Archive for July, 2009

Default Folder X on Snow Leopard: Build 4.2.2d7

Monday, July 27th, 2009

There are more compatibility fixes for Snow Leopard in this pre-release build.  Specifically:

  • Updated the Default Folder X preference pane to run in 64 bit mode.
  • Eliminated “auto malloc” errors in applications that use garbage-collected memory management.

You can grab a copy of the installer from:

http://www.stclairsoft.com/download/DefaultFolderX-4.2.2d7.dmg

Again, because of some of the fixes I’ve made since version 4.2.1, anyone running Snow Leopard should be running a pre-release build of Default Folder X 4.2.2.

If you encounter any issues with this build or have suggestions, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line at DefaultFolder (at) stclairsoft.com.  Thanks!

DFX: Important Snow Leopard and DFPreviewServer fixes

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

I’ve put together a development build of Default Folder X that incorporates a couple of important fixes, plus some handy new tweaks.  If you’ve noticed a process called DFPreviewServer slowing down your machine or have experienced problems while running Snow Leopard, this build will fix those problems.

You can download the latest pre-release build of Default Folder X here:

http://www.stclairsoft.com/download/DefaultFolderX-4.2.2d6.dmg

If you are running Default Folder X on a seed build of Snow Leopard you should install this update NOW.

Changes include the following:

  • Default Folder X contains a workaround for a bug in OS X’s hierarchical menu system.  The old workaround functioned fine in 10.4 and 10.5, but intermittently causes the hierarchical path menu in Open and Save dialogs to hang or crash in Mac OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard).  It’s been rewritten and now works correctly.
  • Fixed a bug in DFPreviewServer that could consume a lot of CPU time and memory. This occurred when previewing very large files (greater than 200 MB) that the system identifies as text files.
  • Added some user defaults so you can globally set a minimum file dialog size and column width.  Use these commands in Terminal to set the values:

    defaults write com.stclairsoft.DefaultFolderX minimumSize.width 800
    defaults write com.stclairsoft.DefaultFolderX minimumSize.height 600
    defaults write com.stclairsoft.DefaultFolderX minimumSize.columnWidth 250

    Change the numbers at the end of the commands to the sizes you want to use (in pixels).
  • Added a way to override the time before menu previews zoom to full size.  In Terminal, use this command to change the value (the default value is 1.5 seconds):

    defaults write com.stclairsoft.DefaultFolderX menuZoomDelay 1.5

    Change the “1.5” in the line above to the number of seconds you want for the delay.  Note that you need to turn Default Folder X off and back on again for this change to take effect.
  • Default Folder X’s “New Folder” command would not work in some applications when creating a folder within a folder that was reached by double-clicking on an alias. This has been fixed.
  • Corrected a problem with the “Make Save dialogs automatically default to the current document’s folder” setting that would cause DFX to default to the top level of your hard disk or your home folder in certain applications (including Address Book).

Layers for iPhone is on the App Store!

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Apple has finally approved Ben’s new iPhone drawing app, Layers, for sale on the App Store!

Layers is a really polished, feature-packed natural media painting program for the iPhone.  As it’s name implies, one of its distinguishing features is that it lets you paint on up to 5 different layers.  That, combined with its full undo/redo support, makes it easy for even fumble-fingered people like me to create decent drawings.  It also sports transparency, 8 different brushes, and a really cool feature that lets you erase portions of the current layer to reveal the layer below — something that’s fun to do with photos because you can ‘knock out’ the background around a subject to reveal the contents of another photo or a drawing below it.

Anyway, have a look at http://www.layersforiphone.com/ And yes, in the interest of full disclosure, it’s written by my son, but even if it weren’t, I’d still be incredibly impressed.

Default Folder X 4.2.1 Released in Japanese

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Version 4.2.1 of Default Folder X is now available for download in a fully localized Japanese installer.  You can get it from the Default Folder Release page.

Thanks to Takanori Taniguchi for his continued strong support of Default Folder X!

Enabling DFX’s new menu previews in file dialogs

Monday, July 13th, 2009

I’ve received a number of emails asking why the new file previews only work in Default Folder X’s system menu, and not in its menus in the Open and Save dialogs.  This is because Default Folder X normally doesn’t display files in its file dialog menus — those menus are used for navigating among folders.

You can, however, change this using a hidden setting.  Here’s how:

  1. Open System Preferences and select Default Folder X.
  2. Option-click on the “Settings” button.
  3. Turn on the “AlwaysShowFilesInMenus” checkbox.
  4. Click OK and quit System Preferences.
  5. The menus that Default Folder X places next to Open and Save dialogs should now show previews like this.

Note: With this setting turned on, Default Folder X will show all the files in each folder, regardless of whether the current application can open them or not.  If you select a file that the application can open, DFX will take you to the folder containing the file and select it in the file dialog.  If the application can’t open the file, you’ll be switched to the file’s folder, but nothing will be selected.

DFX 4.2.1 in French, German and Danish

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Just a quick heads-up that the French, German, and Danish localized installers are now available for Default Folder X 4.2.1.  You can grab them from our Downloads Page.

Thanks to Philippe Bonnaure, Eberhard Woentz, and Mogens Thyregod for their localization help!

And yes, the Japanese installer should be available soon too.

Default Folder X 4.2.1 Released!

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

It’s out!

Default Folder X 4.2.1 now lets you quickly see the contents of your files by showing you preview images in its hierarchical menus. You can visually browse through folders full of files quickly, straight from your menu bar. This release also offers additional support for Path Finder, improvements to Default Folder X’s “Rebound” feature and a bunch of compatibility fixes. Version 4.2.1 is also compatible with the latest developer release of Mac OS 10.6 “Snow Leopard.”

Full details are on the Default Folder X Release Page.

Thanks to everyone who provided feedback, bug reports and testing!

Default Folder X Screencast: File Previews

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

I put together a short screencast showing Default Folder X’s file previews, including the new preview bubbles that pop up in the menus.  Here’s the finished product:

I heartily recommend ScreenFlow for producing screencasts – it made the process VERY easy!  We now have a new Screencasts Page for Default Folder X, and I’ll be assembling some more material for it soon.  If you have suggestions, please leave a comment!

Macworld: Default Folder X is an All-Time Favorite MacGem

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

We’re excited to see that MacWorld magazine considers Default Folder X a ‘must have’ tool for your Mac toolbox.  It was picked as one of a handful of all-time favorite MacGems in their June 30 wrap-up of GemFest 2009.

There’s a place to comment at the bottom of the article if you’d like to add your voice and let the world know what you personally think of DFX (or any of the other 10 utilities they’ve called out as top picks).

Thanks Macworld!