Greg's Browser

[Protools5LEGuy]

I believe it's an invisible file and I could only see it when I used Greg's Browser. Maybe we can use Greg's Browser to copy it and restore it when we need it, but I'd rather just reinstall the damn thing myself.

http://kaleidoscope.net/greg/browser.html

http://kaleidoscope.net/greg/gregs-browser-27.bin
http://kaleidoscope.net/greg/gregs-browser-27.hqx

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 side-by-side 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 browse into StuffIt archives just like they were normal folders, and it uses the StuffIt Engine from Aladdin Systems for stuffing, binhexing, and expanding files.

The screen shot shows the Browser browsing into a StuffIt archive for my undergraduate thesis on K-theory. At the top of the window, there are bookmarks for jumping to frequently used folders. You can also install application bookmarks so that you can drag files to them. Note the invisible file displayed in the Greg list and the use of anti-aliased or smoothed text for the lists and bookmarks. To get anti-aliased text in all of your applications, try SmoothType.

Greg's Browser, originally released in 1993, was loosely based on the NeXT Directory Browser, and it bears the distinction of being one of the first programs to support Apple's then innovative inter-application drag and drop technology. In 1994, Greg's Browser won the MacUser Shareware Award for Best Utility. Greg's Browser also pioneered the use of anti-aliasing (font smoothing) for normal onscreen text, which was later adopted by Adobe in ATM and also integrated into Mac OS 8.5. Back when Apple was working on its ill-fated "Copland" OS, early demos featured Greg's Browser as a well-behaved application running Copland without modification. Now that Apple has scrapped Copland and bought NeXT, Apple is planning offer a browser-like multi-pane view in the Mac OS X Finder.

Version 2.6 updates Greg's Browser with many of the latest technologies, including support for contextual menus, StuffIt 5 archives, extended HFS volumes, and Kaleidoscope.

Version 2.6.1 is a maintenance release, with over a dozen minor improvements and bug fixes. In particular, it fixes an erroneous alert that appears when moving files to the trash and a beep when emptying the trash. It also fixes a crash when launching the browser if StuffIt SpaceSaver is running. On the improvement side, the text anti-aliasing code is completely rewritten, borrowing heavily from SmoothType. Anti-aliased text now looks better, draws faster, and requires less memory. You can also set the font size to anything from 9 to 16 point, since anti-aliased text often looks best at odd font sizes. Finally, when browsing URL clippings, the Browser now displays the URL at the bottom of the window.

Version 2.7 now lets you edit file type and creator codes by clicking the file kind at the bottom of the Browser window or by pressing <command>-<return>. It also adds an option for live window resizing in the Browser Preferences box. (Note that live resizing is extremely processor intensive and works well only on very fast machines.) In addition, this version takes full advantage of the StuffIt Engine from Aladdin Systems, letting you directly manipulate the contents of StuffIt 5 archives. There are several other minor changes, including improvements to the file info displayed at the bottom of the Browser window and support for Appearance sound effects under Mac OS 8.5 or later.

Copyright © 2000 Gregory D. Landweber, All Rights Reserverd

[Protools5LEGuy]

Page is gone....

[Protools5LEGuy]

http://www.mac.org/utilities/gregsbrowser/

Greg's Browser

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 color icons.

If so, then you should try Greg's Browser. Displaying multiple folders side-by-side 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 browse into StuffIt and Compact Pro archives just like they were normal folders, and it uses the StuffIt Engine from Aladdin Systems for stuffing, binhexing, and expanding files. Greg's Browser was also among the first applications to use Macintosh Drag and Drop for inter-application dragging.

Greg's Browser is available in 68k and FAT versions. Download the FAT version if you do not have a 68k machine.

Name
   

Size (kilobytes)

Greg's Browser 2.5.5 68k
   

235

Greg's Browser 2.5.5 FAT
   

336

[Protools5LEGuy]

Updated:

https://web.archive.org/web/20060114022700/http://www.kaleidoscope.net/greg/browser.html



https://web.archive.org/web/20060114022700/http://www.kaleidoscope.net/greg/gregs-browser-27.bin

https://web.archive.org/web/20060114022700/http://www.kaleidoscope.net/greg/gregs-browser-27.hqx

I have changed the tittle because in a Spanish keyboard I don't know how to type apostrophe and I used an empty tilde.

[Mat]

Another program for Mac OS 9 that offers that way of file browsing is "Coela". It has some advantages over Gregs Browser and looks a lot more like the X thing.

[Iria2]

Hey, I found Coela! It looks like it's still hosted here:

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~iimori/sw/Coela.html

[Protools5LEGuy]

Nice!

I will try if I can drag & drop between both.

I always finish with 100 windows open in the finder when I look for fixing something in OS9 and that sucks. There should be some key-commands to close all windows, but I am not aware of them.

In OSX exposé helps a lot windows managing with gestures / magic corners.


Updated


Coela has its own post http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?topic=2968.0

[GaryN]

I always finish with 100 windows open in the finder when I look for fixing something in OS9 and that sucks. There should be some key-commands to close all windows, but I am not aware of them.

You are now: Command-Option-W

OR

Just option-click any window close box.

You're welcome.

[IIO]

I always finish with 100 windows open in the finder when I look for fixing something in OS9 and that sucks. There should be some key-commands to close all windows, but I am not aware of them.

you can perform the current command to one window for all windows by holding alt.

many people do not know half the commands in the OS9 finder, maybe we should start listing them somewhere?

i needed more than two years of OS7 back in the days until i found out that you can navigate using the arrow keys and stuff ... until that day i mostly navigate in the finder with the keyboard only, it is so much faster than using the mouse...

