Solution for disk image overload?

[cannyboy]

In the old days, for some large games or reference apps (Encarta, Dorling Kindersley etc), you would have to insert the CD, then launch the app/game either on the CD or from your HD (which would then need files on the CD).

Now we can use disk images (.img, .iso, .toast etc). This means we can have dozens of these large apps on one computer. We can start the apps in a couple of ways

1. We can mount the disk image using various utilities like Toast or Disk Copy, then launch the app.

2. Or, in emulation we can set the disk images to mount at startup, by putting in lines in the config file, like

Code: Select all

cdrom  /path/to/image/encyclopedia.img

.

The problem with (1) is that it's a pain to have to mount an image before using an app. And then you have to unmount the image after. And the problem with (2) is that you can end up with dozens of CDs mounted on your desktop, just so they are there just in case you launch an app. And sometimes these mounted CDs automatically open a Finder window. Very messy desktop.

Is there a cleaner way to do this? Instead of either using several steps to launch a app, or covering the desktop in mounted CD images, I want to be able to select something from the Apple Menu, which maybe mounts an image, then launches the app, and unmounts the image when the app has quit. Any way to do that? Maybe an AppleScript or something? Any ideas?

In my case, I'm on System 7.5/BasiliskII, but a solution for any 7, 8 or 9 system would be cool.

[adespoton]

In the old days, for some large games or reference apps (Encarta, Dorling Kindersley etc), you would have to insert the CD, then launch the app/game either on the CD or from your HD (which would then need files on the CD).

Now we can use disk images (.img, .iso, .toast etc). This means we can have dozens of these large apps on one computer. We can start the apps in a couple of ways

1. We can mount the disk image using various utilities like Toast or Disk Copy, then launch the app.

2. Or, in emulation we can set the disk images to mount at startup, by putting in lines in the config file, like

Code: Select all

cdrom  /path/to/image/encyclopedia.img

.

The problem with (1) is that it's a pain to have to mount an image before using an app. And then you have to unmount the image after. And the problem with (2) is that you can end up with dozens of CDs mounted on your desktop, just so they are there just in case you launch an app. And sometimes these mounted CDs automatically open a Finder window. Very messy desktop.

Is there a cleaner way to do this? Instead of either using several steps to launch a app, or covering the desktop in mounted CD images, I want to be able to select something from the Apple Menu, which maybe mounts an image, then launches the app, and unmounts the image when the app has quit. Any way to do that? Maybe an AppleScript or something? Any ideas?

In my case, I'm on System 7.5/BasiliskII, but a solution for any 7, 8 or 9 system would be cool.

The cleaner way is via AppleScript - create a script that mounts the image and then runs the app. On newer systems (9 and later?) you can let the script run in the background and automatically unmount the image when the application quits, too. It's also possible that using Jon's CMDs or similar could enable this functionality all the way back to 7.1, but my memory on that is a bit foggy.