Do you think the Finder is too slow and clumsy when navigating through your folder structure? Do you perhaps use a hierarchical Apple menu utility but are tired of zigging and zagging your mouse from submenu to submenu? Or maybe you just like miniature icons. If so, then you should try Greg's Browser. Displaying multiple folders in a single window, Greg's Browser lets you simultaneously see the contents of a folder, its parent, and a subfolder, providing a quick and easy way of moving both up and down through your folder hierarchy. Greg's Browser can even browse inside StuffIt archives as if they were normal folders.
I would like to thank Leonard Rosenthol for his help with the StuffIt 5 archive format and the enhanced Magic Menu.
Basic Usage
To select a file or folder, just click once on its name in the file lists. If you select a folder, the Browser displays its contents in the file list immediately to the right. If there is not space for another file list, the Browser slides all the file lists left to make room. You can select multiple files simultaneously by holding down the <shift> or <command> keys while clicking. The Browser draws a border around the active file list, and at the bottom of the window it displays the icon, name, and various other information about the currently selected files. You can browse into StuffIt archives as if they were normal folders, in which case the Browser displays the expanded and compressed size of the file at the bottom of the window.
Double clicking on an entry in the file lists opens the selected files or folders just like in the Finder. In particular, this action launches applications, opens documents with their creators, and opens folder windows within the Finder. You can achieve the same result with the “Open” command in the File menu, with its <command>-O keyboard equivalent, or with <command>-<down arrow>. If you are browsing through StuffIt archive, double clicking on files unstuffs them.
To move back up through the folder hierarchy, click on the title box above one of the file lists. If you click and release quickly, the Browser slides the file lists right by one position. If you hold the mouse down, the Browser pops up a menu letting you choose how far you want to move up the folder structure. When you release the mouse, the Browser slides the file lists right repeatedly until it displays the folder you selected. From the keyboard, you can hit <esc> or <clear> to slide the file lists right by one position.
To change the name of the selected file, either click on the file name at the bottom of the Browser window or press the <return> key. Clicking anywhere else in the window or pressing the <return> or <tab> keys saves your changes to the file name and updates the file lists accordingly. To cancel editing the file name without making any changes, press the <esc> key. You cannot edit the names of locked files or certain critical files and folders in your system folder.
To change the file type or creator code of the selected file, either click on the file kind at the bottom of the Browser window or press <command>-<return>. Clicking anywhere else in the window or pressing the <return> key saves your changes to the file type and creator and updates the file lists accordingly. To cancel editing the file type and creator without making any changes, press the <esc> key. You cannot edit the file type and creator for folders or locked files.
Bookmarks
The row of icons at the top of the window and the trash icon at the lower right act as “bookmarks”, letting you jump quickly to a file or folder that you use frequently. To add a new bookmark, drag the desired file or folder from its file list and drop it on one of the empty spaces at the top of the window. To move a bookmark from one slot to another, just drag it from its former position to one of the remaining empty spaces. To remove a bookmark, drag it away from the top of the window so that its shadow disappears; you need not drag it to the trash. The Desktop and Trash bookmarks are fixed in their positions and cannot be removed.
If you click once on a bookmark, the Browser jumps to the corresponding position in the file lists. If you hold down the <option> key while clicking an alias bookmark, the Browser resolves the alias and jumps to the position of the original file in the file lists. If you double click a Bookmark, the Browser opens the bookmark file as if you had double clicked it in the Finder. Note that double clicking will also jump to the bookmark position in the file lists (since to click twice, you must first click once). To open the bookmark file without jumping to it in the file lists, single click the bookmark while holding down the <command> key.
You can also drag files from the file lists and drop them on previously installed bookmarks (provided that the bookmark represents a folder or an application that can open the selected files). This provides a quick way of moving or copying files to a drop folder or opening files using your favorite drop box mini-applications, such as “File Buddy” or any of the various Finder info editors. Pressing <command>-<delete> is equivalent to dragging the currently selected files and dropping them on the trash bookmark.
