Buttons and Macros

[James D.]

I use AppleWorks 6.2.9 with Mac OS 10.4.9 on a PowerBook G4 (PPC). A long time ago I created some buttons which I placed in the button bar. One of them opens a DL format envelope, and others open various formatted sheets. That's fine, but I've also created one to open a sheet formatted for address labels, and recently every time I reboot and click on that button I get the message "The file associated with the button could not be found. Please use the Edit Buttons dialog to reassign the file". So I do that and everything's fine until I quit AW and reboot.

I also have a problem with some signatures I created on buttons to end my letters. I created them a long time ago as macros. Am I right in thinking that the macros facility no longer exists in AW? When I click on those buttons now they just open a new file with my signatures on them.

I thank you in anticipation of your reply,

James

[Barry]

I use AppleWorks 6.2.9 with Mac OS 10.4.9 on a PowerBook G4 (PPC). A long time ago I created some buttons which I placed in the button bar. One of them opens a DL format envelope, and others open various formatted sheets. That's fine, but I've also created one to open a sheet formatted for address labels, and recently every time I reboot and click on that button I get the message "The file associated with the button could not be found. Please use the Edit Buttons dialog to reassign the file". So I do that and everything's fine until I quit AW and reboot.

I also have a problem with some signatures I created on buttons to end my letters. I created them a long time ago as macros. Am I right in thinking that the macros facility no longer exists in AW? When I click on those buttons now they just open a new file with my signatures on them.

I thank you in anticipation of your reply,

James

An OS X maintenance task that should be carried out following any installation (including a system update) is to Repair Permissions. In OS X 10.4, this can be done using the Disk Utility application, found in Applications > Utilities. That may be all that's needed to solve the 'lost connection' problem.

If not, it may be a corrupted preferences file. The usual advice concerning these is to delete all of AppleWorks's preferences files EXCEPT the Button Bar prefs (if you have created custom buttons).

The reason for the exception, of course, is that after the prefs files are deleted, AppleWorks will generate a new set, replacing all the missing files with new ones set to the default values, and effectively removng any custom preferences you have set.

Since the issue on your machine involves custom buttons, I'd suggest initially following that advice (see instructions below), and if that fails to solve the issue, to heave a great sigh, prepare to reconstruct your custom buttons, and repeat the process, this time including the Button Bar Preferences.


As for Macros, AppleWorks 6 still includes them, but they're available only under Mac OS 9. If you have OS 9.2.x and the Classic environment installed on your G4, you should be able to force AppleWorks to open in Classic, where your macros will be available. (Instructions below)

Regards,
Barry


PREFERENCES deletion.

These files should be deleted when AppleWorks stops behaving as it should, and after any AppleWorks crash. AppleWorks will replace the deleted preferences files with new, clean ones (set to default values) when it is next run. Quit AppleWorks before deleting these files.

AppleWorks keeps a separate set of five preferences files for each user. You'll find them in Users > yourname > Library > Preferences.

Find and delete: com.apple.appleworks.plist

The other four files are contained in the AppleWorks folder at this location. If you have customized the Button Bar, open the folder and delete both cache files and one of the preferences files, leaving only the Button Bar preferences file. Otherwise, delete all four files.
B

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Forcing AppleWorks to run in Classic

AppleWorks 6 is a 'package.' and most AW 6 packages actually contains two applications, one for OS X, the other for Mac OS 9. On machines which can startup in either OS X or Mac OS 9, the version that opens will be determined by which OS is running at the time. For machines that boot into OS X only, but which have Mac OS 9 and the Classic environment installed, the OS X version of AppleWorks will open by default, but the Mac OS 9 version may be forced to open through the following procedure.

In the finder, open a new Finder window and go to Applications > AppleWorks 6.

Open the AppleWorks 6 folder, then locate and control-click on the AppleWorks 6.app package. In the popup menu that appears, choose Show Package Contents.

Open the Contents folder. Inside you'll find two folders labeled "MacOS" and MacOSClassic (plus other items). Open the MacOSClassic folder.

To immediately start AppleWorks in Classic, double click the AppleWorks 6 icon inside this folder.

If you want to use AW 6 in Classic more than this one time, you may want to put an alias to it on the Dock. To do this, select the icon and drag it to the Dock (I have mine toward the right end of the Dock with other Classic applications, well separated from the 'usual' AW 6 icon near the left end of my Dock). Once you have the icon on the Dock, it can be opened from there rather than having to follow this full procedure.
B

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[James D.]

Thanks for that long explanation Barry. I've got rid of all the Prefs and quit AW, but I'm afraid that after resetting the button in question the problem persists. Oh well, never mind.

James

[Barry]

Thanks for that long explanation Barry. I've got rid of all the Prefs and quit AW, but I'm afraid that after resetting the button in question the problem persists. Oh well, never mind.

James

Hi James,

You might try adding a tab to Starting Points and placing the files (or aliases to them) into that tab's folder.

Press command-1 to show starting Points, Click the tab with the + sign, then name your new tab and set the location to "My Computer."

When you click OK, AppleWorks will create a new folder in your Starting points folder at Mac HD > yourname > Documents > AppleWorks User Documents > Starting Points.

Drag your envelope and other forms to this folder (or make an alias to each and place the alias in this folder). They'll show up in the new tab/pane in Starting Points when you next start AppleWorks.

Regards,
Barry

[James D.]

Thanks for the very neat suggestion Barry. And to think that after all this time it is the first time I make use of "Starting Points". I didn't know it existed. Actually before receiving your suggestion I had created my Labels sheet as a file (with a specially drawn icon!) which now sits quietly in the Dock and jumps into action as soon as I click on it.

Regards,

James