Finder clippings are a great idea, but they have limitations: while you can drag data to the Finder without interrupting what you're doing, you must then deal with a stack of Text Clipping 1, Text Clipping 2, etc. There is no way to know what's in a clipping without opening it, which is a pain if you have several.
ClippingNamer is intended to make Finder clippings more useful and easier to use. It has several available functions, selectable by holding down keys while dragging a selection to the Finder:
• Nothing. This creates a clipping exactly the way the Finder does now.
• Invent Name/Icon. This attempts to create a meaningful name from the clipping contents (for text) or
assign a thumbnail icon (for pictures) instead of the generic clipping icon.
• Save as a file. The clipping is converted to a text file (text or picture only). Names and thumbnail icons
work as usual. You can select the file creator (SimpleText by default).
• Append. Instead of creating a new text clipping or file, the data is appended to an existing one, with or without
a descriptive label. Any text/PICT file should work, not just ClippingNamer-created ones.
• Display the ClippingNamer dialog. This allows you to examine both the Finder's and Name Clipping's proposed
names (or type your own), and set all of ClippingNamer's options. You can choose to always display this dialog for
sounds or pictures (when ClippingNamer can't invent a name), or whenever your favorite keys are held down.
Version 1.3.3 adds an FKEY and a Contextual Menu, both of which allow you to use ClippingNamer when creating a clipping from the clipboard. Both will work without ClippingNamer installed. I also fixed several bugs that annoyed (or crashed) some of you. You can now use Command-f to close the dialog as though you had clicked the File button: this wasn't working in v1.3.2 (typing f WITHOUT the command key closed the dialog, not a good thing.)
Version 1.3.4 fixes a small bug that causes the "Append to:" to be cut off. It also adds support for Internet Location Files (which are a special type of clipping.) These can only be created by dragging an internet location (url) to the Finder: the FKEY and CMM do not support them (yet.)
Version 1.3.5 Fixes a bug in v1.3.4 that caused the append function to misbehave.
Using ClippingNamer
~ClippingNamer is a System extension: drop it onto your closed System Folder, click OK to place it in the Extensions folder, and restart. It requires a 68020 or later computer capable of creating a clipping; if it can't run on your computer, you should see its icon with a large red "X" on it while starting up.
To try it out, make a clipping just as you usually do. ClippingNamer is set by default to open its dialog if no keys are used when dragging, so you can immediately see it in action and customize it.
The dialog has an OK, a Cancel, and a File button:
Cancel makes NO changes to the clipping name or icon: it leaves it exactly as the Finder made it. It does NOT delete the clipping!
OK changes the clipping name to whatever is shown in the Clipping Name Box, and if the Make Thumbnail box is checked, creates a thumbnail icon (for picture clippings) from the clipping contents. If Append is active, the clipping text is added to the target file and the clipping is deleted.
File causes the current clipping (picture or text) to be saved as a SimpleText file rather than a clipping. Renaming/thumbnail icons work as usual. The File checkbox, if checked, makes this the default; the File button lets you make one file without needing to turn it off later. Typing Command-f is the same as clicking this button.
The Invent Name box, if checked, causes a new name to be created from the clipping contents (obviously, only text clippings) and displayed. By clicking this box, you can see both the Finder's and NameClipping's choices for a name or type your own. Beware of clicking the checkbox after you have changed the name: changes aren't saved.
Append allows you to add new text clippings to an existing file rather than creating new ones. It does not work with Internet location files! It might be used to take notes on a document, or group related info. The file to which clippings are appended is called the Target.
The Append checkbox should read Append To "current Target"; if the checkbox reads merely "Append," then the current clipping file will be saved as usual and become the Target (for the next clipping).
Normally ClippingNamer simply skips a line and adds appended text to the Target; if the Mark Appended checkbox is checked (only appears/works if Append is checked!), a new entry begins with "-- (the clipping name in the dialog)", or "----------" if Invent name is unchecked.
Checking Start Over causes the current clipping to become the new Target (if appending!). You might do this if you want to start appending to a new file: check Start over, then click OK or File to start a fresh file that will become the new Target.
The Set Append Target button allows you to set the Target. Any text clipping or file can be used, and the new target can be used immediately (i.e., with the current clipping.)
If the Target is moved or renamed, ClippingNamer will warn you and give you a chance to look for it.
Clicking the Set Preferences button expands the dialog to show the Preferences section. This lets you select the keys that cause various things to happen. Your choices are Nothing (the Finder creates the clipping as usual, as if you had clicked Cancel in the dialog); OK Dialog (behaves exactly as if you had clicked OK); and Show Dialog (self explanatory).
When first installed, the dialog appears if NO keys are held down; holding Option means OK Dialog; and holding Option-Shift causes Nothing to happen. You can set any key combinations you like. IMPORTANT: The dialog always appears if Caps Lock is down, regardless of any other settings.
Checking Always show dialog if Picture / Sound causes the dialog to appear if a clipping contains no text (and can't be automatically renamed).
