File Buddy 7 - Apr/May '03

File Buddy 7

File Buddy 7 provides extensive tools to manipulate and manage file and folder information in both Mac OS 9 and X. It implements a powerful search command, batch processing of files, system maintenance tools and an “Erase” utility that eliminates trashed files.

The application can access and change virtually every attribute of a file or folder with an easy-to-use interface. These tools are well-implemented and suitable for mainstream Mac users, but only the search and erase tools are particularly useful to law offices.

File Buddy 7 is sold for $49.95 as an Internet download. It includes an extensive Portable Document Format manual, quick start guide and online help system. Once you download and expand the file, simply drag its contents to your Applications folder in OS X. File Buddy also can be dragged to the Dock or to the Toolbar area of any open Finder window to quickly access its features.

Drop a file onto the File Buddy icon and it displays information about the file in an “Info” window that is similar to the Finder’s “Get Info” window, but more detailed. It discloses creation and modification dates, a comments field, file types, ownership privileges (OS X), locations, extensions and provides tools to edit these and other attributes of the file. Icons at the top of the “Info” window are used to further manipulate the item, including copying, creating aliases, moving the file to the desktop, printing, deleting or opening the file.

To organize and change sets of files, choose “New List” and then drag additional files to the “Open List” window. The listed files can be manipulated as a group in the same way as individual files. You also can search for specific files and add each to the list view. Although File Buddy can change file attributes, such as creation dates and file extensions, it can’t translate documents from one word processing format to another.

Two features of File Buddy are particularly useful to law offices. The “Erase Unused Space” tool completely deletes “trashed” files by overwriting any unused hard drive space with digital zeroes. Once erased with this command, they can’t be retrieved. You can perform the identical function for individual files or the contents of a complete folder by using the “Erase” command.

Perhaps the most useful feature of File Buddy for law offices is the product’s “Find” function. Basic search filters include name, label, file type, creator and date. These, in turn, can be extensively refined.

For instance, a “name” search can be further refined in any of 20 ways using a pop-up menu providing further delimiters. The application responds with a larger text entry field if you choose a particular delimiter, such as “doesn’t contain any of …” Or you can choose a delimiter such as “contains/doesn’t contain,” to search for files that “contain” “settlement proposal,” but “doesn’t contain” a particular client or opposing party’s name.

I also found its “Contents” search useful. Without having to index a volume of text documents, File Buddy will search for a specified text string in your documents. The search is speedy, although it did slow for large files and volumes. You can opt to search only for certain types of items, such as applications or documents, although you can’t limit it to just text documents. You can designate a single folder or group of folders on any volume to search. Delimiters based on creation/modification dates, version numbers and size are included. You can search any local volume or network, or combination of these. As the search progresses, the number of items matching your criteria is updated.

The search capabilities of File Buddy are impressive, although I could not test it extensively on large volumes or over a network. In addition, on a couple of occasions, File Buddy continued to search a hard drive after I hit the “Cancel” button.

The product performs basic system maintenance and cleanup using the File Buddy Cleaning routines. Your volume can be cleansed of duplicate or orphaned files and empty folders, aliases can be checked and repaired, and duplicate files can be located.

If you are running File Buddy in OS 9 (requires CarbonLib 1.5), you also can rebuild your desktop from the application. It can create a “snapshot” of your system before a new program is installed, which simplifies the task of deleting an unwanted application. This is particularly useful in OS X because many installed files are difficult to locate when uninstalling the application.

File Buddy also creates droplet applications that will perform the same task you designate on multiple files.

For instance, you can create a droplet application to apply the same changes to the contents of folders and subfolders by simply dropping those files in the droplet application. You also can set keyboard shortcuts to modify files and folders.

Several functions provided in File Buddy 7 should be used carefully. For instance, making invisible files visible, changing resource or data forks, erasing unused space or deleting files with File Buddy can make these files or applications unusuable. With this in mind, the manual usually does flag these actions to warn of any potential difficulties.

SkyTag Software Inc.
(919) 933-9595

www.skytag.com

Price: $49.95

Mac OS X; Mac OS 9 with CarbonLib 1.5

Reviewed by David A. Saraceno, a practicing attorney and owner of Pixelcraft Studios, a presentation graphics consulting firm in Spokane, Wash.

Apr/May '03 Issue

PROS
It’s inexpensive, versatile and innovative file manipulation and maintenance software. It has extensive Find commands and an attractive interface.

CONS
Some offices. Be car marquee functions are not useful to laweful when using some of its system level tools.

VERDICT
The program’s file, folder and system maintenance tools are extensive, although not really geared to law offices. Each firm should determine whether limited legal-specific tools make the purchase worthwhile.