Mailing Lists: Apple Mailing Lists
Image of Mac OS face in stamp
 
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Tracking files the right way - FIXED in 10.2!!!

On Thursday, August 29, 2002, at 08:22 PM, Mike Shields wrote:

The problem we have with aliases now is that it relies on path LAST. An alias would work much better if it used the path first. This would prevent the "drag an app/file/folder to the trash and watch the alias gladly find it for you when there's a new one in the original place" problem there is now.

Back in OS 9, things worked this way - it checked the path first, then the ID. So, if you moved a file to the Trash and put another file in its place, it would get the new file, and not the one that was in the Trash. In 10.0 and 10.1, this was unfortunately changed, so that it checked the ID first, causing myriad problems. However, I'm pleased to report that I've tested this twice in Jaguar, and it is fixed!

You can try it yourself, if you have Jag - make two folders. Put a different file in each so you can distinguish between them. Make an alias to one folder. Double-click the alias, see that it resolves to the folder. Now, rename the folders so that the second folder has the first folder's original name. Double-click the alias - it will resolve to the second folder!

This behavior single-handedly solves most of the problems mentioned in this thread about aliases. Move one file to leave the original untouched and put a copy in its place? No problem - the alias checks the path first, and finds the copy. Drag OmniWeb to the Trash and put another copy in its place? No problem, the alias finds the new OmniWeb (although it really should be looking up the bundle identifier in LaunchServices instead of using aliases *or* paths, but that's another topic). Move or rename a file or some folder in its path? No problem, the alias tracks the file to the new location.

So, if you use aliases in Jaguar, all your problems will be solved, the programmer's job is not made any more complex, and very little extra work is needed. This is a *very good thing* for users!

Charles
_______________________________________________
cocoa-dev mailing list | email@hidden
Help/Unsubscribe/Archives: http://www.lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/cocoa-dev
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
References: 
 >Re: Tracking files the right way (From: Mike Shields <email@hidden>)



Visit the Apple Store online or at retail locations.
1-800-MY-APPLE

Contact Apple | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2007 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.