Help for CDFinder

This easy-to-use application creates catalog files of CD-ROMs, hard disks, floppies, ZIPs and almost everything that turns. 
Using the powerful search function you are able to easily locate and display files or folders.

While reading this document please keep in mind that English is not my native language. Nevertheless I hope that the translation is acceptable. If you detect any mistakes, please let me know!

CDFinder is shareware. Please read more about payment at the end of this document!

System requirements
CDFinder needs System 7.0  or newer and at least a 68020-CPU or a Power-Mac. Since it also uses Color QuickDraw, it can't run on any of the older Mac Plus, SE, Classic and the PowerBook 100.
I did my tests on many different Power Macs, native and using the 68k emulation.
CDFinder is fully compatible to MacOS 9!
If drag&drop is installed, the application uses it in some parts (see below).

Menus

 (Apple menu)

About CDFinder…
Display a dialog showing the version number of the application and the links to reach me by email and through the Internet.

File

New Folder…
Create a new folder, or better: ask you for the name of a new folder and creates it. You can use folders to greatly improve the organisation and order of your catalogs. You can later modify the name of a catalog folder by choosing "Get Info".

Open
Open the active object. If this is a catalog, its contents will be displayed in a separate window. If it's a folder, its contents will be displayed. Files will be opened by the Finder (applications may be launched if necessary), if the volume that contains the object is available. If the volume is not currently online, CDFinder prompts you to insert it. 
The keys "return" and "enter" provide a shortcut to this function.

Close
Close the active window.

Create Catalog…
Open a dialog that lets you select a volume to create a catalog of. If you have drag&drop installed, you should simply drop the icon of a volume into the main window to accomplish the same task.

Update Catalog…
To update an existing catalog, simply use this command. You will be asked to insert the volume if it is not available. This operation is also automatically invoked if you try to catalog a volume that is already known to the program by its name and creation date, but with a different modification date. Please note that the Mac OS does not update the modification date of a volume very often.

Batch Create…
To create a whole lot of catalog files from more than one volume, you can use this function. It displays a dialog and let you insert volumes of any kind. Catalog files will be created and the volumes will be ejected automatically afterwards (if possible...). By an also included menu, you can now also eject any currently mounted volumes, if necessary.

Find…
Open the "Find"-Window, where you can enter any type of information you want to look for.

Information
Display an information window for the active object. If it's a catalog, you can change its name and enter some comment as well. The first line of your comment will be displayed in the main window, as long as you view it with icons.

Import
Import existing Disk Wizard or Iomega FindIt catalog files. With MacOS 8.5, the new Navigation Services are used and you can select more than one file at once. To speed things up, you can also drop a bunch of catalog files into the main window of CDFinder! More import formats will follow in later versions.

Export
If a catalog is selected in the main window, this function lets you export the catalog contents into a text file. CDFinder will display a dialog to set all necessary options. You can choose to have the full pathname included (great for database import) or you can let CDFinder visualize the folder hierarchy by placing tabs into the text.
If the window with the found objects is the frontmost one, those can be exported as well.

Page Setup
Open the standard dialog to set any preferences regarding paper size and stuff like that. Somehow you should know this from other applications...

Print Window
This will print the current active window. This works for any catalog window, the window with the found objects, and of course the main window of CDFinder. In contrast to the Finder, CDFinder will only print one page side by side, so you may want to play with the page setup parameters to fit all the data onto one page.

Quit
Quit CDFinder and save all modified preferences and catalog files.

Edit
These are the well–known functions for basic text editing and two more:

Delete Catalog
Delete the active item after an acknowledgement. You may also use the "delete"-key for this task or drag the item into the trash. If you want to remove an item form the list of found objects, there will be no dialog.
To bypass the dialog, simply press the "alt" key (at your own risk...), but this will not work if you are about to delete a catalog folder.

Preferences…
Using the preferences dialog, you can select the folder CDFinder is using to store the catalog files. You can also change the labels and the language of the user interface. If you want to be notified after a longer process (like finding, sorting, and creating a catalog) you can make CDFinder play a little sound. You can change the catalog folder by simply dropping a folder into the right area as well. It is also possible to change some settings regarding the way CDFinder creates catalog files.

