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 'MagicalKeys'
(Open Finder
Items by Magic Keys)
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Version 1.4.3 - September 10, 1998
Copyright 1996-1998 Michel MARIANI - All Rights Reserved
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 Contents
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 Introduction
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- With MagicalKeys, you can "magically" open up to four
often-used Finder items: volumes, folders, applications,
documents, control panels, desk accessories, etc., by quickly
pressing down 2 or 3 times the modifier key (Command, Option,
Shift, Control) they are associated with.
- As a "bonus" feature, assigning a modifier key to the Finder
file located in the active System Folder allows you to switch to
it automatically (normally, double-clicking on the Finder icon
brings an error message dialog, telling you the file cannot be
opened because it is used by the system software). In addition, if
the Finder is not currently running for some reason, it is
automatically restarted.
- MagicalKeys works under System 7.0 or later, and is
distributed as freeware.
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System Requirements
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MagicalKeys works under Mac OS System 7.0 or later (System 7.5 or
newer is recommended). It has been successfully tested on Macintosh
Classic, PowerBook 520C, Power Macintosh 7200 and Performa 6400. A
specific version is available for Mac OS 8 (& 7.6).
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Installation
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To use MagicalKeys feature, place the file in the Control Panels
folder and then restart the computer.
Warnings:
- Under Mac OS 7.6 or later, please don't use the standard
version, but use instead the specific version located in the
folder named "* For Mac OS 8 (& 7.6) *".
- The version number at the end of the control panel's file name
has been dropped soon after version 1.3.2. Now, under the improved
naming scheme, a new version simply overwrites the previous one.
In case your last installed version is "MagicalKeys 1.3.2", don't
forget to throw (or hide) it away before installing the new
version.
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Directions for Use
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- Once the installation has been done for the first time and the
computer has been restarted, it is already possible to use
MagicalKeys' feature: quickly press down 3 times any modifier key
(Command, Option, Shift, Control) and the control panel shall open
automatically!
- In the control panel window, either click one of the "Set..."
push-buttons or double-click the Finder item icon or name located
to its right, on the same line. A customized selection dialog
appears. Navigating through it, select any volume, folder,
application, document, control panel, desk accessory, etc. you
want to associate with the modifier key. Aliases are normally
resolved at selection time but, if you wish, you can override the
standard behaviour by checking the box: "Select Alias instead of
original".
- Alternatively, you can drag an item from the Finder and drop
it onto the control panel, in the rectangular area of the modifier
key you wish to associate the Finder item with. Here again,
aliases are normally resolved, unless the Command (or Control) key
is pressed down during the drag. You can also exchange two Finder
items in the control panel by dragging any item from one modifier
key area to another. If the Option key is pressed down during the
drag, a copy is performed instead of a move. Please note that all
these functions are only available if Drag and Drop is enabled
(standard feature of System 7.5 and later).
- MagicalKeys automatic opening can be selectively disabled for
each modifier key by unchecking the key name in the control panel.
The whole feature can also be globally disabled by selecting the
radio-button labeled "Off".
- You can choose between 'Double-Tap' and 'Triple-Tap' (the
default setting). Presently, the time between double-keydowns is
assumed to be the same as the one for the mouse double-clicks, as
set in the Mouse or Trackpad control panels.
- Provided "Open Control Panel when Caps-Lock Down" is enabled,
you can automatically bring up MagicalKeys' control panel at any
time, by having the Caps-Lock key down while double-tapping or
triple-tapping any modifier key. If "Enabled Modifier Keys Only"
is also checked, the auto-opening feature is limited to the
modifier keys which are actually enabled (allowed to "magically"
open the Finder item they are associated with). This limitation is
especially useful to prevent conflicts with any other software
which would use modifier keys in a similar way.
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General Settings (Control
Panel)
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Off / On
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Disables / Enables MagicalKeys.
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About...
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Displays more information about MagicalKeys.
