TweetFollow Us on Twitter

Resorcerer 2.2

Volume Number: 14 (1998)
Issue Number: 9
Column Tag: Tools Of The Trade

Resorcerer: What's New in 2.2

by John Schettino
Edited by the MacTech Magazine Editorial Staff

Reviewing the latest version of Resorcerer

Resorcerer Overview

Resorcerer is a professional quality resource editor that uses a GUI. It distinguishes itself from Apple's own free ResEdit in both power and safety. I'll toss in ease of use, to boot. It's better than Rez because it has a traditional Mac GUI. If you're doing professional development, and you spend a lot of time creating and editing resources, you owe it to yourself to take a close look at Resorcerer.

You can find a MacTech review of Resorcerer in Volume 10, Number 4, or at www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.10/10.04/Resorcerer-2/index.html.

The 2.2 version, recently release by Mathemaesthetics, Inc., builds on the current product by adding:

  • a single instruction PPC disassembler,
  • an Alias editor, support for Appearance in the Dialog editor,
  • a grab bag of other new features, and
  • a host of bug fixes.

The 2.2 version is available as a free upgrade from version 2.0, off the Mathemaesthetics web site at http://www.mathemaesthetics.com/.

New Stuff

As an incremental version upgrade, there are just a few new items in 2.2. Some point to future directions, while others just round out the already impressive feature set from 2.0.

Whatza extlwi?

The Value Converter now supports a preview of what you'll see in a later version of Resorcerer. You enter the opcode (as hex, octal, unsigned, or any other format) into the Value Converter, and you get back the disassembled PPC instruction, an English expansion of the opcode mnemonic, and then a nice description of what the instruction is actually doing. The information is based on that published in "The PowerPC Architecture - A Specification for a New Family of RISC Microprocessors." As it stands, its purely a novelty item, unless you have a burning desire to know that opcode 0x5403300 is mnemonic extlwi.

Figure 1. Value Converter Showing PPC disassembly.

What it shows is that, coming soon to a new release, will be a decent PPC disassembler that will also be able to help explain what the opcodes are doing.

AKA Alias Editor

The Alias editor lets you view, and update alis resources. It uses the Alias Manager to get and update its information, since the alis resource is officially undocumented. Apparently it doesn't get what it expects from System 7.5.5, since it does not seem to display the correct information for me. I know, I really should upgrade, but I was a little surprised that Resorcerer didn't work as advertised here (for me, on an older yet not archaic version of Mac OS) or at least detect that it couldn't work, and display an error message! Here's what Resorcerer could tell me about my alis resources:

Figure 2. Not Quite An Alias Editor For System 7.5.5.

The Appearance of a Dialog Editor

The Dialog editor shows Appearance Controls during layout, and does a better job of sizing those controls when you specify the Use Best Size command. At least that's what it claims to do. Again, I'm hampered by lacking Mac OS 8.0 or later, and this feature doesn't work without it.

I think this points out a minor drawback of the approach taken by Resorcerer: Specifically because it is a GUI based resource editor, and it uses the system services to provide information (for aliases and appearance controls, at least) you cannot use it to edit Mac OS 8.x specific resources on a pre-Mac OS 8.x machine. It's not a major drawback, but it is something I hadn't originally considered. Given the improved safety and accuracy using system services provides, its a reasonable tradeoff. I'm off to upgrade my OS!

Something For Everyone

There are a host of minor updates in this release. The File window's resource name display has been expanded (it now knows around 100 classes). For you CodeWarriors, it supports the Cmd-D to discard and Cmd-S to save keyboard commands when it displays Save/Discard alerts. Resorcerer already supported taking a screen shot and inserting it into a new PICT resource. Now you can press the w key to resize the screen shot area to match the entire frontmost window. That's handy.

There's now a way for you to edit TMPL resources, and the ability to edit System 8.2 icon suite resources. For those of you who use AppleScript in the development process, Resorcerer adds the compare newer file command:

tell application "Resorcerer® 2.2 Demo"
	set theDiff to compare newer file "VersionA.rsrc" older file "VersionB.rsrc" with return differences
end tell

Bugs Begone

There is a list of 28 bug fixes in the 2.2 release notes. You can be sure that if they're willing to admit to 22 bugs, a couple more were also quietly exterminated under the cover of darkness.

Conclusion

Resorcerer retains its position as a well supported and maintained resource editor for professional programmers. If you prefer using a GUI editor, Resorcerer has so many obvious advantages over ResEdit that it is well worth the cost. The 2.2 release offers modest new features, a fair number of bug fixes, and a very attractive upgrade cost of $0.

If you already have version 2.0, browse on over to their web site and get the free 2.2 update. If you're new to Resorcerer, then download the 2.2 demo version. It's a completely functional version, with the save command disabled. See what you've been missing.

Product Information

Resorcerer is still $256 (get it? 256 - or $0x100 in hexadecimal dollars - I love a company with a sense of humor!) and comes with a 60 day money-back guarantee.

Mathemaesthetics, Inc.
P.O. Box 298
Boulder, CO 80306-0298 USA
Phone: (303) 440-0707
Fax: (303) 440-0504
sales@mathemaesthetics.com
http://www.mathemaesthetics.com


John Schettino is an author and Principal Member of the Technical Staff at GTE Laboratories, Inc. He is the co-author of the books BASIC for the Newton: Programming for the Newton with NS BASIC, and AppleScript Applications: Building Applications with FaceSpan and AppleScript, both published by AP Professional. His new book. CORBA 2 For Dummies,, published by IDG books, is due out in September. He is also a contributing editor for the Handheld Systems Journal where he writes about Windows CE programming. You can reach him via http://members.aol.com/pdcjohns.

