TEMPEL  As a Mac user and developer, I find this app's UI horrible. Examples:

• A window called "Panorama Editor" gets its title bar stuck under the menu bar. This makes it impossible to drag it anywhere else.

• Some scrollbar handles have the wrong size (i.e. always minimum size, not proportional to the amount the window shows), giving a wrong impression of the full size image behind the window.

* Scrolling using the mouse's scroll wheel does not work (e.g. in the Source Images view)

• When auto-finding control points, it creates some temp files in my original picture's folder. that's simply not the right way to do it (there are official OS-provided temp folders for this kind of business!) - what if that folder is write-protected?

• Several annoyances with the Control Points editor:

•• The list does not show a vertial scroll bar when it should.

•• When selecting one point in the list, the actual points in the two pics are not shown in the zoomed views, making it hard to verify the points. Plus, there seems to be no way to hide the colored markers, making it again hard to verify the points.

Functionally, I am sure that this app is doing a good job. But the UI is a pain in many aspects. I'll keep looking for an app with a better working UI.  
(Version 4.1)

TEMPEL  I think I've identified the crash, which happened when one switched back to the Find window after a search. Should be fixed in v1.2  
(Version 1.2)

TEMPEL  The download site I used was down since Apr 7 and only today (Apr 13) someone contacted me telling that it was down. Funny detail: It was a Windows user.

Download links should be up and running again.  
(Version 1.1.2)

TEMPEL  I searched for a tool that would quickly allow me to measure the time distance between two events in a recorded sound. First I downloaded WaveJelly, which required me to register despite it being free -> I tossed it. Then tried Audacity, whose downloaded dmg file would not mount (open). Finally, I tried this one, which let me get to what I needed. Still, even this program has some annoyances in its usability:

It appears not to follow the most simple Mac UI guidelines, such as:

- Cannot drop a audio file onto the app to open the file.

- Cannot create a selection by first positioning the cursor at one end, then using a Shift-Click to define the other end.

- Once a selection has been made, one cannot simply drag either border to extend the selection, despite the cursor shape suggestion such an action.

- Version information in the Finder's "Info" window is wrong - it doesn't list the actual version number. Makes it difficult for reporting problems, comparing app version, etc.

Dear programmer, please make an effort to follow common Mac guidelines better, and we may have a winner. ;)

Anyways, thanks for making it available for free.  
(Version 3.14)

TEMPEL  I can see the use of AppleScript support, but honestly, I doubt I'll implement this - it's just too much work for too little gain, in a free app. Sorry. I'll keep in mind the need for targeting the contents of a Finder window, though.  
(Version 1.0.2)

TEMPEL  Actually, you can download v1.1b1 now from my web site.

See: http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.html  
(Version 1.0.2)

TEMPEL  Testers for new version sought.

I don't know what others do on their birthdays, but I added some features to Find Any File:

- can now also search non-HFS formatted disks, although not as fast (i.e. the speed is comparable to EasyFind)

- added checkboxes in Results window to filter bundle contents and invisible items.

Before I release this as v1.0, I'd like to have it tested by a few more people than just me.

Any volunteers? Contact me, e.g. via my website (see "More Information" on the previous page)  
(Version 1.0.2)

TEMPEL  Thanks. I am surprised that EasyFind is so slow. As it scans entire discs, it could just use the same Mac function my app uses and become faster instantaneously. All it takes is to read Apple's documentation...

I could easily add filtering of invisibles and package/bundle contents. I'd do that in the Results window, maybe with two separate checkboxes at the top. They'd say "hide invisibles" and "hide package contents" (or better to use "bundle" instead?). By default they'd be off to show everything. Checking them would simply filter them from the view. That way, you'd not have to start a new search to filter them.

Note: A common problem with UI design is the phrasing of actions and modes. In this case, the checkboxes could also be named "show ..." instead of "hide..." and be on by default. What makes more sense here?

Comments and suggestions are welcome.  
(Version 1.0.2)

TEMPEL  Version 1.0.2 grays out the names in italics, to make them stand out even less. I don't like to use colors for the bold items, though. Don't want to make it look like a Windows 3.1 app. Did you have a specific coloring in mind? I'm not good at visual design, I'm open to suggestions.  
(Version 1.0.2)

TEMPEL  Oops, I didn't even read your comments completely before replying. Pardon me, it's still early in the morning for me.

So, to answer your other suggestions:

> "found" items in tree view could be more distinctive. (Currently found are bold, tree structure is italic.) Maybe make the found items red?

Yes, I agree the tree view is a bit hard to interpret at start. I'll consider your suggestion.

> Slightly non-intuitive search criteria selectors. For example when choosing "File Type Code" an option menu appears next to it with only one item - "equals". It should be just a single menu although my guess is that the developer plans to add more to the second menu in the future ("does not equal" etc)

I won't change much of that, though. To change that, I'd have to add a lot of special code, while currently it's internally very simple, one "rule" for all choices. This is a decision I've made based on the fact that (a) it works anyways and (b) since I don't earn money with this, I take a few shortcuts - it doesn't have to be perfect.

