HandyMan is a Control/Desktop/Extensions Strip Launching Module.
It is designed to allow quick and easy access to applications, Control Panels, Desk Accessories, Folders and other documents stored on your Macintosh, without having to navigate through several “Finder Windows” or through a multi-layered, hierarchical Apple menu.
It works by clicking on icons installed in a floating window, or dropping documents onto them. This approach is much handier than aliases that are on the desktop because the floating windows that contain the icons can never be covered by windows. HandyMan also requires a lot less desktop space than the same number of icons on the desktop.
2. System Requirements
HandyMan can run on any Macintosh model, and requires at least System 7.1 and Control Strip, Desktop Strip (version 1.1.1 or higher) or Extensions Strip installed.
Make sure the “Finder Scripting Extension” version 1.2 is installed to work with Folder icons, Trash icons, Control Panel icons, and ordinary documents ...
If Drag Manager 1.1 is installed you can drag and drop documents on the applications, folders and Trash icons in the strip (Mac OS version 7.5 has the Drag Manager included).
For best functionality you need the “Finder Scripting Extension” (version 1.2 or higher), “Macintosh Drag and Drop” (version 1.1 or higher), “Control Strip” (version ?.? or higher), “Desktop Strip” control panel (version 1.1.1 or higher), or “Extensions Strip” (version 1.0 or higher) and ‘Apple Menu Options’ with ‘Recent Documents’ enabled and the ObjectSupportLib.
Should you have any trouble running HandyMan on your machine, please write to me with the full specifications of your machine and what version of HandyMan you are using, as well as the name and version of the strip module you have installed.
3. Installing HandyMan
1. Install the Apple Control Strip control panel, or an alternative such as Desktop Strip or Extensions Strip. If you use a desktop Mac, you must have at least version 1.3 of Apple's Control Strip (earlier versions only worked on portable Macs). For increased functionality, use Desktop Strip or Extensions Strip. If you have just installed a strip module, you should now restart (so that the module can be activated).
2. Place HandyMan inside the Control Strip Modules folder, which is inside the System Folder. It may be named differently on non-English systems. If you have used the “Add Alias” module from Apple with a previous version of HandyMan, then you should remove it, as it is no longer required.
3. Restart your Macintosh to install HandyMan. This restart is not needed for Extensions Strip users.
4. Configure HandyMan by dropping aliases into the “HandyMan Aliases” folder, or by dropping files onto the “+” icon at the start of each column/row. If you click on the “+” icon in your strip, it will open the “HandyMan Aliases” folder (or the folder for that column/row if you are using Desktop/Extensions Strip). Removing icons is done by dragging them to the Trash. Control/Desktop Strip users have to install an alias of the Trash into the strip because of a drag manager bug (Also see Known problem 2).
5. If you are using Desktop Strip or Extensions Strip, you can have multiple floating windows. All you need to do is have multiple folders inside your Strip Modules folder in your System folder. There will be one strip on your screen for each folder you create. For a typical setup, you would have one folder containing controls that you would typically put into Apple's Control Strip. A second folder would contain the Program List module that is distributed with Desktop Strip. A third or fourth (or fifth) could each contain copies of HandyMan set up in different ways. A single strip containing an alias of the Trash will always float above other windows, so you can always find the Trash.
4. Using Modifier keys
There are a few simple modifier keys that can be used:
Text Labels:
Control clicking on a text label allows you to resize the labels by dragging them Left or Right.
Shift selecting “Show TextLabels” from the preference menu puts the labels under the icons.
Option selecting “Show TextLabels” from the preference menu shows only the Labels.
Trash:
Option click on the Trash will empty it.
Folders:
Option drop on a folder copies the files to that folder, otherwise they will be moved.
Control clicking on a folder icon filters out non-folder items from that popup menu.
Shift clicking on a folder icon filters out folders from that popup menu.
Control dropping on a folder will force the copy or move to happen (no dialog popping up if the file already exists).
Clippings:
Shift clicking on a clipping copies it to the clip-board.
Shift selecting it from a popup menu copies the content to the clip-board.
Configuration:
Option dropping onto a “+” icon moves the file into the folder, instead of creating an alias of it.
