The FinderViewContextMenu allows you to save Finder view settings to a contextual menu entry. This way you can easily collect your personal set of Finder views and reapply them with a simple control-click.
No more hassle selecting list, button or icon view first, then opening a dialog box to decide on endless checkboxes and finally close that dialog box to set your Finder views. Just save your favorite settings once and then re-apply them with one simple control-click.
What others say about it
This is what some registered users have emailed to me:
"This is the very, very best way to work with folder viewing. I will save so much time from now on."
-- Timothy J. Phelan
"Great add-on! I wish Apple had thought to do something like this in the first place with OS 8."
-- Len Williams
"It certainly is much easier to store one's favorite settings and apply them with one click than it is to do the dance that Apple had us doing with all their check marks and different windows opening and closing."
-- Kenneth T. Bruseth
"I just wanted to thank you for creating such an excellent application. Not only does it fix a major Apple oversight, but it does so in an elegant, and truly useful manner."
-- Trip Mitchell
"This is a particulary helpful contextual menu item - I don't use them much but this I need!"
-- Karyn Voldstad
System requirements
+ PowerPC based Mac OS computer
+ Mac OS 8 (including 8.1 and Mac OS 8.5)
+ «Contextual Menu Extension» installed (part of Mac OS 8)
+ «SOMobjects™ for Mac OS» (part of Mac OS 8, see note below)
Note:
The «SOMobjects™ for Mac OS» extension is part of the «OpenDoc» package in the Mac OS 8 installer.
For that reason Contextual Menu plug-ins will not run until you install «OpenDoc». Fortunately «OpenDoc» is part of the default installation, so this will only concern you when you explicitly did not install «OpenDoc».
How to install
Installing «FinderViewContextMenu» is a two step process:
1. Drop «FinderViewContextMenu» and «FinderViewExtension» on your System folder.
This puts «FinderViewContextMenu» in the Contextual Menu Items folder and «FinderViewExtension» in the Extension folder in your System folder.
2. Restart your Macintosh.
This loads the contextual menu plug-in and the extension into memory. «FinderViewContextMenu» will not be available before you restart your Macintosh.
How to use it
Open a Finder window and control-click in the background of the window (that is: on no icon or name) to open the contextual menu with the additional menu item «Finder View» and its submenu:
It contains these separated areas:
+ the previously saved views area
+ the area for commands: save and edit views
+ the register area (that will disappear in the registered version)
Choose the «Save This View As...» item to display this dialog:
Enter a name for the view settings that will appear in the contextual menu for playback. The settings of the window you clicked in will be saved under this name.
Choose the «Edit View Menu...» item to display this dialog:
In this dialog you can remove previously saved views from the contextual menu. Just click on the entry you want to delete and then click on the «Delete» button.
How it works
«FinderViewContextMenu» communicates with the Finder through AppleEvents to find out about and set the view settings of Finder windows. This is the only “legal” way to tell the Finder to change its views.
It is a bit slow with Mac OS 8.0 and 8.1, but it is as fast as you would expect it with Mac OS 8.5.
This is shareware
«FinderViewContextMenu» is shareware, which means if you use it, you must pay for it. You may use it on a trial basis for up to 14 days. If you continue using it beyond that period, you are expected to register this software and pay the shareware fee of US$ 9,-
In the first 14 days after you installed «FinderViewContextMenu», it will be quiet and behave like a registered version. After that period it will present you a “nag dialog” that reminds you to register every time you apply a stored setting to a Finder window.
All the functionality will be there, but the dialog keeps telling you how many times since how many days you have used «FinderViewContextMenu» without paying for it. When you register you will receive a code that will permanently remove the “nag dialog”.
If you use this software PLEASE register your copy!
How to register
To register please use the «Register» application that came with this «Read me first...» file. The form accepts many different payment methods such as: Check, Money Order, Cash (in many different currencies), VISA, Mastercard, American Express, First Virtual and Invoice (to be given to your accounts payable department).
To register online please use the «Register Online» application or point your browser to:
<http://www.kagi.com/?3S7>
A secure server is available for submitting your payment information (VISA, Mastercard, American Express and First Virtual available) safely.
Or simply put US$9,- in an envelope, note your name, address and the program you are paying for and send this to:
Kagi Shareware
1442-A Walnut Street #392-3S7
Berkeley, California, 94709-1405
USA
Alternatively write your credit card, credit card number and expiration date on that note and fax it to:
Fax: +1 510 652 6589
How to contact the author
Please send your comments, suggestions and bug reports to one of the addresses below. I will try to answer them as soon as possible!
