The Eraser page: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Network/7162/theeraser.html
(Reading this file or WEB Pages of above, please, consider that English is not my primary language. I did my best...)
Overview.
Make The Eraser the cleaning application of your choice! There are its features:
• Security erasing. The Eraser deletes your files by using a sophisticated procedure. It lets you customize many details of this job. The recovery of deleted files becomes impracticable: there's no utility ables to do it!
• Simple erasing. You may also choose some details of this job.
• Disk erasing. The Eraser may initialize your disks by using its own, customizable, method. Through a co-operation with System, The Eraser allows you to take advantage of HFS+ and FSM, if you want.
The Eraser returns several informations while is using the features of above and allows you to stop its performance at any time. It works fine and fast in background, deleting large groups of items... But The Eraser may also create lists, from where you may gather infos/trash/delete the file you want. You may also trash/delete the whole list and you've always the option to erase by using the Security method.
List options:
• Preferences Folder. The Eraser scans this folder searching for orphan preferences files.
• System Folder. It scans the whole System Folder searching for orphan files.
• Orphan files. It scans your disks and folders, searching for orphan files (you may also check individual files).
You may get a more accurate analysis, searching for orphan files, by activating a couple of special options, but slackening the scan speed.
• Cache cleaning. The Eraser may scan the cache folders of your Browsers, excluding some files according to theirs modification dates.
• Find. This is a cool feature! The Eraser may scan disks and folders (and individual files) following your instructions: you may instruct it to search files matching type, creator, extension, prefix and name. It may also skip or include files created or/and modified within the period of time you want.
The Eraser is Internet Config, Drag Manager and Navigation Manager aware, moreover it's Appearance savvy. It requires at least System 7 to run.
What's new in 2.5.1 version
• Cosmetic adjustments.
• Better Navigation Manager support.
Hardware and software requirements.
The Eraser should work on any Macintosh using, at least, System 7. It's accelerated for PowerPC. Whether you've Appearance Manager you may take advantage of it. The same for Navigation Manager. Some menu items may be disabled if you don't have Internet Config 2.0 installed (only on PowerMac).
Erasing items.
You can erase disks, folders and files by Drag&Drop onto The Eraser desktop icon, by selecting them through File menu or by dragging theirs icons on "The Eraser" drag window.
Preferences.
You can decide in "Preferences" dialog how The Eraser should work. You may reach The "Preferences" through File menu.
Be careful: in Simple erasing mode The Eraser doesn't delete locked items. In Erase and move locked to Trash mode The Eraser, finding in the trash a duplicate filename, shows an information alert, then stops its job. In Security mode The Eraser deletes all, locked files even.
While The Eraser is working, a window notifies several informations. You may press escape or command-period to stop its job. If you want to stop The Eraser while it is working in Security mode you should hold down escape or command-period until it completes the erasing of current file, because it tracks the "exit" keys only at the end of deletion procedure (yes, it's a Security procedure!!! ;-) ).
When you delete files or folders, The Eraser will not ask you to confirm...when you delete disks The Eraser will ask you to confirm!
If you hold down option key, while drag or select an item, The Eraser lets you set the preferences, before work!
Disks.
If you select a disk then The Eraser shows its "Format " dialog.
Erase Catalog: The Eraser erases only the disk catalog.
Format: The Eraser formats the disks and erases the disk catalog.
Verify: The Eraser verifies the disks.
System Format: The Eraser calls the System Format Dialog. Useful if you want to take benefit from the most recent System features (HFS+ and FSM).
Cleaning options.
Scan Preferences Folder, Scan System Folder and Scan Orphan Files… (work in the same way, but the third option requires you select a disk, a folder or a file): for each file examinated The Eraser searches in the Desktop Databases for the application who created it. If the application doesn't more exists on your Disks then The Eraser includes the examinated file into the list (see "List").
Intelligent checking: The Eraser doesn't include, in the list, some common files (Inits, cdevs, drivers, fonts, and so on).
Advanced checking: The Eraser searches for a System "component" related to checked file.
Find…: The Eraser searches for files matching the "Find" dialog setting.
If you leave blank some fields in the "Find" dialog then The Eraser ignores them. If you leave blank ALL field then The Eraser ignores YOU!!! :-)
There's no need of examples, I think, you may experiment all possibilities the "Find" feature treats to you.
From Internet menu you can open Internet Config , send me e-mails, visit my web pages, copy my addresses and check the Cache folders.
Check Navigator cache…, Check Explorer cache… (work in the same way): when you select one of them a dialog appears.
From this dialog you may tell to The Eraser to exclude files modified within a determined period of time.
The Eraser doesn't know your Cache folders location (since all Browsers let you to select your preferred folder) so (only) the first time you try to scan a Cache folder you must select it. The same if you've deleted the an already selected folder. Use Forget cache folders if you've changed your Cache folders.
List.
While The Eraser is creating the list you may type escape to break it.
This is the list:
As you may see in the image, The Eraser is Year 2000 ready!!!
From the list you may view the most important info of selected file. The buttons let you to operate in the way you want.
