Comment Editor allows you to "permanently" modify the comment in the Finder's Get Info dialog box on Finder version 6.0 (or above).
Comment Editor is a shareware product. If you use this program, you must register it. More information on registering the software can be found at the end of this document.
Background Information:
Finder 6.0 (the one that ships with MultiFinder) has a number of enhancements over previous versions of the Finder. One of them is the ability to create "default" comments for its the Get Info dialog box.
As anyone who has ever rebuilt the desktop file may have discovered, older versions of the Finder have destroyed the Get Info comments when the desktop file is rebuilt. Finder 6.0 puts its own default comments in this box when the user's comments are missing.
Where does it get this information? For as long as there have been programs written for the Macintosh there has been what Apple refers to as the "version data" for an application. This is a resource in the application which the Finder uses to help attach a custom icon to an application. In addition, Apple encourages developers to put descriptive information about the software in this resource. Previously, there was no way to access this information. Now, however, this is. It is this information which appears in the Get Info dialog when there is no user-entered comment.
Although you can edit this information in the Get Info dialog, this changed data is stored just as the older Finders stored it. When the desktop is rebuilt this information is destroyed and the default comment will reappear. [Rebuilding the desktop file is something hard disk users do to optimize disk performance. You do this by holding down the Option and Command keys while the disk is booting.]
This program, Comment Editor, will allow you to change this "version data" information permanently. This will make your own comment reappear each time the desktop is rebuilt.
Information typically stored in this comment are the name of the application and the version and/or revision date. It is interesting to note that since previously there was no easy way to see this information, even the developers of the software didn't always keep this information up to date. For example, the comment for version 4.1 of Apple's Finder reads "Finder 2.2". You may find that over half of your programs have either missing or erroneous comments.
How to run Comment Editor:
Launch Comment Editor. You will be prompted for the application you wish to edit. After selecting one, you will see some information about the file and the contents of the comment information. Edit this comment information as you would in any other text editing field. Changed information is not made permanent until you click Save. You can revert to the original comment and undo any changes by clicking Revert. Other files can be opened and editted by clicking the Open button. Press Quit when you are done.
How to make the changes appear in the Get Info box:
The text you edited with Comment Editor will not necessarily appear in the Finder's Get Info box immediately. You must let the Finder know that it must go get the changed comment. There are two ways to do this:
• Rebuild the desktop (hold the Option and Command keys down while
booting the disk), or
• Delete the existing comment in the Get Info box.
The next time you Get Info on that application, your new comment will appear.
Important Note:
Saving changes you made will modify the application. Although these changes should be entirely benign as far as the operation of the application is concerned, I suggest only making these changes only to a copy of the application. It is possible that copy-protected software may think that the program has been tampered with if you use Comment Editor on it. In this case, it is best not to use Comment Editor on the application unless you can somehow get the program copied first.
Shareware Registration:
Comment Editor is shareware. This means that if you like Comment Editor and use it, you must print out and complete the form below (or equivalent information) and send me $10.00 to be a registered owner. If you send in $15.00 I will send you the latest version of the complete program on disk along with some other useful and/or entertaining software. If you find that more than one copy of Comment Editor is being used at a time (such as in an office with several Macs), please send me one additional registration fee for each additional copy of the program being used.
Comment Editor may be posted on any bulletin board without my prior permission so long as this documentation file is posted along with it. Packit and Stuffit work well for keeping Comment Editor and this documentation together.
Users' groups may freely distribute Comment Editor as long as this documentation file is distributed along with Comment Editor and you aren't charging users significantly more than your costs of duplication and distribution for the disks you distribute. Comment Editor may not be distributed with any commercial software without my express permission.
Individuals may make as many copies of registered versions of Comment Editor as they want for their own use, and as many copies as they want for other people as long as the documentation file is always included with it on copies they make for others.
Any other redistribution of Comment Editor without my express written permission is forbidden.
If you have any problems with Comment Editor, or have any suggestions or comments, feel free to write to me or contact me through GEnie (S.ARMITAGE) or CompuServe (72467,1636).
I have tested Comment Editor with many applications and different machine configurations. However, as with any software, it is virtually impossible to test every possible condition. Accordingly, I can assume no responsibility for errors made, or damage caused, by its use. It comes with no warranty, express or implied. The great thing about shareware, of course, is that you can fully evaluate it before you decide to buy.
