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From: jkeegan@hawk.ulowell.edu (Jeff Keegan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: A suggestion for Apple (AppleEvents/Finder).. Please Read (Apple)
Keywords: Finder, AppleEvents, Apple Events
Message-ID: <1991Jun3.045536.5119@ulowell.ulowell.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 91 04:55:36 GMT
References: <1991Jun2.112418.27577@ulowell.ulowell.edu> <11@ryptyde.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@ulowell.ulowell.edu (News manager)
Organization: University of Lowell Computer Science, Lowell MA
Lines: 75

In article <11@ryptyde.UUCP> dant@ryptyde.UUCP (Daniel Tracy) writes:
>Responding to the following:
>
>"Many times when in the finder I'll select certain files, wanting to do
>something with them (for this example I'll say they were all text files, but
>with different creator types that existed on the hard drive currently, and
>that the thing I wanted to do with them was to open them in one specific
>application they weren't necessarily created in). I usually curse after
>realizing that there was no real purpose for selecting them all, if (as in
>this example) I specifically wanted them all opened in ONE specific
>application..  I then go run the application I should have run in the first
>place, and just as I go to open the files, I grit my teeth at the fact that
>the files are still selected there in the finder, and wouldn't it be nice if
>the application I'm in simply "knew" that, instead of asking me to pick them
>one at a time, in a standard file dialog. (I don't actually grit my teeth,
>it's only a computer, right? :)  , I am just adding that for dramatic effect)."
>
>Couldn't you just select all the files (doing a "Find All" command to get them
>all in one folder if necessary), and then drag them over the icon of the 
>application you want to open them in? If this doesn't work, it's probably
>because the application doesn't support AppleEvents anyways...

Ok, sure that's an option of the application's icon is visible.. But what if
it's an application you launched an hour ago that was buried under 5 folders?
And more important, what if what you want the application to do isn't just
open them?  What if, for instance, the people writing ResEdit wanted you to be
able to get file/info (resedit style, so you can change bits, etc) on all
selected files/folders?  Dragging the icons to the ResEdit icon might be
an already provided function (open the files, not get-info on them).. Then
what?

Besides, as I described before, I'm not as concerned with the trivial problem
described, but rather at a general approach to a solution to this any many
other interface problems..  Suppose you wanted to create an application that
looked like a folder, that would actually send files via Xmodem to a friend of
yours..  Simply double clicking it could show files on his machine, and dragging
icons (of any type) onto this icon could be used to send the files/folders..
fine.. but what if you ran the application (which appeared to be an open
folder, as Users & Groups does).. If the finder were providing AppleEvent
services, it could allow you to say "Hey, I'm impersonating a folder window
here.. if someone in the finder clicks on an icon and drags onto my window,
let them drop it there, and tell me via AppleEvents.. I'll know how to handle
it"..  This could then send the file to your friend even though you didn't
initially drag it onto the icon..  Sure, the same functionality is available
if the user drags the file to the your ICON instead of your folder-like window,
but usually the window would cover up that icon (don't forget Murphy's law..)

To tell you the truth I was expecting Apple's Users & Groups to do something
like this.. It'd be nice if I could take a text file describing who my
users and groups were (in some predetermined format) and drag it (as an icon)
onto the open window (not necessarily the icon) of Users & Groups, and have
it create the accounts that way..  (I haven't read through the manuals for
Users & Groups functionality, so if something like that is available I
apologize, but please tell me!  I'm wondering just how on a network I should
be creating general users, etc..

(actually I could probably copy the Users & Groups preference file.. (wake
up Jeff), but it still wouldn't provide the "add these changes" type of
feature that dragging a file into that window could..)

I was also kinda sad that Users & Groups doesn't let you create an icl8 for
each person.. I admit, kind of a waste of space, but I really wanted to paste
my icon of me on there....

'nuff said..

..Jeff Keegan

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| Jeff Keegan                | I clutch the wire fence until my fingers bleed |
| jkeegan@hawk.ulowell.edu   | A wound that will not heal                     |
|----------------------------| A heart that cannot feel                       |
| This space intentionally   | Hoping that the horror will receed             |
| left blank                 | Hoping that tomorrow we'll all be freed  -RUSH |
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