 

Community Search:
MacTech Search:

Software Updates via MacUpdate

Latest Forum Discussions

See All

Top Mobile Game Discounts
Every day, we pick out a curated list of the best mobile discounts on the App Store and post them here. This list won't be comprehensive, but it every game on it is recommended. Feel free to check out the coverage we did on them in the links... | Read more »
Price of Glory unleashes its 1.4 Alpha u...
As much as we all probably dislike Maths as a subject, we do have to hand it to geometry for giving us the good old Hexgrid, home of some of the best strategy games. One such example, Price of Glory, has dropped its 1.4 Alpha update, stocked full... | Read more »
The SLC 2025 kicks off this month to cro...
Ever since the Solo Leveling: Arise Championship 2025 was announced, I have been looking forward to it. The promotional clip they released a month or two back showed crowds going absolutely nuts for the previous competitions, so imagine the... | Read more »
Dive into some early Magicpunk fun as Cr...
Excellent news for fans of steampunk and magic; the Precursor Test for Magicpunk MMORPG Crystal of Atlan opens today. This rather fancy way of saying beta test will remain open until March 5th and is available for PC - boo - and Android devices -... | Read more »
Prepare to get your mind melted as Evang...
If you are a fan of sci-fi shooters and incredibly weird, mind-bending anime series, then you are in for a treat, as Goddess of Victory: Nikke is gearing up for its second collaboration with Evangelion. We were also treated to an upcoming... | Read more »
Square Enix gives with one hand and slap...
We have something of a mixed bag coming over from Square Enix HQ today. Two of their mobile games are revelling in life with new events keeping them alive, whilst another has been thrown onto the ever-growing discard pile Square is building. I... | Read more »
Let the world burn as you have some fest...
It is time to leave the world burning once again as you take a much-needed break from that whole “hero” lark and enjoy some celebrations in Genshin Impact. Version 5.4, Moonlight Amidst Dreams, will see you in Inazuma to attend the Mikawa Flower... | Read more »
Full Moon Over the Abyssal Sea lands on...
Aether Gazer has announced its latest major update, and it is one of the loveliest event names I have ever heard. Full Moon Over the Abyssal Sea is an amazing name, and it comes loaded with two side stories, a new S-grade Modifier, and some fancy... | Read more »
Open your own eatery for all the forest...
Very important question; when you read the title Zoo Restaurant, do you also immediately think of running a restaurant in which you cook Zoo animals as the course? I will just assume yes. Anyway, come June 23rd we will all be able to start up our... | Read more »
Crystal of Atlan opens registration for...
Nuverse was prominently featured in the last month for all the wrong reasons with the USA TikTok debacle, but now it is putting all that behind it and preparing for the Crystal of Atlan beta test. Taking place between February 18th and March 5th,... | Read more »

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

AT&T is offering a 65% discount on the ne...
AT&T is offering the new iPhone 16e for up to 65% off their monthly finance fee with 36-months of service. No trade-in is required. Discount is applied via monthly bill credits over the 36 month... Read more
Use this code to get a free iPhone 13 at Visi...
For a limited time, use code SWEETDEAL to get a free 128GB iPhone 13 Visible, Verizon’s low-cost wireless cell service, Visible. Deal is valid when you purchase the Visible+ annual plan. Free... Read more
M4 Mac minis on sale for $50-$80 off MSRP at...
B&H Photo has M4 Mac minis in stock and on sale right now for $50 to $80 off Apple’s MSRP, each including free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: – M4 Mac mini (16GB/256GB): $549, $50 off... Read more
Buy an iPhone 16 at Boost Mobile and get one...
Boost Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, is offering one year of free Unlimited service with the purchase of any iPhone 16. Purchase the iPhone at standard MSRP, and then choose... Read more
Get an iPhone 15 for only $299 at Boost Mobil...
Boost Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, is offering the 128GB iPhone 15 for $299.99 including service with their Unlimited Premium plan (50GB of premium data, $60/month), or $20... Read more
Unreal Mobile is offering $100 off any new iP...
Unreal Mobile, an MVNO using AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, is offering a $100 discount on any new iPhone with service. This includes new iPhone 16 models as well as iPhone 15, 14, 13, and SE... Read more
Apple drops prices on clearance iPhone 14 mod...
With today’s introduction of the new iPhone 16e, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, and SE. In response, Apple has dropped prices on unlocked, Certified Refurbished, iPhone 14 models to a... Read more
B&H has 16-inch M4 Max MacBook Pros on sa...
B&H Photo is offering a $360-$410 discount on new 16-inch MacBook Pros with M4 Max CPUs right now. B&H offers free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: – 16″ M4 Max MacBook Pro (36GB/1TB/... Read more
Amazon is offering a $100 discount on the M4...
Amazon has the M4 Pro Mac mini discounted $100 off MSRP right now. Shipping is free. Their price is the lowest currently available for this popular mini: – Mac mini M4 Pro (24GB/512GB): $1299, $100... Read more
B&H continues to offer $150-$220 discount...
B&H Photo has 14-inch M4 MacBook Pros on sale for $150-$220 off MSRP. B&H offers free 1-2 day shipping to most US addresses: – 14″ M4 MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB): $1449, $150 off MSRP – 14″ M4... Read more

Jobs Board

All contents are Copyright 1984-2011 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.