New: Clicking the File Type… button presents a standard file dialog, allowing you to choose any text file or program. Clippings that are saved as text files will become files of that program. The default is SimpleText; you can change this to any program that can save/open text files.
New Options: Ignore Command-Shift with FKEY and Ignore Control with CMM cause ClippingNamer to ignore the keys used to activate the new accessories (otherwise, your default behavior may not happen.) These have NO effect when creating clippings by dragging to the Finder!
Using the optional FKEY / CMM
Both of these accessories perform the same function: creating clippings without having to drag to the Desktop. You can use either or both, depending on your taste and System version. They were created because existing utilities of this type wouldn't work with ClippingNamer. Incidentally, both work even without ClippingNamer being installed (in that case they simply create a standard clipping.)
Install ClipboardNamer CMM: drag it onto your closed System Folder, click OK to place it in Contextual Menu items, and restart. Clipboard -> Clipping and Selection -> Clipping will appear in your Contextual Menus when appropriate.
• Clipboard -> Clipping works anywhere: the contents of the clipboard are copied into a new clipping. New
clippings are named "Clipboard Text/Picture/Sound" (unless renamed with ClippingNamer, of course).
• Selection -> Clipping works when you control-click something that can be selected (try it in the Finder:
clicking an icon and clicking its name (as though editing it) do two different things. This also works
extremely well when saving bits of text from Internet Explorer 4. It ONLY works with text (can't copy
pictures/sounds this way yet.) New clippings are named as above, with the current application name
replacing "Clipboard."
Install ClipboardNamer FKEY is provided in 2 different forms, both set initially as FKEY #5 (Command-Shift-5). INSTALL ONLY ONE OF THESE FILES!
• ClipboardNamer FKEY is a standard FKEY and can be installed by several methods: utilities like
Suitcase (commercial) and FKEY Dragger (postcardware, available on info-mac, etc) work well
and allow you to easily change the FKEY number if you wish.
• ClipboardNamer FKEY (Font) is in the form of a "fake" font and can be placed in your Fonts Folder (drop it on
your closed system folder.) This is the easiest method but doesn't allow changing the number.
IMPORTANT: Not all modifier keys work when making clippings from the Clipboard! FKEY's in particular do not work if the Option key is down, and Command+Shift will ALWAYS be down (unless you're incredibly quick!). In the case of ClipboardNamer CMM, you can let go of Control once the Contextual Menu appears, and then all keys are available as usual. Two new options, Ignore Command-Shift with FKEY and Ignore Control with CMM are available to "mask" the keys that trigger the FKEY and CMM if you desire. These are both ON by default.
IMPORTANT: ClippingNamer FKEY/CMM currently only recognize Text (styled or plain), PICT, or snd data. If the clipboard contains other types of information it will not be copied to the clipping. A few programs (Microsoft Word) add private data: to add this to clippings you must create them by dragging to the Desktop. Internet Location Files cannot be created this way! They can only be produced by dragging to the Finder. I'm working on it.
Application Compatibility with the Contextual Menu:
Selection -> Clipping works ONLY with Text data, and doesn't work with all programs: some programs that don't support Contextual Menus don't like to supply information, resulting in empty clippings. I'll add to this list as I try more programs or get reports.
Compatible: Finder, Internet Explorer 4, BBEdit, Claris Emailer.
Incompatible: SimpleText, Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Word 98 (doesn't work with the FKEY either unless you switch to another application first), CodeWarrior IDE.
With the exception of Word, incompatible programs can be used by Copying and then using Clipboard -> Clipping or the FKEY. Using the FKEY allows you to make text and sound clippings as well as text.
Notes:
PLEASE tell me if you find a conflict with ClippingNamer.
When checking for keys, ClippingNamer starts with Nothing and works down, so duplicate key combinations result in the first action being taken. If you should forget the key combination for Show Dialog, Caps Lock will always work.
All checkboxes are saved if you OK the dialog. You must register ClippingNamer for changes to be saved between restarts. Append settings are never saved between restarts!
If you change the name of a clipping to a name that already exists, you will get a chance to try again or cancel (cancel uses the Finder's name.)
The Make Thumbnail checkbox applies except when doing Nothing; Invent Name applies only when using the dialog (it is assumed ON when automatically renaming without the dialog).
When you make a clipping, it initially appears on the Desktop as usual: the Finder takes a few seconds to display ClippingNamer's changes. An appended clipping disappears.
About Shareware
ClippingNamer took a fair amount of time and effort to produce. Take a fair amount of time to try it out, and if you like it and use it, you should pay for it. This will get you notification of updates, a warm feeling at having done the right thing, and also get rid of the annoying shareware reminder at startup, all for a lousy $10. You can pay me by mail at the address below (check/money order/cash only) or via the Web at <http://order.kagi.com/?PA>, or by email: download the Register program from <http://www.patchdance.com/shareware.html>.
Drop by <http://www.patchdance.com/shareware.html> for the latest on ClippingNamer and other shareware, including the 3-D modeler PatchDance.
