**Read the PictoGuide First! If you have trouble opening the PictoGuide, refer to the Troubleshooting / Known Issues section below.**
DropStuff with Expander Enhancer™ is copyrighted shareware software.
You should not run the software until you have read the document called “License Agreement”. By running the software you signify that you agree to the terms of the License Agreement.
This document contains instructions which will aid your understanding of DropStuff with Expander Enhancer as well as explaining known issues and special topics that you might want to know.
Description
-----------
DropStuff with Expander Enhancer consists of two components, the program DropStuff™, and the StuffIt Engine™, (what we call the “Expander Enhancer”). It is the StuffIt Engine that actually does the Stuffing when you drag items onto DropStuff. The StuffIt Engine also enhances our other program, StuffIt Expander. That's why we call it the Expander Enhancer!
StuffIt Expander is a separate product designed to expand the common compression and encoding file formats. If you are not using StuffIt Expander we recommend that you get a copy today.
DropStuff with Expander Enhancer is designed to meet four needs:
(1) Creating StuffIt archives quickly and efficiently.
Using DropStuff, you can create StuffIt archives by simply dragging & dropping your files and folders onto the DropStuff icon. DropStuff compresses a copy of the information into a StuffIt archive, and puts the archive into the same window that you dragged from, using the name of the file or folder as the name of the archive.
(2) To enhance StuffIt Expander, so it can expand more formats.
If you have installed our program StuffIt Expander, the “StuffIt Engine” gives it the ability to expand just about any file format you might encounter. This includes formats from Macintosh, Unix, and IBM-PCs and compatibles machines like AppleLink Package (.pkg), ARC (.arc), gzip (.gz), TAR (.tar), Unix Compress (.Z), UUcode (.uu), and ZIP (.zip). StuffIt Expander will also be able to expand StuffIt SpaceSaver files, and join StuffIt segmented files.
(3) Accelerate DropStuff and StuffIt Expander on a Power Macintosh.
The StuffIt Engine accelerates the operations of DropStuff and StuffIt Expander, if you are running on a machine that is powered by a PowerPC CPU, such as a Power Macintosh. For example you can expand a StuffIt archive up to 5 times more quickly on a 6100/60 than on a IIci.
(4) Enhance Third-party products that use The StuffIt Engine.
There are many programs, written by other companies, that will take advantage of the StuffIt Engine, if it is present. Once you have installed DropStuff with Expander Enhancer, these products can Stuff and Expand files! For a partial listing of these companies and their programs (there are more every week!), see the “Vendors who support StuffIt” document locate in the same folder as this Read Me.
Installation
------------
Hopefully, you’re reading this document after the complete software “package” was installed by the DropStuff with Expander Enhancer (DropStuff w/EE Installer). If not, you should obtain the “DropStuff w/EE Installer” and reinstall the software. Refer to the “What was installed (and where)” document for details on where the software was installed.
Requirements
------------
DropStuff is a System 7-only application. Expander Enhancer will enhance StuffIt Expander under both System 6 and System 7. DropStuff with Expander Enhancer is Apple event aware, 32-bit clean, Power Macintosh, AV, ’040 cache and virtual memory compatible.
What is an archive, anyway?
---------------------------
An archive is a single file which acts like a container, holding one or more files or folders. Usually the files in an archive are compressed, so they take up less room on a diskette or hard drive, and take less time to transmit over networks and modems. Unless the archive is “self-extracting” (.sea), you need a separate utility to access the files in an archive. StuffIt Expander is a utility which lets you decompress the contents of archives.
Using DropStuff
---------------
One or more files, folders, or disks icons can be Stuffed by dragging their icons onto the DropStuff icon.
1. In the Finder, select one or more icons that you want Stuffed.
2. Drag them over the DropStuff icon until it is highlighted.
3. Let go of the mouse/trackball button.
DropStuff will compress the file(s), folder(s) you selected. DropStuff will automatically quit, when it finished stuffing what you selected.
If you prefer a “manual” way to Stuff your files, or if you want to compress items from more than one location:
1. Double click the DropStuff icon.
2. Choose the “Stuff...” command from the File menu.
3. Click the “Add” button to move the selected item from the directory list on the left, to the items list on the right.
4. Click the “Stuff” button to stuff all the items shown in the item list into an archive.
Here are some details of the Stuff dialog:
*The directory list on the left of this dialog is similar to the Open dialog that allows you to select files, folders, and disks. The pop-up menu above the list indicates the folder in which the items reside.
*Checking the “Delete item when finished” check box deletes the selected item from the disk after it has been Stuffed into the current archive. Use this feature carefully.
*The “Remove” button removes the selected item from the item list, and places it back in the directory list. This means that this item will not be subsequently Stuffed into the current archive.
*The “Items to Stuff” list contains the items that will be Stuffed into the archive when the “Stuff” button is clicked.
*Checking the “Encrypt with password” check box encrypts all items in the item list when the “Stuff” button is clicked. Make sure to remember your password! You will need it to UnStuff any encrypted items in the archive. Also, passwords are case sensitive. Aladdin Systems can not help you if you forget your password.
To create a self-extracting archive that any Macintosh user can UnStuff, even without a StuffIt product:
1. Double click the DropStuff icon.
2. Choose “Preferences...” from the File menu.
3. Click “Make self-extracting” (so the box is checked).
4. Click OK.
Now proceed to Stuff files, using either the manual or drag & drop techniques. All new archives you create will be self-extracting until you deselect the “Make self-extracting” checkbox in the DropStuff “Preferences...” dialog.
