In order to modernize the Mac OS's foundations, Apple greatly increased the number of files that can be open from 348 in Mac OS 8 to 8169 in Mac OS 9. The total number of open files includes many files used by the system, such as fonts, and files used by applications, such as documents, and so forth.
This change means that you can install many more fonts and other system resources without running into the 348 open file limit. Unfortunately, it also means that some programs that relied on an outdated method to access the system will fail to work.
Any program could be prone to encounter this error, but for the most part, applications that worked in Mac OS 8 but that won't work in Mac OS 9 fall into the following categories:
- disk utilities
- file compression
- font management
- virus utilities
Apple has long provided a programming method (API) for software developers to access the system without causing an error. The only programs that display this error are the ones that use the outdated API. Many software publishers plan to release updated programs that work with Mac OS 9, and can take advantage of the increased number of open files that is allowed.
Check with your program's publisher to see if an updated version is available. The following article can help you search for a particular vendor's address and phone number:
Article 17159: "
Locating Vendor Information"