Where the heck are desktop patterns stored on Mac OS 9?!

I thought they were in the PAT# resource in the System file, but you would have seen them in ResEdit, no?

In os 8.6 you can just search for the name in sherlock, I don't know the exact directory but it's something with apperance. I would assume that it is simmilar for os 9

It's definitely not in PAT#. I looked there, in ppat, and in several other places, but none of them contain the desktop patterns. I even went so far as to open the System suitcase in HexEdit and do a search in both the data and resource forks for "Bassanova". No dice.

Also, these patterns aren't merely files lying around the file system. I checked for that, too, of course.

They've GOT to be in a resource somewhere!

Peace,
Drew

To remove a pattern just press Command+X
That will move it to the clipboard.

aren't you talking about the clipboard, the desk top picts/textures are viewable files, not in the clipboard instead in finder.

Um, have you tried that? It certainly doesn't work for me...

That was among the first things I tried.

Peace,
Drew

The desktop pictures are viewable in (path to System Folder):Appearance:Desktop Pictures, but the desktop patterns are NOT viewable files. If they were, I would surely have found them by now. If you know differently, please do tell me where I can find them!

Peace,
Drew

For my own curiosity, I've taken a look around to see if i can find them, and no luck yet.

My guess is they're stored as a resource, but -not- as a ppat because they're too big at 128 x 128 x ( >16 colours).

I'm clueless on the technicals of what you guys are talking about, but when I go to the additional desktop patterns in the CD extras on my OS 8.6 install CD, the additional desktop patterns are a Scrapbook Document that you drag into the OS 9 appearance control panel pane.

I'm pretty sure that after you add the patterns to the Appearance control panel, they'll end up in the "Custom Desktop Patterns" preference file, but I have no idea where the default, stock patterns are stored.

If eeun's supposition is correct and they aren't in the PAT# or ppat resources, I probably should get around to adding a custom pattern to the OS 9 Appearance control panel to see where it ends up...

Peace,
Drew

You did look in the Appearance control panel so you know that's where all those patterns are located before you add one to the System file. Once in the System file, the current pattern is in the ppat resource. I think you can just add any pattern you want to Appearance and have it available next time you launch Appearance.

Alternately, you could use any of the available desktop pattern utils to set the desktop pattern. I used to use something called Desktop Textures v 2.0 (1992 by Geoff Adams and Stephen Krauth.) It allowed one to easily store and use patterns.

dan k

Maybe a little info about what I'm trying to do will help.

It's not so much that I'm trying to add patterns as it is that I'm trying to remove them. I'm working on this: http://ppcmla.dyndns.org/appearance_desktop.html. I worked really hard to get just those four patterns on the website, and I'd like to be able to add more resources in the future without having to try so hard.

Peace,
Drew

If I understand correctly, you want to access (save to disk for use on web) the OS 9 Desktop Patterns. If you want to access the raw desktop patterns, you may be dissapointed. Two methods to get them.

The desktop patterns are stored in the ppat resource of the Appearance control panel. FYI- resedit will not open the 128k resources, probably the ones you want.

1) If you have the Appearance control file but aren't running OS9 or Classic. I assume this is the scenario since the alternative is too easy.
If you have Graphic Converter launch it. If not, you'll need it You can download for trial from their site. Choose the File/Open... menu item, then choose "Resource" from the "Format" popup menu. Choose ppat, choose the pattern you want. It'll open as a graphic in Graphic Converter. Save as your desired format.

2) This method is easy if your running OS9 or classic. Launch the Appearance control panel, select the desktop pattern you want. Click on the graphic representation of it. It'll get the focus ring around it. Copy (command + C). Paste into Photoshop or your other graphics editor. Save as desired format.

Good Luck.

Huzzah!

I really DO want to delete them, not just copy them to my clipboard. I'm taking screencaps of the Appearance control panel, and I don't want a scroll bar in the image. That has so far meant lots of photoshop work to get it to look right. Removing the patterns from the list would have been a lot easier!

Anyway, two comments in this thread suddenly clicked in my head. Yep, the patterns are in the ppat resource in the Appearance control panel. Nope, you can't edit them with the built-in ppat template because they are too large. Being a dummy, I was looking at the ppat resources and using "View by ppat" (the ResEdit default view) to arrange them. Since in that view you don't see the resource names (only the preview icon and the ID are shown in that view), I didn't realize that the ones that have binary representative icons are the ones I'm looking for! Just view by name, and bingo! There they are!

Sheesh. All that for something that was right under my nose to begin with.

Thanks all!
Drew