100% ONE huUDRED PERCENT OMPREHENSIVE UTHORITATIVE HAT YOU NEED OHE HUNDRED PERCENT stomize your c and discover w to get more tne in less time ke advantage of i 9's advanced ttworklng and ternet capabilities aster the powerful 1arch capabilities of 1erlock 2 Macworld® UQuick nps" columnist for Macworld Magazine, UUIII:. cohost of Disk Doctors on JEC Knowledge TV Macworld® Mac® 9 Bible OS Macworld® Mac® Bible 9 OS Lon Poole and Todd Stauffer IDG BOOKS WORI.I>WIDE IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. An International Data Group Company Foster City, CA + Chicago, IL + Indianapolis, IN + New York, NY Macworld® Mac® OS 9 Bible Service department at 800-762-2974. For reseller Published by information, including discounts and premium sales, JOG Books Worldwide, Inc. please call our Reseller Customer Service department An International Data Group Company at 800-434-3422. 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Suite 400 For information on where to purchase IDG Books Foster City, CA 94404 Worldwide's books outside the U.S., please contact our www. i dgbooks. com (IDG Books Worldwide Web site) international Sales department at 317-596-5530 or fax Copyright© 2000 IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. All rights 317-596-5692. I reserved. No part of this book, including interior For consumer information on foreign language design, cover design, and icons, may be reproduced or translations, please contact our Customer Service transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, department at 800-434-3422, fax 317-596-5692, or e-mail photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the [email protected]. prior written permission of the publisher. For Information on licensing foreign or domestic rights, ISBN: 0-7645-3414-9 please phone ·l.S50-655-3109. Printed in the United States of America For sales inquiries and special prices for bulk 10 9 8 7 6 54 3 2 I quantities, please contact our Sales department at 650-655-3200 or write to the address above. 1B /SX/RS/ZZ/FC For Information on using rDG Books Worldwide's books Distributed in the United States by IDG Books in the classroom or for ordering examination copies, Worldwide, Inc. please contact our Educational Sales department at Distributed by CDG Books Canada Inc. for Canada; by 800-434-2086 or fax 317-596-5499. Transworld Publishers Limited in the United Kingdom; For press review copies, author interviews, or other by IDG Norge Books for Norway; by IDG Sweden Books publicity information, please contact our Public for Sweden; by IDG Books Australia Publishing Relations department at 650-655-3000 or fax Corporation Pty. Ltd. for Australia and New Zealand; by 650-655-3299. TransQuest Publishers Pte Ltd. for Singapore, For authorization to photocopy items for corporate, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong; by Gotop Information Inc. for Taiwan; by ICG Muse, Inc. personal, or educational use, please contact Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA for Japan; by lntersoft for South Africa; by Eyrolles for 01923, or fax 978-750-4470. France; by International Thomson Publishing for Germany, Austria and Switzerland; by Distribuidora library of Congress Cataloglng-in-Publlcation Data Cuspide for Argentina; by LR International for Brazil; Poole, Lon. by Galileo Libras for Chile; by Ediciones ZETA S.C.R. Macworld Mac OS 9 Bible I Lon Poole and Todd Ltda. for Peru; by WS Computer Publishing Stauffer. Corporation, Inc., for the Philippines; by p. em. Contemporanea de Ed lei ones for Venezuela; by ISBN 0-7645-3414-9 (alk. paper) Express Computer Distributors for the Caribbean and l. Macintosh (Computer) 2. Mac OS. I. Stauffer, West Indies; by Micronesia Media Distributor, Inc. for Todd.ll. Micronesia; by Chips Computadoras S.A. de C.V. for Title. Mexico; by Editorial Norma de Panama S.A. for QA76.8.M3 P65955 1999 Panama; by American Bookshops for Finland. 005.4'469-<ic21 99-058029 CIP For general Information on IDG Books Worldwide's books in the U.S., please call our Consumer Customer UMIT OF UABIUlY/DISClAIMER OF WARRAN'IY: THE PUBLISHER AND AUfHOR HAVE USED THEIR BFST EFFORTS IN PREPARING TinS BOOK. THE PUBLISHER AND AUfHOR MAKE NO REPRFSENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RFSPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENI'S OF THIS BOOK AND SPECIFlCALLY DISClAIM ANY IMPUED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABIUlY OR FlTNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS PARAGRAPH. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES REPRFSENTATIVFS OR WRITTEN SALES MATERIALS. THE ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN AND THE OPINIONS STATED HEREIN ARE NOT GUARANTEED OR WARRANTED TO PRODUCE ANY PARTICULAR RFSULTS, AND THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR AUfHOR SHALL BE UABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT UMITED TO SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGFS. Trademarks: All brand names and product names used In this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. IDG Books Worldwide is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned In this book. ===="' ~ Is a registered trademark or trademark under exclusive license IDG to IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. from International