5. Advanced Usage
Use compiled Apple Scripts, onto which you can drag and drop just like onto an application, to add custom commands to the strip.
sample usage:
on run
-- User has clicked the script to run it....
end run
on open theList
-- User has dropped files onto script to open them....
repeat with x in theList
-- walk through the list of dropped items
end repeat
end open
6. Localization (Catalog files)
For Localization HandyMan has support for catalog files. If HandyMan can find a file HandyMan.Catalog in it's folder or in the preference folder it will use it for translating everything into the language described in that catalog file (Finder Info shows language and version number of the catalog file).
If your HandyMan does not get translated you should check that both HandyMan and the Catalog have the same version number.
Note: Localization can mean the ‘Recent Documents’ folder is renamed to match that of the localized system. If you can't get ‘Recent Documents’ to work please see the ReadMe in the catalog folder of your active catalog (See also Enable Items Popup in The Configuration menu).
Check http://www.club.innet.be/~ind0836/mac/HandyMan.html for newer or updated catalogs.
7. The Configuration menu
Small icon size
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
This displays small icons, that take up a lot less space on your desktop – a real space saver. If you would like mini sized icons, send me a letter with your comments.
Large icon size
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
These icons are the same size as normal desktop icons, but they can be a lot closer together. If you would like mini sized icons, send me a letter with your comments.
Show Popup Triangle
HandyMan has the ability to hide the configuration triangle to save some space on your desktop (or because it's neater without that triangle).
You can always use click on the module to make it show its configuration menu and change the settings.
Show Vertical icon list
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
The list of icons can be arranged horizontally or vertically.
Show Multiple Rows/Columns
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
In the Configuration menu you will see either “Show Multiple Rows” or “Show Multiple Columns”. The option displayed depends on how you have set the “Show Vertical icon list” option in the Configuration menu. To make multiple columns you can put a number of folders in the “HandyMan Aliases” folder and select the “Show Multiple Rows/Columns” option. This way folders are parsed one level deep, folders in those folders don't show up as additional rows/columns but as folders icons in the bar (for more information see the sample pictures included in the Examples document).
To completly suppress the adding of a folder make the first character of its name a ‘¬’ (Option-L) (e.g. ”¬Disabled Items”).
Since HandyMan 1.4 you can select the "Add Row" or "Add Column" menuitem for easier creation of multiple rows/columns (see “Add Row/Column”).
Show InfoBar
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
Let HandyMan tell you what item the mouse is over.
Show PopInfo
Text showing the name of the icon under the mouse pops up when you keep the pointer steady over a HandyMan icon for a few moments. The text always pops up inside the strip module's bounds. This method requires less screen space than the InfoBar, and works with Apple's Control Strip.
Show TextLabels
Icons are shown with the name next to them.
Option selecting this menu item removes the icon and only a text label will be shown. To resize the text labels, click in them with the control key pressed. A vertical line will appear that can be dragged to the left or right.
Desktop/Extensions Strip users can Shift select this menu item to put the text label under the icon.
Show Entry Tiles
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
Entries are shown with a small 3D frame. (Including the text labels)
This option is only for nicer drawing and has for the rest no effect whatsoever...
Show Icon Tiles
This option is only available in Desktop/Extensions Strip!
Icons are shown with a small 3D frame and the Icons behave like buttons.
(Clicking anyware in the Icon selects the Icon.)
Show Aliases Folder
A "+" icon is added to the start of the strip onto which you can drop icons to add them to the strip. With a normal drop, an alias is created, then put in the configuration folder. If you hold the Option key down while you drop the icon, the item is moved to that location. If an icon drag is started on the strip, by default, the alias is moved to the new row. The Option key changes this into a copy. To remove an icon, drag it to the Trash. If you are not using Extensions Strip, then read Known problem 2.
Resolve Dragged Alias
This only applies to installed applications. It is a toggle for applications to open the alias or the document the alias refers to.
Enable Items Popup
HandyMan has the ability to let you select a file that is in a folder from a popup menu. Enable this option then click and hold over a folder, disk or server icon to see all items.
If you have the ‘Apple Menu Options’ control panel installed and the ‘Documents’ option in ‘Remember recently used items’ is on, HandyMan will also put up a popup menu. When the cursor is over an icon of any application installed in HandyMan, the popup will contain a list of the recent files that the application can open.
If you use a localized version of the ‘Apple Menu Options’ control panel and you don't have a Catalog for HandyMan in that language you can make an alias to your localized ‘Recent Documents’ folder and that alias has to be put into the System folder with the name ‘Recent Documents’ (or the name described in the active catalog). If HandyMan doesn't find the ‘Recent Documents’ in the ‘Apple Menu Items’ folder it will try to find it in the System folder and will resolve your alias to the correct folder.
