To automatically update all Now Compress files on the startup disk, simply launch the Updater and then click the "Update" button. The Updater will locate each file that needs to be updated and update it. To update any Now Compress files that are not on the startup disk, click the "Custom" button and locate each file that you want to update. The Now Compress Updater updates only Now Compress 1.0 files.
Now Compress™ 1.0.1 Manual Addendum — Second Edition
THIS ADDENDUM CONTAINS IMPORTANT CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE MANUAL INCLUDED WITH YOUR SOFTWARE. PLEASE EXAMINE THIS DOCUMENT FOR INFORMATION THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU IN YOUR USE OF THE PRODUCT. WHERE APPLICABLE, EACH ENTRY IS FOLLOWED BY ONE OR MORE PAGE NUMBERS REFERRING TO THE LOCATION(S) IN THE MANUAL TO WHICH THE CORRECTION OR ADDITION APPLIES.
Introducing Support for Backup Utilities!
Now Compress 1.0.1 now provides a way to deliver compressed data to backup programs. You will notice an additional checkbox (which doesn’t appear in the manual) for “Backups” in the General Settings panel under the Keep Files Compressed When Copying To: category. The following programs are currently supported:
Retrospect, Retrospect Remote, DiskFit, Norton Backup and Central Point Backup.
FaxBack Information System
For the latest Technical Support information on Now Software products, including Now Compress, call 503-274-2810, then press 5 on your TouchTone phone to gain access to our 24-hour FaxBack Information System. You'll be able to select from a number of documents that can be sent to your fax machine within moments. [If you use a single line for both voice and FAX, hang up and put your FAX machine online *immediately* after entering your phone number into the system.]
Document #2300, “Answers to Common Questions about Now Compress,” is a good starting point.
• If you use Labels to include/exclude items for idle-time compression: when items are assigned a new Label, since the Finder does not write this information until the window is closed, Now Compress does NOT know that their status has changed *until* you close the Finder window containing the item(s). [p. 52-53]
• Command-Shift-P is now the default Hotkey to open the Settings… control panel. [p. 89]
• Because of the way Apple's Memory control panel operates, all files must be removed before unmounting a RAM disk created on Macintosh models that support this feature.
To quickly remove the Now Compress invisible folder before you unmount the RAM disk, you'll need to:
(1) turn off automatic idle-time compression for the RAM disk in the Settings… control panel
(2) delete items on the RAM disk
(3) select the RAM disk icon, and choose Erase Disk
(4) turn off the RAM disk with the radio button in the Memory control panel
(5) restart
If you use AppDisk or another third-party RAM disk utility, skip step (3). [p. 99 ]
• Your local copy of Now Compress will only provide the compressed size when inspecting transparently compressed items on a remote volume. You may, however, create and open archives directly on remote volumes. [p. 96]
• Now Compress 1.0.1 can't add or delete individual items from existing *multi-segment* Now Compress archive files. [pp. 65, 80, 91]
• Third-party *multi-segment* archives must be combined into a single archive file, using the original software, before you can convert them to Now Compress format. [pp. 12, 79, 95]
• Files compressed with DiskDoubler version 3.7.3 or earlier cannot be automatically converted. These files are typically at least two years old. Expand these manually with your DDExpand utility before recompressing with Now Compress.
2. Usage Notes
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• Before installing or using *any* new utility software, including Now Compress, it's a sensible precaution to run a disk-checking tool like Apple's Disk First Aid, Symantec's Norton Disk Doctor, Central Point's DiskFix, or Fifth Generation's Public Utilities to confirm the complete integrity of the file structures of each of your drives. It is always a good idea when installing new software to rebuild your desktop, by holding down the command-option keys at startup, as well.
• If you are updating Now Compress from an earlier version any files that have been marked as "Don't Compress" with that version will need to be marked again. To do this select the file or folder and choose "Don't Compress" from the Now Compress menu in the Finder.
• If you need to operate with the Now Compress extension turned off, and most of your documents and applications are compressed:
◊ Don't rebuild the desktop file, or you'll have to rebuild it again after Now Compress is active.
◊ Avoid opening compressed items via aliases when Now Compress is not available—the Finder may become confused by the aliases.
◊ Restart with Now Compress turned on as soon as possible.
• Don't use filenames with a period as the first character. Many applications and utilities [including Now Compress] will let you do so—but your Macintosh may mistakenly treat any such file as a driver.
• Startup/Extension Manager users: If you compress items within the Control Panels and/or Extensions folders, note that this may prevent compressed items from appearing in the Startup Manager window at startup, AND prevent them from loading.
◊ Workaround: rename extensions so that the Now Compress extension loads *before* the Startup Manager extension [for Now's Startup Manager have it load before Now Toolbox]. You won't be able to use Startup Manager to turn Now Compress off, however; use the Option-Shift keystroke at startup instead.
• Norton Utilities and Central Point MacTools users: Speed Disk and Optimizer both require you to restart without Now Compress before completely optimizing a drive, though they can perform file defragmentation without a restart.
3. Third-Party Compatibility Notes
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APPLICATIONS
• ALL applications which comply with Apple Computer, Inc.'s programming guidelines for proper use of the Macintosh file system will work with Now Compress when their documents are compressed, and/or they themselves are compressed.
• The Debugger in Think C 6.0 has been reported to generate Out of Memory errors when project files and/or resource files are compressed with AutoDoubler or Now Compress. Symantec is investigating the problem.
EXTENSIONS
• Now Compress 1.0.1 has been tested with literally hundreds of third-party extensions. Please contact Now Software's Technical Support at (503)274-2810 ext. 3 if you encounter an apparent conflict.
• Now Compress 1.0.1 is now compatible with DiskExpress II from Alsoft. However, DiskCheck reports the following message if it is compressed with Now Compress version 1.0: "The file “DiskCheck” in the folder “Utility Applications” has a resource fork physical length of 81,920 but the length of its allocated blocks is 0." Either ignore the report or set DiskCheck as an item not to compress.
• Tear-Off Menus users: Sorry, TOM INIT won’t tear off the Now Compress Finder Menu. Use hotkeys or the drag-and-drop applications instead.