Data Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. BOOKS 'v'.'OI.l.l)!A10£ ABOUTIDG OOIKS WORLDWIDE Welcome to the world of IDG Books Worldwide. lDG Books Worldwide. Inc. . is a subsidiary of International Data Group. the world's largest publisher of computer-related informalion and the leading global provider of information services on information technology. IDG was founded more than 30 years ago by Panickj. McGovern ;md now employs more than 9,000 people world.,.,~de. lOG publishes more than 290 computer publications in over 75 cotUuries. More than 90 million people read one or more IDG publications each month. L,unched in 1990, !DG Books Worldwide is today the#] publisher of best-selling computer books in the United States. We are proud to ha\'C received eight awards from the Computer Press Association in recognition of editorial excellence and three from Computer Currents' First Annual Readers' Choice Awards. Our best selling ... For Dummle~ series has more than 50 million copies in ptint \'.~th translations in 3l languages. IDG Books WorldMde, through a joint vemure with lOG's I-Ii-Tech Beijing, became the first U.S. publisher 10 publish a computer book in the People's Republic of China. In record time, IDG Books Worldwide has become the first choice for millions of readers around the world who want to learn how to better manage their businesses. Our mission is simple: Every one of our books is designed to bting extra value and skill-build.ing instructions to the reader. Our books are written by experts who understand and care about our readers. The knowledge base of our editorial staff comes from years of c..xperience in publishing, education, and journalism experience we use to produce books to carry us into the new millennium. In short, we care about books, so we attract the best people. We devote special attention to details such <LS audience, interior design, use of icons, and illustrations. And because we usc an efficient process of authoring, editing, and desktop publishing our books electronicall}~ we can spend more time ensuring superior content and less time on the technicalities of making books. You can count on our commitment to deliver high-quality books at competitive prices on topics you want to read about. AtiDG Books Worldwide, we continue in the IDG tradition of delivering quality ror more than 30 years. You'll find no better book on a subject than one from LOG Books WorldY.1de. ~Q&~t.-- ;~Be4:!9 ZJ {;john Kilcullen Chairman and CEO President and Publisher lDG Books Worldwide, Inc. IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. ~ ~ ~ WINNER WINNER WINNER £ighii1Aruuwl f.'ltrtnth,tmtUul ('QtnpiJitrl'rr.n CmnpldUI'NU A•~nh'~J991 CNommlpltuAl1t1r nPuratnl CT01rrn1lpltuAUn·rn P~ranls Ar.'rlrdi~l99S ;ho'l'li'ILr~/99J th·ords~l99-l IDG is the world's leading IT media, research and exposition company. Founded in 1964, lOG had 1997 revenues of $2.05 billion and has more than 9,000 employees worldwide. IDG offers the Mdest range of media options that reach IT buyers in 75 countries representing 95% of worldy,~de IT spending. IDG's diverse product and services portfolio spam six key areas including print publishing, online publishing, expositions and conferences, market research, education and training, and global marketing seT\·iccs. More than 90 million people read one or more of IDG's 290 magazines and newspapers, incfuding IDG's leading global brands-Computerworld, PC World, Network \Vorld, Macworld and the Channel World familv of publications. IDG Books Worldwide is one of the fastest-growing computer book publishers in the world, with more than 700 titles in 36 languages. The ·· ... For Dummies®'' series alone has more than 50 million copies in print. IDG offers online users the largest network of technology-specific \Neb sites around the world through IDG.net (http://www.idg.net). which comprises more than 225 targeted Web sites in 55 countries world~de. lmcrnmional Data Corporation (I DC) is the world's largest pro,ider of infom1ation technology data. analysis and consulting, .... ~th research centers in over 41 countries and more than 400 research analysts worlch~de. IDG World Ex1Jo is a leading producer of more than 168 globally branded conferences and expositions in 35 countries including E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), Macworld Expo, ComNet, Windows World Ex-po, ICE (Internet Commerce Expo), Agenda, DEMO, and Spotlight. lOG's training subsidiary, ExecuTrain, is the world's largest computer training company, with more than 230 locations worldwide and 785 training courses. LOG Marketing Services helps industry-leading IT companies build international brand recognition by developing global integrated marketing programs \~a lOG's print, online and exposition products worldwide. Further information about the company can be found at www.idg.com. 1/24/99 Credits Acquisitions Editor Graphics and Production Specialists Michael Roney Mario Amador Jude Levinson Development Editors Michael Lewis Kathryn Duggan Ramses Ramirez Sara Saizmann Victor Varela DinaFQuan Technical Editor Dennis Cohen Quality Control Specialists Chris Weisbart Copy Editors Laura Taflinger Richard Adin Marti Paul lllustrators Mary Jo Richards Project Coordinators ClintLahnen Linda Marousek Joe Shines Proofreading and Indexing Louigene Santos York Production Services Cover Design Peter Kowaleszyn About the Author Lon Poole is the award-winning author or coauthor of over two dozen computer books, including all seven editions of this book, four additional Mac books, and numerous others. He is also the author of the popular "Quick Tips" column in Macworld magazine and more than 50 magazine feature articles on Mac topics. He has a B.A. