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Text File | 1986-02-11 | 2.7 KB | 43 lines | [TEXT/????] |
- "Comments" is a desk accessory that lets you read, write, or modify
- the comments normally found in the Finder's "Get Info" box -- but
- you don't have to return to the Finder to do it! This short doc
- explains two things about the DA that might not be obvious other-
- wise: how to install the (optional) special menu cursor (the file
- "Cmnts.crs" that accompanies the accessory; and the slightly non-
- standard but, I think, amusing user interface it uses.
- 1. Installation: you install "Cmnts.bin" as you would any other
- desk accessory, using either Apple's Font/DA Mover, or with the
- Resource Editor (ResEdit) available in DL8 of MacDev. You may,
- if you wish, use ResEdit to install also (into the System file)
- the cursor resource called "Cmnts.crs"; the DA will work fine
- without it, however. Its resource ID is 5; so if you do install
- it, be sure you don't already have a cursor resource with this
- ID# (most Systems have just the standard 4).
- 2. Use: The DA window has a light grey background and a white
- rectangle within it where comments appear and are modified by
- you. When you move the mouse over this rectangle, the cursor is
- the I-beam shape, meaning you can edit the text appearing in the
- rectangle. When the cursor is outside the white rectangle but
- within the DA's window, it changes shape (to a miniature menu if
- you installed "Cmnts.crs", otherwise to a cross). Mouse down now
- and a menu pops up where the mouse was clicked (thanks to Mike
- Schuster: see MacTutor vol 1 #12)! Choose "Comment" from the menu
- to get a list of all the files, both applications and documents,
- on any mounted disk -- this is just your basic SFGetFile dialog
- box. Pick a file, and if there's a comment appended it will
- appear in the DA window's white rectangle. You can now modify it;
- if the file had no comment you'll only see TextEdit's flashing
- vertical bar. You can type a new comment if you wish. In either
- case (modifying an old comment or adding a new one), you need to
- pop up the menu and choose "Save" to associate the new comment
- with the file. Choose "Comment" again to see another file.
- 3. One last caveat: this version won't work with any Finder later
- than 4.1, meaning no HD20's, Mac+s, or other HFS systems need apply.
- When I get plussed (RSN I hope) I will post a version that will work
- with both MFS and HFS systems.
- 4. I've tested "Comments" with most of my commonly used applications,
- and with TMON's Trap Discipline and Heap Scramble routines. It seems
- solid, but...I am an amateur programmer, so please exercise prudence
- and get to know the thing before you entrust valuable data to it.
- If you have any problems or comments, please leave me E-mail at
- 70277.726. Enjoy, Carlos Weber