Classic Apps Not Recognized ("Unix Executable File")

What method did you use to copy the classic applications?

Yes, but how did you copy them? Just drag and drop, or did you use the cp command in the terminal or something like that?

If you still have the original drive you might want to try using a folder synchronization application to copy the classic apps folder.

How is this external drive formatted? (You can get this information via "Get Info" in the Finder.)

I'm having exactly the same problem. I just bought a mac mini. I've never used X before.

I have an external drive that I formatted on a G3 under 9.2 and used on two systems running 9.2. I installed classic from the mini's installation disk 2, plugged everything in, and it calls all my applications on the external drive Unix Executable Files. Very annoying, since the guy at the genius bar said I could just plug my external drive in and it would work ok.

Just looked at the drive and it thinks it's an MS-Dos file system. I actually don't think I formatted it for dos... who knows. It was over a year ago and 9.2 never had a single problem with it. So why would I have cared!!! X is a pain in the neck, and I'm very frustrated with my initial experience.

--Louise

I found this:

Philip Raby1

Posts: 25
Registered: Jan 22, 2005
Re: Opening a Classic Application
Posted: Dec 20, 2005 6:28 AM in response to: Philip Raby1
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I've solved it by adding .app to the end of the file name.
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So I tried it and I've gotten one step closer. By adding .app at the end of the name, now it says it's a classic application, both in the folder list and in the Get Info box, but it still will not open it. Nor does the Get Info box have a checkbox that says to open it with classic.

The icon in Get Info now looks like a stack of papers with a ruler, paintbrush, and pencil on them.

When I double click the file it now tries to open, expanding the dock momentarily, and then fails, shrinking it back. This all happens in a blink of a second.

hrm.

Ok, here's what I've found out. I suppose this is an answer.

9.x and 10.x use different formats for foreign file system access. If you use a 9.x system to write to a PC formatted disk, your 10.x system will have trouble recognizing any file that doesn't have a valid extension. It will recognize files with extensions such as .jpg or .txt as JPEGs or text files, for example. But, since most of us didn't have any extensions on classic executables, 10.x won't recognize them as executables at all.

The .app extension designates 10.x executable files. When you add that to a classic application file, you tell 10.x to try to open it as an application, but it doesn't realize it should try classic, and it's not going to figure that out. You also, as far as I can figure out, can't tell it to do so. There's no handy checkbox in the window brought up by Get Info that says:

( ) Run this application using Classic (MACOS 9.2)?

That would be too easy!!! It would be nice if we could add .app and then check that kind of box, or if we had, say, a .cap extension we could just tack onto the file.

So far I've had no luck.

My solution will be... put together my crazy patchwork 9.2 system again (G3 laptop with a broken lid connected to a display, PCI card in a slot with 2 USB ports, plug the external drive into one of those USB ports), make sure all the files are copied onto my iffy G3 laptop, PRAY!!!, reformat the external hard drive to mac format, PRAY MORE!!!, recopy the files onto the external hard drive, dismantle that config and put everything back on my new mini... and hope that nothing breaks... I might just burn a cd of the current info from the external hard drive just in case the prayers don't work. Of course this will involve taking my system out of commission for a while since copying several gig of info across a usb 1 on a pci card and reformatting the disk and copying it back will take some time.

mutter I would like to talk to the person who put out the misinformation that macs were user friendly. Well, mostly they are. But then there are these ... little... details... that no one mentions to you when you buy a new system. You know, the system that the smiling salesdroid told you was plug and play with your older stuff. uhuh.

--Louise

Found a solution, for the problem whenTiger doesn't recognize Classic appl's... I removed a final 'dot '+ 'number' from the app's name (e.g. 'More 3.1' to 'More'): immediately Get Info knew it was a Classic application again..!

Apparently, the final '.1' is seen as an -unknown- extension and treated as -possibly- a Unix Executable File..!

Good luck!
Gerard


PB12" Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Many apps store extensions, control panels, control strip modules, preferences, "Application Support", help files and other miscellany like dictionaries in the OS9 System Folder of the boot drive, even if the app itself is on an external drive. These multiple files that the app needs would be installed in the proper locations by the app's installer, but simply copying the app over wouldn't necessarily work. To intall "Upgrade packages" on my new Mac I had to copy over the original app (even though it wouldn't run on my new Mac) and then run the installer for the Upgrade package, so that the installer would find the old app and then complete the new installation.

Found a solution, for the problem whenTiger doesn't recognize Classic appl's... I removed a final 'dot '+ 'number' from the app's name (e.g. 'More 3.1' to 'More'): immediately Get Info knew it was a Classic application again..!

Good luck!
Gerard

THANK YOU, Gerard! Once again these Discussions solved my problem quickly. Such an easy solution, but nearly impossible to figure out. --Tina

iBook 1.2 GHz G4 Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Mac OS X (10.4.6)