Do you often find yourself opening the same set of documents, applications, and folders over and over again? If so, then Stapler is the application you've been looking for.
Stapler is a Macintosh application which creates documents similar to System 7's aliases, except that each Stapler document can contain references to multiple files, folders, and applications. Thus, opening a Stapler document opens all the files “stapled together” in that document. The files can be located in separate folders, on separate disks, and even on separate floppy disks and AppleShare servers!
Because Stapler makes heavy use of System 7 features such as aliases, AppleEvents, and balloon help, it requires System 7.0 or greater to run. If you are not running the correct System Software version, Stapler will inform you and quit.
HOW TO USE STAPLER
Creating Stapler Documents
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There are two ways you can “staple” files together.
First, you can select a group of files in the Finder (by shift-clicking, dragging a selection rectangle, etc.), and then drag-and-drop the selected files onto the Stapler icon. A standard Save File dialog box appears asking you what you want to call the “stapled” document and where you want to put it. When you click the “Save” button, you hear the files “stapled” together and the Stapler document appears in the folder you specified.
Second, you can double-click the Stapler icon, which launches Stapler. A new, untitled Stapler document window appears. Using the “Add…” command under the “Staple” menu, you can specify the files you want “stapled” together in the new document. As the files are added, Stapler displays the file names, file types, and creator signatures in the document window. You can then save the Stapler document using the “Save…” command under the “File” menu, just like any other Macintosh application.
Using Stapler Documents
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To automatically open all the files, applications, and folders “stapled” together in a Stapler document, merely double-click the document icon. Stapler will launch briefly, instruct the Finder (via Finder AppleEvents) to open the “stapled” files, and then quit.
To open a Stapler document without launching the “stapled” files (so that it behaves like a normal Mac application), hold down the option key as you double-click on the document. Keep the option key down until the Stapler document's window appears.
Files in the window can be selected by clicking on them in the list. Shift-clicking selects a contiguous group of files. Command-clicking selects multiple non-contiguous files from the list.
Using Stapler's Menus
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The “File” and “Edit” menus in Stapler work exactly like any other Mac application, except that the Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear commands only work in Desk Accessory windows.
The “Staple” menu contains the following commands:
“Add…”
Adds individual files to the current Stapler document. A standard Open File dialog box asks you to locate the file.
“Remove”
Deletes the selected file(s) from the Stapler document.
“Get Info…”
Opens a window for each selected file showing the last known location of the file. This ‘file path’ displays the names of all the folders enclosing the file, separated by colons (:), starting with the name of the disk it is on.
“Launch”
Sends an AppleEvent to the Finder, telling it to open the selected file(s), just as if you had double-clicked its icon.
The “View” menu lets you sort the list of files displayed in the Stapler document's window by name, by file type, by creator signature, or by the order they were added to the document.
MISCELLANEOUS STAPLER TIPS, TRICKS & TRAPS
• You can press Command-period or the esc key to abort lengthy operations, such as launching a long list of files or opening a lot of “Get Info…” windows.
• Try stapling together all the sound documents on your Mac.
• Stapler documents can contain other Stapler documents.
• Put a Stapler document containing your most frequently used applications into the Startup Items folder.
• Infrequently, Stapler can't launch a file that's been moved to a different folder from the one it was in when it was “stapled”. When this happens, you need to remove the file from the document and re-add it. A future release will let you tell Stapler where the lost file is.
STAPLER DISTRIBUTION POLICY
Stapler is distributed as Shareware. It is NOT free. You are permitted to use the product on a trial basis for up to two weeks (14 days). If you wish to continue using the product beyond that period, you are required to pay a registration fee of $10. Send your name, address, and a check for $10 to:
Patterson Software Works
925 Buccaneer Drive #6
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Stapler may be distributed freely through BBSs, nonprofit users’ groups which hold regular open meetings, communications networks, etc., provided there is no charge except for normal duplication/usage fees. In so doing this document must always accompany the software. Commercial redistribution of Stapler is strictly prohibited without written permission from Patterson Software Works.
BUG REPORTS & CORRESPONDENCE
Besides the above snail-mail address, I can be reached through the following electronic mail addresses. I welcome all comments, bug reports, & suggestions about Stapler. However, bug reports from registered users will receive the highest priority when it comes time to fix 'em.