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Start-Up Icon
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Shows / hides MagicalKeys's icon at system start-up.
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Double-Tap / Triple-Tap
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A Finder item is opened by double-tapping /
triple-tapping the modifier key it is associated with.
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Open Control Panel when Caps-Lock Down
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Enables / disables the automatic opening of MagicalKeys'
control panel when the Caps-Lock key is down at the time of
double or triple-tapping.
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Enabled Modifier Keys Only
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Allows the auto-opening feature to be limited to the
modifier keys enabled below.
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Command / Option / Shift / Control
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Allows the modifier key (Command, Option, Shift, Control)
to "magically" open the Finder item it is associated with.
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Set...
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Brings up the customized selection dialog to select the
Finder item the modifier key is associated with.
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Notes:
- The name and icon of the Finder item are displayed for each
modifier key it is associated with.
- When the Finder item is not available (the original item has
been deleted, or is located on some unmounted removable media),
the name is dimmed and the icon is not displayed.
- When the selected item is the Finder file located in the
active System Folder, the name is displayed in bold
(Finder), indicating that MagicalKeys performs a special
"Switch-to-Finder".
- When the selected item is an alias file, its name is displayed
in italic. Note that selecting an alias pointing to the
active Finder doesn't trigger the special "Switch-to-Finder"
feature.
- Balloon help is available. It can easily be toggled on or off,
just by clicking the "Help" icon in the upper right corner of the
Control Panel.
- Changes made in the Control Panel take effect immediately.
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Known
Problems and Shortcomings
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- There are two different versions of MagicalKeys:
- a standard version for Mac OS up to 7.5.5,
- a specific version for Mac OS 8 (& 7.6).
- MagicalKeys' standard version is a "fake" control panel which
launches itself as a stand-alone application. This is necessary in
order to get Drag and Drop support. Unfortunately, in this
implementation, the Finder icon is not dimmed even though
MagicalKeys is running. This small visual defect doesn't appear
when you use MagicalKeys' specific version for Mac OS 7.6 or
later.
- MagicalKeys may have trouble detecting double or
triple-keydowns when the Virtual Memory is on (as set in the
Memory control panel), and the system is busy accessing the hard
disk.
- A Finder item may be inadvertently opened while fiddling with
the keyboard, specially if the current setting is
'Double-Tap'.
- The Finder is always activated whenever an alias is
"magically" opened. And there is no visual or audible feed-back if
resolving fails. It appears to be a Mac OS feature, not a
bug...
- When the "magical" opening of a Finder item fails, it can be
quite difficult to know exactly why. In that case, it might be
advisable to switch to the Finder and try to directly open the
Finder item by double-clicking its icon. Hopefully, more
meaningful messages will be displayed by the Finder.
- Selecting the Trash is not possible through the customized
selection dialog, brought up by clicking one of the push-buttons
labeled "Set...". Moreover, under some system configurations (Mac
OS 8), you can't drag the Trash directly. To select the Trash, you
need to make an alias of the Trash and then drag this alias onto
MagicalKeys' control panel.
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Planned Improvements
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- Manage named sets of Finder Items (create, modify, delete).
- Make the time between double-keydowns independent of the time
between mouse double-clicks.
- Allow launching of stand-alone code resources, FKEYs, etc.
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Contacting the Author
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If you have any questions, suggestions, words of appreciation or
bug reports, you can contact me at the following address:
E-Mail
<mmariani@wanadoo.fr>
Snail Mail
Michel MARIANI
47, rue des Remparts-d'Ainay
69002 LYON
FRANCE
If you ever send me a message, please tell me which version of
MagicalKeys you are using and, if possible, where you got it from:
- Internet site (URL),
- CD-ROM coming with a magazine (name, issue number and month),
- etc.
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Web
Site
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Latest versions of
MagicalKeys
and other freeware programs from
"Mikaeru
Software" are available at:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mmariani/soft/soft.html
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Credits
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Written with THINK Project Manager 7.0.4, THINK C 7.0.3 &ResEdit 2.1.3.
