•About the Mac OS 8.5 Registry
AppleScript SDK
January 22, 1999

This file is a FileMaker Pro database (compatible with FileMaker Pro 4.0 and 4.1) that contains all of the information in every terminology resource in a full installation of Mac OS 8.5.  You can use it to learn about the changes in the Registry suites, to look for terminology or four-character code conflicts between your software and Apple standard software, and to check on conventions and practices in the development of scripting terminology.

Contents of the Database

The database contains one record for every terminology resource found in Mac OS 8.5, one recortd for every suite in those terminology resources, one record for every class, event, and enumeration in those suites, and one record for every property of each class, for every parameter of each event, and every enumerator of each enumeration.  

Each record contains the kind of the item (file, suite, class, property, event, parameter, enumeration, enumerator) and the four-character code(s) associated with the item.  For files, the type and creator are provided; for events, the suite and event codes, etc.  Each record also contains the name (the English terminology) that corresponds to that code, and the comment, if provided in the terminology resource.

The remainder of the fields of the database depend on the kind of the item.  For each item that has a flag word, all the flags are recorded in individual fields.  Plural classes are not given their own records in most cases; the plural term is recorded in the class record of the singular.

Every record has an additional field for the Universal Headers 3.x interface symbol that defines its four-character code, and a field for the name of the particular header file in which that symbol appears.  Additionally, each record has a field of text notes describing changes in that item from earlier releases of AppleScript, conflicts of that item with other items in the database, and other information.  This notes field is user-editable, so you can enter your own notes.

Organization of the Database

The database was created by starting with the Œaeut¹ resource in the English Dialect, then proceeding with a full recursive depth-first walk of the file tree of a full Mac OS 8.5 installation, looking for 'aeut' resources.  For each resource, the suites are walked depth-first in the order the items appear in the terminology resource.  The result is that items are generally in the order they would be in a .r file.

Each item is cross-referenced to its container or owner (suites to files; classes, events, and enumerations to suites; properties to classes, parameters to events, and enumerations to enumerators). In the display of each item, all of its owned items (and its owner) are listed for easy navigation.

Navigating the Database

On opening the database, it automatically shows the list of files in the registry, that is, all scriptable entities in Mac OS 8.5.  File names are displayed in underlined blue type (Web browser style); clicking on an entry shows the full page for that file, with all file information and a panel containing entries for that file's suites.  Each suite entry is a hyperlink to the page for that suite.  Basic navigation is performed by walking up and down the structure of a terminology by clicking on the hyperlinks for owner and owned items.

The Scripts menu has navigation tools that perform the following actions:

€ Browse All:  Shows all entries in the database.

€ Browse All Files:  Shows entries for all files.

€ Browse All Suites:  Shows entries for all suites.

€ Browse All Classes:  Shows entries for all classes.

€ Browse All Events:  Shows entries for all events.

€ Browse All Properties:  Shows entries for all properties.

€ Browse All Parameters:  Shows entries for all parameters.

€ Browse This Item¹s Parts:  When the selected item is a file, shows all items in that file and that file only.

€ Toggle Symbols:  Shows the current items in a Terminology list, either with class, code, and owner, or interface symbol, code, and interface file.  The Browse Symbols command does the same thing.

Searching the database is done with the Search command.  Enter search criteria into the form and press "Continue" (or the Enter key).  Search options are in the FileMaker convention:

Character

!       search for duplicates
@     wildcard for a single character
*       wildcard for zero or more characters

Use the Symbols pop-up menu on the left hand panel for these and other options.

To do a logical ³and² between two conditions, fill in multiple fields:  for example, all items that are properties and whose symbol starts with ³p", enter ³Property² into the ³Kind² field and ³p² into the ³Interface Symbol² field.

To do a logical ³or,² choose ³New Find Request² and enter additional data.  For example, to find all enumerations and enumerators, enter ³Enumeration² into the ³Kind² field, press -N, enter ³Enumerator² into the ³Kind² field of the new form, and press Enter.

To do a logical ³not,² check the ³Omit² box on a given form.  Remember that the ³not² operates on the entire form.  For example, to find all suites except the Standard Suites, enter ³Suite² into the ³Kind² field of one form, and ³Standard Suite² in the ³Name² field of a second form, checking the ³Omit² box.



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Updated January 22, 1999

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