Finder clippings are a great idea, but they have several serious limitations: while you can drag data to the Finder without interrupting what you're doing, you must then deal with a stack of Text Clipping 1, Text Clipping 2, etc. There is no way to know what's in a clipping without opening it. If you have several, this is a pain.
ClippingNamer is intended to make Finder clippings more useful and easier to use. It has several available functions, selectable by holding down keys while dragging a selection to the Finder:
• Nothing. This creates a clipping exactly the way the Finder does now.
• Invent Name/Icon. This attempts to create a meaningful name from the clipping contents (for text) or
assign a thumbnail icon (for pictures) instead of the generic clipping icon.
• Save as a file. The clipping is converted to a SimpleText file (text or picture only). Names and thumbnail
icons work as usual.
• Append. Instead of creating a new text clipping or file, the data is appended to an existing one, with or without
a descriptive label. Any text/PICT file should work, not just ClippingNamer-created ones.
• Display the ClippingNamer dialog. This allows you to examine both the Finder's and Name Clipping's proposed
names (or type your own), and set all of ClippingNamer's options. You can choose to always display this dialog for
sounds or pictures (when ClippingNamer can't invent a name), or whenever your favorite keys are held down.
Version 1.1 adds two features (append and save as file) and fixes the bug that caused clippings to move around on the screen with Mac OS8. It's free if you licensed an earlier version.
Using ClippingNamer
~ClippingNamer is a System extension: drop it onto your closed System Folder, click OK to place it in the Extensions folder, and restart. It requires a 68020 or later computer capable of creating a clipping; if it can't run on your computer, you should see its icon with a large red "X" on it while starting up.
To try it out, make a clipping just as you usually do. ClippingNamer is set by default to open its dialog if no keys are used when dragging, so you can immediately see it in action and customize it.
The dialog has an OK, a Cancel, and a File button:
Cancel makes NO changes to the clipping name or icon: it leaves it exactly as the Finder made it. It does NOT delete the clipping!
OK changes the clipping name to whatever is shown in the Clipping Name Box, and if the Make Thumbnail box is checked, creates a thumbnail icon (for picture clippings) from the clipping contents. If Append is active, the clipping text is added to the target file and the clipping is deleted.
File causes the current clipping (picture or text) to be saved as a SimpleText file rather than a clipping. Renaming/thumbnail icons work as usual. The File checkbox, if checked, makes this the default; the File button lets you make one file without needing to turn it off later.
The Invent Name box, if checked, causes a new name to be created from the clipping contents (obviously, only text clippings) and displayed. By clicking this box, you can see both the Finder's and NameClipping's choices for a name. You can also type your own. Beware of clicking the checkbox after you have changed the name: changes aren't saved.
Append allows you to add new text clippings to an existing file rather than creating new ones. It might be used to take notes on a document, or group related info. The file to which clippings are appended is called the Target.
The Append checkbox should read Append To "current Target"; if the checkbox reads merely "Append," then the current clipping file will be saved as usual and become the Target (for the next clipping).
Normally ClippingNamer simply skips a line and adds appended text to the Target; if the Mark Appended checkbox is checked (only appears/works if Append is checked!), a new entry begins with "-- (the clipping name in the dialog)", or "----------" if Invent name is unchecked.
Checking Start Over causes the current clipping to become the new Target (if appending!). You might do this if you want to start appending to a new file: check Start over, then click OK or File to start a fresh file that will become the new Target.
The Set Append Target button allows you to set the Target. Any text clipping or file can be used, and the new target can be used immediately (i.e., with the current clipping.)
If the Target is moved or renamed, ClippingNamer will warn you and give you a chance to look for it.
Clicking the Set Preferences button expands the dialog to show the Preferences section. This lets you select the keys that cause various things to happen. Your choices are Nothing (the Finder creates the clipping as usual, as if you had clicked Cancel in the dialog); OK Dialog (behaves exactly as if you had clicked OK); and Show Dialog (self explanatory).
When first installed, the dialog appears if NO keys are held down; holding Option means OK Dialog; and holding Option-Shift causes Nothing to happen. You can set any key combinations you like. IMPORTANT: The dialog always appears if Caps Lock is down, regardless of any other settings.
Checking Always show dialog if Picture / Sound causes the dialog to appear if a clipping contains no text (and can't be automatically renamed).
Notes:
There are no known conflicts with ClippingNamer. PLEASE tell me if you find one.
When checking for keys, ClippingNamer starts with Nothing and works down, so duplicate key combinations result in the first action being taken. If you should forget the key combination for Show Dialog, Caps Lock will always work.
All checkboxes are saved if you OK the dialog. You must register ClippingNamer for changes to be saved between restarts. Append settings are never saved between restarts!
If you change the name of a clipping to a name that already exists, you will get a chance to try again or cancel (cancel uses the Finder's name.)
The Make Thumbnail checkbox applies except when doing Nothing; Invent Name applies only when using the dialog (it is assumed ON when automatically renaming without the dialog).
When you make a clipping, it initially appears on the Desktop as usual: the Finder takes a few seconds to display ClippingNamer's changes. An appended clipping disappears.
About Shareware
ClippingNamer took a fair amount of time and effort to produce. Take a fair amount of time to try it out, and if you like it and use it, you should pay for it. This will get you notification of updates, a warm feeling at having done the right thing, and also get rid of the annoying shareware reminder at startup, all for a lousy $10. You can pay me by mail at the address below (check/money order/cash only) or via the Web at <http://order.kagi.com/?PA>, or by email: download the Register program from <http://www.patchdance.com/shareware.html>.
Drop by <http://www.patchdance.com/shareware.html> for the latest on ClippingNamer and other shareware, including the 3-D modeler PatchDance.
