HandOff II
Application Substitution, File Launching, and More.

When the original HandOff appeared a while back, it  solved a common and irritating Macintosh complaint: clicking on an icon and getting a dialog box which said that Òthe application is busy or missingÓ. HandOff met with universal acclaim as a modest utility that answered a universal need. Now HandOff II has arrived, and a number of appealing features have been added.

HandOff II, like the original HandOff, lets you specify a substitute application to open your documents. For instance, how many times have you double-clicked on a ÒRead MeÓ document, only to get the message, ÒThe file ÔRead MeÕ could not be opened/printed (the application is busy or missing)Ó? This can happen when, for instance, a document was created by Microsoft Word or WriteNow, but MacWrite II is your word processor. With HandOff II, youÕll see instead a dialog box which asks you which program youÕd like to use to open the document. You have to choose a compatible applicationÑyou canÕt expect PageMaker to open a DesignStudio document. As long as your program has the ability to read the document, all will proceed as if nothing unusual had happened; your document will open for reading, editing, printing, etc. FurthermoreÑand this is the really good partÑHandOff will remember your substitution, so that the next time you double-click on a Word document, MacWrite II will welcome it like the prodigal son. This simple substitution can save lots of time and aggravation. If you donÕt have MacPaint, you can set FullPaint or SuperPaint to open MacPaint clip art files. A model of transparency, HandOff appears whenever it is needed and remembers your desires.

File Launching

HandOff II has added several new features. Chief among them is File Launching. WeÕre all aware by now of the difficulties of organizing even a modest-sized hard drive. In order to cut down on desktop clutter, applications and documents are placed in folders. Sometimes, finding a program or document can involve searching through several levels of folders. This process can be not only time consuming, it can also leave your desktop cluttered with open folders.1 There are several other products which address this problemÑnotably On Cue, DiskTop, and Andrew WelchÕs soon-to-be-released Quick Tools. HereÕs how HandOff II handles the problem: a new, drop-down File Launch menu is added to your Mac. This menu contains the names of programs and documents. Simply choose the name to run the program. ItÕs as easy as selecting a desk accessory.

[ILLUSTRATION: File Launching]

HandOff IIÕs File Launch menu is preset to drop down when you click in either upper corner of your MacÕs menu bar.2 You can also configure the menu to pop up anywhere on your screen when you press user-modifiable Òhot keysÓ.

Several interesting and useful twists have been implemented which extend the usefulness of the File Launch menu. First, there is a MultiFinder application switcher included at the top of the list which showsÑand lets you choose fromÑa list of currently running applications. This is a big improvement over AppleÕs current MultiFinder menu, which is located at the bottom of the desk accessory list.

The File Launch menu lets you attach documents to your applications. If a program has documents associated with it, a triangle will appear alongside its name. Choosing the name of the application will cause the list of documents to pop out. From there, the document will load directly in. This can be a real time-saver, especially if you use stationery files, or if you keep adding information to the same spreadsheet file or database.

Categories

Another interesting twist is that the File Launcher can create Categories. For instance, if you have a lot of programs, your list of programs might get uncomfortably long. With HandOff II, you can create categories of programs, so that, for instance, all of your graphics programs pop out from the Graphics category.

[ILLUSTRATION: Categories]
[Caption: Several applications have been grouped under the category ÒGraphics,Ó thus shortening the File Launch list.]

Briefcasesª

Offering even more interesting possibilities is the ÒBriefcaseÓ feature. A Briefcase entry can contain a number of itemsÑapplications and/or documentsÑthat are all associated with one project that youÕve defined. When you select the Briefcase from the File Launch menu, all of the associated documents will open. Depending on your working habits, this can be a very handy feature. The concept of a Briefcase in the Mac world of suitcases seems both elegant and obviousÉwhy didnÕt anybody think of this before?

[ILLUSTRATION: Briefcase]
[Caption:  A ÒBriefcaseÓ named ÒMMonÓ has been created. Choosing it will run all of the applications and documents shown in the submenu.]

Another clever feature of HandOffÕs File Launch menu is that you can set independent sound and color levels for each application. Some programs, such as photo retouch programs, need the color level set to 256 Grays. Certain games run best at the 16 Color setting. Many applications will run faster in the black-and-white mode. Some games have sound effects that are too loud for late evening play. Going to the Control Panel to make these changes has always been a chore. Now, with HandOff II, you can preset sound and color levels once and never worry about it again.

 Installation and Configuration

HandOff II is an INIT/CDEV combination. To install it, simply copy it into your System folder and reboot. From then on, it works automatically. If you want to configure any of its features, just bring up your Control Panel. The manual is a little confusing in spots, and some operations are not intuitive, but a little experimentation will pay off.

HandOff II is a welcome upgrade to a valuable utility. The new features work smoothly. One consideration remains: which of these features will be needed after Apple brings out System 7.0? Still, HandOff II is available now to smooth out several of the MacÕs rough spots. HandOff II is a good program and a good value.

Street price: around $50.

by Jim Alley
© 1990 The Savannah Macintosh Users Group
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1. HereÕs another tip to avoid a cluttered desktop when opening nested folders: if you hold down the Option key when double-clicking on a folder, its parent folder will close behind it. This technique is only available with more recent systems and has been nicknamed Òtunneling.Ó
2. This position might interfere with PopChar, which also pops up from an upper corner. Neither product is very handy for those of us with two monitors. The upper-right corner of my main monitor is hard to locate quickly and with precision, due to the pointer sliding onto the second monitor. LetÕs all hope other programmers donÕt opt for these hot spots.
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Copyright ©1990 by Jim Alley

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Jim Alley ¥ 320 East 54th Street ¥ Savannah, GA ¥ 31405 
(912) 234-4304