Label
Using this menu, you can assign labels to catalogs and any catalog items. This can help reducing the catalogs to be searched. By using properly named labels like "Is not available" you can also add valuable information to a catalog entry. By setting the label of interesting catalog items, you can find them much faster. You can change the labels using the "Preferences…", located in the "Edit" menu.

View
Show Icons
Only available for the main window, you can choose to have the volume icons displayed large or small.

Show Mini Icons
Only available for the main window, this shows the small volume icons. Now each entry only uses about half as much space to display and thereby allows almost twice as many catalogs to be displayed in the window. This is a useful feature for smaller screens.

By Name
Sort the contents of the active window by name. This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

By Size
Sort the contents of the active window by size. This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

By Unused
Sort the contents of the main window by the unused space available at every volume . This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

By Label
Sort the contents of the active window by label. This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

By Date
Sort the contents of the active window by modification date. This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

By Kind
Sort the contents of the active window by kind (currently only available for the found objects). This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

By Catalog
Sort the contents of the active window by catalog (currently only available for the found objects). This can also be accomplished by clicking in the column header.

Special
Previous Level
Use this command to display the previous level (that is the folder that includes the current one). You can also use the keyboard command ⌘-arrow up or click in the little arrow button located in the header of the window.

First Level
This displays the first level of the current catalog.

Show in Catalog
Only available for found objects, the selected object will be displayed inside its catalog. That is useful to determine the surrounding area of an object, to discover any similar or additional files.

Reveal in Finder
Available for any found object and any object inside a catalog, CDFinder persuades the Finder to display the window in which the object resides. If the containing volume is not online, you are prompted to insert it.

Statistics
This opens a window with some very interesting statistical information. It shows the memory used by CDFinder, the number of catalog files currently loaded inside the application memory and inside the system memory. And finally it shows how much work CDFinder is doing for you by searching the thousands of files and folder in your catalogs.

Move Catalog(s)
This is your chance to move catalogs from folder to folder or even out of a folder, if you have no drag&drop installed.

Refresh Catalog Folder
If any changes have been done to the catalog folder while your CDFinder is running, this command will force CDFinder to do the same scan of the catalog folder as done when CDFinder is launched.

Convert Catalog(s) to new format
Use this command to convert any catalog files of CDFInder 2.x to the new, extended format 3.0. Please note: You can also update any old catalog to bring it to the new format. The latter has the advantage that CDFinder can read more information as were stored in the old catalog file.

Registration Form…
Only available in an unregistered version of the application, you can fill in the registrations form and print it. You may also print the enclosed registration form document (using SimpleText) and fill it in with a pencil. 
However, the first method is easier. Starting with version 1.5 of CDFinder you can also pay for CDFinder by using Kagi. Just launch the enclosed Register application and fill in all the necessary fields. For more information, please see below!

Enter Registration…
Also just available in an unregistered version of CDFinder, here you can enter your name and personal keyword to complete the registration. Please keep in mind that CDFinder does not ignore case (typing your name!) and that your registration will not be stored inside the application itself but in the preferences file inside your system folder. Hence you can still share your application together with its "Read me's" and any other accompanying documents!

Keyboard shortcuts
In addition to using the menus (and their keyboard shortcuts) and the mouse there are some useful shortcuts available to control CDFinder.

The following shortcuts are available:

– "Help" (only extended keyboards) will open this help window.

– "Option" while closing one window will close every window.

• In all windows with scroll bars:

– "Begin" (only extended keyboards) displays the first entry (but does not change the selection!).

– "End" displays the last entry.

– "Page down" displays the next page of entries, if possible.

– "Page up" displays the previous page of entries.

– arrow up (on all keyboards) selects the entry previous to the currently selected one. 

– arrow down selects the entry next to the currently selected one.

– "Tab" selects the next item in a list. After selecting the last item, that key will wrap to the first item of the list.