You can also make the ‘Recent Documents’ folder yourself and put it in the ‘Apple Menu Items’ folder or into the System folder. If you put some aliases to documents in it. The documents will popup on applications if you click and hold the mouse for a few moments over an application. You also can lock aliases in that folder to have permanent items. These will appear first (and underlined) in the menu for easy spotting (See also Known problem 1).
Enable Drag Away
This requires “Macintosh Drag and Drop” version 1.1 or higher to be installed.
This option must be on before you can drag items from the strip. Then you can drag them to the Trash or desktop to remove them from the strip. This is handy if you have an alias installed for the ‘Find Original’ script from Apple. You can drag items from HandyMan to this script, and the script will show you where the original file is located. If you are not using Extensions Strip, then read Known problem 2.
Use Alfabetic Sorting
Items in the strip are sorted alfabeticaly, prior to HandyMan 2.0 this was the only way.
If this option is off sorting is based on the position of the Icons in the Finder Windows. HandyMan will organize your icons if you drop at a certain locations.
For this to work correct one must keep the HanyMan Folders closed in the finder.
Add Row/Column
In the Configuration menu you will see either “Add Row” or “Add Column”. The option displayed depends on how you have set the “Show Vertical icon list” option in the Configuration menu. If it is not possible (“Show Multiple Rows/Columns” and “Show Aliases Folder” must be checked), this option will be greyed out.
Update icon list
Will re-parse your configuration folder and update all links.
About HandyMan
Guess what...
Register…
Only visible in an unregistered version.
Pops up a dialog box requesting your serial number. See the “Registration Information” file for more info about how to register.
8. The Contextual menu
As of HandyMan 2.0 every item in the strip has a contextual menu. Click and hold on an entry to get it.
Launch/Open
same as just clicking on the entry
Delete Icon
removes the icon from the strip
Find Original
Shows the original icon in the finder
Holding down Option while selecting this will show you the alias in the HandyMan Folder
Finder Info
Shows the ‘Get Info…’ window of the original item
Holding down Option while selecting this will show ‘Get Info…’ for the alias in the HandyMan Folder
HandyMan is shareware. Check out the “How to Register” to see how you can register.
HandyMan has proven to be stable in everyday use. The author is not responsible for any loss of data, damages to software or hardware that may result directly or indirectly from the use of this program. The author reserves the right to make changes to the software or documentation without notice.
None of the files of the HandyMan package may be modified. Crunching or archiving is allowed only if none of the HandyMan files get modified by it.
If you translate the program and send the translated version to me. I will use that translated version in new releases.
10. About the Author
Bugs, questions, or suggestions to:
Internet e-mail
bert.wynants@kagi.com
HomePage:
http://www.club.innet.be/~ind0836/
snail-mail: (only use when none of the above options is possible for you!)
Bert Wynants
Hogeheide 6
2260 Westerlo
Belgium, Europe
11. Acknowledgements
• Aaron D. Ruiz, Aron S. Spencer, Boris Klug, Brian Renken, Kees Van Wijk, Christopher Li, David D. Kilzer, Drew Wade, Hans Verhoeven, Harry Ehrlich, Jan Dockx, Jeremy Keens, Karl Allison, Mason Loring Bliss, Michael Kisor, Michele Pizzi, Panos Philippakopoulos, Patrick Merel, Peter Frings, Steve Russillo, Steve Levinson and Wesley Summers for beta testing.
• Wesley Summers for reworking and correcting the readme, history and examples text files!
• Ammon Skidmore for all the help and for Extensions Strip.
• Hisashi Nishimura and Michele Pizzi for all the work on the translated Readmes.
• Christopher Li, Boris Klug, Michele Pizzi, Panos Philippakopoulos, Markus Gloede, Gjermund Gusland Thorsen and Håkan Liljegren for the Catalog Translations.
• All those who have sent me a postcard!
12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q.1: Why doesn't drag and drop work?