Send e-mail to: <artis@kagi.com> or <wante@artissoftware.com>
Point your web-browser to: <http://www.artissoftware.com/finderview/>
Write a letter to: <Wolfgang Ante, Eduard Hartmann Platz 3/1/2, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria>
Where to download the latest version
Please take a look at the FinderViewContextMenu website. It is located at <http://www.artissoftware.com/finderview/>. There you will find the version number of the latest release and links to download it.
What's new in this release
Release 1.0.4-US, 12th October 1998:
+ MAC OS 8.5 COMPATIBILITY:
Mac OS 8.5 changed the AppleEvents to set button and icon views, so now the FinderViewContextMenu checks for the system version and uses the correct set of AppleEvents according to your system.
+ NOW ALSO SAVES SORT DIRECTION:
Mac OS 8.1 introduced a new AppleEvent to set sort direction of list views. This property will be saved and applied now, too. However, this will be enabled on Mac OS 8.5 only.
+ NEW PREFERENCES FILE FORMAT:
The new features and changes required a new preferences format. Your previous settings will be converted automatically.
+ IMPROVED INTERNAL STORAGE:
Improved some of the internal storage algorithms. This should result in using less memory than in previous versions.
Release 1.0.3-US, 10th February 1998:
+ 'DATE MODIFIED' BUG:
Fixed a bug that did restore the 'Date modified'-state to the 'Comment'-state (this bug only showed up in views where the 'Date modified'-state was different from the 'Comment'-state).
+ BALOON HELP BUG:
Fixed a bug that crashed the Finder when moving over the FinderViewContextMenu icon while Baloon Help is on.
+ VERSION CHECK:
The FinderViewContextMenu now checks if the FinderViewExtension has the same version number.
Release 1.0.2-US, 5th December 1997:
+ STRINGS MOVED INTO RESOURCE:
All strings that are displayed to the user are in the resource fork now. This allows localization without changing the code.
+ ENABLED ON THE DESKTOP:
Since 1.0.1 (the context bugfix) FinderViewContextMenu showed up only in File-Windows of the Finder. Now it is also enabled on the desktop (this was a user request).
+ WRONG VERSION-NUMBER IN ABOUT-DIALOG:
Fixed the wrong version number (still "1.0") in the About-Dialog. Now there is code that assures this version number is always the same as the one you see in the Info-Window in the Finder.
+ TYPOS REMOVED:
Removed some typos in seldom to be seen alert-dialogs.
Release 1.0.1-US, 25th November 1997:
+ CONTEXT BUG:
Fixed a bug that displayed FinderViewContextMenu in places where it shoudn't, like Info- and About-Windows.
+ ARRANGE-BY BUG:
Fixed a bug that in some situations caused to sort things in icon-view windows before switching to the desired snap-to-grid-view and therefore rearraging icons.
Release 1.0-US, 24th November 1997:
+ FIRST RELEASE:
Everything in this release is new ;-)
International releases
Japanese version available!
Translated by Yuzuru Shiraiwa
Please check the website <http://www.artissoftware.com/finderview/> to download the localized Japanese version.
German version available!
Translated by Wolfgang Ante
Please go to the website <http://www.artissoftware.com/finderview/> to download the localized German version.
French version available!
Translated by Jean-Do Sallaberry
Please go to the website <http://www.artissoftware.com/finderview/> to download the localized French version.
Korean version available, but discontinued with 1.0.2, not compaible with Mac OS 8.5
Translated by Ru Yon
Please go to the website <http://www.artissoftware.com/finderview/> to download the localized Korean version.
I am interested in translating the software to as many languages as possible. To do this I need your help: Please contact me at <artis@kagi.com> if you would like to translate FinderViewContextMenu into your language.
Credits & Copyright
Concept and Programming:
Wolfgang Ante
Help and Betatesting:
Andreas Pizsa
Helpful hints:
David Catmull
The FinderViewContextMenu/FinderViewExtension is (c) 1997/98 by Wolfgang Ante, all rights reserved.
As long as you don't change the contents of the archive containing FinderViewContextMenu you are encouraged to make this software available to others. Copy it, upload it, put it on CD-ROM, spread this piece of software in any way you can imagine!