– "Alt"-"Tab" selects the previous item in a list. After selecting the first item, that key will wrap to the last item of the list.

• In the "Find" dialog:

– ⌘-"E" selects "every catalog file".

– ⌘-"+" is the same as clicking the button "More…" to expand the dialog to two options.

– ⌘-"-" is the same as clicking the button "Fewer…" to reduce the dialog to one option.

• In the main window:

– "Delete" deletes the selected catalog, but only after you acknowledged this.

- ⌘-arrow down will open the selected catalog and display its contents in a new window.

- Almost any other character will select the first catalog whose name starts with the character(s).

• In any catalog window:

– "Delete" deletes the selected item from the catalog, but only after you acknowledged this (you can bypass this by pressing "Alt").

- ⌘-arrow down will open the selected folder and display its contents.

- ⌘-arrow up displays the level above the current one (thereby "closing" the current folder). If the current level is already the first one, the window will be closed.

• In the found objects window:

- Almost any character will select the first object whose name starts with the character(s).

– "Delete" removes the selected object from the list (but not from the catalog it belongs to!).

Drag&Drop
CDFinder is currently using drag&drop in different areas. 

• You can drop volumes of any kind into the main window to create a catalog of them.

• You can drop Disk Wizard, FindIt, CatFInder, and Disk Tracker catalog files into the main window to import them into CDFinder.

• You can move any catalogs among catalog folders.

• You can move a single catalog folder inside the main window.

• You can drag any item of a catalog window or the found items display and drop it into the Finder. CDFinder will then request to insert the source volume and, if it is available, will ask to Finder to copy the item to the place you indicated!

• You can drop text clips and files inside the input areas of the "Find" dialog. CDFinder will try to set the contents of these fields accordingly.

• By moving a catalog directly from the main window into the trash, you can delete the catalog.

• By dropping a folder into the right area inside the preferences dialog, you can select the folder in which CDFinder keeps its catalog files.

CDFinder in the Internet
The most actual version is always available at the CDFinder-Hompeage:
http://www.cdfinder.de

Limitations
The unregistered version of CDFinder will annoy you at every launch with a little dialog reminding you of the benefits of paying your shareware fee. The number of catalogs is also reduced to 25, which is enough to evaluate the application and its functions.

Legal stuff

The application "CDFinder" and all included materials are protected by copyright law. You may not disassemble it or modify it with similar tools.

You may copy the program together with all additional documents as often as you want, as long as you don't modify any part of it! You may not sell it or use it commercially in any other way without my written consent.

If you want to distribute CDFinder on a shareware collection CD-ROM or anything like that, you have to inform me with an e-mail or a written letter. I'd also like to have a copy of the CD-ROM, if possible...

For a trial period of 30 days you may freely use the program. After that, you need to register it.

In absolute no way am I responsible for any damage occurring by the use of the software. 

Registration

CDFinder has the following pricing:
1- 10 single user licenses, $20 per user
11-24 single user licenses, $16 per user
25-49 single user licenses, $14 per user
50+ single user licenses, $11 per user

A Site License costs $800 and covers all locations for your organization within a 160 kilometer radius of your site (100 miles). One big advantage of a Site License is that you do not need to keep track of how many people at your site are using the software. 

A World-Wide License costs $2500 and it covers all locations for your organization on the planet earth.

For additional $10 I will send you a floppy disk containing the next version of the program.
If you want a CD-ROM with the next version, it is $25.

Updates are free and can be obtained by the CDFinder-Homepage at: 
http://www.cdfinder.de

Just send me e-mail:

Doerner@kagi.com

My new postal address:

Norbert M. Doerner
Mozartstr. 16
D-64546 Moerfelden-Walldorf
Germany

Payment directly to the author (Cash only!)

You can pay Cash by simply adding the money to your registration form. This works quite well if the envelope is made of thick paper. I do also accept cash in different currencies, please contact me! You can either use the SimpleText document enclosed with CDFinder as a registration form or use the "Registration Form" command found in the "Special" menu in CDFinder.

