Rhapsody Developer Release Copyright (C)1997 by Apple Computer, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Rhapsody Developer Release Notes:
File Manager

These notes are for the Developer Release of the File Manager application, which provides access to and operations on files for the Rhapsody user environment. The primary mechanisms for this are FileManager windows, which allow users to browse the file system in several different views or modes (iconic, hierarchical browser, and list).

Notes Specific to Developer Release

New Features

The File Manager's interface has changed from that of OPENSTEP 4.2 but it has not yet evolved into the new Rhapsody advanced look-and-feel. As a result, some of the former OPENSTEP functionality has changed but in many ways the File Manager does not look or act like the Macintosh Finder. The following describes some of the major features:

• You can move icons to the desktop from FileViewer windows. Icons placed on the desktop act like aliases instead of the original items. If an icon on the desktop represents an application, you can drop a document on it to launch (or activate) the application and have it open the document. You can remove items (which are aliases for the originals) from the desktop by dragging them to the trash, dragging them to the left, bottom, or right edges of the display and releasing the mouse button, or by selecting the item and pressing the backspace (or Delete) key. Since most File Manager windows retain their OPENSTEP behavior you cannot drop documents on applications in these windows.
  
  
• There is a main File Manager window by default and, optionally, one or more secondary windows. The main File Manager window features a tool bar for easy access to often-used commands. (Users can request tool bars for secondary windows through a menu command.) If the cursor remains over the button for more than a few seconds, a tool tip (similar to balloon help) appears.
  
  
• The default view for File Manager windows is icon view; double-clicking a folder opens a new window in this view. You can select browser or list view for a selected File Manager window through menu commands.
  
  
• You can hide all applications other than the File Manager by Command-clicking the desktop (Alternate-clicking on some platforms) . This command is similar to the Macintosh Option-click, which hides the current application.
  
  
• The File Manager has several new preferences including one to control whether volumes appear on the desktop when mounted and another to control whether desktop icons should snap to a grid when moved.
  
  
• A "hand of cards" icon indicates multiple selection; the label associated with this icon indicates the number of items selected.
  
  
• You can use the left arrow key to "go up one level" within a icon view window; that is, File Manager reuses the current window to show the contents of the parent directory. You can also use the right arrow key to "go down one level" within the same window; that is, File Manager replaces the contents of the window with the contents of the currently selected folder. Another way to "go down one level" in the same window is to Command-double-click (or Alternate-double-click, on some platforms) a folder. These shortcuts make forward and backward navigation using a single window possible.
  
  
• When you drag items between locations, you can force the creation of an alias rather than a copy by pressing the Control key while dragging. Also, when you drag an item between locations, you can toggle between copying and moving by pressing the Command (or Alternate) key while dragging. By default an item is copied if it crosses volumes or mount points and is otherwise moved. The "move" cursor is a plain green arrow; the "copy" cursor is a pair of green squares; the "alias" cursor is a double-headed green arrow.

Known Problems

• Icons on the desktop (which are aliases) cannot be renamed. Furthermore, renaming the original of an alias on the desktop causes the desktop icon to disappear when the alias is next clicked because the original is not available.
  
  
• There is no band selection or type selection of icons on the desktop.
  
  
• You can move the Trash icon around on the desktop but you cannot select the icon itself. Furthermore, selecting the Trash when the File Manager is in the background does not activate the File Manager, as happens when you select any other icon on the desktop.
  
  
• File searching has been completely disabled for the Developer release. This functionality will return in future releases.
  
  
• Filenames can contain spaces, but inserting spaces in filenames will probably produce problems when projects are created. We strongly recommend that you do not use spaces in filenames in the Developer release.
  
  
• You may only position icons on a grid location in icon view—there is no arbitrary positioning in icon view. As you move an icon within an icon view, the nearest grid destination is indicated by a shadow icon.
  
  
• When you rename an icon in an icon view, the position of the icon can change even if the view is not sorted.
  
  
• Renaming an icon along the left or right edges of a window in icon view can produce visual anomalies, such as a partial redraw. If this occurs, you can repair the display by closing and reopening the window.
  
  
• Command-r is the shortcut for Destroy, not Show Original as in the Macintosh Finder. This incompatibility will be addressed when the Advanced Macintosh look and feel arrives in a future release. Meanwhile, do not use Command-r to locate the original of an alias.
  
  
• If you use the Goto panel (Command-f) to jump to a hidden directory (such as .OpenStep), the File Manager shows all hidden files and directories whether you have selected the expert mode or not. To hide these files and directories again, make sure the expert preference is off (using the Preferences application), then select the Update Viewers command in the Views menu of the File Manager (Command-u).
  
  
• When logging out from the File Manager, you are not prompted to save any work in other applications. For example, if you have unsaved text in a TextEdit document, if you don't save this document before logging out, those changes will be lost. The workaround is to make sure that all your open documents have been saved before logging out. (1680539)