[Custos]

I'm considering printing this...
http://www.silentway.com/mac-tips-ultimate-shortcuts-guide-mac-os-9

[MacTron]

One of the best hits of the classic Mac Os is the desktop and its spatial metaphor.

This nodal approximation was primitive and obsolete. That's the best that MSDOS could do thanks to the MS DOS SHELL. Later substitute by Windows. LOL
If you need to use this means that you don't know how to use the Mac Os efficiency beyond the point and click. IMHO.
Implementing this in Os X, alongside the command line and other obsolete stuff and concepts ( like full screen apps) shows how backwards Apple goes this years.

[Jakl]

Mactron I didn't quite understand?

Do you mean that learning these key combinations are not worth it? Or are a bit backward to learn in your opinion? Thanks

[MacTron]

Mactron I didn't quite understand?

Do you mean that learning these key combinations are not worth it? Or are a bit backward to learn in your opinion? Thanks

No. learning this key combinations is the way to go. 

Using this silly file browsers (Greg's Browser, Cola, and a few more that exist) is a real backwards in all senses. 

[IIO]

coela offers picture preview and long filenames - that is where you would use it.

but to navigate into the fifth subfolder and then close all windows but the last one selected, you are lost when you dont know the key commands for the finder.

[Jakl]

No. learning this key combinations is the way to go. 

Using this silly file browsers (Greg's Browser, Cola, and a few more that exist) is a real backwards in all senses. 
[/quote]

Oh okay. 

[Protools5LEGuy]

One of the best hits of the classic Mac Os is the desktop and its spatial metaphor.

Yeah. But the goods of the Mac OS 9 desktop and its spatial metaphor won't help me much on my multiple partition setups. In fact the opposite. Every 9 partition uses a "desktop" and all them get mixed up when you rebuid any desktop.

If you need to use this means that you don't know how to use the Mac Os efficiency beyond the point and click. IMHO.

I never claimed to know much beyond point and click.  Neither efficiency  Just know "where" are "things" inside the GUI of Protools and Logic.

I don't need to use a NeXT Directory Browser, but after some time using Mac OS 9&X and Hackintoshes for Protools (and I do that for paying some of my bills)  I find myself more productive using A-Dock and a directory browser. The 3rd or 4th attempt to open an app I lock them on the dock and close all those 1000 windows. And I can use that "workflow" in 9&X&Win

Mactron I didn't quite understand?

Do you mean that learning these key combinations are not worth it? Or are a bit backward to learn in your opinion? Thanks

No. learning this key combinations is the way to go. 

Using this silly file browsers (Greg's Browser, Cola, and a few more that exist) is a real backwards in all senses. 

Agree with the need to be aware of all those key combinations.

Disagree on those app to be silly file browsers or its use to be a backward.

Only for a pure OS 9 user (with a deep understanding on what's the desktop) that isn't aware of the rest of the industry directory managing (Mac OS X & Wintel) . I am sure a new generation of Mac OS 9 users will come after they have tested Mac OS X & Debian on PowerPC machines as their first choice.

Those young ones won't understand how to navigate on the desktop, its advantages or why OS 9 hasn't a native directory browser as XP and OSX has. They have growed using directory browsers.

[IIO]

Yeah. But the goods of the Mac OS 9 desktop and its spatial metaphor won't help me much on my multiple partition setups.

i think that is exactly what he means.

it can have benefits that you were not forced to be the desktop folder an archive on the boot volume, like it is in OSX today.

but it is probably a matter of taste which way you like things to be.

what exactly is your issue like? maybe there is a workaround. i use dozens of partitions, too, and still love the "desktop" system in OS9.

[Protools5LEGuy]

The mess that happens when you have 2-3 Mac OS 9 desktops. Files on desktop on an ancient install come back to life in a new one.

The concept about where are located those desktop folders from a OS X user point of view. I mean root/desktop/ versus Root/user/desktop/

How difficult is to reach into the fifth subfolder and then close all windows just using the mouse. Keycommands + VNC doesn't match right in a DAW environment all the time.

[IIO]

The mess that happens when you have 2-3 Mac OS 9 desktops. Files on desktop on an ancient install come back to life in a new one.

ancient install? you mean like an external HD which you dont use all the time? ok in this case i see what you mean, but this is only a problem when you dont clean up things from time to time.

How difficult is to reach into the fifth subfolder and then close all windows just using the mouse.

well it is not really difficult. but on the other hand, why would i open 5 finder windows and then close all 5 again? i rather alt-click onto my folders in order to make the mother window disappear from alone.

of course OSX and windows users might laugh about this discussion, because they dont navigate at all to find stuff, they just use a filesearch with autocompletion and suggestions. in OS9 you need a third party app to do this.

p.s. what i really dislike is that the "get info" windows are of the same class. they and the finder browser windows affect each other - but normally you want to "close all" only one of these two groups.

[GaryN]

Yeah. But the goods of the Mac OS 9 desktop and its spatial metaphor won't help me much on my multiple partition setups. In fact the opposite. Every 9 partition uses a "desktop" and all them get mixed up when you rebuid any desktop.

Maybe THIS will help. It memorizes your desktop layout and restores it on demand. It works really well. I've never tried it on multiple desktops but I'll bet with a little creative experimentation it just might be what you're looking for.

This is another example of the zillions of "little things" that get lost over time. Can we ever get ALL of this kind of stuff in one searchable (or at least indexed) location? Yeah, of course I know it's a lot of work - I also know that the longer it doesn't happen, the more complicated and harder it gets. I, of course, found this little gem in the Garden - but only because I spent an afternoon going through the whole garden from A to Z. It lacks a contextural index. Oh hell…I'm just rambling now…never mind.

If someone is already at work on this, my apologies for not knowing, but then again, how would I?

Anyway, here you go PT. Let me/us know if it does the job for you.