NetSnagger is an Internet application that works with Internet Config to simplify two internet related tasks:
1. Retrieving files from archive digests (like the Info-Mac digest published in the
comp.sys.mac.digest newsgroup). These documents are called "Draggers".
2. Creating double clickable desktop URLs which will utilize Internet Config
to launch the requested URL.
NetSnagger has been tested with System 7.5. I should, in theory, also work with
System 7.1 or later with the Drag Manager Extension. It requires Internet Config 1.1, and works best with the Anarchie ftp program by Peter Lewis.
Features
• InternetConfig support
• Drag Manager Support
• Automatic URL Concatenation
• Double Clickable desktop URLs
• Single gesture URL saves
Launchers and Draggers
NetSnagger allows you to make documents which serve two similar but distinct purposes: Launchers and Draggers. A Launcher is a NetSnagger document which, when it is double clicked on the desktop, automatically launches the apropriate helper application. A Dragger is a NetSnagger
document which, when opened, leaves a windows up on the desktop which serves as a
drop point for drag and drop text.
Quick Start (for Launchers)
First, we will use an existing launcher to demonstrate how a NetSnagger auto-launch document works. Using the finder, open the folder named "Launchers" in the NetSnagger folder. Double click on the document named "Apple WWW". This should cause NetSnagger to open and, in turn, NetSnagger will open your http helper application as configured within Internet Config. The Apple WWW home page should soon start displaying.
Next, lets go through creating a Launcher. If the NetSnagger application is not already running, double click on the NetSnagger application in the NetSnagger folder. Once in NetSnagger, choose "New" from the file menu. This should create a new untitled menu. In the "Base URL" field, type "http://www.apple.com/". Next, choose "Save As…" from the file menu. Before saving the document, check the Auto-Launch and Auto-Close check boxes. Then, name the document "WWW Apple", and click the save button. That all. You have created a Launcher.
Quick Start (for Draggers)
In order to use NetSnagger Draggers, you will need to find a program which supports drag and drop text. Current versions of SimpleText (which you are probably using to read this), NotePad, NewsWatcher, and WordPerfect all support dragging text.
First, make sure your Internet connection is started. Then, double click
on the file named "info-mac@aol.com" which should be in the same folder as the NetSnagger program. This should launch NetSnagger and bring up a window
titled, not surprisingly, "info-mac@aol.com".
Next, switch back to SimpleText (this document). Once back in SimpleText, if you cannot see the "info-mac@aol.com" window, switch over to NetSnagger and position the "info-mac@aol.com" window so that a portion of it other than the title bar is visible from SimpleText.
Now you are ready to "snag" a file using NetSnagger. The following is an info-mac path just like you will see in an info-mac digest:
/info-mac/comm/tcp
Select the path (the underlined one just above) and hold the mouse over the selection so that the arrow (not the I-beam) cursor is visible. Then, drag the text selection onto the "info-mac@aol.com" NetSnagger window and drop it.
Assuming you have Anarchie installed as your ftp server, Anarchie will be launched and a listing of the the info-mac "tcp" directory will be displayed.
Note: There are two modifier keys you can hold down when dragging. When you hold down shift, the url will be saved as a launcher into the AutoSave Folder specified in the prefrences. When you hold down command, a save file dialog will come forward so that you can save the url interactively.
File Format
NetSnagger uses a text file format for saving URLs to disk. In each NetSnagger file it places one URL along with other information. In order to customize URL files so that you can make them auto-launch and auto-close, you will need to edit the NetSnagger file with a text editor (like SimpleText). A NetSnagger file opened with a text editor looks like this:
The items inside the angle brackets describe the window position when the file was last saved. This is an optional item.
The next two items are the auto-launch and auto-close settings respectively. These should be set to 'Y' or 'N'. In this example, this file indicates that it should be automatically launched when opened, but not automatically closed.
The next item is the number of forward slashes ('/') to skip. When a URL is launched, or a portion of a URL path is dropped on a NetSnagger window the "Base URL" portion is concatinated with the "Sub URL" portion. When the skip slashes popup is set to something other than 0, NetSnagger skipps the indicated number of slashes. This is useful for archive mirror sites whose pathname is different from that of the digest. For example, the umich digest paths usually begin with "/umich/" but aol has seen fit to place their mirror in "/pub/mac". By using the skip slashed option, you can drag a umich path into the "umich@aol.com" mirror and have the correct file "snagged" for you automatically.
The forth item is the "Sub URL" portion from the NetSnagger document window.
The final item is the "Base URL" portion.
Currently only one URL is supported per NetSnagger file.
Support
Support is available via email. Please email questions and bug reports to:
rmore@onramp.net
Current versions as well as additional information is available from:
http://rampages.onramp.net/~rmore/netsnagger.html
Or from the launcher named "NetSnagger WWW" in the Launchers folder.
Future Plans
Coming soon should be:
• URL list windows.
• Decent Icons (please donate less ugly icons)
• Whatever users can convince me to implement
Postcards
Thank you for using NetSnagger. If you use Anarchie and have not paid for it, please make sure to pay Peter Lewis for his hard work. If you like NetSnagger, please send me a post card if you wish.
Please send the postcard to:
Rod Morehead
1230 Settlers Way
Lewisville, Texas 75067
U.S.A.
It would also help me if you would send the following information:
