Setting up MultiFinder
----------------------
You need at least 2 megabytes (MB) of Random Access Memory (RAM) to take advantage of MultiFinder. To run MultiFinder, the MultiFinder file must be in your System Folder. If not, copy it from your Utilities 1 disk to the System Folder on your hard disk.
You can launch MultiFinder from the Finder in System 6 by opening the System Folder and double-clicking on the MultiFinder icon. To set your system to launch MultiFinder each time you start your Macintosh computer, follow these steps:
1) Choose Set Startup... from the Special menu. A dialog box appears.
2) Click the MultiFinder radio button.
3) Click the OK button.
4) Choose Restart from the Special menu.
How to Tell If MultiFinder Is Running
-------------------------------------
To find out if you're running MultiFinder, open the Apple menu. If you're in MultiFinder, you'll see About MultiFinder... at the bottom of the menu. You'll also see application names below the desk accessories if they're loaded into memory.
Another way to tell is by looking at the far right of the menu bar. If you're in MultiFinder, you'll see either a small Macintosh icon, or an application icon. In addition, the About the Finder... window changes when you're running MultiFinder. It not only shows memory allocated to the System and Finder, but also to other programs loaded in RAM. You always want to see some white space for applications on this graphic barometer.
Switching Between Applications
------------------------------
MultiFinder lets you switch between applications in several ways:
Choose the application name from the Apple menu.
Click the small icon at the far right of the menu bar. Repeated
clicking cycles through all the open programs.
Click the visible portion of another application's window.
Double-click an application icon, even if it's dimmed.
Memory Allocation
-----------------
In MultiFinder, each application gets its own portion of memory that belongs solely to that application. Every application comes with a default amount of memory assigned to it, but sometimes you'll get a message that there isn't enough memory to run the program, or that the application has unexpectedly quit. You can fix this by changing the program's memory allocation.
1) Quit the application (no need to do this if the application has
already quit).
2) At the desktop, select the application icon.
3) Choose Get Info from the File menu (or press Command-I). The Get
Info window appears.
4) Select the Application Memory Size box.
5) Type a new number in the box. Make sure the number you use isn't
less than the Suggested Memory Size. It's best to increase the
memory size by only 50K to 100K at a time. You can always repeat
the procedure if it isn't enough.
6) Close the Get Info window.
You can now launch the application again. The application will get this new memory size until you change it.
Note: When using MultiFinder with System 6, the Finder should get 250K as the minimum size. Use the Memory Allocation procedure to increase the Finder's memory. Restart so the new memory allocation takes effect.
Article Change History:
17 Oct 1994 - Reviewed for uniformity, changed format, and changed title.
24 Feb 1994 - Made text-only version available.
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