Be careful: Delete and Delete All don't delete locked files. Security erasing and Delete All (security) use the Security options set in the preferences (they also delete locked files). Remove from List doesn't delete the item, simply remove it from list! Advanced checking: This works only if the list contains orphans. It is a bit more complex than the menu item with the same name: I suggest you to perform orphan searches activating only Intelligent checking menu item, then perform the Advanced checking from list.
By using the Trash icon at the left you may empty the Trash.
Acknowledgement:
Carla "The Stylist" Bidone.
Alessandro "The Doctor" Giolitti.
Lucilla Guendalina "The Leader" Moliterno.
Alessandro "The Ace" Levi Montalcini.
Fabrizio "The Guru" Oddone.
Jim Stout for "Jim's CDEF".
A special thanks, for testing and precious suggestions, to Masatsugu "Mark" Nagata.
Author's note:
My software development group is made up by: me.
On the other hand, my beta-tester group is made up by: me.
This means that if you find a bug, both developer and beta-tester groups would greatly appreciate your reporting.
And don't forget to register your copy of The Eraser. Remember that a shareware author should be supported. If you don’t pay for shareware software today, you will pay much more tomorrow for exactly the same features (but enclosed in a 'nice' commercial box).
2.5.0 Unique FAT version. Find feature. Searching for orphan files. Searching for orphan preferences. Searching for orphan System items. Browser's cache cleaning. Improved disk deletion. Appearance savvy. Navigation Manager aware. Optimized Drag Manager support. Improved Modal Dialog filters. Better break keys management. Notification Manager support. Better alerts. Better error checking. Better error infos. Improved "Internet" routines. Linked with Internet Config 2.0. Linked with MoreFiles 1.4.9. Linked with Appearance SDK 1.03. Recompiled with Interfaces-Libraries 3.2. Recompiled by using the newest compiler. New trial time term. Moved preferences file to Yellowsoft folder. Removed custom CDEFs. Addresses update. All code revisited.
2.1.0 Added PPC version. Drag Manager support. Added ability to work using menus. Added "Internet" menu. Added Apple Script support. Removed windows zooming. Removed Drop Keys. Preferences now determine the whole job. Added ability to call preferences on the fly. Improved the registration form dialog. Improved the registration procedure. Movable modal dialogs can switch in background. Slightly changed desktop icon. Revisited and improved the whole code. Linked with MoreFiles 1.4.6. Updated e-mail address. Changed web page address. Minor changes.
2.0.0 Added tri-dimensional interface. All modal dialogs are now movable. Added the ability to work in background. Added the registration form feature. Added the security erasing option. Added drop keys to activate the security deletion. Added preferences window for security erasing. Completely rewritten the info window routine. Increased the number of informations returned by info window and improved its look. Improved the job speed. Added the escape key tracking. Added the ability to use menus while The Eraser is the foreground application. Added a notification procedure. Optimized and improved any routine. Changed desktop icon. Optimized the cursor routine. Updated e-mail address. Minor changes.
1.5.1 Correct a bug in 'disk erase' mode. Correct a little bug occurring when the 'About' window is closed. Improved the job speed.
1.5.0 Improved all functions. Improved memory management. Added the deletion of nested folders. Added the erasing of disks. Added the command-period tracking. Improved the deletion of locked files. Added drop keys.
1.0.0 19 Jan 95, first release, named Filerase.
SHAREWARE $15 CASH.
The Eraser is distributed as SHAREWARE: if you use The Eraser you should pay the author.
You may register by sending US $15 CASH ONLY (or an equivalent sum with your local currency) to the author at the address above. A shareware registration form is available inside The Eraser.
Please, please, no checks: to cash them I must pay the bank more than $18!!!!! if you nevertheless want to pay, in any case, by using checks, the requested price increases by $18, to a total of $33 for an individual.
I will trash, without reply, any check without the $18 contribution.
for fees over $50 I suggest you use an international postal money order.
Special licences.
Pricing:
Site licence: US $ 300
Country licence: US $ 700 (a licence to use the software in any your office in one country)
World licence: US $ 1500 (a licence to use the software in any your office around the world)
To register a special licences, please follow this steps:
1) send an international postal money order to the address above,
2) send me a letter or an e-mail containing your personal data (the same data requested in the "normal" registration form).
The unregistered version.
After the trial period of one week, the unregistered version of The Eraser is, still, fully operational; however it will always show a reminder and its "about" box when you open it. When you register The Eraser the irritating windows don't appear and the "unregistered" notice will be replaced by the registration information.
Notice: soon after registering, you will receive the serial number via e-mail.
The Eraser can also be included, without my prior permission, without changes and with this "Read Me", in all CD-ROM or disk shareware collections and in all CD-ROM or Disk magazines (anyway an e-mail or a snail mail would be welcome, as well a copy of the magazine or media would be welcome :-).
The Eraser may not be included in a commercial package without my prior permission.
Disclaimer of Warranty.
This software is provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind, implied or expressed. When using it you assume all responsibility for any damages caused, directly or indirectly, by its use. Also registering this software doesn’t give you the right to require extra services (bug fixing, special assistance, the latest version on disk, and so on): you should pay only because you think the program you’re using now is worth the money
