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How do you delete all Get Info comments on a volume? Error -412
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-03 15:06:37
So I'm having the mystical Error -412 when copying files to a volume in Mac OS 8.6. Apparently, this is caused by having too many comments on the volume. Does anybody know how to nuke all the comments in 8.6?

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Posted by: joshc on 2023-11-03 15:10:46
I thought that rebuilding the desktop results in all file comments being lost?
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2023-11-03 15:14:48
I thought that rebuilding the desktop results in all file comments being lost?

They fixed that in 8 IIRC.
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-03 15:15:02
I thought that rebuilding the desktop results in all file comments being lost?
Only in System 7.1 and older. Later Systems do "preserving comments..." At the start of the process if you watch the dialogue box.

Can't boot the 7200 in 7.1.
Posted by: joshc on 2023-11-03 15:16:18
Attach the disk to something running 7.1, rebuild desktop, then put it back in the 7200? 🤔
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2023-11-03 15:17:10
Only in System 7.1 and older. Later Systems do "preserving comments..." At the start of the process if you watch the dialogue box.

Oh, yeah, it was 7.5 not 8. Misremembered.
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-03 15:21:11
Oh, yeah, it was 7.5 not 8. Misremembered.
I almost never use 7.5 so I have to admit that while I know for a fact 7.6 did it, and I'm pretty sure 7.5.3 / 7.5.5 did it, I have no idea about 7.5.0 and 7.5.2.
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-03 15:41:31
For now I'm moving a large collection of files into a disk image, but I still would be happy to know a solution that doesn't require me to write a very slow Applescript.
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-11-03 20:09:03
What if you just make the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files visible and delete them and reboot?
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-04 04:12:54
What if you just make the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files visible and delete them and reboot?
Is that where they are stored?
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-11-04 04:16:25
Is that where they are stored?
Comments were stored in the hidden desktop files prior to Mac OS 8 and I’m sure Apple continued that trend after. I tried to search where the comments are stored and google doesn’t give me much info.

But that is why rebuilding the desktop on System 6 or System 7 disks made comments vanish - because they were stored in the desktop file(s).
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2023-11-04 04:30:27
Yes, they're stored in the desktop database.
Posted by: lobust on 2023-11-04 05:38:02
What if you just make the Desktop DB and Desktop DF files visible and delete them and reboot?

Am I right in thinking that you'll also lose any custom icons if you do that?
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-04 05:39:20
Am I right in thinking that you'll also lose any custom icons if you do that?
No, they're stored in an invisible file in the folder I think... the ones for folders certainly are, I assume something similar is done for the files.
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2023-11-04 07:22:37
No, they're stored in an invisible file in the folder I think... the ones for folders certainly are, I assume something similar is done for the files.

You are right for folders. The hidden file is just called "Icon" IIRC. Custom icons for files are stored in the file's resource fork with a bit in the file's finder metadata set to indicate it has a custom icon. This is a reused flag from older systems that doesn't have any meaning in System 7. The same format is used for the invisible "Icon" file in folders.

Am I right in thinking that you'll also lose any custom icons if you do that?

I think you may be thinking here of the desktop file/database's role as an icon cache. It isn't the canonical source for icons, but it does cache them. But deleting the cache doesn't lose the icons unless you have done something highly naughty to the desktop DB.
Posted by: lobust on 2023-11-04 09:55:05
You are right for folders. The hidden file is just called "Icon" IIRC. Custom icons for files are stored in the file's resource fork with a bit in the file's finder metadata set to indicate it has a custom icon. This is a reused flag from older systems that doesn't have any meaning in System 7. The same format is used for the invisible "Icon" file in folders.



I think you may be thinking here of the desktop file/database's role as an icon cache. It isn't the canonical source for icons, but it does cache them. But deleting the cache doesn't lose the icons unless you have done something highly naughty to the desktop DB.

Yes, that's all ringing bells! Long time since I've thought about any of this 😀
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