Navigator Button Editor was written to customize those six less-than-lovable directory buttons in Netscape Navigator™. It has now been upgraded to customize and expand the "Guide" button pop-up menu in Communicator™ 4 up to 100 custom menu items (if you have the strength to type that many in!).
You can now edit the default Search URL in Navigator and Communicator versions 4.x!
Navigator Button Editor supports Mac OS Netscape Navigator™ version 1.1N through 3.x and Netscape Navigator™/Communicator™ 4.03. Future versions will certainly be supported when necessary. (It would be nice if Netscape would build this function into Navigator for we dedicated Mac folk.)
• Macintosh Systems supported:
Navigator Button Editor is FAT BINARY and has been successfully tested on 680x0 and PPC Macintosh computers, running System 7.1 through Mac OS 8. (Netscape Communicator™/Navigator™ 4.x requires System 7.5 or greater.)
SHAREWARE INFO
Navigator Button Editor is shareware, so if you use it you should pay the $5 registration fee.
The "Friendly Shareware Reminder for Navigator™ 1.x through 3.x": The last directory button will point to my homepage until registered.
The "Friendly Shareware Reminder for Navigator™/Communicator™ 4.x": The first item in the "Guide" button pop-up menu will point to my homepage until registered.
Just think, for a quick little fiver you can support my efforts and rest comfortably with the peace of mind that you are supporting a Mac OS developer!
Upon sending in your registration you will receive a key via email which will remove the "Friendly Shareware Reminder" and activate the "import/export settings" feature. Thank you for registering!
If for some reason you decide that Navigator Button Editor is not for you, simply click on the "Factory Settings" button, then immediately click "Save" then "Quit". This will completely restore your settings to the factory defaults.
TO REGISTER
The single user shareware fee for this program is US$5. Please run the accompanying Register program to register your copy. For more information please read the How To Register document. Once you have registered all future updates are free of charge! Kagi is the company which handles my software registrations, and you may pay with major credit card, check/money order, cash, First Virtual, invoice, or via phone.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMMUNICATOR 4
1) Launch "Navigator Button Editor" and click on the "Find Netscape Navigator™ / Communicator™ to Customize" button. NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE EDIT NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR IF IT IS CURRENTLY RUNNING!
2) Select the copy of Communicator that you wish to customize. BE SURE TO ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP COPY!
3) A dialog will appear with the "Guide" button pop-up menu. You can now begin entering your custom URLs (http, ftp, or news):
• Select "New Entry" to insert a new entry into your Guide menu (up to 100 entries can be added)
• Select "Delete Entry" to delete the current entry from your Guide menu
• Select "Save" to save your current settings
• Select "Revert To Saved" to revert to your previously saved settings
• Select "Factory Settings" to revert your Guide menu to the factory settings
• Select "Export Settings" to save your current "Guide" button pop-up menu configurations to a file
• Select "Import Settings" to load saved "Guide" button pop-up menu configurations from a file
4) You can edit the default search URL that Netscape uses when you click the Search button in the toolbar by selecting "Edit Search Button URL" from the "Extras" menu.
5) You can add separator lines within your Guide menu by adding an item with a dash "-" as the first character in it's name.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NAVIGATOR VERSIONS 1, 2, and 3
1) Launch "Navigator Button Editor" and click on the "Find Netscape Navigator™ / Communicator™ to Customize" button. NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE EDIT NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR IF IT IS CURRENTLY RUNNING!
2) Select the copy of Navigator that you wish to customize. BE SURE TO ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP COPY!
3) A dialog will appear with the names and URLs of the 6 buttons. Simply enter your favorite URLs (http, ftp, news, or mailto) along with new button names. You may use the Tab key to advance through the name and URL fields.
• Select "Save" to save your current settings
• Select "Revert To Saved" to revert to your previous saved settings
• Select "Factory Settings" to revert to the Navigator factory settings
• Select "Export Settings" to save your current button and URL configurations to a file
• Select "Import Settings" to load saved button and URL configurations from a file
SUGGESTIONS FOR USE
• Other than the standard web addresses, such as...
Name: MacResource
URL: http://www.macresource.com
... you can save a lot of time by adding links to frequently visited news groups:
Name: CodeWarrior News
URL: news:comp.sys.mac.programmer.codewarrior
... and frequently visited ftp sites:
Name: Apple's FTP Site
URL: ftp://ftp.apple.com
...and as a quick and easy way to send mail to someone (unfortunately this does not work in the "Guide" pop-up menu with Communicator 4):
Name: Send email to Skylar
URL: mailto:skylar@nwlink.com
• The import and export settings can save you quite a bit of time in instances, say, such as when you may download a minor upgrade to Communicator™ and you have spent quite a bit of time cultivating your custom links (when can get quite numerous in the custom Guide menu in Communicator™). To update your new browser with your custom settings simply do this:
* Please note that settings files created with older versions of Navigator Button Editor (v1.0 through v1.2) are not compatible with Navigator Button Editor 1.3.x settings files.
1) Open your old browser with Navigator Button Editor
2) Choose "Export Settings…" from the File menu and save them to a file, then Quit
3) Now open your new browser with Navigator Button Editor
4) Choose "Import Settings…" from the File menu, choose your data file, and your new browser settings are instantly updated!
DISTRIBUTION
You may distribute Navigator Button Editor to friends, loved ones, and strangers provided that this ReadMe is included along with the Register program. If you wish to distribute this program on disk or CD please contact me first to assure that there is not a newer version available... and besides, it's always cool to know where this program ends up! Thank you!
VERSION HISTORY
Version 1.3.4
- I overlooked a few special characters that, if typed in and saved, would cause the Guide pop-up menu in NBE to appear incorretly. These demon characters are now removed if found.
Version 1.3.3
- A few enhancements in response to user feedback, including:
- Added confirmation dialogs before reverting to factory or previous settings
- Added an "Extras" menu to allow the user to edit the search URL for Navigator/Communicator 4.x
- Adding to the Guide menu will now insert a new item in the Guide pop-up menu after the currently selected item
- Adding and removing separator lines in the Guide menu is now a bit more user friendly
- Fixed a minor Balloon Help faux pas
Version 1.3.2
- Okay, okay, one more maintenance release to fix an obscure bug where a user could paste in some troublesome characters.
Version 1.3.1
- Fixed a bug introduced by a slight change in the Communicator 4.0.3 release
- Fixed a bug that could cause the pop-up Guide menu to contain incorrect contents
Version 1.3
- Added support for Netscape Communicator™ 4
- Balloon Help added for completeness' sake
Version 1.2
- A minor maintenance release with smarter, faster code
- A Swedish version of "Navigator Button Editor" is now available
Version 1.1
- Main button editing dialog is no longer modal so you may copy/paste from the desktop, Stickies, etc.
- You may now import/export button configurations for easier customization
- A cool new About Box
- A Japanese version of "Navigator Button Editor" is now available
Version 1.0
- Initial release
DISCLAIMER
The author, Skylar Stein, makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding the fitness of Navigator Button Editor. You use it entirely at your own risk. The author claims no liability for data loss or any other problems caused directly or indirectly by Navigator Button Editor.
Navigator™ and Communicator™ are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation.
