Alessandro Levi Montalcini
C.so Re Umberto 10
10121 Torino
Italy
e-mail: LMontalcini@pmn.it
anonymous ftp: //ftp.alpcom.it/software/mac/LMontalcini

 

NoDesktopCleanup 1.1.4 documentation - March 1995

• Shareware: $5
◊  This control panel is distributed as shareware: if you like it please honor the shareware system by sending $5 to the author at the address above. Since cashing international cheques is very expensive, please send cash only (U.S. dollars are best, but the equivalent in any European currency will be fine). Use the “Save Registration Form…” button below to generate a ready-to-print text file with all the data I need, then print it with TeachText or with your word processor (don’t worry about formatting the text). If you don’t like printed stuff just write down a note with your name, your address and the name and version of the program you’re registering.
◊  If you work on the Macintosh, there are many things you can send me instead of the money. Here are some suggestions: original software (but don’t send any shareware/freeware unless you’re the author), books or computer-related magazines (any free issue or subscription will be welcome), CD-ROMs, any piece of new or used hardware, or anything else you’ve created.
◊  There’s still another thing you could do: I’ll finish my physics studies sometime in 1996 and I’m looking for a one-year job as a programmer (or maybe a scientist?) outside of Italy. Write to me if you have anything to offer.
◊  If you can’t afford any of the above, a postcard or a letter will be welcome. I speak English, French and Italian. Please forgive me if I don’t answer to all of your letters - I am often overloaded with my school work.

• Introduction
◊  NoDesktopCleanup is a cool control panel that lets you add a confirmation dialog to any menu item in any application. The unusual name comes from the original task I wrote this control panel for: disabling the annoying “Clean Up Desktop” and “Clean Up All” menu items in the Finder, which often make one’s life miserable by moving all the icons on the desktop away from their carefully chosen locations. The “Restart” and “Shut Down” menu items can also be nasty, especially if your Mac has software power-off; I already took care of them with the Shutdown Delay control panel, but NoDesktopCleanup lets you cancel before all applications are closed.
◊  Version 1.1 has a useful auto-confirm timer which prevents your Mac from hanging forever when it’s working alone and there’s no user to press the “OK” or “Cancel” buttons.
◊  Another thing you can do with NoDesktopCleanup is to disable menu items altogether (without any user confirmation). If you leave stuff in the trash and you don’t want your kids to empty it, just disable the “Empty Trash” menu item. When you really have to empty it you can open the control panel, turn it off with the main switch, empty the trash, then turn it back on. The whole thing takes a few seconds, but it can be a real lifesaver.

• The control panel
◊  The NoDesktopCleanup control panel allows you to view and edit the menu items you want to disable or confirm. The following commands are available in the control panel:
◊  New: Creates a new menu item and brings up the menu item editor window.
◊  Edit: Brings up the menu item editor for the selected menu item. Beeps if no menu item is currently selected.
◊  Delete: Deletes the selected menu item after asking if it’s OK to do so. This operation cannot be undone. Beeps if no menu item is selected.
◊  Info: Displays this text and lets you save it as a text file. You may also save a text file with your personal registration form, which can be printed with TeachText or any other text editor.
◊  The menu items list displays all currently defined menu items in alphabetical order. You may double click on a menu item to edit it (same as the Edit button).
◊  The on/off master switch enables and disables NoDesktopCleanup.

• Shortcuts
◊  Typing some characters when the control panel is open selects the first menu item in the list whose name matches the characters typed. You should not use the shift key while typing because it is used for NoDesktopCleanup’s button shortcuts. 
◊  Some keys may be used as shortcuts when NoDesktopCleanup’s control panel is the front window. These shortcuts need the shift key; I could not use the command key because the Finder doesn’t let control panels use it.
>> Shift-N = new menu item
>> Shift-E = edit menu item
>> Backspace = delete menu item
>> Shift-I = info & registration
>> Return or enter = select none
>> Down arrow, right arrow or tab key = select next menu item
>> Up arrow, left arrow or shift-tab = select previous menu item

• Notes
◊  Some versions of the Finder appear to have an invisible “space” character at the end of the “Shut Down” menu item. If typing “Shut Down” alone doesn’t work, you may either add a space at the end of the menu item name or mark it as partial. The same hints apply to any other menu item you can’t get to work properly.

• Installation
◊  System 7: Move the NoDesktopCleanup control panel to your Control Panels folder (inside the System folder) and restart your Macintosh. Open the Control Panels folder and double click on NoDesktopCleanup’s icon to configure it.
◊  System 6: Move the NoDesktopCleanup control panel inside your System folder and restart your Macintosh. Open the Control Panel desk accessory to configure it.

• Distribution
◊  NoDesktopCleanup is ©1994-95 Alessandro Levi Montalcini. It can be freely distributed as long as it is not modified and there’s no charge for it, but it may not be included in any commercial package without my consent.
◊  You may find the latest version of all my shareware programs by anonymous ftp to ftp.alpcom.it, inside the /software/mac/LMontalcini directory. The complete ShareDisk package, which contains all my stuff and can be registered at a very low price, is also available there.
◊  All online services and bulletin boards may make it available to their users at no charge other than the normal connection fees.
◊  All non-profit user groups may distribute it at no charge.
◊  All magazines may publish it on floppy disk without asking me first, as long as I get a copy of the issue containing my software.
◊  All CD-ROM shareware collections and CD-ROM magazines may include it without my prior consent, as long as I get either a copy of the CD-ROM or an offer to buy the CD-ROM at a discounted price.
◊  All redistribution companies such as Educorp may distribute it, as long as I get a copy of each media containing my software and a catalog of the company’s offerings (where applicable).

• Version history
◊  1.1.4 - Added pictures and a contents menu to the online documentation.
◊  1.1.3 - Cleaned up the code and updated documentation.
◊  1.1.2 - Fixed a minor incompatibility with Okey Dokey, thanks to Brian A. Foster for reporting it.
◊  1.1.1 - Removed a couple of lines from this documentation.
◊  1.1 - Added auto-confirm timer option.
◊  1.0 - First public release.

• Thanks to…
◊  Valentina Pavia, who always kept me smiling while I was coding;
◊  Fabrizio Oddone and Alberto Ricci, for the usual testing and suggestions;
◊  Alberto Lenz, who suggested to add the auto-confirm timer.

• Disclaimer
◊  NoDesktopCleanup should never cause any damage, but you’re using it at your own risk. As an independent software developer, I can make no warranties whatsoever on it.

• Have fun!
◊  And don't forget to register your copy of NoDesktopCleanup, so that more cool utilities will see the light in the future at the low costs of shareware.