An Outline abstract text file about the GS/OS utility:

EasyOpen 
by Richard Wifall


o  What's it do??

EasyOpen is a finder extension that creates aliases.  I have always liked the
way finder allows you to put files out on the desktop to have them ready for
quick access, but I never liked going through a folder looking for a file only
later to realize that it was sitting out on the desktop all the time.  EasyOpen
solves this dilema!  Now you can leave your program in the folder where it
belongs and put an alias of it somewhere else.

EasyOpen will make an alias of any file, however, different files are treated
differently as follows:

    SYS,S16     -       Easyopen creates a s16 alias of these files that can
                        be launched from ANY GS/OS compatible launcher.

    DIR         -       Aliases of directories only work within finder, and
                        cause the aliased directory to be opened when you
                        double click on the alias.

    All Others  -       All other types of file aliases also only work in
                        finder.  When these aliases are double clicked, Easy
                        Open sends out a FinderSaysBeforeOpen call so that
                        finderextensions can open the aliased file.

o  Installation

    Copy the EasyOpen file into either the */SYSTEM/SYSTEM.SETUP or
*/SYSTEM/FINDEREXTRAS directory.  Then copy the EO.icons file into the
*/ICONS directory.  (* is the name of your boot volume)

o  What use is something like this?

1. Place aliased files on the desktop, while leaving the original files in in
their directory.  This way you can access the files both from the desktop, or
from inside the folder (if for instance, the desktop is buried beneath layers of
windows)

2. Consolidate programs of a similar nature into one folder.  You can take all
of your programs of one type (like games) and make aliases of them all, and put
the alias in a game folder.  Then whenever you open your games folder, you can
launch any of your games no matter where they are really located on your hard
drive.

3. Alias data files that you commonly access with finderextensions. Imagine
making aliases of all your soundsmith songs.  You could put all the aliases in a
songs folder.  Then whenever you wanted to play a song via a Finder Extensions
such as DeskTracker, you merely open your songs folder and pick the songs you
would like to play.  This way you can keep the songs in folders with their
associated data files and don't have to dig through the instrument files in
order to locate the songs.

Those are just several of the many uses for EasyOpen.

o  How does it work?

It works pretty simply.  To alias a file, you simply select the file and press
the shift key while selecting the DUPLICATE menu item. (shift-openapple-D will
also work)  Then you will be presented with a dialog that will prompt you for a
filename.  Simply enter the filename you wish and an alias with that name will
be created in the same directory as the file you are aliasing.  Then to use the
aliases, all you have to do is double click on them and the appropriate file
will be launched, or directory will be opened.


o  Version Changes

*   1.00        First release version.
*   1.10        Fixed problem with return key not working in the "alias" dialog.
                Added more informative error dialogs so the end user can tell
                what they are doing wrong easier.
    1.20        Totally rewrote the routine to create Alias of executable files.
                Now the aliases are s16 files so they can be launched from ANY
                GS/OS launcher, not just finder!!!!  EasyOpen is still backwards
                compatible with the old version, so it will still launch the
                old aliases.
    1.30        Added support for other files.  If you create an alias of a
                file that isn't a sys, s16, or dir, it will send a
                FinderySaysBeforeOpen for that file.  Also moved the boot
                icon from the main file into a resource fork.
*   1.40	Got official filetypes from Apple and modified EasyOpen to
                support them.  Also drew icons for the filetypes.

    A "*" designates a public release.


o  Legal Stuff

This program is shareware.  It may be distributed freely as long as it is not
distributed as any part of a commercial venture and no more then a $5.00 disk
copying fee is charged for a disk that it resides on.  Commercial online
services may distribute EasyOpen as long as no more then the regular online fee
is charged for its download.  Forms of distribution that are expressly
prohibited include, but are not limited to: distribution on harddrives that are
being sold, and distribution as part of a shareware or freeware disk.  Allowed
forms of distribution include: online services (including commercial services
and private BBS's) as long as no more then the normal online fee is charged, and
non-profit computer club disk swaps such as a disk of the month or a library
disk (provided no more then $5.00 is charged for the copying of the disk).