persuade Kent to program a 640x400x256 color screen into Kegs. That would be like a christmas present to me. :)

[Hugh Hood]

Mark Lim has sent me new builds of his CiderXPress, QuickViewDHGR and
IIGSGraphicsConverter for Mac OS X / MacOS.

I can't say for certain what changes were made (if any), other than what

I have completed reviewing the source code of IIGSGraphicsConverter.

...

Three of the utilities are affected and had been re-build with v10.6
frameworks. The deployment target is now v10.6 (previously v10.5)

Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>

For my use case, I find CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX to be the most used
among Mark's utilities (and they are quite good), but your mileage may
vary, particularly if you are an Apple II graphics guy.




Hugh Hood

Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.
I think you will find these to be of very high quality. I certainly
consider them such.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. CiderXPress
  - utility for both creating and working with Apple II disk images
akin to Andy McFadden’s CiderPress for Windows
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II disk images
2. NuShrinkItX
  - utility for both creating and working with Apple II archive files
(e.g. - .shk)
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II archive files
3. SCIIBinX
  - utility for extracting an Apple II file from a BINSCII file or
email segment containing BINSCII content
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator
4. QuickViewDHGR
  - utility for viewing Apple II graphics files
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
viewing the contents of Apple II graphics files
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
Thanks again to Rob for bringing these to everyone's attention, and to
Mark for allowing them to be released.
Hugh Hood

[Hugh Hood]

Mark Lim has sent me a bug-fix version of his CompressIIX utility for
Mac OS X / MacOS.

CompressIIX is a utility to encode ordinary Apple II graphics files to
output compressed files in one of three (3) different formats: (i) LZ4
compression format; (ii) Apple IIgs PackBytes format; or (iii) LZ4FH format.

It can also inflate the compressed files.

Find it, as well as Mark's other utilities here:
<http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>





Hugh Hood

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has sent me new builds of his CiderXPress, QuickViewDHGR and
IIGSGraphicsConverter for Mac OS X / MacOS.
I can't say for certain what changes were made (if any), other than what

I have completed reviewing the source code of IIGSGraphicsConverter.

...

Three of the utilities are affected and had been re-build with v10.6
frameworks. The deployment target is now v10.6 (previously v10.5)

Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
For my use case, I find CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX to be the most used
among Mark's utilities (and they are quite good), but your mileage may
vary, particularly if you are an Apple II graphics guy.
Hugh Hood

Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.
I think you will find these to be of very high quality. I certainly
consider them such.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. CiderXPress
  - utility for both creating and working with Apple II disk images
akin to Andy McFadden’s CiderPress for Windows
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II disk images
2. NuShrinkItX
  - utility for both creating and working with Apple II archive files
(e.g. - .shk)
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II archive files
3. SCIIBinX
  - utility for extracting an Apple II file from a BINSCII file or
email segment containing BINSCII content
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator
4. QuickViewDHGR
  - utility for viewing Apple II graphics files
  -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
viewing the contents of Apple II graphics files
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
Thanks again to Rob for bringing these to everyone's attention, and to
Mark for allowing them to be released.
Hugh Hood

[I am Rob]

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has sent me a bug-fix version of his CompressIIX utility for
Mac OS X / MacOS.
CompressIIX is a utility to encode ordinary Apple II graphics files to
output compressed files in one of three (3) different formats: (i) LZ4
compression format; (ii) Apple IIgs PackBytes format; or (iii) LZ4FH format.
It can also inflate the compressed files.
<http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>

So, Mark is still working on them then? Is he taking requests? Can you ask him to put the "View File" into CiderXPress like he has in NuShrinkItX?

[Hugh Hood]

Post by I am Rob

Post by Hugh Hood
<http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>

So, Mark is still working on them then? Is he taking requests? Can
you ask him to put the "View File" into CiderXPress like he has in
NuShrinkItX? >

Rob,

I forwarded your question to Mark, and here is his response, which I

Post by I am Rob
I am spending some time looking at the source codes of some of those
utilities with the aim of releasing them on github.com. If I come
across a bug, I would try to fix it.
As for adding features, that takes a back seat. Reason: might break
things which nobody wants.

FWIW, I told him that I'd like to see a "View File" feature in
CiderXPress, too.






Hugh Hood

[Hugh Hood]

Mark Lim has sent me a feature addition and bug-fix version (now at
v0.85) of his QuickViewDHGR utility for Mac OS X / MacOS.

He has now enabled the Help Menu and has made it quite extensive.

It also allows one to drag-and-drop Apple II HGR and DHGR graphic files
from Apple II disk images opened with CiderXPress into QuickViewDHGR for
viewing, and includes both a Spotlight plugin and a QuickLook generator.

Find it, as well as Mark's other utilities here:
<http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>





Hugh Hood

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has sent me a bug-fix version of his CompressIIX utility for
Mac OS X / MacOS.
CompressIIX is a utility to encode ordinary Apple II graphics files to
output compressed files in one of three (3) different formats: (i) LZ4
compression format; (ii) Apple IIgs PackBytes format; or (iii) LZ4FH format.
It can also inflate the compressed files.
<http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
Hugh Hood

Post by Hugh Hood
Mark Lim has sent me new builds of his CiderXPress, QuickViewDHGR and
IIGSGraphicsConverter for Mac OS X / MacOS.
I can't say for certain what changes were made (if any), other than what

I have completed reviewing the source code of IIGSGraphicsConverter.

...

Three of the utilities are affected and had been re-build with v10.6
frameworks. The deployment target is now v10.6 (previously v10.5)

Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
For my use case, I find CiderXPress and NuShrinkItX to be the most used
among Mark's utilities (and they are quite good), but your mileage may
vary, particularly if you are an Apple II graphics guy.
Hugh Hood

Mark Lim has permitted me to host a download site for his four (4) Mac
OS X / MacOS Utilities for Apple II Disk Images, Archives and Graphics
Files.
I think you will find these to be of very high quality. I certainly
consider them such.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. CiderXPress
    - utility for both creating and working with Apple II disk images
akin to Andy McFadden’s CiderPress for Windows
    -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II disk images
2. NuShrinkItX
    - utility for both creating and working with Apple II archive files
(e.g. - .shk)
    -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
finding and viewing the contents of Apple II archive files
3. SCIIBinX
    - utility for extracting an Apple II file from a BINSCII file or
email segment containing BINSCII content
    -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator
4. QuickViewDHGR
    - utility for viewing Apple II graphics files
    -- includes SpotLight importer and QuickLook generator for quickly
viewing the contents of Apple II graphics files
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Find them all here: <http://www.apple2works.com/#marklim>
Thanks again to Rob for bringing these to everyone's attention, and to
Mark for allowing them to be released.
Hugh Hood