• Locate the original file that an alias file describes, and display and change
system information about the original file and the alias file.
• Examine and change all system information about all files, including file
properties that are new with system 7.0.
• Examine information about volumes.
• Open and close any file on your machine.
• Compare and delete files.
File Kit is an essential utility for anyone who uses alias files or wants to better manage files and disks.
2. What’s New In This Version
Since version 1.0.2, several new features have been added to File Kit:
• File Kit displays information about alias files, including the pathname
of the original file the alias file describes.
• File Kit supports drag and drop under System 7.0. To
display information about a file, you can now drag the file’s icon
over the File Kit icon in the Finder. File Kit launches and displays
information for the file.
• The main file selection list treats alias files correctly, and now
behaves like the standard Apple file selection dialog.
• File Kit supports both a basic and advanced mode. In advanced mode,
file information dialogs display information that is primarily of interest to
programmers and interested power users.
3. Running File Kit
There are several ways to launch the File Kit application. You may launch File Kit by double clicking its icon in the Finder, like any other application, or if System 7.0 is installed on your machine, File Kit also supports drag and drop. To use the drag and drop feature, drag the icon of any file over the File Kit icon in the Finder. File Kit will launch and display an information window describing the file.
However you launch it, File Kit creates the main file selection window which contains the main file list. This file list behaves like an ordinary file selection list, so it supports the arrow keys and other standard keyboard shortcuts. The main file selection window also contains buttons for File Kit’s main functions: Vol Info, File Info, Alias Info, Delete Files, and Compare Files. Each of these is described in detail below.
File Kit also has two important options that controls how its functions. The “Show Invisible Files” option causes File Kit to display all files on your disks, even invisible files that are not normally displayed in the Finder. The “Technical Information” option controls what information is displayed in volume and file information windows. If you select this option, then these windows will display information that is of most use to programmers and interested power users. You may turn either function on or off in the Options menu.
4. Volumes and the Vol Info Function
The Vol Info button will display a dialog that describes the current volume. You select the current volume with the drive button in the main file selection window; it cycles through all mounted volumes. If you ask for information about the current volume, a window is created that contains the following information:
• Name - The name of the volume
• Total File Count - The total number of files on the volume.
• Total Folder Count - The total number of folders on the volume.
• Total size - The total amount of storage on this volume.
• Space Available - The total amount of available storage on this volume.
• Created - When the volume was last initialized.
• Modified - When the volume was last modified. Changing any file on the volume modifies the volume.
• Backed Up - When the volume was last backed up.
Additionally, if you have selected the Technical Information option (described above), then this window will also display the following information:
• Vol RefNum - This is the reference number that programmers use in File Manager traps.
• Drive Number - This is the number of the disk drive that this volume is stored on.
• Device Driver - This is the refNum of the device driver that controls the volume.
• Block Size - This is the unit of allocation for storage on this volume.
When the Technical Information option is set, this dialog will also display which “volume attributes” apply to the selected volume. In general, a volume will only have some of the possible attributes. The possible attributes are:
• Startup - The volume is the startup volume. When you start your Mac, it will use the System Folder from this volume.
• External - The volume is implemented by an external file system.
• Bootable - The volume could be selected as a Startup volume.
• Access Controls - The volume supports access controls for files and folders.
• Desktop Manager - The volume supports the Desktop Manager. This means programmers can use Desktop traps for this volume.
• BTree Manager - The volume supports the B-Tree Manager.
• Uses File ID’s - The volume supports the file ID’s. This means programmers can use traps that take File ID’s to operate on files on this volume.
• CatSearch - Programmers can use the CatSearch function on this volume.
5. Files and Folders and the File Info function
The File Info button will display and allow you to change information about a file or folder. You can open the information window for a file or a folder in several ways:
Select the file or folder in the main file selection window and click the
“File Info” button.
or double click a file name
or selecting a file and hit the return key
The file Info dialog displays the following information:
• File Name - The name of the file. You may change this by typing a new name in this field and selecting the Change button.
• Data Size - This is the logical size of the data fork of the file. Every file has two forks, the data fork and the resource fork. The total file size is the sum of the sizes of these forks. If the information window describes a folder, then this is the total size of the data fork of every file contained in the folder.
• Resource size - This is the logical size of the resource fork of the file. Every file has two forks, the data fork and the resource fork. The total file size is the sum of the sizes of these forks. If the information window describes a folder, then this is the total size of the resource fork of every file contained in the folder.
