About AliasBOSS v2.03

This new version of AliasBOSS represents a *major* interface upgrade as well as exhibits some feature enhancements and additions.  These are noted below.

If for some strange reason you encounter a bug or discover some other problem with this software,  I would be most appreciative if you would jot down the circumstances of the critter and let me know!  You can reach me in one of the following ways:

•  America Online:
DevScott
•  CompuServe:  71035,3273
•  Internet users can send e-mail to DevScott@aol.com

Or send US mail to:

    Scott A. Johnson
    3916-12 Newport Avenue
    Fort Wayne, Indiana  46805

NOTE: This is a SHAREWARE application.  If after a brief testing period you find the AliasBOSS useful, you are obligated to send $20.00 (US) to the above address.

What's New?

The AliasBOSS version 2.0 has fewer dialogs with which to contend (yay!).  All information is now provided on one window, which I'll call the scan window or sometimes scan document. The scan window has been designed such that most major functions can be performed without having to go through a series of needless dialogs or menu selections.   There are 5 sections to the window, and I will describe the functionality of this window in terms of these sections.

********** The Scan Window **********

Section One -- Button Pane

Here are the buttons which invoke most of the tasks you can perform with the AliasBOSS.  The first item is the Trash button.  Clicking this button will give you the opportunity to  erase the item selected in the list pane (described below) from the volume upon which it resides.  This option technically does NOT delete the file, it simply moves it to the Trash, so you do have an opportunity to recover the file if you didn't really want to trash it.

The second button, 'Save', permits you to save an alias of the item currently selected in the list.

The third button, 'Verify', allows you to validate the alias that is currently selected in the list.  This means that AliasBOSS will try to resolve the alias to its original file and if it cannot, it will tell you so.  You can try to 'fix' the alias file if you want, which simply means to re-associate it with an item that matches based on criteria you specify.  This will be described later. 

The fourth button, 'Scan', causes the AliasBOSS to scan the currently selected volume given the criteria specified (again, how to select these criteria is described below).

The next item in the Button Pane is a popup menu, via which you can choose which volume you wish to scan.  Simply click on this menu and select the volume you are interesting in scanning.
 
Section Two -- List Pane

This is where the list of items which matched the criteria specified appears; it is the rectangular area below the buttons pane.

Clicking on an item in the list will cause information about the selected item to appear in the Info Pane, described in the next section.  Double-clicking an item will result in the same effect, with the additional effect of 'tagging' the item (pressing the <Return> key has the same effect).  To tag an item is to mark it for operations you wish to do on more than one item at a time (but not necessarily the entire list).  When an item is tagged, it will be so indicated with a '√' to the left of its name.  You can tag/untag all items in the list at once by selecting the identically-named menu option in the 'AliasBOSS' menu.

You can perform all the button operations on tagged items as you would on just one selected item.  Simply press the *Option* key while clicking the button of the desired operation.  (This, of course, does not work for 'Scan'.)  Also note that items marked with the '•' character represent invalid aliases.  If you elect to 'trash' these creatures in one fell swoop, press Control while clicking the 'Trash' button.

Section Three -- Info Pane

This part of the window, where the title and version information appears initially (upper right part), is where all the information on selected items in the list pane is shown.  The file's Finder icon is displayed, as well as information concerning its location, creator, filetype, creation/modification dates, and size.

If the item is an alias, the word 'ALIAS' will appear in the upper right portion of the info pane; otherwise, you should see 'ORIG/OWNER' in that location. Also, a dog-ear type thing will appear in the lower right portion of the info pane if the selected item is an alias.  Clicking on this dog-ear will erase the pane, and information on the ORIGINAL FILE TO WHICH THE ALIAS REFERS will be displayed, again with a dog-ear.  Clicking the dog-ear a second time will take you back to the information on the alias file itself.  Thus you can switch between information on the alias file itself and information on the file it is an alias of by clicking in the dog-ear like thing.  (Such technical descriptions, no?)

If the item whose info is currently being displayed is buried in a long series of nested folders, like it could easily be on a CD-ROM disc, the pathname displayed will be truncated to where it can fit.  Never fear!  If you click within the area in which the pathname is being displayed and hold down the mouse button, a 'window-lette' will appear that is large enough (I hope) to display the pathname in its complete form.  Releasing the mouse button causes this 'window-lette' to be dismissed.

Section Four -- Item Count Pane

This section, at the bottom of the window and to the immediate right of the list pane, simply displays the number of items in the list.

Section Five -- Scan Criteria Pane

The final part of the window, the lower right box, displays what filetype, creator signature, and type of scan (alias files only or all files that meet the other criteria) are involved.