Also note that the Mac OS search routines this tool uses have more options such as choosing a lower _and_ a higher bound for dates and sizes. I considered adding those, too, but decided against it because it would require a change to the now-simple UI, which, again I won't do because I don't really need that extra freedom in choices and I don't want to make the extra big) effort.

So, other than fixing bugs I don't plan to improve this tool much. I think it's pretty useful as it stands. Definetely more useful than EasyFind in many ways (mostly speed, root search option and hierarchical view).  
(Version 1.0.1)

TEMPEL  I had a look at EasyFind before.

Have you tried my hierarchical results view? Nothing like that in EasyFind, and I find it very useful.

Lastly, my tool finds items by name much, much faster than EasyFind, which is the main reason why I released my tool which I've been using privately for years already.

Can you confirm these observations?  
(Version 1.0.1)

TEMPEL  Steve, thanks for your helpful comments.

However, there is no need to use Reveal. Just drag the item from the Results window to the open Trash window. If the window is not open, drop it over the Dock's Trash icon, hold it there for a short while until the trash window opens and then drop it in there. Much simpler than the Reveal path.

The fact that dropping it simply on the Dock Trash icon does not work is a bug in FaF that I should have fixed in a 1.0.2 release very soon.  
(Version 1.0.1)

TEMPEL  I thought I gave you a clear answer: Yes, it can drag files to the Trash. I said so in my reply, didn't I?

After a few more trials and your now-a-bit-more-detailed answer, I find, however, that there is a bug in there as the dragging only works if you drag it into the opened Trash folder but not when dragging it into the Dock icon. Shame on me for not noticing this earlier.

Thanks to you I found this bug now. Shame you had to get to ugly about it instead of the constructiveness I had kindly asked for.  
(Version 1.0.1)

TEMPEL  It is just not clear from your questions what you are have tried and what not. I could have just replied to your first part of your last question with "yes", but would that have helped? I appreciate feedback, but (a) I am indeed upset about your rating as I find it just wrong to judge a program on basis of not understanding or needing it, and (b) you could help be much more supportive if you'd be more verbose about what you see versus what you expected to see happening. If you ask "can I drag a file to the Trash", the only answer I can give is "yes". If you'd ask "I've tried moving it to the Trash, but it appears to stay unmoved", then I'd better understand what your problem is and I could both help you and others by improving the software, trying to avoid misunderstandings you and others run into.

So, please keep asking questions if you find something unclear or not intuitive, but give me more information - I can't see what you've done, so you have to tell me.  
(Version 1.0.1)

TEMPEL  Odd questions you keep asking - why don't you just try it out? What makes you expect that it shouldn't work?

Unless you did and just wanted to point out the crash of this app after moving a file to the Trash and then right-clicking on the Icon?

Well, I guess it's time for a 1.0.2 release soon  
(Version 1.0.1)

TEMPEL  Nevermind - the bug is already fixed. If you download now, you'll get Version 1.0.1 with the fix for PPC Macs.  
(Version 1.0)

TEMPEL  You do mean the Find command from the Finder's menu bar, also available by Command-F, don't you?

That Find function _is_ using Spotlight. I'll try to make that more clear in my docs.  
(Version 1.0)

TEMPEL  Note: I just found out (a bit late, I admit) that Find Any File crashes if you're trying to use or edit a Date option when running on a PowerPC Mac (or in Rosetta).

Fixing this will take a few days, I am afraid. So, if you are using a G4 or G5 Mac, you're good as long as you do only search by names.

Check back in a few days - by then I hope to have a fix for PPC as well.  
(Version 1.0)

TEMPEL  One more thing: Additionally, it offers a folder view that will often be much more helpful to find the file you're looking for than the standard flat view is that Spotlight offers. I've tried to explain that in the text as well. How could I phrase it better so that people won't have to ask any more how this app is superior to Spotlight?  
(Version 1.0)

TEMPEL  I've tried to explain what it does in the 3 points I've listed: Basically, I can find files Spotlight won't find.

If you've never been in that situation where you wonder why a Spotlight did not find a file you know to exist, then, well, this app is not for you. But does that justify to rate it?

If everyone would rate all the app here they don't need, what good will the rating be to those who are actually interested in the app and would like to know how well it works for their purpose?

(Apologies, though, if you were not the person who rated this app.)  
(Version 1.0)

TEMPEL  I have followed the beta stage of this app when it had problems dealing with a specific set of routers (DrayTek "Vigor") that Apple's "BackToMyMac" and the file sharing software Transmission could not deal with, either.

This final release fixes these problems, though, which allows me to enter the port mapping for Transmission, saving me from fiddling with the router's web interface directly.

The only things I am missing is the ability to set up a single map entry to map multiple ports, and the ability to edit existing mappings. Both are minor, however, and can be dealt with by a few extra clicks and keystrokes.  
(Version 1.0)