If you fill in your registration form without using the dialog provided by CDFinder, please print carefully. My brand new biological character recognition system (BRAIN 3.0) still needs some training ;-)

Payment via Kagi (anything else...)

Online:
You can pay for CDFinder online here: http://order.kagi.com/?1UJ

Regular:
Just open the Register program that accompanies CDFinder. Enter your name, your email address, and the number of single user licenses you desire (or Site or Word-Wide licenses). Save or Copy or Print the data from the Register program and send the data and payment to Kagi. Kagi handles my payment processing.

If paying with Credit Card or First Virtual, you can email or fax the data to Kagi. Their email address is sales@kagi.com and their fax number is +1 510 652-6589. You can either Copy the data from Register and paste into the body of an email message or you can Save the data to a file and you can attach that file to an email message. There is no need to compress the data file, it's already pretty small. If you have a fax modem, just Print the data to the Kagi fax number. 

Payments sent via email are processed by Kagi within a week. You will receive an email acknowledgement when it is processed. Payments sent via fax take up to 20 days and if you provide a correct internet email address you will receive an email acknowledgement. If you require a written receipt, please keep in mind that even by airmail it might take a week for a letter to arrive.
After you receive the acknowledgement by Kagi, I will send you the key as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that CDFinder is not my full-time job, so it could be 7 or even 12 days until you receive your key from me. Usually it will only take two or three days.

If you are paying with Cash or USD Check you should print the data using the Register application and send it to the address shown on the form, which is: 

              Kagi
              1442-A Walnut Street PMB #392-1UJ
              Berkeley, California 94709-1405
              USA

You can pay with a wide variety of cash from different countries but at present if you pay via check, it must be a check drawn in US Dollars. Kagi cannot accept checks in other currencies, the conversion rate for non-USD checks is around USD 15 per check and that is just not practical.

If you have a purchasing department, you can enter all the data into the Register program and then select Invoice as your payment method. Print three copies of the form and send it to your accounts payable people. You might want to highlight the line that mentions that they must include a copy of the form with their payment.  Kagi can not invoice your company, you need to act on my behalf and generate the invoice and handle all the paperwork on your end. 

Please do not fax or email payment forms that indicate Cash, Check or Invoice as the payment method. As far as we know, there is still no technology to transfer physical objects via fax or email and without the payment, the form cannot be processed.

Payments send via postal mail take time to reach Kagi and then up to 10 days for processing. Again, if you include a correct email address, you will hear from Kagi when the form is processed.

Protection
CDFinder has a protection scheme and when you pay, I tell you how to indicate to CDFinder that you have paid the registration fee. If you do not have an email address, please enter your complete postal address and please remember, I do not know what country you live in so please enter that into the postal address also. 

If you pay by sending me cash directly to Germany, I will send you your personal registration keyword by snail mail (airmail!) too.

Acknowledgements

First of all I would like to thank my wonderful wife Silvia. Without her patience, the development process would not have been possible.

Without the help and the support of the following people, CDFinder would surely be a lesser tool now: Erik Ekengren, Doris Wagner, Giorgio Boccalari, John Zetlaoui, David C. Oshel und Thomas v. Landsberg-Velen. Thank you very much!

I also want to thank all those who helped my doing the first beta testing and thereby provided invaluable assistance checking the functions and user interface of the software: Wolfgang Warmbold, Martin Girschick, Patrick Röder, Michael Stunz, Manfred Kunkel, Ralf Schlobinski, Heiko und Manfred Richter, Holger Ruhnke, Henny Rose, Marc Kothe, Claus Sterneck, Marc Mennigmann, Stephane Madrau, Tuukka Ilomaki, Okke Rosen, Ryo Chijiiwa, David Heininger, Doug Anderson, Sebastian Duevel, Dennis, Matthias Kahlert.

Many thanks to Joerg M. Hieronymus for the nice new graphics!

The comments and notes of all registered users also helped a lot.

Please send me ideas, comments, notes and Cocoa Puffs or Star Trek books! 

By Norbert M. Doerner 2001
© Copyright by West-Forest-Systems 2001