Drag and Drop
The Browser lets you drag files directly from their file lists and drop them onto folders or applications in any other file list. Whenever you can drop the files onto a folder or application, the Browser highlights the corresponding mini-icons as you drag over the file list entry. The rules for drag and drop are the same as in the Finder: Dragging moves files if the source and destination are on the same volume, but copies if they are on different volumes. Holding down the <option> key at the end of a drag forces the Browser to do a copy, except if you are dragging to the trash. If you hold down both the <option> and <command> keys, the Browser creates an alias.
If you have Aladdin's StuffIt Engine, you can drag files into a StuffIt archive to stuff them, and you can drag files out of a StuffIt archive to unstuff them. You can also remove files from an archive by dragging them to the trash or hitting <command>-<delete>.
File Menu
The New Folder command creates a new folder titled “untitled folder” in the active file list of the frontmost Browser window and immediately lets you edit its file name. You can create a new folder inside a StuffIt archive if you have the StuffIt Engine, in which case the Browser prompts you for the name of the new folder before creating it. If you hold down the <option> key, the Browser changes New Folder to New Archive, and if you select this command, the Browser creates an empty StuffIt archive. This does not require the StuffIt Engine, although you cannot do very much with an empty archive without it.
The Close Window command closes the frontmost Browser window as if you had clicked in the close box. If you attempt to close the last Browser window, the Browser hides it and switches to the Finder instead. The window reappears when you switch back to the Browser.
The Open, Print, Move To Trash, Get Info, Sharing..., Duplicate, Make Alias, and Put Away commands all act on the current selection in the frontmost Browser window and behave just like in the Finder.
If you are browsing through a StuffIt archive and have the StuffIt Engine, the Browser changes Open to UnStuff.... If you select this command or double click on files within an archive, the Browser prompts you for a destination to which to unstuff the currently selected files.
The Reveal in Finder command swiches to the Finder, highlighting those files that are currently selected in the frontmost Browser window (opening up their parent folder window in the Finder if it is not already open).
If you hold down the <option> key while selecting from the File menu, the Browser changes Get Info and Reveal to Get Original Info and Reveal Original. If you select one of these commands, the Browser resolves any aliases in the current selection before performing the corresponding action.
The Find... command behaves the same as in the Finder, launching the Find File, Sherlock, or Sherlock 2 application depending on the version of the Mac OS you are running.
Edit Menu
When you are not editing a file name, the Copy command copies to the clipboard a list of all the selected files in the currently active file list, and the Select All command selects all the files in the currently active file list.
When you are editing a file name, the commands in the Edit menu behave like you expect them to.
The Preferences… command brings up a dialog box where you can modify the following settings:
Show Invisible Files
When this box is checked, the Browser shows files that are marked as invisible. Such files, which include desktop databases, custom folder icons, and the famed “AppleShare PDS”, do not appear in Finder windows. Note that in order to move, copy, or trash these files, you must first make them visible using the “Invisible” command in the Label menu.
Confirm Move To Trash
When this box is checked, the Browser puts up a caution alert whenever you choose Move To Trash or hit the <command> and <delete> keys. This is to prevent you from accidentally throwing files away. Although such mistakes can easily be undone by dragging the file or folder out of the trash, it can be disconcerting to have your files magically disappear from their folder.
Show File Version Info
When this box is checked, the Browser shows the file version number (if the file has one) at the bottom of the window. This can slow down disk access, particularly with slow media such as floppy disks or CD-ROMs.
Show Projector Status
When this box is checked, the Browser shows, via mini-icons on the right side of the file lists, whether or not project files have been checked out. If you do not use Projector or SourceServer, you should leave this box unchecked, as it slows down disk access considerably.
About Box at Startup
When this box is checked, the Brower puts up its “About...” box when it first starts up. This is as close as I get to the proverbial “Annoying Shareware Message”. Please leave this box checked until you register to serve as a reminder.
