Looks like we, plasq and the creator of Spotlaser have independently struck onto something similar.

Skitch:

Spotlaser:

This is mostly cosmetic – In the case of Skitch, you can ‘drag a file off’ with drag me. On Spotlaser, it is a button to start the search.

PLUS! they both start with ‘S’ and we are both from Australia. ohhh spooky.

I was awoken this morning grasping for pencil and paper to write down a dream I had. Funny thing is, it was 2 UI ideas for a new app we are working on. One of the ideas was growl notification for a particular feature and a dialogue with 3 options on it. These will likely be implemented too

Anyone else dream up software features in their sleep?

Oh yeah.. speaking of growl… What if you had growl for ‘real life’?

In Photoshop, I use Group Layers shortcut (Command + g) all the time. This takes any layers you have selected, and puts them into a folder/group. It’s a very fast and nice way of working.

I wanted a way to do this in Finder – a quick internets googlefy returned a few examples of something similar. One worked well, but it popped up a dialog box to enter the name of the folder. I’m not a fan of modal dialogs, so after removing some of the script, and adding a few lines, I now have a script that uses standard finder naming methods for creating and then allowing you to name the resulting folder. Here ‘tis:

tell application “Finder”

set the_folder to container of item 1 of (get selection) as alias
end tell

tell application “Finder”

set new_folder to (make new folder in folder the_folder) move selection to new_folder
end tell
tell application “Finder” select new_folder
end tell
tell application “System Events” keystroke return
end tell

Download the script here in 2 wholesome varieties:
Plain editable Script – Example use: Set up as a Quicksilver Trigger
Script compiled as an app. – Example use: Place in Finder Toolbar or launch via Spotlight.

You can put these files anywhere really, but I suggest the Applications folder, or the Script folder in your home directory. ( ~/Library/Scripts/ ).

Setting up a Quicksilver Trigger:

Step 1 – Get Quicksilver
Step 2 – Open its preferences and click the trigger pane button on the toolbar.
Step 3 – Create a new Custom Trigger by clicking the [+] button, choosing Hotkey and setup
the resulting window as shown in the below Screenshot. Press Save.
Step 4 - Assign a Hotkey in the drawer that opened up at the side of the window.
I chose Command + g. (of course)
Step 5 – In the drawer, under the scope tab, type “Finder”. This confines the Hotkey for use
in the Finder only, so it won’t interfere with other apps.
Step 5 – Close the Quicksilver preference window.
Step 6 – Be confused that there are 2 step 5’s for no reason….
Step 7 - Test it by going to Finder, selecting some files and Triggering the script via the Hotkey you defined

Putting Script app in Finder Toolbar:

Step 1 - Drag and hover the App script over the blank space on
a Finder window until a little box slides ‘open’, then let go.
Step 2 – Test it by going to Finder, selecting some files and Triggering
the script by clicking on the icon in the Toolbar.

Well, that is it. Hope this brings you and your family hours of totally awesome pleasure.

Side note bonus! I find myself thinking of the files that are needing action (in this case, grouping) before figuring out how/what to do with them. This works for me, but does anyone think the other way around?

Multiplayer Wireless Music and the Nintendo DS - createdigitalmusic.com

gotta get one now!
(like i wasn’t gonna get one before)

I can see a lot of music applications for the Nintendo DS. Imagine a softsynth where you play notes with you thumb on one screen(special type of keyboard) and play about with a XY pad with the other. Or vocoder.. or sound generation depending on signal level to other devices (mmm performance art). or… or orr….gotta get one

Plogue Bidule is now at 0.7. Features my new default skin plus HEAPS of new features and bug fixes.

Click here to see screenshot

When I started using SideTrack I got annoyed by not touching it in the right places (oooh!) thus not triggering what I was expecting leading to multiple tapping till I got it right. ARGH! You know what it is like when you have spilt milk/cola/beer/whatever into ya keyboard and keys stick or don’t work properly? Well it is like that. Infuriating.

So to alleviate this a little, I decided to add some tactile’ness to my PowerBook trackpad. Here is a photo of said mod:

I used silver adhesive vinyl used on cars for those decals you see on back windscreens for example of hotted up cars saying ‘TOS’ or ‘No Fat Chicks’.. uh anyway.. It looks great and helps find the zones.

I had zones marked out for the top corners for back and forward in web browsers and the scroll zone. I tried setting the bottom area for other actions but they where always getting in the way.

The vinyl was better, but the lack of feedback was annoying. I was still tapping too much! I emailed the SideTrack developer, who said Audio feedback is technicaly not possible at the moment.

So after that, I went back to u-Control for scrolling. I still use SideTrack for using the pad button as right click mind. With u-Control, when you hold down a real key (in my case, the function) then move my hand on the trackpad it does the scroll wheel action. Much more reliable, no more accidental bumping, bashing of my trackpad and anyway, I can set qwerty keyboard keystrokes for stuff I need.

Lucidturtle.com has gone live!

I did a free 10 minute logo for another studio from San Francisco. It’s not great but I’m happy with it per the time that went into it . Its on their site here: http://www.sfrecording.com/
(Didn’t do the site though). I’ll put the image here too:

Also did a simple 40 minute UI for a simple AudioUnit effect by Steve Duda. He hasn’t done the UI stuff for it yet so its not yet in use but here is a sneaky:
Olive version:

Orange version:

I’m feeling good. I’m winning the fight against procrastination

Now onto that host UI

Saw this URL on the back window of a car yesterday and thought I would look it up. well its for a heavy rock band but you gotta check out the singers hair! wow!

My girlfriend has her own domain now! jemgirl.com. Just a logotype there at the moment but it will be updated soon with lots of content relating to the 80’s cartoon, Jem and the Holograms(remember that?) as well as her own music projects, other dolls, stories, photos and stuff about clothes that she makes.

Trash80 will be releasing a new EP in 5 days or so and launching his new site! Both are awesome! Jemgirl and I wrote lyrics for 2 of the songs; Jemgirl the vocals for those with me doing a tiny backing vocal on one. The EP will be entitled, Hologram. An apt tie in there with jemgirl, but really, its a great name indicative of the 80’s

We bought a BBQ thingie yesterday… its like a metal basket on a stand and a metal plate that sits on top. Here’s a pic:

The cooking plate is leaning against the basket. The silver wire handle, i added so the plate can be lifted on and off more easily.
update: duh, this isn’t a bbq, but an out doors heater. burn coals and wood I reckon

Built a new PC last week. Athlon 2700+ with a gig of ram. It was kinda a major overhaul of my previous PC, i suppose, i kept the same drives (hard/floppy/CDRW/DVD-Rom) but the rest is new. the new case rocks. see here:

Damn fast too. Loving it! I was surprised in the difference in speed with 1 gig compared to 512 meg of ram too. Photoshop is like butter now and logic is quicker too, especially when loading big sound banks. Can finally work on music without feeling constrained all the time like I was on my previous 700mhz PC and my Titanium powerbook 500mhz which are roughly the same speed.

Super greg! Love this guy.. comical genius. I first saw it about 2 years ago but it had been around long before that. Google for some other stuff if ya interested. its worth it.

Zebra 1.0 (final) is released! The response to it has been great. Very happy.

oh yeah, and I want to buy some thongs… yeah… thongs are cool. thongs and pants; the ultimate in fashion.
(this line would be quite weird for non australians… thongs and pants seem to have a different meaning here