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Lon lives in northern California with his wife and two sons. He enjoys hiking, carpentry, and traveling. Todd Stauffer is the author or coauthor of 20 computer books, including How to Do Everything with your iMac, Macworld Mac Upgrade and Repair Bible, and Using Your Mac. He's the writer and cohost of the Emmy-award winning "Disk Doctors" program on the Knowledge TV network. Todd is also the "Upgrade Guy" columnist and a contributing editor for MacCentral Online, as well as a contributor to MacAddict magazine, CMP Tech Web, and Mac Tech Magazine, among others. Todd has worked as a magazine editor, radio host, feature writer, and advertising copywriter, all in technical fields. He received a B.A. in English Literature from Texas A&M University. Todd lives in New York City. Preface A ccording to popular legend, a Mac is so easy to use that you don't need to read books about it. Alas, if only that were true. In fact, discovering all the power that the Mac OS gives your computer would take months of exploring and experimenting. Yes, exploring and experimenting can be fun. But do you really have months to devote to your computer's operating system? Save your time for having fun with games and multimedia, exploring the Internet, or maybe getting some work done. Benefit from the experience of others (in this case, the author and his collaborators). Read this book so that you can put the full power of the Mac OS to work for you without a lot of poking around the Mac desktop. Maybe you think you don't need this book because you have Apple's manuals and onscreen help. It's true these are good sources of information. But the Macworld Mac OS 9 Bible contains a great deal of information you won't find in the manuals or on help screens. This book also provides a different perspective on subjects you may not quite understand after reading the manuals. And because this book describes the Mac OS completely, you can use it instead of Apple's manuals if you don't happen to have them. (They tend to be rather thin these days, anyway.) Who Should Read This Book This book is meant for people who already know Mac OS fundamentals such as choosing commands from menus, moving icons on the desktop, and selecting and editing text. If you have spent more than a few days with any Mac OS computer, you know how to do these things and are ready for what's inside this book. Read this book to learn all about Mac OS 9-how to use it if you have it, and why you should get it if you don't. Mac OS 9 is a feature-rich upgrade to the venerable Mac OS, touted by Apple as the "Internet OS," and Mac OS 9 definitely has its share of Internet-related upgrades. But there's a heck of a lot more that's changed in Mac OS 9. Whether you're interested in learning the basics or ferreting out every last detail in this latest release, this book will help you get the most from your sessions with Apple's latest OS. \1111 Preface Whar s Inside Macworld Mac OS 9 Bible covers all of Mac OS 9's features-new, updated, and existing from previous versions-in six progressive parts: + Part I takes a quick look at the features of the Mac OS. Use it to get started right away or to see the big picture. You get an overview of what's new in Mac OS 9, what "hot" features have been added recently, and what features, even though they've been around for a while, are essential tools in the Mac user's arsenal. + Part II describes in depth what you encounter when you start using the Mac OS. Windows, icons, and menus appear when you start up a Mac, but look closely and you may find some new and useful aspects of these elements. When you go beyond looking around the desktop, you can organize your disks, folders, and files with the Finder. You get right to work by opening programs and documents (including documents from Windows and DOS computers), moving document contents around, and saving documents. You learn to search your computer and the Internet using the much-hyped Sherlock tool. You can modify the Mac OS appearance and behavior, and you can get help onscreen when you need it. + Part Ill tells you how to use some important Mac OS capabilities. You learn how to fine-tune the system by making changes in the special System Folder and adjusting a multitude of settings in software control panels. You discover how handy aliases can be. You learn to deal with fonts and typography, and also learn to control printing. In this part you find out why the Mac OS deserves its reputation as the multimedia leader among personal computer operating systems. You also learn how the Mac OS makes it easy to explore the Internet, including the Web and e-mail. +Part IV takes you beyond the Mac OS basics-way beyond. You learn to be comfortable with managing your Mac's memory. You learn how to set up a simple network of computers, share your files with others on the network, and use their shared files. You get to know how any Mac can speak and how most can listen. This part