Where are icons stored in workbench?

gmiaow · 11 December 2008, 17:39

Hey sorry if this is in the wrong forum but I figure it's probably a newbie question. You know how 3.x allows you to "snapshot" window sizes and icon positions? Where is that stored? In a file, and if so, which one? Is there any way of reading that file?

I occasionally notice some very unexpected and useful things, like, icons on my hard disk are still "left out" when I boot from a floppy. This is something I've never seen in any other OS. How does Workbench know the situation with the icons when it mounts a new disk? Is it stored in the information at the start of a disk, or somewhere in userspace?

Thanks

Graham Humphrey · 11 December 2008, 17:44

If you use a utility like Directory Opus, or use the Shell you'll see all the files with icons have an additional file with ".info" on the end, this is where all the icon information is stored, if a file doesn't have an icon it doesn't have an info file.

gmiaow · 11 December 2008, 17:55

Thanks Graham, it makes sense that they're in the .info files. What put me off was the fact that there's no .info file that I know of for the root window. (The "Desktop")
Additionally the Show All Files option shows files without .info files, but their position appears to be saved (at least in Scalos)
Is the above behaviour curious to Scalos? I sort of remember icon positions in the root window being saved in my booting 1.3 from a floppy days, but I might be imagining it?

Graham Humphrey · 11 December 2008, 18:02

Disk icons have info files too, cunningly named "Disk.info"

they have the position of the disk icons stored as well as the size etc. of the windows when you open it.

As for the Show All Files thing, as far as I know "normal" Workbench doesn't store the position of the files that have no icons (hence no .info file), just displays them according to the size/shape of the window. I haven't used Scalos so can't comment on that.

meega · 11 December 2008, 18:10

And the "Left out" ones are listed in .backdrop, which you will see in the main window of that disk provided you are showing all files (and something from that disk is left out).

mailman · 11 December 2008, 18:23

There is also a set of default icons in the system. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think first versions of OS keep them in ROM (so they are very limited in number) but later ones have a seperate directory for it. What is more, I think that use of default icons forces to place these icons one by one next to each other.

thomas · 11 December 2008, 18:28

And finally, position and appearance (backdrop or window) of the main Workbench window is stored in envarc:sys/wbconfig.prefs.

zipper · 11 December 2008, 18:32

Some programs have hard coded icons in themselves -for instance CrossDos 1.3 type icon. You have to rename disk.info from inside L:crossdosfilesystem (was it so?) to replace it with something nicer.

gmiaow · 11 December 2008, 20:36

Thanks for all the info guys. It's such an elegant system IMO. When copying files between Mac/Windows/Linux I am often struck that much metadata is lost.

11 December 2008, 17:39	#1
gmiaow A Cat with a Fez Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cluain Sceach, Ireland Age: 39 Posts: 33	Where are icons stored in workbench? Hey sorry if this is in the wrong forum but I figure it's probably a newbie question. You know how 3.x allows you to "snapshot" window sizes and icon positions? Where is that stored? In a file, and if so, which one? Is there any way of reading that file? I occasionally notice some very unexpected and useful things, like, icons on my hard disk are still "left out" when I boot from a floppy. This is something I've never seen in any other OS. How does Workbench know the situation with the icons when it mounts a new disk? Is it stored in the information at the start of a disk, or somewhere in userspace? Thanks

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11 December 2008, 17:44	#2
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	If you use a utility like Directory Opus, or use the Shell you'll see all the files with icons have an additional file with ".info" on the end, this is where all the icon information is stored, if a file doesn't have an icon it doesn't have an info file.

11 December 2008, 17:55	#3
gmiaow A Cat with a Fez Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cluain Sceach, Ireland Age: 39 Posts: 33	Thanks Graham, it makes sense that they're in the .info files. What put me off was the fact that there's no .info file that I know of for the root window. (The "Desktop") Additionally the Show All Files option shows files without .info files, but their position appears to be saved (at least in Scalos) Is the above behaviour curious to Scalos? I sort of remember icon positions in the root window being saved in my booting 1.3 from a floppy days, but I might be imagining it?

11 December 2008, 18:02	#4
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	Disk icons have info files too, cunningly named "Disk.info" they have the position of the disk icons stored as well as the size etc. of the windows when you open it. As for the Show All Files thing, as far as I know "normal" Workbench doesn't store the position of the files that have no icons (hence no .info file), just displays them according to the size/shape of the window. I haven't used Scalos so can't comment on that.

11 December 2008, 18:10	#5
meega Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oooh what a feeling yeaaah dancing on the ceiling Posts: 314	And the "Left out" ones are listed in .backdrop, which you will see in the main window of that disk provided you are showing all files (and something from that disk is left out).

11 December 2008, 18:23	#6
mailman Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warsaw/Poland Age: 45 Posts: 2,427	There is also a set of default icons in the system. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think first versions of OS keep them in ROM (so they are very limited in number) but later ones have a seperate directory for it. What is more, I think that use of default icons forces to place these icons one by one next to each other.

11 December 2008, 18:28	#7
thomas Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 6,985	And finally, position and appearance (backdrop or window) of the main Workbench window is stored in envarc:sys/wbconfig.prefs.

11 December 2008, 18:32	#8
zipper Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: finland Posts: 1,837	Some programs have hard coded icons in themselves -for instance CrossDos 1.3 type icon. You have to rename disk.info from inside L:crossdosfilesystem (was it so?) to replace it with something nicer.

11 December 2008, 20:36	#9
gmiaow A Cat with a Fez Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cluain Sceach, Ireland Age: 39 Posts: 33	Thanks for all the info guys. It's such an elegant system IMO. When copying files between Mac/Windows/Linux I am often struck that much metadata is lost.

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