DropStuff is not able to create segmented archives and is therefore not able to create multi-disk self-extracting archives. If you need to segment very large archives to fit onto floppy diskettes, try using StuffIt Lite (a shareware product available online, from user groups, or through Aladdin) or, better still, try StuffIt Deluxe (our commercially available “Complete Compression Solution”). If you’re a registered user of DropStuff with Expander Enhancer, you can get StuffIt Deluxe at a special price. Contact Aladdin for details (408/761-6200) or see the order form located the Read Us First! folder.
Special Topics for DropStuff
============================
Shortcuts
---------
* If you hold down the Control key when dropping the files on the icon, DropStuff will delete the original files after stuffing them. You are not warned, so use this feature carefully.
* If you hold down the Option key when dropping the files on the icon, or when choosing Stuff from the menu, you will have the option of choosing preferences (like creating self-extracting archives) which will apply only that one time to Stuffing, after which DropStuff will go back to using your previously chosen preferences.
* If you drop a StuffIt archive on DropStuff with BinHex encoding turned on, the archive will just be BinHexed (as opposed to being re-Stuffed and BinHexed).
Scripting
---------
Scripters can control DropStuff from other applications. For example, with HyperCard use the “open <document> using “DropStuff” command. With Frontier, use “required.OpenDocument(‘DStf’, document)”. AppleScript users can use the "open <document>" command.
Troubleshooting / Known Issues
----------------------------
* The PictoGuide can be opened by SimpleText, some versions of TeachText, and any application that can open PICT documents. If you have trouble opening the PictoGuide, your version of TeachText may be not be recent enough. The PictoGuide will print correctly on some printers, but not others. If the page breaks of the printed PictoGuide seem inaccurate, turn *off* “Larger Print Area” in the Options dialog of “Page Setup...” and try reprinting. Certain Hewlett-Packard printers may not allow you to turn this option off; in this case, the printed PictoGuide will contain all the complete information, but the page breaks will be off.
* If DropStuff does not highlight when dragging a file onto it, try rebuilding your desktop by restarting your computer while holding down the Option and Command keys until a dialog appears. Click “OK” when asked if you want to rebuild your desktop.
* If DropStuff’s preferences are set to “Make self-extracting” and “Encrypt with Password”, and you drag a StuffIt archive onto DropStuff, it will turn the archive into a Self-Extracting Archive (.sea) but will not encrypt the .sea.
We hope that you won’t have any problems with DropStuff, but if you do you can contact Aladdin Systems. E-mail is the best way to get your technical questions answered. The Technical Support E-mail address is: tech.assist@aladdinsys.com.
Contacting Aladdin Systems
==========================
If you would like to register your copy of DropStuff with Expander Enhancer or you wish information about our other award-winning products (like StuffIt Deluxe, CyberFinder, Aladdin Desktop Tools or SITcomm), just ask us. For the quickest way to learn more about Aladdin's products visit our Web site listed below.
E-mail:
America Online: Aladdin
CompuServe: 75300,1666
Internet: cust.service@aladdinsys.com
Internet Locations:
Web: http://www.aladdinsys.com
FTP: ftp://ftp.aladdinsys.com
Address:
Aladdin Systems, Inc.
165 Westridge Drive
Watsonville, CA 95076 USA
Phone:
408/761-6200
Fax:
408/761-6206
DropStuff with Expander Enhancer is Shareware
============================================
You may use DropStuff with Expander Enhancer for up to 15 days and pay nothing. After 15 days, you must register your shareware by sending Aladdin Systems $30. We allow you give away “DropStuff with Expander Enhancer Installer”. Register your shareware by E-mail, fax, mail, or phone. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, checks, and money orders. U.S. funds only, please. We have provided an order form located in the Read Us First! folder.
Registration entitles you to special, low prices on Aladdin’s commercial software products like SITcomm, StuffIt Deluxe, CyberFinder, and Aladdin Desktop Tools. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction knowing that you’re supporting one of the last bastions of trust, honesty, and good will in our society.
Thank you for supporting shareware!
A Message to Owners of other Aladdin Products
=============================================
Registered owners of Aladdin’s commercial products: StuffIt Deluxe (version 3.0.7 or later), StuffIt SpaceSaver, and SITcomm, are _automatically_ registered when DropStuff with Expander Enhancer is installed. In other words, for those of you who currently own one of these products, there’s no need to send Aladdin a shareware registration fee.
What is Shareware?
==================
Shareware is software distributed via local bulletin board systems (BBS), commercial online services, user groups, and between friends. You are allowed to use shareware for a trial period before you pay for it, but you must pay for it after that time.
Shareware exists because people (like you) continue to pay on this honor system. As a user of shareware, you benefit because you get to try the software to see if you like it before you pay. Some developers also give you added benefits when you pay for your shareware (like special deals on other products, and free technical support). We do.
DropStuff with Expander Enhancer is shareware!
Please share this software with every Mac user you know! But, PLEASE, give away the installers only, not the individual files. In other words, share the “StuffIt Expander Installer” and “DropStuff w/EE Installer” with your friends so that they get the complete software package. -THANKS!
