This easy-to-use application creates catalog files of CD-ROMs, hard disks, floppies, ZIPs and almost everything that turns.
Using the powerful search function you are able to easily locate and display files or folders.
While reading this document please keep in mind that English is not my native language. Nevertheless I hope that the translation is acceptable.
System requirements
CDFinder needs System 7.0 or newer and at least a 68020-CPU or a Power-Mac. Since it also uses Color QuickDraw, it can't run on any of the older Mac Plus, SE, Classic and the PowerBook 100.
I did my tests on many different Power Macs, native and using the 68k emulation.
If drag&drop is installed, the application uses it in some parts (see below).
Menus
Ô£ø (Apple menu)
About CDFinder…
Display a dialog showing the version number of the application and the amount of free memory available.
Help…
Display this help window. (you may as well use the key "Help" on any extended keyboard)
File
Open
Open the active object. If this is a catalog, it's contents will be displayed in a separate window. If it's a folder of a catalog, the contents of the selected folder will be displayed in the window of the catalog. Any found objects or files of catalogs will be opened by the Finder (applications may be launched if necessary), if the volume that contains the object is available and AppleScript is correctly installed. If the volume is not currently online, CDFinder prompts you to insert it.
The keys "return" and "enter" provide a shortcut to this function.
Close
Close the active window.
Create Catalog…
Open a dialog that let you select a volume to create a catalog of. If you have drag&drop installed, you should simply drop the icon of a volume into the main window to accomplish the same task.
Update Catalog…
To update an existing catalog, simply use this command. You will be asked to insert the volume if it is not available. This operation is also automatically invoked if you try to catalog a volume that is already known to the program by its name and creation date, but with a different modification date. Please note that the Mac OS does not update the modification date of a volume very often.
Batch Create…
To create a whole lot of catalog files from more than one volume, you can use this function. It displays a dialog and let you insert volumes of any kind. Catalog files will be created of the volumes and they will be automatically afterwards (if possible...).
Find…
Open the "Find"-Window, where you can enter any type of information you want to look for.
Information
Display an information window for the active object. If it's a catalog, you can change it's name and enter some comment as well. The first line of your comment will be displayed in the main window, as long as you view it with icons.
Quit
Quit CDFinder and saves all changes.
Edit
These are the well–known functions for basic text editing and two more:
Delete Catalog
Delete the active catalog file after an acknowledgement. You may also use the "delete"-key for this task.
Preferences…
Using the preferences dialog, you can select the folder CDFinder is using to store the catalog files. You can also change the labels and the language of the user interface. If you want to be notified after a longer process (like finding, sorting, and creating a catalog) you can make CDFinder play a little sound. You can change the catalog folder by simply dropping a folder into the right area as well.
Label
Using this menu, you can assign labels to catalogs. This can help reducing the catalogs to be searched. By using properly named labels like "Is not available" you can also add valuable information to a catalog entry. You can change the labels using the "Preferences…", located in the "Edit" menu.
View
With Icons
Only available for the main window, you can choose to have the volume icons displayed or not. Without the icons, each entry only uses about half as much space to display and thereby allows almost twice as many catalogs to be displayed in the window. This is a useful feature for smaller screens.
By Name
Sort the contents of the active window by name. This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.
By Size
Sort the contents of the active window by size. This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.
By Label
Sort the contents of the active window by label (currently only available for the main window). This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.
By Date
Sort the contents of the active window by modification date (currently only available for the found objects). This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.
By Kind
Sort the contents of the active window by kind (currently only available for the found objects). This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.
By Catalog
Sort the contents of the active window by catalog (currently only available for the found objects). This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.
Special
Last Level
Use this command to display the last level (that is one level above the current one). You can also use the keyboard command ‚åò-arrow up or click in the little arrow button located in the header of the window.
First Level
This displays the first level of the current catalog.
Show in Catalog
Only available for found objects, the selected object will be displayed inside its catalog. That is useful to determine the surrounding area of an object, to discover any similar or additional files.
Reveal in Finder
Available for any found object and any object inside a catalog, CDFinder persuades the Finder to display the window in which the object resides. If the containing volume is not online, you are prompted to insert it. This only works, if AppleScript and the "Finder scripting addition" are properly installed.
Registration Form…
Only available in an unregistered version of the application, you can fill in the registrations form and print it. You may also print the enclosed registration form document (using SimpleText) and fill it in with a pencil.
However, the first method is easier.
