The Easy Install installs the version (680x0 or PowerPC) optimized for your computer. To specify 68K, PowerPC native, or fat binary installations, use the Custom Install option later in this installer.
Documentation
File Buddy‚Ñ¢ 4.3.6 Read Me - An expanded version of what you are reading now, contact information, and the usual Read Me stuff.
FileBuddy4.36ReadMe.html - An HTML version of File Buddy‚Ñ¢ 4.3.6 Read Me (with links to the topics) which can be viewed in Netscape Navigator‚Ñ¢ when double-clicked. To have it open in Internet Explorer‚Ñ¢, use File Buddy to change the creator signature of 'FileBuddy4.36ReadMe.html' to that of Internet Explorer ('MSIE').
Upgrading/Registering FB - How to register File Buddy 4, or upgrade from a prevous version.
Read These FAQs - Some questions I am frequently asked by users.
Other Items
File Buddy Help - The online help file is installed in the File Buddy folder. It must be in the same folder as File Buddy for File Buddy to use it.
A log of what is installed is placed at the root level of the drive on which File Buddy is installed.
File Buddy 4.3.6 has been tested with Mac OS 8 and 8.1. The verdict so far is that File Buddy runs fine under Mac OS 8. The only exception is rebuilding desktops. This is due to bugs in the OS 8 finder and is discussed in the section Known Problems in File Buddy 4.3.6.
68K, PowerPC native, and fat binary versions now available!
This installer was created using Installer VISE Lite from MindVision Software. For more information on Installer VISE Lite, contact:
File Buddy is shareware. Shareware is try-before-you-buy-software. It is not use-it-as-long-as-you-like-for-free software. That kind of software is called freeware. If you like it and use it more than 10 days, please read the document 'Upgrading/Registering FB' and register.
Fixed a bug that prevented creating droplets in the Get Info window.
The graphics were not appearing in the text of the on-line help in v4.3.5. This appears to be the result of a change in the latest version of Code Warrior and not due to any changes in File Buddy's code. Fixed.
Some users reported that fonts outside of File Buddy's domain were changed when the Find or other window was opened. I have never been able to reproduce this with v4.3.5, but believe it is fixed. This may have started with the latest version of Code Warrior as well.
Fixed the progress bar for Erase Unused Space.
Fixed a long-standing bug that caused File Buddy to crash for some people when trying to compare two inventories. Many thanks to Alice in St. Louis for her help in tracking that down since I was never able to reproduce is.
Dragging files from the file list window to the Finder to copy them should now work with versions of the OS prior to 8.1. The problem that resulted in an error of type -1,708 was the result of a bug in the Finder that was fixed in MacOS 8.1. However, unless you are using MacOS 8.1 or later, there is no feedback (watch cursor or "Copying" progress dialog), and if you switch to the Finder during the copy, you can't do much but wait until the copy operation is done. Sorry.
File Buddy is more selective about when it changes the modification date on the folder containing an item modified with the Get Info window, doing so only when required to force the Finder to recognize the changes.
Several minor changes were made to the way the Get Info window's date setting popup commands work so prevent undesirable behavior, such as having a creation date later than a modified date.
File finds that use a single name when the Find window is expanded are faster.
Fixes
Occasionally File Buddy would create a new file list window when files were dragged into an existing file list window. Fixed.
When trying to connect multiple aliases to a new target in the Unattached Aliases window, only the first half would be connected. Fixed.
Nothing happened when the Info>Show Original menu item was selected for an alias in the Get Info window if the original item could not be found. Now it displays an alert stating that the original item could not be found.
The copy button in the file list window was broken. Fixed.
A bug in Scan Preferences Folder could cause a large number of creator signatures to be saved as Don't Report creators when More Thorough Checking was selected. Fixed. Scan Preferences tweaked to be smarter when More Thorough Checking is selected.
When closing the Get Info window with unsaved changes, File Buddy dutifully asked if you wanted to save the changes. If you clicked Save, it quietly ignored your request and closed the window without saving the changes. Fixed.
Giovanni Caristi, a user in Italy, informed me of, and helped me track down a bug that could cause a file to be deleted when attempting to move it into the folder where it already resides. Many thanks to him for that.
Moving files from one volume to another (a copy followed by a delete) could cause some files to be deleted before they were copied to the new volume under some circumstances. Fixed.
When using File Buddy to set the application for finding files, copying the Find File Extension was held up by an alert. The copy operation now finishes before proceeding.
The Window menu is now dimmed when no windows are open.
Fixes
If multiple items are sent to the Get Info window and one of them is moved, renamed, or deleted before its info appears in the window, the info window will not be able to find it. This was resulting in useless information populating the window. Now an alert states the item cannot be found and the item is removed from the collection of items sent to the window.
Dialog text fields now support the forward delete key.
Trying to create an alias would sometimes mistakenly result in an alert that said the alias could not be created because a folder with that name already existed in that location. Fixed.
Preference folder scanning should report fewer valid preference files as being unused.
When searching for invisible files and check the Ignore Desktop Files option, the 'DesktopPrinters DB' and 'OpenFolderListDF' system files in MacOS 8 are now ignored.
Label menus now display the color of the label next to the text. Thanks to Joe Zobkiw for that bit of code.
Some important information about using File Buddy to rebuild the desktop has been added to the online help topic Rebuilding the Desktop.
Fixes
A bug caused File Buddy to display a messages like "There is not enough room on the disk “Warpdrive” to copy “^1” (an additional 5.1 MB is needed)." when trying to copy multiple items to a disk with insufficient space. The message now reads "There is not enough room on the disk “Warpdrive” to copy the selected items (an additional 5.1 MB is needed)."
Updating a locked alias to a new target had no effect. Locked aliases are now unlocked, updated, and relocked.
Canceling a Find when there was a file list window already open could result in a new file list window that contained the items from the old window, and the items in the old window would just have junk in them. Fixed.
A minor change was made to simplify localizing to other languages.
The wrong Balloon Help was showing up in the window for reporting empty items. Fixed.
I have endeavored to make File Buddy as reliable and stable as possible. Nevertheless, it undoubtedly has bugs of which I am currently unaware. I don't know of any bad ones, but just about every piece of software with more than 20 lines of code has bugs. I use File Buddy all the time. However, you--as I--use it at your own risk.
Please contact me if you find any bugs, unexpected behavior, or have a suggestion for a new feature. I welcome ideas, but please keep in mind I can't use them all, or File Buddy will need over 4 megs of disk space, and the interface will suffer terribly. Only features which have wide appeal can make it in.
Well, that's all for now folks. PLEASE let me know if you find any bugs, so I can fix them asap.
Thank you,
Laurence Harris
17 Old University Station Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-1572
919-933-9595
Contact Information:
Web: <http://www.skytag.com/>
E-mail:
filebuddy@skytag.com
A few e-mail requests:
1. Please do not e-mail files without asking first. Really.
2. E-mail me jusdiciously. Since the same guy designs the software, writes the software, processes registrations, and answers e-mails, the more e-mail I get, the less time I have for other activities like supporting and improving File Buddy.
