PC Exchange

PC Exchange allows older Macs to read and write DOS-formatted disks. It also sets the type and creator codes for files you copy from DOS disks to your Mac - type and creator codes allow you to double click on those newly-copied files and your Mac will open them in the correct application.

If you're looking for a ready-made preferences file for PC Exchange that has all the type-creator codes that you'll probably ever need, then download the PC Exchange preferences file from Macworld's site. All you need to do to use this prefs file is to unstuff it, open up your System Folder and put it in the preferences folder. Before you put the new prefs file in the Preferences folder, move your current PC Exchange preferences files to a safe location, just in case.

Download PC Exchange Preferences (originally from the MacWorld site.)

Download PC Exchange 1.0.4 - If your browser can not retrieve the file, you may need to use the URL (ftp.unix-ag.uni-siegen.de/pub/os/mac/pc-exchange104.sit) with an FTP program like Fetch. You can download Fetch from Pure-Mac (among other places)

If you need to add some type-creator data to the Macworld PC Exchange prefs file, you can use ResEdit. Here's how:

COPY your old PC Exchange preferences file.

OPEN the COPY of the prefs file with ResEdit

Open the dMap resource

Open ID -4040

Click somewhere in the right column and click select all

Copy the data from this resource, and then close your old prefs file resource fork

Open a COPY of the Macworld PC Exchange in ResEdit, and open the same fork as above.

Go to the bottom of the list on the right side and click below the last entry. Paste the data.

Save the data and close ResEdit

  Adapted from Macworld's PC Exchange Preferences page
  (which is no longer on the Macworld site.)

Material on this page cannot be duplicated without the express written consent of MacGyver

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