PD ROM 1/PD ROM Volume I - Macintosh Software from BMUG (1988).iso/FKEYs/Locare 1.8/Locare 1.8 SW Doc

Text File | 1987-08-23 | 9.4 KB | 229 lines | [TEXT/ttxt]

Locare 1.8d1 Documentation

Locare was (and will always be) written by Raymond Lau.
Copyright 1987, Raymond Lau.
Portions copyright 1986, THINK Technologies, Inc.

June 18,1987


Locare is a lost file finder FKEY patterned after PCPC's Eureka!


IMPORTANT: USE ONLY WITH A HFS EQUIPPED SYSTEM.  IF YOU RUN IT ON A MFS
SYSTEM (128K OR 512K W/O HD 20 FILE), IT *WILL* RESULT IN A SYSTEM ERROR.
Be forewarned!


NOTE: ANY FEATURE DOCUMENTED IS IMPLEMENTED IN THE PRIVATE RELEASE TO
REGISTERED OWNERS.  MANY OF THESE FEATURES HAVE BEEN DISABLED IN THE
DEMO RELEASE.  (for ex: type, date, creator filtration, deletion of files,
getinfo comments, etc.)


Installation:


To install Locare, use FKEY Mgr, FKEY Installer or a resource editor.  I
suggest the use of FKEY Mgr since it's as easy to use as Apple's Font/DA
Mover.
Locare comes set as FKEY number 8, however, it may be renumbered at will.


Operation:

Type in a part of the name of the file you are searching for.
Locare will search for all files containing what you typed
and display them one by one with each click of the "Find!" button.  If
you wish to limit the match to the start or end of the file name, click on
the appropriate button.  Locare will default to the first mounted volume,
which is usually the hard disk you booted up with (assuming you are using a
hd).  If you wish to search on a separate volume, click on the drive
button.  Some info (and an icon) about the volume is displayed.  Icons are
not shown for offline volumes, but info such as name, used, free, are shown.
You ARE allowed to search an ejected ("Offline") volume, but you
will be prompted to insert that disk.  You may cancel such a request by
typing command-period.

The "at beginning/anywhere/at end" radio boxes tell which part of the
filename Locare will compare against the search string.

The find only files modified before/after/anytime should be self
explanatory.  Enter the month/day/year into the boxes.  WARNING: Invalid dates
will be interpreted in strange manners.  The date Locare sees will always
be displayed once Find (or return) is selected.

The radio buttons marked "all types/appls/other/type" are used to filter files
by file type.  All includes everything.  Appls include only applications.
Other includes documents, various support and system files, etc.  (non-APPL)
Type allows you to specify which single type you want Locare to see.
Some common file types include:

    TEXT - text only file.
    WORD - MacWrite file.
    PNTG - MacPaint (also FullPaint) file.
    FKEY - FKEYs
    DFIL - Font/DA Mover DA File
    SPTG - SuperPaint file.
    XLBN - Excel file.
    PICT - MacDraw PICT file.
    nX^d - WriteNow file.

File types are case sensitive and must be either 4 characters long or
empty.  If you enter more than 4 chars, Locare will cut off all chars after
the first 4.  If you enter less, Locare will assume you meant an empty
file type.  Spaces are valid characters.

The radio buttons marked any/creator are used to filter files by creator.
If any is selected, such filtering is deactivated.  If creator is selected,
only files matching the creator entered in the box below it will be
displayed.  Rules for file types also apply to file creators.  Some
common creators are:

    MACA - MacWrite
    nX^n - WriteNow
    XCEL - Excel
    PANT - FullPaint
    CRDW - Cricket Draw
    MDRW - MacDraw
    SPNT - SuperPaint
    ALD2 - PageMaker 2.0
    MRSN - Ready,Set,Go! 3

(Note: Many applications are capable of opening files created by other
applications...ex: FullPaint can open MacPaint files.  Setting the
creator filtering to a certain creator won't show files created by
other applications.  In our ex, this means setting creator to PANT won't
show files created by MacPaint.)


A found file may be deleted.  WARNING: The delete is done at the click of
the mouse.  No warning dialog...yet.

A found file's GetInfo comments will also be displayed.  It may take
a while for Locare to find these comments on large volumes bec. it has
to find and open the Desktop file.  If your cache is activated (via
Control Panel), the search will be greatly shorten the next time a file
is found on the same volume in the same application.

