Lets you easily create internet location clippings with any URL you want. If you assign a helper app in the Internet control panel, you can get any app you wish to open URLs that you assign. This gets by a few bugs in the Finder's URL recognition. (ie, try dragging "telnet://rohan.sdsu.edu" to the desktop, or "afp://user name:password@1.2.3.4/" )
This works great with Finger or IPNetMonitor. With a simple double-click you can finger someone, or do an IP scan.
This program can also be controlled via AppleScript (see below).
Usage
It's real simple, folksﾉ
･ Drop the included scripting addition onto your System Folder and restart.
･ Double click and type in the URL. If you don't type in a protocol, System 8.5 will assume it's "http" and use your browser to open it.
･ Give your would-be-clipping file a name.
･ Wait a few seconds. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! If you don't wait, the Finder may not update it's database correctly and you'll end up with a corrupted location file. (Hint: wait for the Finder to reveal the file for you, or for the file's icon to "flash". Then you'll know it's ready.)
If you type in an URL using one of the seven "known" types (http(s), ftp, file, mailto, nntp/news, afp, or at) it creates the appropriate file for you. If it's a funky new URL (like "pnm," "telnet," "finger," or "ping," etcﾉ) it creates a "generic" internet location (file type "ilge"). If you've set everything up properly in the Internet control panel then double-clicking on one of these files will launch the apropriate app. Try it, it's fun!
Using AppleScript
If you want to automate the process, you can using AppleScript:
set theFile to new file with prompt "Like, name the file:"
tell application "Internet Location Maker"
launch
makeClip("http://www.mosr.com/", theFile)
end tell
Limitations
Internet Location Maker requires Akua Sweets 1.2.5 and Mac OS 8.5.
A copy of Akua Sweets is included in this archive. For more information on this package, written by Gregory Lemperle-Kerr, e-mail him at akua@bluewin.ch
MacOS 8.5 is spiffy, too. But if you're reading this far, I'm sure you have it already.
About it
Although I love System 8.5's (damnit, let me call it that!) internet location feature, one really annoying bug slipped by. It only works with some types of URLs, and then not always correctly! For example, according to Apple's help file on "internet locations," dragging "telnet://myserver.sdsu.edu" to the desktop should create a "generic" internet location file that launches your "telnet" app via Internet Config. But just try itﾉ (!)
That's what I said! Anyway, I was bored on Christmas Day so I whipped up a small program to easily create internet location files.
This is freeware. I wrote this in a night, I'm sure you could too. I'm just starting out in real Mac programming, though and if you have anything cool you'd like to send to a starving college student, it would be greatly appreciated. If this software makes it into a compilation, I would appreciate a copy of it (the compilation, not my softwareﾉI already have a copy of that). Thanks!
Japheth Cleaver
cleaver@rohan.sdsu.edu
San Diego State University - Go Aztecs!
Warnings
This is fairly benign code. It shouldn't do anything funky. If it does, let me know. See fine print.
Version History
98/12/29 1.1 Now Applescript-able (see above), although there is no aete resource yet. Puts up a dialog telling you to wait, and has the Finder reveal the location file after it's done.
98/12/27 1.0.2 Corrected URL for Akua Sweets. Scripting addition now included in archive. Won't let you make an empty location file. Minor grammar. Finder help balloon works.
98/12/26 1.0.1 Oops! Adds support for "news" clippings as "nntp" clippings plus adds a spiffy icon to the dialog box and changes default name to "unknown location"
98/12/25 1.0 First release. Mmmmﾉ egg nogﾉ
Future plans:
This is working pretty well for what I need. Send bug reports in!
Any updates to this software will be posted to http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~cleaver/software/
Japheth Cleaver, and all his brothers, sisters, and better friends hereby disclaim all warranties relating to this software, whether express or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. The person using the software bears all risk as to any aspect of the performance or fitness of the software. Period. This software does not function on machines without Mac OS or electricity installed. Batteries not included. Void where prohibited, some restrictions apply.
