INITPicker 2.02: Gets the Job Done



Author: Aaron Shelley, Mouse Droppings

Date: December, 1992

Keywords: software utility review INIT program DA

Text:
If your System Folder is populated by various start-up files (commonly
known as INITs), you may have encountered a wide range of difficulties
generally described as ''INIT compatibility problems.'' INITPicker 2.02
is a utility designed to eliminate the problems associated with having
a number of start-up files in the system folder.
First, let's look at some of the reasons you may want to utilize such a
program. INITPicker has a handy control panel device (cdev) interface
that allows customizing for ideal INIT organization.
INITPicker shows you what INITS you are using. They will all appear
columnized in such a manner that allows even the messiest System Folder
to shape up. Besides seeing which files are automatically run at
startup, INITPicker allows you to choose which files will be run simply
by placing a checkmark next to its name. This is a necessity for those
who are switching from System 6.0x to 7.0x.
Many of your faithful and trusting INITs may suddenly become your worst
nightmare. With this handy feature, you can turn your INITs on one at a
time to check for compatibility. Or you can just trust Apple's latest
compatibility update*maybe!
You can also change the order in which all of your favorite INITs are
loaded which is important to avoid some conflicts with other items in
the System Folder. Some INITs, such as MODE32, should be loaded first
upon start-up in order to best avoid conflicts.
Customizing is as simple as dragging one INIT from its current position
in the list to the ordered position you wish it to load in.
Creating multiple sets of INITs is also quite convenient. You might
like running all of your INITs at start-up, but if you have a lot of
them you may be needlessly wasting memory and possibly setting yourself
up for a crash!
I recommend creating a minimal set including the INITs that you would
die without and maybe a set for your job-specific tasks, say, ''PI''
for photo imaging or ''DTP'' for, you got it, desktop publishing. Also,
for you INIT 'junkies', a set including every INIT ever created or at
last all the ones Steve Black has. (John Rich told me the two lists
were of equal length, give or take a couple!) I call my ''everything''
INIT list 'SB' for obvious reasons. This custom list can be
alphabetized by simply clicking a little radio button. The set can be
just as easily deleted.
INITPicker allows you to clean up your system folder by placing all of
your files that are ''Start-up Documents'' or ''INITs'' into a new
folder named ''INITs.'' Of course many files must be loose in the
System Folder in order to work properly and this will not allow you to
subfolder them.
Probably the best thing about INITPicker is a feature called BombGuard.
If your system crashes at start-up, BombGuard will determine if it is
an INIT conflict that causes the crash; furthermore, BombGuard will
isolate the offender and prevent it from loading at start-up.
Of course you will be notified as to which nasty little INIT caused the
problem. Case in point; I am currently running System 7.01 on a Quadra
700. INITPicker singled out Rival version 1.1.6 to be the bad guy with
a RAM Disk conflict that was annoying me.
If your system crashes, BombGuard will restart your Mac, disabling the
offender. A simple preference feature allows you to tell INITPicker not
to load any new INITs at start-up. If your computer is shared, this
feature prevents INITs of unknown origin from possibly plaguing your
machine.
INITPicker allows you to choose your own 'start-up dialog key' and
'Skip All key' which is particularly useful if you are experiencing
ferocious crashes that won't allow you time to determine what the
conflict is.
INITPicker also keeps an up to date start-up log that can be opened by
your favorite word processor and printed to hard copy. You can also Get
Info on individual items by simply double clicking on them in the
Control Panel device.
Well, enough about the good, how about the bad and the ugly? INITPicker
version 2.01 should be used with systems running System 6.0x because
Microseeds says that version 2.02 scans noticeably slower. For those
using System 7.0x, INITPicker loads by itself into the control panel
when dropped into the System Folder just as the manual says it will.
However, if you want your version of this program to work, you must
drag it to the Extension Folder instead. Also the neat little feature I
mentioned about cleaning up your System Folder by creating your own
''INIT'' folder to place your start-up documents in is disabled in
System 7.0x. The INITPicker log is, apparently, not 32-Bit clean or at
least it won't work when in 32-Bit mode in System 7.0x.
Also, if you have a lot of INITs, INITPicker takes quite a while (even
on my Quadra) to start up. You can turn off the ''scan and run new
INITs at start-up'' but then any new INITs you add will not run upon
start-up.
In a nut shell, I enjoyed INITPicker and would recommend it as [a] low
priced INIT control device. Once installed, it is virtually transparent
unless of course a problem develops. The manual is straight forward and
written in a very simple, explanatory language. It also provides some
very useful ''what if*'' trouble shooting tips.
However, money might be better spent if used on the product by NOW
Utilities which includes INIT Manager as one of its features. This
product is System 7.0x savvy and has received great reviews by its
users.
INITPicker, Version 2.02 from Microseeds Publishing, INC., 5801
Benjamin Center Drive, Suite 103, Tampa, Florida 33634. (813) 882-8635.

Copyright © december, 1992 by Aaron Shelley, Mouse Droppings