A.1: Your system does not have the Macintosh Drag and Drop 1.1 extension, or your Finder isn't drag and drop aware. You should upgrade to at least Finder version 7.1.2 for the PowerMac or 7.1.3 for 68k Macs. Finder 7.1.3 comes with System 7 Pro, and Finder 7.1.4 comes with Mac OS version 7.5. If you do not have the correct software, you will not be able to drag Finder icons onto other icons. If you try, the icons will not highlight when you drag over them, and nothing will happen when you drop something on an icon. You can get Mac Drag & Drop 1.1 via anonymous ftp at ftp.support.apple.com/pub/Apple SW Updates/US/mac/System Software/Other System Software/.
Q.2: Do I (really) need the scriptable Finder?
A.2: No, but if your system lacks the Scriptable Finder, some varieties of icons will not work. In fact, they usually won't be added to the strip. Folder icons, Trash icons, Control Panel icons, and ordinary documents require the Scriptable Finder in order to be fully operational. The Finder Scripting extension 1.2 comes with Mac OS version 7.5, or you can get it via anonymous ftp at ftp.support.apple.com/pub/Apple SW Updates/US/mac/System Software/Other System Software/.
Q.3: You seem to indicate in the ReadMe file supplied with HandyMan that it is possible to have a number of folders (1,2 etc), in the Control Strip Module folder, with individual copies of HandyMan and HandyMan Aliases folders.
A.3: Yes this is possible. And each copy of HandyMan will run on it's own floating Window with it's own preferences. However you need to have either Desktop Strip or Extensions Strip for this to work. See the Tips And Tricks section for more information.
Q.4: I noticed that my hard disks keep spinning a very long time just after (or during) startup. This does not happen if I de-install HandyMan. I'm using it with Desktop Strip on a Quadra 700 running D-7.5.1. It doesn't seem to be that severe on a Power Mac 7100/66av where I also tested it. Is this known? Is there any remedy?
A.4: After startup, Handyman uses an idle time mechanism to get some more information about your installed applications. It goes out looking at what file types an application can open, so only drops of that kind are accepted. It uses the translation manager to do so, and if the Translation manager is not available, it uses a fall-back method. However this fall-back is not as fast as the Translation manager, so make sure Macintosh Easy Open is installed.
Q.5: Why can't I select “Add Row/Column” from the Configuration menu?
A.5: Be sure you have selected “Show Multiple Rows/Columns” and “Show Aliases Folder” from the Configuration menu.
13. Tips And Tricks
• 1. If the option key conflicts with Control/Desktop/Extensions Strip, press the mouse button first, then press the option key.
• 2. To differentiate between folders, you can give them a label color in the Finder. Give folders that have the same icon a different label color in the Finder. HandyMan will display the icon in the same manner as the Finder after the icon display is updated. Select “Update icon list” from the Configuration menu to update your HandyMan display immediately.
• 3. As long as there are generic icons for documents or applications, HandyMan watches Disk Inserts and tries to get the icons from the desktop database of the inserted disks. If you have applications or documents that really have a generic icon you should paste a custom icon onto them to stop HandyMan scanning inserted disks (although it won't hurt watching the Disks).
• 4. Put a HandyMan floating strip over your Trash, containing only a Trash, and configure it to show large icons. No more digging to find your Trash!
• 5. To quickly spot a frequently accessed recent file, make it locked in the ‘Recent Documents’ folder, HandyMan will underline it in the popup menu. Also see Known problem 2.
• 6. If HandyMan tells you it is unable to resolve an alias, you can try to do ‘Find Original’ in the Finder Info window for that alias. This often fixes the problem.
• 7. Add the example Separator to the strip. This entry won't be clickable but gives you a nice separation bar. To position it, just give it a name that sorts between the two icons you want to separate or move it to the appropriate place when Alfabetic Sorting is off.
14. Known problems
1. Never put locked aliases into the ‘Recent files/folders/servers’ folders from ‘Apple Menu Options’ with versions prior to Mac OS version 7.5.3. It will crash your system! Not a HandyMan issue but a nasty one.
2. Dragging an icon from HandyMan on a drag-able window of the current application or over the desktop when the Finder is in front fails (Drag Manager bug). I didn't remove the “Enable Drag Away” option because dragging an icon from handyman works very well if you stay in the strip, and can be useful to drop it onto one of the handyman icons (e.g. the Trash) or to reorder items. Due to this problem, dragging should currently be confined to within the strip module. This problem does not occur when using Extensions Strip.
3. If Alfabetic sorting is off, you have to close the “HandyMan Aliases” windows in the finder and it's subfolders or it won't work correct.
