Briefcase - a utility for opening multiple files/documents in different applications.
Version 2.0 requires NeXTStep 3.0; in fact, the major reason for this release is to be 3.0-friendly. This consists of adding "real" drag-n-drop capabilities to the document (and yes, it seemed very easy to do), cleaning up header files, fixing a few bugs. No object links or Workspace Protocol interface or distributed objects...
This program has two reasons for existence. First, I wanted to generalize the
multiple-document architecture embodied in Draw for use in my own applications.
To do that, I decided to implement an application delegate superclass, which can
readily be added to existing applications and connected in IB. There is also a
Document superclass, which implements the things I thought documents should keep
track of (dirty, empty, file management, etc.) To demonstrate that these
classes are at least somewhat subclassable (and hence of value to others), I
wrote Briefcase with this paradigm. This package also includes a Preferences
Delegate object, which manages a preferences panel; support for localization;
and other goodies.
The second reason is that I often find myself working with the same
collection of three documents, one word processor, one graphics and one
spreadsheet document. In this case, I don't need feedback about the
documents launching; I just want to launch them all at once, with one
key click. Briefcase will allow you to specify files to be launched in
one of three ways: either by typing in the absolute path (ended by a
return) using the Open panel, or by dragging and dropping the file(s) on the
app's icon. These files are displayed in a window which the user can
edit. When you save the document, Briefcase writes a quick C program to
open the files, compiles it and drops it in the directory you specified.
(There will also be a <file>.bc document in that directory.
That file is the editable version - the <file> is the binary you run to
launch the documents.) Running this program launches the files. Now, you
can create mini-programs for use in the dock, or in your directory which will
launch multiple files in different directories in different applications at
once.
Full Documentation (such as it is) can be found in the Help panel. Once
again, please forward comments to me - that's the only thing I'm asking
in return for releasing the code. I want to learn how to do things right,
and I'm asking you to help me. Thanks!
Oh yeah. Just type 'make' at a prompt - it has the standard NeXT
PB-generated Makefile. It should compile with no warnings. A prebuilt
