Macintosh Technical Support

Question

When I double-click on a MacGallery file I get a message on my computer saying that the file can't be opened because the application that created it is either busy or missing.

Answer

When you double-click on a file, your Macintosh system software reads the file's "Creator" code and then searches your computer for the program that created it. If the program can't be found, you get the "Busy or Missing" message on your screen.

Most MacGallery files have are in PhotoShop format PICT files, so, unless you have Adobe PhotoShop on your computer, you will probably get that message.

Word processor programs, that support graphics, will normally have some method of inserting or importing a graphic into the word processor document. You should look in the index of your word processor's user manual under "graphics" or "importing graphics" for more information about how your particular program works.

Most Macintosh based "paint" programs can read or write PICT format graphics. Some will automatically recognize PICT format files when you try to open them (using the program's "Open" command under the "File" menu of the specific program) while others require that you specify that you want to open a PICT format graphic. Your program's user manual should have information about this.

With a compatible paint program, you can also copy and paste images between the paint program and other programs documents. You can also copy and paste images into the Macintosh Scrapbook. The Scrapbook is a handy place to store images you use frequently or to assemble a group of images you intend to use in a particular project. For more information about the Scrapbook, you should consult your Macintosh User's Manual.