- The code to display file icons is adapted from the snippet
GetFileIcon 1.1 written by Jeff Beeghly (Universal Headers
conversion by Erik A. Johnson), based on code from FindIcon by
James Walker.
- The code to display volume and folder icons is adapted from
Find_icon 3.0.1, by James W. Walker.
- Find_icon uses the MoreFiles library 1.4.6, by Jim Luther and
Nitin Ganatra.
- The application skeleton code is based on TransSkel 3.26, by
Paul DuBois.
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Copyright
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This software is freeware, it is provided
for public use free of charge. However, it is NOT public domain. This
software is copyright © 1996-1998 by Michel MARIANI. All rights
reserved.
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Disclaimer
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You expressly acknowledge and agree that
use of this software is at your sole risk. The software and the
related documentation are provided "as is" and without warranty of
any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to, any
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose.
In no event shall the author be liable
for any consequential, incidental or indirect damages whatsoever
(including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, business
interruption, loss of information, or other pecuniary loss) arising
out the use of or inability to use the software or related
documentation, even if the author has been advised of the possibility
of such damages.
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Distribution
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This software may be freely distributed
in electronic form on computer networks, including posting on
Internet sites, on online services, BBSs and user groups, but always
in its unmodified form and together with this document. Please
contact the author to obtain the most recent version.
This software may NOT be sold or resold,
or bundled with any other commercial product. The software may be
posted on an information service which charges its users for general
connection time and downloading, but it may NOT be posted to an
information service which will charge for the specific right to
download this software.
This software may NOT be included on any
CD-ROM or floppy collection (including, but not limited to, software
collections coming with books, magazines or other media) without the
author's prior knowledge and express written permission.
The author can be contacted at:
<mmariani@wanadoo.fr>
Permission to include this software on a
CD-ROM or floppy collection will be granted if, and only if, it is
the most recent version of the software, the original package is
included in its entirety, and a complimentary copy is sent to the
author at the following address:
Michel MARIANI
47, rue des Remparts-d'Ainay
69002 LYON
FRANCE
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Acknowledgements
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Special thanks to the following people (in chronological order):
- Michel Rousset, for testing and providing useful comments, and
proofreading the first version of this document.
- Mark Nagata, for suggesting the Switch-to-Finder feature,
kindly testing new versions, and sending useful information.
- Shinbone, for kindly testing a specific version for Mac OS 8.
- Jean-Claude Jesior, for kindly testing new versions.
Here is the list (in alphabetic order) of all the nice folks who
took the time to send me questions, suggestions, words of
appreciation or bug reports; I really appreciate getting feedback, it
is highly motivating and encouraging:
Douglas Anderson, Yoshihisa Asayama, Gilles
Berkovitch, Boris "Bissia" Bertrand, Kenneth T. Bruseth, Denis
Chagnon, Joseph Debono, Gayle, Greg G., Makoto Imai, Jean-Claude
Jesior, Bernard Jomain, Marlene Kloster, Osamu Kobiyama, Thomas v.
Landsberg-Velen, Knut Lorenzen, Camillo Lugaresi, Mark Nagata, Julien
Perret, Richard Rothstein, Nathan Schmidt, Sam, Shinbone.
And finally, here is the list of magazines or editors who asked me
permission to include MagicalKeys on their CD-ROM:
- HyperLib - Japan (Toshirou Arai)
- Mac 100% - Japan (Masayoshi Takei)
- MacAddict - USA (Kris Fong)
- Mac Fan internet - Japan (Hideyuki Chihara, M. Hishioka,
Yasuto Niyama)
- MacLife - Japan (Ikuo Hanatani)
- Mac People - Japan (Motoko Mori)
- MacPower - Japan ( Masao Numakura)
- Macintosh Wire - Japan (Noriko Goto)
