How to edit a .prefs file manually

samplist · 19 June 2021, 20:54

Is there a way to edit a .prefs file manually?
I'm preparing an expansion pack for OS 3.2 and I want to have WBPattern.prefs prefilled with a certain picture e.g SYS:Prefs/Pattern/image.iff but instead I get OS3.2:Prefs/Pattern/image.iff
I tried editing WBPattern.prefs with FileX but it seems I'm doing something wrong and I can't get it to work.

Korodny · 19 June 2021, 21:46

Under OS3, prefs files are IFF - that's not easy to manipulate manually. Maybe if the strings are exactly the same size (not sure), but otherwise you're out of luck.

thomas · 19 June 2021, 21:47

Prefs files are IFF files. If you are a coder you can use iffparse.library to read or write prefs files. The format is described in include files in the NDK.

daxb · 19 June 2021, 21:51

Set WBPattern to your needs and save (as) the prefs. That should be all and do the trick.

samplist · 19 June 2021, 22:13

Thank you all for your answers, unfortunately, I'm not a coder, but I will see if I can make something out of the NDK.

samplist · 19 June 2021, 23:43

I've managed to edit the file with ChunkEdit, but still, it seems that when using SYS: instead of the volume's name ( e.g OS3.2: ), WBPattern.prefs doesn't work.

daxb · 20 June 2021, 11:34

Yes, it seems WBPattern always set the volume name. If you set device name SYS: and it doesn't work than WBPattern can only handle volume names, else it could permit device names too.

You can determine volume name of SYS with for example "which sys:" and hack it into wbpattern.prefs but doing that on foreign systems isn't a good idea IMO. I don't know a system friendly way.

Matt_H · 20 June 2021, 15:02

Possible workaround: rename your partition to SYS, save prefs, then rename it back to OS 3.2.

samplist · 20 June 2021, 19:28

I'm working on BestClassicWB (a lightweight expansion pack resembling Classic WB) for OS3.2, and I needed that for setting a WBPattern upon installation. What I ended up doing is renaming the SYS volume name so that it will match the one set in WBPattern prefs

19 June 2021, 20:54	#1
samplist Registered User Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Greece Posts: 83	How to edit a .prefs file manually Is there a way to edit a .prefs file manually? I'm preparing an expansion pack for OS 3.2 and I want to have WBPattern.prefs prefilled with a certain picture e.g SYS:Prefs/Pattern/image.iff but instead I get OS3.2:Prefs/Pattern/image.iff I tried editing WBPattern.prefs with FileX but it seems I'm doing something wrong and I can't get it to work.

19 June 2021, 21:51	#4
daxb Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 3,303	Set WBPattern to your needs and save (as) the prefs. That should be all and do the trick. Last edited by daxb; 20 June 2021 at 11:08.

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19 June 2021, 21:46	#2
Korodny Zone Friend Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 812	Under OS3, prefs files are IFF - that's not easy to manipulate manually. Maybe if the strings are exactly the same size (not sure), but otherwise you're out of luck.

19 June 2021, 21:47	#3
thomas Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 6,985	Prefs files are IFF files. If you are a coder you can use iffparse.library to read or write prefs files. The format is described in include files in the NDK.

19 June 2021, 22:13	#5
samplist Registered User Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Greece Posts: 83	Thank you all for your answers, unfortunately, I'm not a coder, but I will see if I can make something out of the NDK.

19 June 2021, 23:43	#6
samplist Registered User Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Greece Posts: 83	I've managed to edit the file with ChunkEdit, but still, it seems that when using SYS: instead of the volume's name ( e.g OS3.2: ), WBPattern.prefs doesn't work.

20 June 2021, 11:34	#7
daxb Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 3,303	Yes, it seems WBPattern always set the volume name. If you set device name SYS: and it doesn't work than WBPattern can only handle volume names, else it could permit device names too. You can determine volume name of SYS with for example "which sys:" and hack it into wbpattern.prefs but doing that on foreign systems isn't a good idea IMO. I don't know a system friendly way.

20 June 2021, 15:02	#8
Matt_H Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 943	Possible workaround: rename your partition to SYS, save prefs, then rename it back to OS 3.2.

20 June 2021, 19:28	#9
samplist Registered User Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Greece Posts: 83	I'm working on BestClassicWB (a lightweight expansion pack resembling Classic WB) for OS3.2, and I needed that for setting a WBPattern upon installation. What I ended up doing is renaming the SYS volume name so that it will match the one set in WBPattern prefs

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