Changing the amount of memory a program uses
Each program you open sets aside the amount of memory it
needs. (If you don’t have enough memory to open a program, you
need to quit one of the programs already open to free up some
memory.)
On occasion you may want to increase or decrease the amount of
memory a program uses. You increase the amount so you can
open more or larger documents in that program, and you
decrease the amount so you can open more programs at the same
time. You adjust the program’s memory size in its Info window.
1. Quit the program if it’s open, and then click the
program’s icon to select it.
2. Choose Get Info from the File menu.
3. Drag across the box containing the number you want to
change (either “Minimum size” or “Preferred size”).
“Preferred size” must always be larger than “Minimum size.”
4. Type the number of kilobytes (K) of memory that you
want the program to use.
If the program frequently runs out of memory, increase both
the preferred size and the minimum size.
If you want to be able to open more programs, decrease the
minimum size. If you type a size smaller than “Suggested size,”
the program may work more slowly, show other performance
problems, or not work at all.
5. Close the Info window.
If you make the memory size smaller than suggested, you’ll
see a message asking you to confirm your decision. Click
Cancel to avoid problems with the program.
Chapter 6: Setting Up Your Programs 95
The amount of memory the
program needs to open
The amount of memory the
program will use if enough
memory is available.