When Locare is closed, it will set the folder in the SFGetFile
("minifinder") box to the one in which the last file was found.  If you
launched Locare on top of such a box, the folder won't be changed by
Locare.  If you hold the shift key down when you close Locare
(shift-cmd-period or shift-click close box), Locare won't change the
SFGetFile folder.  When closed, Locare will also saved the settings used
in this search (string,location,modified time, etc).  The next time Locare
is opened, it'll read these settings.  These settings are stored in a
file called "Locare Defaults" in the current system folder.  Apple has
documented a potential bug with the way Locare uses BootDrive to find
the System folder.  I haven't been able to reproduce this bug, so I didn't
bother implementing Apple's workaround (which would increase Locare's size)
If you find that Locare startes creating the Locare Defaults in any folder
but the System folder, tell me.


Keyboard Shortcuts:

Return key is the same as clicking on the Find! button.
Command-tab or Shift-tab is the same as clicking on the Drive button.
Tab moves from one edit box to the next.
Command-period is the same as closing Locare except when you are prompted
    for a disk, in which case, it will abort the search then.


Known bugs:

Locare crashes if opened from the keyboard in the Switcher 5.1 environment.
I don't know about other versions.  From what I can see, this problem is
caused by Switcher's modification of the GetNextEvent trap.  I do not see
a feasible way to eliminate it.  However, there is a SIMPLE workaround.  If
Locare is opened through the Pop-Keys menu (part of C. Weber's FKEY Mgr.
package), it will NOT crash.  Opening through pop-keys simulates
standard way FKEYs are opened, so it works.  Opening by pressing shift-cmd-
(whatever # u gave Locare) in Switcher causes various Switcher related tasks
to be performed which causes Locare to crash when closed.  (Maybe 5.2 will
be more compatible...or maybe "Juggler" will make it out...)

An alternative workaround is to use Switcher 5.0.  The only difference that
I can see is that 5.0 doesn't support scratchpad applications.  (I still have
yet to find out what they are!)



Planned additions:

Option to rename files found.
Possibly a list of files found.
A search all mounted volumes.
A search all online volumes.
Option to mod GetInfo comments.
Option to not read GetInfo comments...to speed up quick searches.
Option to abort search.
Better error checking.

I do not plan to add wildcard capabilities...personally I don't see any need
for it.  If you differ with me on this, tell me...

Your comments on these ideas and your suggestions are welcomed (as are
bug reports...after all, nothing is bug free.)


Distribution:

This version of Locare (1.8 Shareware Demo) may be distributed freely as
long as it's distributed w/o financial compensation and not as an
incentive to buy another product.

Usage/Shareware:

You may try this version of Locare out for a period of two weeks.  If you
decide that you like it or find it useful, send the author (that's me I
hope!) $10 with a disk and a self addressed stamped envelop for the latest
version.  (It'll get back to you before the trial version expires if enough
time for mail delivery exists.  I just MAY detain sending it until that
last addition/fix is in though).  Or send $15 and I'll you a s/s disk.
Any customer of any of my previous products is entitled to a $3 discount.

Your first (and possibly second depending on Locare's maturity) update is
on me.  All I ask is that you return my disk.
Other updates are available for free if you send a disk and sase.  Or send
$5...  All major updates will be accompanied by a public release of an
older version.  I will mainly depend on this as the means of spreading the
word.  However, if I find that you've missed a major update (or a few
minor updates), I WILL send you a reminder letter.

Remember, I need you to make this method of distribution work.  As long as
there's some response, I will support the product whenever I can see a
possible improvement or whenever a reasonable one is suggested.  If there
is no response, I'd assume no one finds such a product useful.  If you find
it useful, register.  If not, don't.  Don't wait for someone else to do it.
(That wait will last until eternity.)

Currently the private version displays info about files as they are found.


Raymond Lau
100-04 70 Ave.
Forest Hills, NY 11375

(Note: DON'T SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL!)


GEnie:RAYLAU
CIS:76174,2617
Delphi: RAYMONDLAU

Some thoughts which are totally unneeded for anything but your edification...

Some potential "bugs" which cannot be avoided...  Due to the current precision
of the File Manager and B-D package, volume sizes over 2Gigabytes (2048Mb)
will result in incorrect information being displayed about its size, free and
used.  Files over the same size will also result in display errors.  Such
occurrences are highly unlikely in the near (used loosely) future.  Just
thought I'd include such limitations in for your information.  Another
limitation which will result in a crash is that each time a dir inside
a dir is searched, 16 bytes (conservative figure) are used on the stack.
So after going from a few hundred to a few thousand folders deep, stack
space will run out.  I can't possibly imagine anyone having a few hundred
folders deep..(deep meaning if u had a folder inside a folder inside the root
dir, that's 3 levels deep).