Clicking in this pane will cause a 'floating window' or 'windoid' (pick your term) to appear.  Click in the popup menu in this windoid (I picked mine) to select the filetype or type the filetype into the text box next to the popup menu if you already know it (it does not have to be a type that is in the menu, those are just some standard filetypes, so any valid 4 character type will do).  Click on the 'Alias Files Only' check box to scan for aliases alone.  Type the creator of the file(s) you want to list into the text box labeled 'Creator'.  

All of your criteria will be displayed in the Scan Criteria Pane of the main document window if you want to dismiss the windoid after making your selections.  To bring the windoid back, simply click on the Scan Criteria pane again.  

********** MENUS **********

The following describes what each menu option does and is listed in order by menu and menu item as they appear on the screen.

Apple Menu

 About The AliasBOSS... 

This option causes the display of a dialog describing this application.

File Menu

 New Scan 

This option causes a new window in which you can perform the many activities available using the AliasBOSS.  See above for a description of the various sections of the window.

 Close 

This option closes the frontmost document window -- this does not close the small floating window that contains selection criteria controls by itself, but if it is open while you are closing the parent window, that is, the scan window, it too will disappear.  The floating window can be closed by clicking in its own close box.

 Preferences... 

This option allows you to specify the method of saving aliases.  There are 3 possible ways provided:

• Always save aliases to the Apple Menu Items Folder 

• Always save aliases to the same location as the original file **

• Select location during the save operation itself.

** in which case the name will appended with '-a'

      You may also specify whether the AliasBOSS should check the aliases for validity immediately after scanning for them.  (This works only when you specify alias files only in the scan criteria.)  Check the box to turn this feature on and uncheck it to turn it off.

Finally, you can indicate whether the AliasBOSS should automatically mount offline volumes (such as AppleShare volumes) in order to validate an alias whose owner resides on said volume.  Leave this box unchecked to ignore such aliases when validating.

 Quit 

Quit the AliasBOSS entirely.

Edit Menu

This contains the standard Edit menu collection of commands for undoing, copying, pasting,
etc.  

AliasBOSS Menu

 Validate All 

Selecting this option allows you to validate all aliases in the list currently being displayed in the window.  Note:  to validate only tagged items, press the option key while clicking the 'Validate' button.  Any items in the list that are NOT valid will be marked with a '•' character.  You can delete all items marked this way by holding the Control key while clicking the 'Trash' button.  Alternatively, you can erase all items marked '√' by holding the Option key while clicking the 'Trash' button.  

 Move...

Selecting this option permits you to move all the items in the list (for alias-only scans only) to a location to be specified in the dialog box that follows its invocation.  Note that this does actually move the files, it does NOT make copies.  Use this option with EXTREME CAUTION!

 Tag All 

Places a '√' next to all items in the list currently being displayed.  Use the Option key while clicking the icons in the window to perform the indicated activities on all items marked '√'.

 Untag All 

Removes any '√' marks from all items in the list that have 'em.

 Fix Alias... 

  This option allows you to re-associate an alias with a file based on a scan of all volumes for files which possibly could be associated with it.  I have noticed that replacing a file
with one of the same name, just a newer version, can sometimes  invalidate any aliases that pointed to that file.  This option allows you to 'repair' the alias, or associate it with a completely different file.  Select criteria to match by in the dialog that follows; this allows you to find items that resemble the alias file, if not exactly, then certainly in some regard or another.  The AliasBOSS will then 'look' for matching items and present them in a list.  If you decide that one matches your needs, select it and then click the 'Fix' button, otherwise click 'Cancel'.  If the search for a match fails, you will be asked if you want to manually choose which file with which to associate the alias.  Click 'Yes' to do so or 'No' to back out.
  
********** DRAG & DROP ( Oooooo! ) **********

The AliasBOSS v.2.0 retains the same drag and drop features of the previous version. There are no changes in this regard.  

To create an alias of a file, just drag it (or them, if you want to make more than one alias at a time) on top of the AliasBOSS v.2.0 icon and release the mouse button.  

To scan a volume for applications or documents press the shift key while releasing the icon of the chosen volume on top of the AliasBOSS v.2.0 icon.  A dialog box will appear with a popup menu and text box in which you can select or type the filetype for which you wish to scan.

To scan a volume for aliases, press the option key while dropping the icon of the volume you want to scan on top of the AliasBOSS v2.0 icon.  The scan window will appear and scanning will commence.

********** DISCLAIMER **********

The author, Scott A. Johnson, makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding the fitness of the AliasBOSS v2.03 for any purpose.  Use it at your own risk.  The author claims no liability for data loss or other problems caused directly or indirectly by the AliasBOSS v2.03.