Ok, so there's this nice UNIX utility that allows you to split a file up into as many parts as you would like. Does the Macintosh have a similar function? Nope. Did someone else realize that people do occasionally need to split (text) files up into chunks on a Macintosh? As far as I can tell, nope.
Well, my winter semester just ended and I was uploading BinHex files to my UNIX account to send out to the world, when I found out that my mainframe doesn't like to receive files larger than 500K or so. So what do I do?
I decided to see how long it would take to write such a program. The answer : a little over 6 hours. Not bad for 4K of code. (Note: That was v1.0. I have now spent more time on v2.0.)
What you now have is a program that will split files into whatever size segements you want. Now watch out - Splitter will split ANYTHING, and it treats everything as a text file, so don't split a MacWrite document and expect the two segment files to be MacWrite documents themselves. Again, Splitter treats everything as a text file, so if you want to split a MacWrite, Word, or WhateverWrite document, don't use Splitter unless you want two halves that aren't whole by themselves. (Maybe later I'll check into nifty things like that, but for right now, I just want to get Splitter out of the door.)
When you run Splitter by clicking on it, it will give you a stamdard get file dialog, ask for the segment file size, then a save file dialog. It will then split the selected file.
In the save dialog box, the suggested segment name will be the original filename with the segment number appended. ("Report" splits into "Report1", "Report2", ...) However, you can change this to whatever you like.
If you check "Save All", all the segments will be saved in the same place as the first segment. If a duplicate filename is found during Save All, the operation will be halted. If you wish to overwrite a file, just use "Save", which will allow you to choose the filename and destination of every segment, along with overwriting existing files.
With System 7, you can drop any number of files onto Splitter and it will process them all, one it a time, asking you for the segment size of each file, then asking you for the destinations.
Splitter is freeware. All I ask is that if you distribute it, be sure to include this file, for the actual program has no help in it.
Splitter works fine on my IIsi in Systems 6.0.7 or 7.0.1, with or without 32bit addressing. It works just fine under AutoDoubler and a ton of other INITs. (I can never remeber to call them extensions...)
If you do run into ANY trouble or if you'd like to drop me a suggest (which I am certainly open to), please contact me at :
jtgorman@cs.arizona.edu
(Until May 18, 1993 - then I graduate - yah!)
If you need me later than the above date, there's always USmail :
180 West Country Club
Henderson NV, 89015
Have fun and I hope you find Splitter useful!
Taggart Gorman
12/24/92
Revision History
v2.0
Ah, Winter Break! Time to catch up on everything I have been meaning to do! I added some sensible features, like the ability to name the segments, and the ability to handle a disk full error. Hope this makes Splitter more of a program, instead of a temporary hack.