Show Magic Menu
When this box is checked, the Browser adds a menu to the menu bar that lets you stuff, binhex, and expand various file formats. It works just like the Magic Menu extension in Aladdin's StuffIt Deluxe package. This menu also lets you expand and compress StuffIt SpaceSaver files. Most of the features in this menu require the StuffIt Engine and will be disabled if it is not installed.
Calculate Folder Sizes
When this box is checked, the Browser shows the sizes of folders at the bottom of the window. This feature requires the Thread Manager (which is built into System 7.5 and later), and it will be disabled if the Thread Manager is not installed.
Live Window Resizing
When this box is checked, the Browser redraws the window as you drag the grow box instead of just drawing a dotted outline. Live resizing is extremely processor intensive, and it works well only on very fast machines.
The Font and Size pop-up menus let you choose the font and size for the file lists and bookmarks. The information at the bottom of the screen remains in Geneva 9. If you check the Anti-aliased (smoothed) box, the Browser uses the corresponding TrueType or PostScript font to smooth out the jagged edges of the font. For this option to work, you must have a monitor set to 16 grays or better, and your chosen font must have a TrueType or PostScript version. Anti-aliasing takes time, so this feature is recommended only for those with Power Macs, and it looks best at the highest resolution your monitor supports. If you want this sort of anti-aliasing system-wide, you should check out SmoothType, available from <http://www.kaleidoscope.net/greg/>.
Label Menu
The Label menu works just like it does in the Finder. In addition, the Invisible command lets you toggle whether the selected files are visible or invisible. Files marked as invisible do not appear in Finder windows, but you can still see them in the Browser if the “Show Invisible Files” option in the “Preferences” dialog box is checked. The “Invisible” menu item will be disabled if the “Show Invisible Files” option is turned off.
Special Menu
The New Browser command opens up a new Browser window staggered slightly to the right and below the current window. This new window opens directly to the active folder shown in the current window. Multiple Browser windows come in handy when you want to move or copy files. You can use the first window to navigate to the files that you want to move and the second to navigate to their destination.
If the current selection is an alias file and you hold down the <option> key while selecting the New Browser command, the Browser resolves the alias file and opens a new window showing the path to the original file.
The Empty Trash, Eject Disk, Erase Disk..., Sleep, Restart, and Shut Down commands work just like they do in the Finder.
Magic Menu
The Magic menu is modeled on the Magic Menu extension in Aladdin's StuffIt Deluxe and Aladdin Desktop Tools packages, thanks to code graciously provided by Aladdin Systems, Inc. To see this menu, you must check the “Show Magic Menu” box in the “Preferences...” dialog. Most of the options in this menu require the StuffIt Engine and will be disabled if it is not installed.
The Expand command expands StuffIt (.sit), Compact Pro (.cpt), AppleLink (.pkg), ZIP (.zip), ARC (.arc), gzip (.gz), and Unix Compress (.Z) files. It also decodes BinHex (.hqx) and UUEncoded (.uu) files, as well as expanding StuffIt SpaceSaver files. Don't thank me for this little miracle—thank Aladdin.
The Stuff command compresses the selected files into a new StuffIt archive (.sit).
The Encode submenu lets you convert files into formats suitable for use on the internet. The MacBinary (.bin) format combines the data, resources, and Finder information for a Mac file so that it can be stored on non-Mac file systems. The BinHex (.hqx) format encodes a Mac file using 7-bit text suitable for sending via e-mail.
The Make Self-Extracting command compresses the selected files into a self-extracting StuffIt archive (.sea). If the selected file is already a StuffIt archive, this command adds the self-extracting code and changes the name to end in “.sea”.
The Remove Self-Extracting removes the self-extracting code from a StuffIt archive (.sea) and changes the name to end in “.sit”.
The SpaceSaver Compress command compresses the selected files using the StuffIt SpaceSaver transparent compression format. This option is disabled if StuffIt SpaceSaver is not installed.
The View... command lets you inspect the contents of the selected files using the Viewer Engine from Aladdin Desktop Tools. This option is disabled if ADT is not installed.