of the book also introduces AppleScript and teaches you how to use it to automate repetitive tasks. +Part V presents many ways to make the most of the Mac OS. You'll find that the accessory programs included with the Mac OS come in handy on occasion. If they're not enough, you'll find a chapter devoted to describing low-cost software utilities you can use to enhance the Mac OS. Two more chapters reveal over 100 Mac OS tips and secrets. Another chapter guides you through troubleshooting procedures. + Part VI details how to upgrade or install the Mac OS, including how to install a clean copy. You see how the various recent Mac OS versions compare and what their requirements are, so you can decide whether to stick with the version you have or to upgrade it. You find out how to get ready to install, and you can follow step-by-step instructions for installing everything on your Mac OS 9 installation CD-ROM. . Preface J)( In addition to these six parts, this book includes a glossary filled with those terms you're bound to encounter in a tome like this, including quite a few that Webster hasn't gotten around to, yet. If you read this book from front to back, you will find that some information appears in more than one place. In particular, everything that Part I covers in summary appears elsewhere in the book in more detail. Also, some of the tips and secrets in Chapters 27 and 28 appear first amidst relevant subject matter throughout earlier chapters. This duplication is intentional and is meant for your benefit. Conventions Used in This Book This book makes use of established conventions in an effort to help guide you through the material. Mac OS version references As you may have realized from reading this preface, this book uses the term Mac OS to include all versions of the Macintosh operating system, also known as the system software, unless a specific version number is stated (such as Mac OS 9). When you see a range of version numbers, such as Mac OS 8-9, the topic under discussion applies to all versions in the stated range. While all topics discussed pertain to Mac OS 9, we'll occasionally toss in a reference to earlier Mac OS versions to place things in the proper historical context. Apple named earlier versions of the operating system System instead of Mac OS. You may notice occasional references in this book to System 7.5.5 and earlier. Just remember that Mac OS and System are two terms for the Mac operating system. Sidebars Certain discussions in this book are expanded with sidebars. These are shaded boxes that contain background information, expert tips and advice, areas where caution is needed, and other helpful information. Feedback, Please The author and publisher appreciate your feedback on this book. Please feel free to contact us, care of IDG Books Worldwide, with questions or comments. (JOG Books Worldwide, Inc.; 919 E. Hillsdale Boulevard, Suite 400; Foster City, CA 94404) Acknowledgments W hen you're going to write a book of this size about a subject as deep and wide as the Mac OS, you can't be shy about asking for help. We have many people to thank for their contributions to this book. Lon Poole, who was sole author of the previous six editions of this book, would like to thank Todd Stauffer for preparing this edition, including writing several new chapters and extensively revising the others. Many other people contributed to earlier editions of the book, and their work lives on in the Macworld Mac OS 9 Bible. David Angell and Brent Heslop researched and wrote first drafts of material that appears in Chapters 14, 21, and 22 in this book. Nancy Dunn and Rita Lewis helped reorganize and update an earlier edition of the book, and much of their work survives in Chapters 15, 16, 17, and 23. Tom Negrino compressed information about the entire Internet into what is now Chapter 10. Derrick Schneider applied his AppleScript expertise to Chapter 24. Roxanne Gentile put together the first collection of utility software in Chapter 26. Rob Terrell wrote drafts of material that now appears in Chapters 30 and 31. For the previous edition of this book, Seth Novogrodsky wrote Chapter 29 and revised the material that now appears in Chapters 3 and 24. Katherine Ulrich updated what are now Chapters 12, 25, and 26. And Suzanne Courteau updated the tips in Chapters 27 and 28. We most gratefully acknowledge all their contributions. We also want to express our appreciation to the editorial and production teams at IDG Books Worldwide, whose diligence made all the difference. In particular, Dennis Cohen as technical reviewer did a great job of filtering out technical impurities. We also want to thank Mike Roney and Sara Salzmann for urging us onward. In addition, we want to thank Kathi Duggan, who for the third time has done a splendid job as development editor. (Believe us, you are glad she went over this book before you did.) Lon wishes to express his gratitude to his wife, Karin, and sons, Adam and Ethan, for their support of his earlier work on which this book is based. Todd would like to thank Donna Ladd for putting up with the late nights and annoying alarm clocks while this revision was being written. Also, thanks to Leo and Arno Jakobson for the space, equipment, and moral support that made it possible for Todd to actually sit and write in the midst of a chaotic move to New York.