AD is an application to delete unnecessary and reoccurring files, such as your internet browser's cache files, which in turn may litter your hard disk. Obviously you may delete any files/folders you wish e.g. redundant log files or whatever... A good examples are also the .vcf files that come with email.
Quick Start.
Run the application. Drag items you want to delete to the list inside the window. Click the 'Delete' button. Additionally you can tell AutoDelete to act automatically on system startup or shutdown.
To use it on system startup - place it inside Startup Items of System Folder. Also set the AutoDelete on launch in the preferences to allow it to act as it launches. You will not see the list of files to delete, only a simple window. To override this hold down the Command Key as it launches the next time.
To use it on system shutdown - place it inside the 'Shutdown Items' folder in the 'System Folder' and set the: AutoDelete on shutdown in the preferences to allow it act as the computer restarts. Then it quits by itself, allowing the computer to proceed normally.
To use it as a normal application you have to uncheck the AutoDelete checkbox.
Anyway, I suggest that you should disable the Show alert checkbox. Those alerts can be very annoying. It is only for tracking any errors - not for normal use.
How to use AD?
AD deletes files that you have first dragged into the list or selected using the "Add" button. You can remove a file from the list (but NOT from the hard disk!) by using the "Remove" button. By clicking "Settings" you can set the way AD acts on files. It can remove the file immediately or move it to the trash. Also it can remove a folder itself or only the contents of it (or only files whose names contain the strings you specify).
Which files can I delete?
Generally any local files (on your hard disks) can be deleted. You can also delete any file on a file server or removable disk, but in this case problems may arise, since AD is designed to be as simple as possible, it stores very little information about the file to delete. This includes a volume reference number, which doesn't change for local volumes (if you keep the same hardware configuration). But the file servers and removable disks are assigned the numbers from the system as they are connected. The next time you connect to the file server it can have different number and AD cannot find a file to delete on that disk. You can assume that when the disks are connected in the same order, the numbers assigned to them will be the same, but when the order changes, the files will be inaccessible.
How do I empty the trash?
It works only if you have either MacOS 8.5.1 (or later) or Navigation Services installed (the new&cool file boxes). The point is to treat the trash as a normal folder. So open the trash and if you can see a small icon left to the name of its window you can drag it to AD list. You can not simply drag trash icon from the desktop to the list! It's normal. In the second case you can use Add button, navigate to hard disk of which trash contents you want to delete (trash doesn't reside on the desktop, it is inside the root folder of a disk) and choose it. That's all.
Why do I get errors?
In general error messages (if you set the 'Show alert' checkbox) are not harmful.
Error -35 - the application can't find the volume it expects the file to reside on. The volume may have been disconnected.
Error -43 - the file was not found, which in fact isn't an error.
Error -45 - the file is locked. Unlock it.
Error -47 - the file is busy. It is opened and still used by another application. Quit the application it belongs to.
These are the most common ones.
What are the requirements?
Power Macintosh, System 8 or above, Appearance, Drag&Drop. 600kB free memory.
Version History...
v1.3 Added the ability to empty trash
v1.2 Added a filter to allow deleting only the files with a specific pattern in their names.
v1.0.1 Added startup on launch option.
v1.0 Initial release.
Known limitations.
There is a bug in the Finder - you will get a crash if you move an invisible file to the trash and then move a file with the same name again.
If there is something that works wrong or something is missing that you'd like to see, send me a message.
How to register?
You will need a registration code. To obtain one you will have to pay a registration fee and then put this code and your name into Register dialog.
AD has the following pricing.
Single user licenses, $10 per user. A Site License costs $200 (equal to 20 users) and covers all locations for your organization within a 160 kilometer radius of your site (100 miles). Paying for AD is fairly simple. Open the Register program that accompanies AD. Enter your name, your email address, and the number of single user licenses you desire for each program you wish to purchase. Save or Copy or Print the data from the Register program and send the data and payment to Kagi. Kagi handles my payment processing. If paying with Credit Card, you can email or fax the data to Kagi. Their email address is sales@kagi.com and their fax number is +1 510 652-6589. You can either Copy the data from Register and paste into the body of an email message or you can Save the data to a file and you can attach that file to an email message. There is no need to compress the data file, it's already pretty small. If you have a fax modem, just Print the data to the Kagi fax number. Payments sent via email are processed within 3 to 4 days. You will receive an email acknowledgement when it is processed. Payments sent via fax take up to 10 days and if you provide a correct internet email address you will receive an email acknowledgement. If you are paying with Cash or USD Check you should print the data using the Register application and send it to the address shown on the form, which is:
Kagi
1442-A Walnut Street #392-UPZ
Berkeley, California 94709-1405
USA
You can pay with a wide variety of cash from different countries but at present if you pay via check, it must be a check drawn in US Dollars. Kagi cannot accept checks in other currencies, the conversion rate for non-USD checks is around USD 15 per check and that is just not practical. If you have a purchasing department, you can enter all the data into the Register program and then select Invoice as your payment method. Print three copies of the form and send it to your accounts payable people. You might want to highlight the line that mentions that they must include a copy of the form with their payment. Kagi can not invoice your company, you need to act on my behalf and generate the invoice and handle all the paperwork on your end. Please do not fax or email payment forms that indicate Cash, Check or Invoice as the payment method. As far as we know, there is still no technology to transfer physical objects via fax or email and without the payment, the form cannot be processed. Payments send via postal mail take time to reach Kagi and then up to 10 days for processing. Again, if you include a correct email address, you will hear from Kagi when the form is processed.
You can also register online at: http://order.kagi.com/?UPZ
Protection
AD has a protection scheme and when you pay, Kagi will tell you how to indicate to AD that you have paid the registration fee. If you do not have an email address, please enter your complete postal address and please remember, we do not know what country you live in so please enter that into the postal address also. If you do not have an email address you should consider selecting the
Postcard Receipt so that Kagi can inform you of your registration code. Kagi transmits the registration codes via email and paid postcard receipt only.