Other Neat Stuff
If you resize the window to be wide enough (almost but not quite the full width of a standard 13" or 14" screen), the Browser will switch from three file lists to four and from six bookmarks to eight. It will also use some of the extra space at the bottom of the window to show the creation and modification dates for the currently selected files.
If you click the Zoom Box at the right end of the Browser window's title bar, the Browser window collapses. Clicking the Zoom Box again returns it to its normal size.
For those of us without extended keyboards, the Browser uses the numeric keypad to simulate the scrolling keys “Home”, “End”, “Page Up”, and “Page Down”. I'll leave it up to you to figure out which numbers do what.
If you drag a file or folder and drop it on the Browser application, the Browser selects that file or folder in its frontmost window.
Shareware Info
Greg's Browser is shareware; it is NOT free. If you use it for more than two weeks, you should pay a $20 registration fee. I understand if you are an impoverished student or have trouble dealing with your company's bureaucracy, and if that is the case, then just try your best. From my previous experiences, I estimate that about 1 in 20 people registers the shareware that (s)he uses regularly, perhaps much less, so if you have ever wanted to rise above the rest of humanity, here is your chance!
Kagi
You can register via credit card over the web using the Kagi Online Order Processing service. The URL is <http://order.kagi.com/?GL&S> (or <http://order.kagi.com/?GL> if your browser cannot handle secure transactions).
Alternatively, you can pay by credit card, check, or cash in various currencies. Registrations are handled by Kagi, a payment processing service. To register, use the enclosed “Register” application to create a customized form, which you then mail or e-mail to Kagi, whose address is given on the form (if you cannot find Kagi's address, then you are doing something wrong).
Contacting the Author
Please note that Kagi is only a registration service, NOT a software publisher. Their addresses are for sending payment only. If you have questions or comments about Greg's Browser, you should contact me directly by e-mail at <greg@kaleidoscope.net>. Please do NOT send shareware payments directly to me. All shareware payments should be sent to Kagi as per the instructions on the registration form.
After Registering
THERE ARE NO PASSWORDS, SECRET CODES, OR REGISTRATION NUMBERS. Once you have registered, you are entitled to feel good about yourself and uncheck the “About Box at Startup” box in the “Preferences” dialog. Once Kagi processes your payment, which takes up to a week from when they receive it, they e-mail you a message with subject “Thanks for your payment” as a receipt. (If you do not have an e-mail address, you should check the “Postcard Receipt” box.) If you do not receive this message, contact Kagi at <admin@kagi.com>. This e-mail is only for questions about your payment. For all other matters, contact Greg Landweber directly and the address given above.
Please note that although I plan to release new versions with significant enhancements and will attempt to fix problems that are brought to my attention, there is no guarantee that I will continue to support this product indefinitely. You should register because you think the copy currently sitting on your hard drive is worth the money, not in the expectation that I will fix the bug that is annoying you. If you have a complaint about this version, or worry that it might not support Mac OS 11.2 with QuickStep, AppleSeed, PowerLunch, and FastTalk, please do not register until I have addressed your concerns. In the interim, you can always drop me a note telling me what those concerns are and letting me know that you care.
Legal Bits
This software may be distributed via internet archives, web sites, online services such as America Online, user groups, BBSs, and informal transfers between friends. Any other means of distribution, such as including it on a CD-ROM, bundling it with a book or magazine, or selling it in a commercial shareware/public domain software collection, requires the written consent of the author. Whenever this software is distributed, it must be distributed unaltered and as a complete package, including the Register program. Charges for distributing this software must not exceed a reasonable downloading cost or the price of the medium on which it is distributed.
Use this software, Greg's Browser, at your own risk. The author, Gregory D. Landweber, makes no claims as to the fitness of this software for any particular purpose other than taking up a couple hundred K on your hard disk. The author's liability in case of damages caused by use or misuse of this software is limited to one tall glass of freshly pressed melon nectar, or the cash equivalent thereof. Don't sue!