• Created - When the file was created.
• Modified - When the file was last modified.
• Backed Up - When the file was last backed up. Note that third-party backup programs may or may not set this value, but the system software does not change the value.
Each file also has several attributes that may be set or reset with the checkboxes on the right side of the dialog. Changes to these attributes will not take place until you click the Change button, so if you make a change and then click on Cancel the file is unchanged. The following attributes are controlled by checkboxes:
• Invisible - The file is visible in the finder
• Locked - The file may be modified in any way. This is the same attributed that is displayed by the “Locked” checkbox when you get information about a file in the Finder.
Additionally, if you have selected the Technical Information option (described above), then this window will also display the following attributes of a file or a folder. WARNING! These values are used by your system software to manage files. DO NOT CHANGE THESE VALUES UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
• File Type and File Creator - This is information used by the Finder to determine what type of file this is. For example, applications have type value ‘APPL’ and control panels have type ‘cdev’. The creator is a signature, and identifies the application that created a file; and an application and any files it creates will all have the same creator value. Both the type and creator are always four letter values, but one or more letters may be a space.You may change either of these by typing a new name in this field and selecting the Change button.
• Data fork and Resource fork - The file info dialog also displays the refNum of the data fork and resource fork. A refNum describes an open file, and programmers use refNum values in many File System operations. If the file is not open, then this field displays the message: “Closed”. There are also controls to open or close the two forks of the file. Be very careful when you close a file, the application that opened that file expects it to stay open.
If you have set the Technical Information option, then the information window displays the following file attributes in addition to the “Locked” and “Invisible” attributes described above. Remember, changes to these attributes will not take place until you click the Change button, so if you make a change and then click the Cancel button, the file is unchanged.
• Name Locked - The file may be renamed in the Finder. Note that you can change the name of a file in File Kit even if this attribute is set.
• Alias - The file is an alias file. This is only used by System 7.0.
• On Desktop - The file is displayed on the desktop in the Finder.
• Custom Icon - The file contains a custom icon.
• Bundle - The file contains resources to define a new type and creator bundle.
• Inited - This is used by the Finder to manage the display of icons in file windows.
• Stationary - The file is a stationary file. This is only used by System 7.0.
• Shared - The file is shared.
• Contains Inits - The file contains startup code resources.
6. Alias Files and the Alias Info Function
If you select an alias file in the main file list, the File Info function will display information about the original file, the file that is described by the alias file. You may, however, also use the Alias Info function to display information about the alias file itself. Select an alias file in the main file selection list (the names of aliases to files and folders appear italicized) and click the mouse on the Alias Info button. File Kit will display an alias information window, which contains the name of the alias file and the pathname of the original file. The alias information window also has several buttons.
Done - Return to the main file selection window
Go To Original - Return to the main file selection window, but change the
current volume and folder to the location of the original file.
Alias Info - Open a file information window (described above) describing the
alias file.
Original Info - Open a file information window (described above) describing the
original file or folder.
7. Comparing and Deleting Files
File Kit allows you to compare two files, to see if they are identical or not. When you select this button, File Kit will prompt you for the two files and compare them. Note that the first part of the resource fork (first 256 bytes) are ignored. Apple system software stores information about the location and other attributes in this area, and two files that appear identical to the user and for all practical purposes are identical may have different information stored here.
To delete a file or folder, select its name in the main file list and hit the delete button. Deleting a folder deletes every file and folder contained within that folder. In any case, you will be asked if you really want to delete the file or folder because deleted files and folders cannot be recovered.
8. Shareware Notice
File Kit is shareware, if you use it please send 15$ (US) to:
Dawson Dean, Attn: Software Publishing
654 Blair Ave.
Piedmont, CA 94611
To report bugs, or for more information, you may reach me online at the following addresses:
Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
Limited Warranty on Media and Manual
Dawson Dean makes no warranty, either explicit or implied, with respect to this software, its quality, performance, or fitness for a particular purpose. This software and manual are sold “as is”, and you the purchaser are assuming the entire risk as to its quality and performance.
In no event will Dawson Dean be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from any defect in the software or its documentation. In particular, Dawson Dean shall have no liability for any damage to programs or data used with this product, including the cost of recovering or repairing such programs or data.
The warranty and remedies set forth above are exclusive and in lieu of all others, oral or written, express or implied.
