Super Comments 2.0.7 is a shareware control panel, which enables your Macintosh to keep the Finder Get Info comments from being erased when the desktop is rebuilt. It also permits them to be viewed in the open file dialogs and edited in the save file dialogs. Super Comments 2.0.7 supersedes CommentKeeper and all commercial versions of Super Comments. It also fixes a problem in version 2.0.6, which would, under certain circumstances, cause a system crash when opening the control panel.
The Finder permits users to enter a comment for every file, folder, and volume. These can be accessed in the Finder, for example, by selecting a file in a Finder window and choosing Get Info from the File menu. The dialog displayed presents information about the file and an editing field to view and edit the file’s comment. However, it is not possible to view or edit it anywhere else. In addition, the Finder erases these comments when the desktop database is rebuilt.
Super Comments remedies these problems by preserving the info comments when the desktop database is rebuilt. It also displays comments in Open File dialogs and allows them to be edited them in Save File dialogs and from within some open applications on the fly.
The desktop database is a file maintained by the Finder that allows it to easily manage which applications go with which files. The file also contains a copy of each file’s icons and its comment if the file has one. It is possible to force the Finder to rebuild this file by holding down option-command upon launching the Finder. However, the Finder erases all the comments. Super Comments prevents this by intercepting the Finder just before this action and temporarily saving all the comments (during this time, the cursor is changed to an animating Get Info window). After the rebuild has taken place, Super Comments reinstalls the comments it saved (again, the cursor changes to an animated Get Info window), thus leaving the desktop database with the comments it had still intact. To have Super Comments perform this action, all that it needed is having the program installed and turned on in the control panel.
Sometimes, the desktop database becomes corrupted and should be deleted. This will force the Finder to build it anew. Doing this manually erases all the comments. However, simply engaging the desktop rebuild in the normal way (by holding down option-command upon launching the Finder) causes Super Comments to delete the desktop database (after it has attempted to salvage whatever file comments it can). The Finder rebuild proceeds normally except that it is starting from a fresh, empty file.
Using Super Comments, you can view comments in an open file dialog. To open a file from within most applications, one chooses the open command, which responds by displaying a file selection dialog, the open file dialog. When Super Comments is on, it expands the lower part of the dialog and displays here the Get Info comment for the currently selected file, folder, or volume.
If nothing is selected, it displays the comment for the current volume or folder. If the selected item doesn’t have a comment, it displays the phrase «no comment».
Using Super Comments, you can edit comments in a save file dialog. To save a file or save a file under another name, one chooses the save or save as command, which responds by displaying a file selection dialog, the save file dialog. When Super Comments is on, it expands the lower part of the dialog and provides a field for the comment. If the file has a comment, it appears in the editing field just as it does in the Finder. To access this field, tab to it or click in it. You can change the comment that is there or enter a new comment. Upon clicking the standard Save button, if the file doesn’t exist yet, the comment is stored temporarily until the file is created. Then Super Comments saves the comment permanently. If the file already exists, the comment is saved immediately.
Note that there a few circumstances where editing the comment won’t succeed. Some applications, for example, create their files initially as temporary files making it difficult for Super Comments to determine that it is associating the comment with the appopriate file. In addition, Super Comments will not save comments to files on floppy disks or on locked volumes.
Using Super Comments, you can edit comments of a file within an open application. In the control panel, click the “Set Comment Editor Hot Key” button to choose a key combination to trigger the hot key comment editor. Then while editing a document you have been working on and whose window is frontmost, type the key combination (key combinations with just the option or command keys are not permitted). An editing window appears displaying the name of the file whose window is frontmost and its comment. You can edit the comment here directly. Note that in some applications that are equipped with floating palettes, the hot key editor does not work correctly when any of the palettes is displayed.
If you don’t wish to access the Get Info comments in a particular application’s file dialogs or the hot key editor in that application, you can add it to Super Comments’ application exclusion list. In the control panel, click the “Add…” button and a file dialog will continually be displayed asking for an application to be added to the list. Click the Cancel button to finish adding. To remove an application from the list, select it in the list and click the “Remove” button. Changes to the list take effect after a restart.
Super Comments requires a version of System 7 to run. It runs emulated on Power Macintoshes.
Super Comments was written by Maurice Volaski and is now published by Flux Software. Flux Software maintains a web site at http://www.fluxsoft.com. Visit it to learn all about Flux Software’s other products and to obtain the latest versions of Super Comments. For technical support and other information, please contact Flux Software directly at support@fluxsoft.com. Super Comments comes with no warranty, either expressed or implied. Both Flux Software and Maurice Volaski, the author, claim no liability for any damages arising out of the use of this software.
Try out Super Comments for thirty days for free. Super Comments is not crippled in any way, requires no serial number to run, and doesn’t post any registration reminders. However, if you like it, please pay the shareware fee of $10 (US). Registered users of any version of Atticus™ Super 7 Utilities™ are not required to pay. You can enter your name and organization by clicking on the User • Organization text area and entering that information into the dialog that appears.
Super Comments uses the Kagi Shareware system for submitting shareware payments. Kagi Shareware is a payment processing service that can accept many forms of payment including major credit cards. To pay via Kagi, please use the Register program that accompanies the Super Comments package (if your package did not contain Register, you can obtain a complete Super Comments package by visiting the Flux Software web site or via ftp at the Flux Software ftp site at ftp.fluxsoft.com). After you fill in the fields for payment, you can, depending on the payment method, mail, fax, or email the payment and form to Kagi Shareware.
Super Comments may be distributed freely so long as it is accompanied by its About text and the Register program and that none of these items have been modified.
