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Binary Pump
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Binary Pump 1.0
---------------
Binary pump is a simple utility which attempts to recognize files by their
contents, and sets their file types and creators correctly.
When are the file types and creators NOT correct? Well, when you transfer
files between Macintosh's, you usually use something called MacBinary.
This allows Mac's to correctly transfer things like creation date and file
type and creator appropriately. But when you transfer from IBM PCs, Unix,
or VAX systems, which don't use MacBinary, you will usually get a generic
file type and creator. Thus, you won't be able to do normal mac things to
these files, such as open them by double-clicking (you'll get the "The
Appleication that created this file cannot by found", or you'll end up
running your communications program!)
One exception to this rule (maybe more than one...) is the program Zterm.
I think since version .85, it has been able to correctly recognize files
transfered from foreign (non-macbinary) systems. To its credit, much of
Binary Pump has been modeled around Zterm's implementation of this
feature. But Zterm falls a little short in some areas, the main one being
customizability.
In order to customize Zterm's file recognition, you have
to open up Zterm with resedit, create a new string, and then enter
the file recognition information in the correct format. This is pretty
crude to say the least. Fortunately for Zterm users, its author
stuck in plenty of file types to satisfy most users.
In addition, many other (commercial or shareware) programs, do not support
this feature, which I have found to be very convenient.
By the way, this program is NOT a macbinary filter. If you download a file
which was uploaded in Macbinary format using binary (instead of Macbinary),
this program will NOT normally interpret that Macbinary info. There
are some programs like stuffit deluxe which can do this. Maybe i'll add this
in the future. If you think you'd really like this feature, write me and
i'll put it in.
Usage
-----
There's really not much to explain here. To convert your files, simply drag
and drop them onto Binary Pump.
Binary Pump was made to be very unobstrusive, thus it doesn't give much of
a response. Currently, all it does is flash a watch on the screen _very_
quickly. If no tag was found for a file an exclamation mark will flash
_very_ quickly. I did this on purpose since I hate it when Dialogs,sounds,
or otherwise pop up on the screen, slowing the process down. If you want
some sort of report at the end of file conversion, ask me and i'll stick
it in as some sort of option.
If you don't have System 7.0, these methods will work:
An alternative method is to launch Binary Pump (by double-clicking) and then
openning each file to convert from the File menu.
Yet another alternative method is to get into your comm program's
transfer settings area. Set the Creator Type of Binary files to BINP
Now, whenever you have a binary file that's been transfered without
macbinary, you can double click on it (or a group of files), and have
Binary Pump automatically convert them.
If you use Microphone II, this setting should be in the Settings->Protocal
Transfer dialog box, in the top part of the window, in the area with the
'Auto Detect' checkbox.
If you indirectly run Binary Pump, (i.e. through drag and drop or double-
clickin on files, other than the Binary Pump application), Binary Pump
will automatically quit after converting the requested files.
Note: After converting files, the Finder is slow to recognize that the file
types have changed. Thus, immediately after conversion, the file's icon will
still be incorrect and the files still won't be double-clickable.
To update the finder, close and re-open the folder in which the files
(that were converted) reside.
AppleEvents
In System 7.0 and later, it should be possible to send an ODOC appleevent
to Binary pump, with a descriptor list of files to convert. In this case,
Binary Pump must already be running.
Or, you can send an apple event to the finder, and have it launch Binary
Pump and open thedesired files. Binary Pump will automatically quit when
the files have been converted.
Customization
-------------
This is Binary Pump's strong suite. Customization is fairly simple.
To Add a new entry to Binary Pump:
1. Choose Edit Table… from the File Menu.
A window containing a list of entries will appear.
2. Enter a binary tag or a file name extension in the area labeled "Tag"
File name extensions _must_ have a leading period. e.g., .jpg or .gif
The maximum length for a tag or extension is 39 characters.
The tag must also be unique -- it can't already exist in the entry
list. See replacing entries down below for more info.
Also, tag's are case sensitive!!
3. Enter a File Type and Creator in the corresponding areas.
File Types and Creators _must_ be 4 characters. Binary Pump will
not accept anything else.
File Types and Creators are also case sensitive!
4. Click on the New button.
A new entry will be created in the entry list.
If Binary Pump beeps, see if you met the requirements in steps 2 and 3.
If the tag has any non-displayable characters, it will be displayed
as <*> in the entry list.
Normally, binary tags aren't very easy to obtain. Some files have simple ones
like 'GIF8' for gif files. Others have weird and unrecognizable ones. Thus,
binary pump offers two ways to extract these tags from files.
"Scan 4 char" will simply take the first 4 characters of a file and use it as a
tag.
Unfortunately, not all files (and in fact, fairly few) use 4 character tags at
the beginning of their files.
"Scan 2 file" will ask you to find two files (the fiel dialog will appear
twice!).
It is imperative that you _not_ choose the same file both times!!!! Scan 2 File
takes two different files of the same type, and finds the similarities. The
philosophy behind this is that if the PCX file a and the PCX file b have x
letters in common, any future files which share these x letters will be a PCX
file also. Although this method is better than "Scan 4 char", it's still not
fullproof. Some programs store signatures/similarities at offsets from the
beggining of othe file. In this case, using a file name extension (e.g., .jpg)
is your only choice.
In addition to binary tags, you have to supply file type and creator information.
Although this information is generally easier to obtain, it can be nonetheless
a pain in the butt. Therefore, the button "Creator & Type" get's it for you!
Just click on it and choose the file whose creator and type you want to obtain.
To Replace or change an entry in Binary Pump:
1. Click on the entry to replace.
2. Alter the entry -- change the tag, owner, or type.
3. Click on the Replace button.
To Delete an entry:
1. Click on the entry to delete.
2. Click on the Delete button.
More Advanced Stuff
-------------------
Replacing
Normally, when you click on an entry in a list, Binary Pump will update the
tag, creator, and type fields. This can be inconveniencing if you want
to replace an entry which is not currently selected. Thus, if you hold the
option key and click on an entry, Binary Pump will _not_ update the fields.
Be a little careful when using this since this allows you to create duplicate
entries (entries with identical tags). This is not damaging to Binary Pump,
but can make things confusing.
Precedence
What if Binary Pump comes across a file that has _both_ a binary tag entry and
a file name extension entry? Simply put, binary tags have precedence.
In addition, if you ever _do_ create duplicate entries (this is normally not
possible), Binary Pump will use the first one entered.
Memory
Binary Pump takes up very little memory. I've set the memory limit at 64k right
now, but if you're really tight on memory, it can probably go to as low as 25-30k
Liability and Stuff
-------------------
Here we go again with liabily stuff and such. Simply put, use this software
at your own risk!
Public Domain
-------------
This software may be used free of charge.
Feel free to distribute this software to any BBS's and such provided that
you distribute _only_ the original files and _all_ of the files
that were in the archive.
The only exception is commercial distribution. If you want to commercially
distribute this software, ask me.
Source Code
-----------
Source code is available. If you want it, ask me. No guarentees about
readability though. I will try to go through the code and clean it up
some (if only so I will be able to read it better!), but this software was
pieced together in about 11 hours of time in which lotsa ugly code crept
in.
How to Reach Me
---------------
Internet: eshieh@soda.berkeley.edu
Compuserve: 76164,765
Regular Mail: Eric Shieh, P.O. Box 1235, Danville, CA 94526, USA