WC Download on a Mac

from WinCustomize Forums
TOday at work I went to WC site from a Mac workstation [I was on my lunch break so it was all on the up & up]. Anyway, I logged on and downloaded a wallpaper to put on that Mac, but when I tried to open it I only got a bunch of code. Are the items here only for PC, or was it because I wasn't on my home computer[a PC], or something else? I don't mean to re-open the whole Mac vs PC issue again, I work with both and I think they each have their own strengths and drawbacks. Just curious.....
3,430 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Most wallpapers are in zip format. They are compressed inside a seperate file. get them out and I am pretty sure you can use them.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK, how do I unzip it on a Mac, at home I open with Objectzip from Mozilla and extract to folder. I don't use too many progs on Macs other than work-related these days. It's a G4 with OS 9.something. Does that help any? Thanks
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think stuffit will.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
For Zips on a Mac, I used to use a program from Aladin called Stuff-it Expander...most later Mac OS version I used (8 and 9) included a freebie version by default I seem to recall.

If you have something like this installed and you're still getting "code" in a window then it sounds as though the MIME types in your browser are messed up and it's thinking you're getting text instead of binary. Try Opt+Click (or that other Mac key+Click) to get the context menu and choose "save link as" or equivellent wording.

There is nothing in principal preventing you getting wallpapers from here for a Mac...though if I recall, the Mac doesn't support jpg files as backgrounds so you'll also need to convert them to a Mac happy format...try GraphicsConverter on the Mac for that.

Hope that helps enough to get you started
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the help. Now that I think about it I know we have Stuffit on all the Macs. I'll try your suggestions when I get back to work, [which will be all too soon.]
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Macs don't have extensions, they know that a specific file needs to be opned with a specific application with a tiny instruction line they add to the file itself. Therefore, files created on a PC often aren't recognised by Macs they have no clue what the file is, they just consider it a "PC" file (showing it as a PC icon).  So you may need to open the application first, then get the file with File/Open.  If youo have Internet Explorer on your Mac, try to do that (File/Open) to open the wallpaper JPG, then from the context menu I think there is an option to set as background. Or if you have some gfx editor, try to open and resave it.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
paxx - very true, except that the details of the file type are kept in an area called a resource fork, and the file itself is kept in the data fork. Also, most Macs have a little tool called PC Exchange installed which looks for PC file extensions and will set the creator and filetype IDs to predetermined settings suitable for a Mac application to then recognise.

Graphics Converter is a great tool too as it'll open just about any file you throw at it regardless of the Creator/type settings in the resource fork.

I forget what it's called, but there is a tool too which lets you see additional info on files when you look at the file Info, including the raw 4 characters for creator and file type, and will let you set them by hand...or, you can go to PC Exchange and tell it about additional file extentions to convert.

....and they say Macs are easier? They are when they work, but just like PCs, once you need to get stuck into the detail, it can all get very complicated for people not used to this stuff.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I tried again yesterday, but I couldn't find Stuffit. It may be the security settings preventing any downloads being opened [?] We've been hit with a lot of these stupid worms getting to our networks, although you'd think the Macs would be safe. Thanks for all the help. I guess I'll just have to be content with customizing my home computer.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just bought stuffit, actually.

i love winrar and it was that or stuffit.. but i want to do more than just zips and stuffit had better expansion. plus, the stuffit is cross platform. what does that have to do with anything here?

it doesn't. i just thought it was interesting

many files are getting to the point where they are completely cross platform. MSoffice, for example, has always been good going between any medium and now macromedia and adobe are all good as well. but a word to the wise.. save those illustrator files in version 9 'cause macs have problems opening a 10 file with pdf implanted in it.