Felix is a control panel that allows you, when double-clicking on a document, to choose which application you want to use to open it. All you have to do is to maintain the Control key down while double-clicking. You will then be presented with a Standard File dialog prompting you for an application. The application you choose will then be launched and asked to open the document. If you choose "Cancel" in this dialog, the default (i.e. usual) application will be used.
This is already possible by drag'n dropping. But often my desktop is so cluttered with windows that I find myself totally unable to do it.
Felix is useful in many situations. For example, there are a lot of text files with exotic creators out there. Instead of having to change the file type to your favorite text editor's (e.g. TeachText ;-), you would just Control-double-click on the file and choose TeachText.
It is also possible to choose an alias for an application. It will be automatically resolved.
It is possible to choose a default directory for Felix. Felix's Open dialog will start in this directory. Typically you will choose the place where you put all of your applications.
In order to select a default directory, open the Control Panel, click on "Choose default directory", and select any file inside the directory you want.
WHAT ARE THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ?
Felix requires System 7. To install it, just drop it into your Control Panel folder and restart.
Felix is very small (about 12 kilobytes on disk and less than 512 bytes of RAM) so its size shouldn't bother you too much.
NO WARRANTY
I make no warranty about Felix : if it crashes your system, don't sue me. "Felix is provided as is, with no warranty, express or implied, regarding its fitness for any particular purpose", they say. Right ?
Please note that Felix's behavior depends very much on the Finder version. I have tested it with Finder versions 7.0 and 7.1. It could break under other versions (and the Finder would either use the normal application to open the document, or say 'application not found'). Let me know if you have problems, and tell me with which version.
KNOWN LIMITATIONS
Sadly enough, there are a lot of them. They are inherent to the way Felix works.
Ÿ Felix works only with documents that the Finder knows he can open. Which means that Felix doesn't work for files like INITs (the damn Finder knows, or thinks he knows, that they can't be opened), applications or control panels (the Finder opens them with... themselves), special files such as the System or the Finder, etc.
Also, Felix doesn't work when the application you choose is located on a floppy disk (the technical reason is, there is no desktop database on a floppy).
To top it all, Felix doesn't work when the chosen app or the default app are already running.
I am thinking about ways of fixing all this, but I have found no ideas until now. Any volunteers ?
Ÿ Felix gives bizarre results if you hold down the control key while double clicking on several files with different types.
[For those who want to know : if you hold the Control key down long enough, you will be prompted for an application as many times as there are different document types in your selection (logical, but annoying). And, if you select twice the same app, it won't work the second time because the app will be already open].
The best thing to do is not to use Felix with several document types at once.
KNOWN BUGS
• DON'T HOLD DOWN THE CONTROL KEY WHILE REBUILDING THE DESKTOP. While rebuilding the desktop, the Finder does things that "look like" opening a file to Felix, which may cause Felix to pop up his dialog during the rebuilding operation and possibly destroy the desktop.
Felix is rather unobtrusive (it patches only one seldom used trap, namely _FSDispatch, selector $27, for those who want to know). Init conflicts should be rare.
DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS
This piece of code is freeware. Which means, you can use and distribute it freely as long as this documentation file stays with it. It is not public domain, though. I retain all rights on the software, which stays my property. If you want to look at the source code, drop me a note and I will send it to you.
THE AUTHOR
(hey, that's me)
Don't hesitate to e-mail me for suggestions or bug reports, or just to tell me what you think of Felix. I will do my best to listen to you (but remember, this is a hack, not a real product. If there are too many bugs, I'll drop it).
My Internet address is :
pottier@clipper.ens.fr
You can also send me regular mail at :
François Pottier
4 rue Colette
94210 LA VARENNE
FRANCE
Postcards are welcome :-)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to :
James W. Walker for the ShowIcon7 code
Jon Wätte for an INIT skeleton
Dave Schutz, from whom I stole the 'Felix' icon
VERSION HISTORY:
1.0 ß : first release
1.1 : turned Felix into a Control Panel, added a default directory choice.
