# 2.4 `macfs` -- Various file system services

Availability: Macintosh.

This module provides access to Macintosh FSSpec handling, the Alias Manager, finder aliases and the Standard File package.

Whenever a function or method expects a file argument, this argument can be one of three things: (1) a full or partial Macintosh pathname, (2) an FSSpec object or (3) a 3-tuple `(wdRefNum, parID, name)` as described in Inside Macintosh: Files. A description of aliases and the Standard File package can also be found there.

Note: A module, `macfsn`, is auto-imported to replace StandardFile calls in `macfs` with NavServices calls.

`FSSpec`(file)
  Create an FSSpec object for the specified file.

`RawFSSpec`(data)
  Create an FSSpec object given the raw data for the C structure for the FSSpec as a string. This is mainly useful if you have obtained an FSSpec structure over a network.

`RawAlias`(data)
  Create an Alias object given the raw data for the C structure for the alias as a string. This is mainly useful if you have obtained an FSSpec structure over a network.

`FInfo`()
  Create a zero-filled FInfo object.

`ResolveAliasFile`(file)
  Resolve an alias file. Returns a 3-tuple `(fsspec, isfolder, aliased)` where fsspec is the resulting FSSpec object, isfolder is true if fsspec points to a folder and aliased is true if the file was an alias in the first place (otherwise the FSSpec object for the file itself is returned).

`StandardGetFile`([type, ...])
  Present the user with a standard ``open input file'' dialog. Optionally, you can pass up to four 4-character file types to limit the files the user can choose from. The function returns an FSSpec object and a flag indicating that the user completed the dialog without cancelling.

`PromptGetFile`(prompt[, type, ...])
  Similar to `StandardGetFile()` but allows you to specify a prompt which will be displayed at the top of the dialog.

`StandardPutFile`(prompt[, default])
  Present the user with a standard ``open output file'' dialog. prompt is the prompt string, and the optional default argument initializes the output file name. The function returns an FSSpec object and a flag indicating that the user completed the dialog without cancelling.

`GetDirectory`([prompt])
  Present the user with a non-standard ``select a directory'' dialog. You have to first open the directory before clicking on the ``select current directory'' button. prompt is the prompt string which will be displayed at the top of the dialog. Return an FSSpec object and a success-indicator.

`SetFolder`([fsspec])
  Set the folder that is initially presented to the user when one of the file selection dialogs is presented. fsspec should point to a file in the folder, not the folder itself (the file need not exist, though). If no argument is passed the folder will be set to the current directory, i.e. what `os.getcwd()` returns.

  Note that starting with system 7.5 the user can change Standard File behaviour with the ``general controls'' control panel, thereby making this call inoperative.

`FindFolder`(where, which, create)
  Locates one of the ``special'' folders that MacOS knows about, such as the trash or the Preferences folder. where is the disk to search, which is the 4-character string specifying which folder to locate. Setting create causes the folder to be created if it does not exist. Returns a `(vrefnum, dirid)` tuple.

`NewAliasMinimalFromFullPath`(pathname)
  Return a minimal alias object that points to the given file, which must be specified as a full pathname. This is the only way to create an Alias pointing to a non-existing file.

  The constants for where and which can be obtained from the standard module MACFS.

`FindApplication`(creator)
  Locate the application with 4-character creator code creator. The function returns an FSSpec object pointing to the application.

Subsections

- 2.4.1 FSSpec objects
- 2.4.2 Alias Objects
- 2.4.3 FInfo Objects