Enter Registration…
Also just available in an unregistered version of CDFinder, here you can enter your name and personal keyword to complete the registration. Please keep in mind that CDFinder does not ignore case (typing your name!) and that your registration will not be stored inside the application itself but in the preferences file inside your system folder. Hence you can still share your application together with its "Read me's" and any other accompanying documents!
Keyboard shortcuts
In addition to using the menus (and their keyboard shortcuts) and the mouse there are some useful shortcuts available to control CDFinder.
The following shortcuts are available:
– "Help" (only extended keyboards) will open this help window.
• In all windows with scroll bars:
– "Begin" (only extended keyboards) displays the first entry (but does not change the selection!).
– "End" displays the last entry.
– "Page down" displays the next page of entries, if possible.
– "Page up" displays the previous page of entries.
– arrow up (on all keyboards) selects the entry previous to the currently selected one.
– arrow down selects the entry next to the currently selected one.
– "Return" or "Enter" will open the selected object (not possible inside the help window, of course). See the menu command "Open" for details.
• In the "Find" dialog:
– ⌘-"A" selects "every catalog file".
– ⌘-"+" is the same as clicking the button "More…" to expand the dialog to two options.
– ⌘-"-" is the same as clicking the button "Fewer…" to reduce the dialog to one option.
• In the main window:
– "Delete" deletes the selected catalog, only after you acknowledged this.
- ‚åò-arrow down will open the selected catalog and display its contents in a new window.
- Almost any other character will select the first catalog whose name starts with the character.
• In any catalog window:
- ‚åò-arrow down will open the selected folder and display its contents.
- ‚åò-arrow up displays the level above the current one (thereby "closing" the current folder). If the current level is already the first one, the window will be closed.
• In the found objects window:
- Almost any character will select the first object whose name starts with the character.
Drag&Drop
CDFinder is currently using drag&drop in different areas.
- You can drop volumes of any kind one at a time into the main window to create a catalog of them.
- You can drop text clips and files inside the input areas of the "Find" dialog. CDFinder will try to set the contents of these fields accordingly.
- By moving a catalog directly from the main window into the trash, you can delete a catalog.
- By dropping a folder into the right area inside the preferences dialog, you can select the folder in which CDFinder keeps its catalog files.
Future versions will include even better support of this useful technology.
CDFinder in the Internet
The most actual version is always available in the Info-Mac archives and on the CDFinder-Hompeage at:
The unregistered version of CDFinder will annoy you at every launch with a little dialog reminding you of the benefits of paying your shareware fee. The number of catalogs is also reduced to 15, which is enough to evaluate the application and its functions.
Legal stuff
CDFinder is shareware.
The application "CDFinder" and all included materials are protected by copyright law. You may not disassemble it or modify it with similar tools.
You may copy the program together with all additional documents as often as you want, as long as you don't modify any part of it! You may not sell it or use it commercially in any other way without my written consent.
If you want to distribute CDFinder on a shareware collection CD-ROM or anything like that, you have to inform me with an e-mail or a written letter. I'd also like to have a copy of the CD-ROM, if possible...
For a trial period of 30 days you may freely use the program. After that, you need to register it.
In absolute no way am I responsible for any damage occurring by the use of the software.
Registration
CDFinder is shareware. For private use, the fee is 20 DM (or 15 US-$, or 10 £ (British pound)).
For additional 5 DM (or 5 US-$, or 2 £ (British pound) I send you a floppy disk containing the most recent version of the program (by airmail, if possible).
Multi user licenses and site licenses for companies are available. Please contact me.
You can pay cash by simply adding the money to your registration form.
You can also transfer the payment directly to my bank account.
My account number:
101 8715 10 (Norbert M. Doerner)
at:
Raiffeisenbank Aschaffenburg eG
Glattbacher Ueberfahrt 18
63741 Aschaffenburg
Germany
If you fill in your registration form without using the dialog provided by CDFinder, please print carefully. My brand new biological character recognition system (BRAIN 3.0) still needs some training ;-)
After I receive the payment, I will send you your personal registration keyword by snail mail (airmail, if possible).
Acknowledgements
First of all I would like to thank my wonderful wife Silvia. Without her patience, the development process would not have been possible.
I also want to thank all those who helped my doing the first beta testing and thereby provided invaluable assistance checking the functions and user interface of the software: Wolfgang Warmbold, Martin Girschick, Patrick Röder, Michael Stunz, Manfred Kunkel, Heiko, and Manfred Richter.
The comments and notes of all registered users also helped a lot.
Please send me ideas, comments, and notes and Star Trek books!
