Type Resolve is a drag and drop application for System 7.x and later.
It is intended for those people who get a lot of files from non-macintosh sources and want to change their type and creator quickly and without having to think too hard.
For example, a file with the name 'dogcow.gif' could be turned into a Photoshop document of type 'GIFf' - a Compuserve GIF image - simply by dropping it on the Type Resolve icon in the Finder. Double-clicking the file would now launch Photoshop and open the file correctly.
Type Resolve can be set up to recognise different filename extensions such as .gif, .jpg, .txt, .doc and so on and map these to the correct mac file types. The creator of each file is also set to an application of your choice.
Once configured, all details of types and creators can be safely forgotten and you can use that part of your brain to remember something far more important instead…
• TR 2.0.1 Update!
…except Type Resolve 2.0.1 now lets those people who just can't forget about types and creators to change them directly. Hold down the command-key as you drop files on the TR 2.0.1 icon and it will pop up a dialog for quickly setting the type and creator on the fly. Neat huh? Two utilities for the price of none… Read the version history at the bottom of this file for more new features.
Type Resolve may be used without feeling guilty about unpaid shareware fees but if it frees up otherwise wasted bits of your mind, send a postcard to:
James Thomson,
25 Dumbreck Road,
Glasgow, The UK,
G41 5LJ.
You can also send me comments via email to thomsonj@dcs.gla.ac.uk.
• About extensions, types and creators
All documents on the macintosh have a type and creator associated with them so the system knows what sort of information is contained in the file and which application created the file.
The type and creator is used by the Finder to decide the which icon to display for the file and which application to open when the file is double-clicked.
The type and creator is stored as two strings of four characters each; for example, a file of type 'TEXT' and creator 'ttxt' is a text file created by TeachText.
Other computers - including those running MSDOS and, to a lesser extent, UNIX - store similar information by adding an extension onto the end of the name of the file, such as .txt to denote a text file similar to the TeachText document above.
When files from these computers are transfered to a macintosh, they usually do not have the correct type and creator; they will have a blank document icon and double-clicking them will not launch any appropriate application.
Enter Type Resolve!
• Using Type Resolve
To configure Type Resolve, double-click the application rather than drop files on it. Then select 'Configure…' from the file menu. A dialog will appear with a list of filename extensions and the type of file they will turn into when dropped onto Type Resolve. A file will be described as an 'unknown document' if the application with that creator cannot be found on your hard drive.
Click 'Add…' to add a new extension or select an existing entry and either click 'Change…', 'Duplicate' or 'Remove'.
'Duplicate' will make a new entry the same as the one selected - useful for adding multiple extensions that map to the same type and creator. 'Remove' will delete the selected entry. There is a maximum of 128 different entries by the way.
When adding or changing an entry, a further dialog will appear that will let you type in the details directly or select a similar file or creator application from your disk.
You may find it easier to use the 'Select a similar file…' option to pick a file with the desired type and creator (and extension if it has one) using a standard 'Open…' dialog .
The 'OK' button will be dimmed until you have entered a legal extension, type and creator. An extension has to be at least one character and at most twelve characters in length. The type and creator both have to be four characters in length.
To use Type Resolve, simply drop the files you want to change onto its icon. You can also drop a folder and the entire contents of it will be processed. If a large number of files are still to be processed, the cursor will change to a spinning ball to indicate that Type Resolve is working.
• Version history
2.0.1 of April 1993
Now updates the file icons immediately.
Added the quick type/creator change thing when you hold
down the command-key.
Added a 'Duplicate' button in the main dialog to copy
existing entries.
Also some silent future-proofing.
2.0 of March 1993
A year later and a total rewrite.
Now System 7.x savvy with a neat interface.
Support for extensions other than three characters in length.
Folders can now be dropped on the application.
Still no balloon help!
1.0 of March 1992
The original - the idea came to me in a dream and I wrote it that morning.
Not released to the world due to the lack of any user interface other than ResEdit.
• Legal bit
Although you may freely use TypeResolve, it is copyright and is not in the public domain. You may not charge for TypeResolve or include it in any collection of software without permission. The applies especially to for-profit libraries and CDROM collections. Individuals and user groups are encouraged to distribute it providing the Read Me and Resume documents are included and neither are modified.
As this is free software, it comes with absolutely no warranty of any kind.
• Future plans
I'd like to add support for real file type detection - by actually examining the file's contents - at some point in the future. However, I am going to be very busy for the next few months so don't hold your breath!
I'll fix any bugs that people find, but new features are not high on my to-do list right now, sorry. Pay me to write programs like this and I'll add anything you want!
• About the author
The author is studying computing science at Glasgow university in the UK. He is very interested in hearing from potential employers in the computing industry (especially companies named after fruit :-). His resume should have been included just in case you are interested!
If you like this program look out for PCalc - a neat programmable scientific calculator application also written by me. PCalc 1.0.2 is the most recent version at the time of going to press. It took slightly longer than the two days this took me to write!
