What’s new
It's been a while, since I have had time to work on these applications. Most should work just fine, but proceed at your own risk. Maybe, I will get some work done on these in the future again.
Mac OS X Encoding Plethora 1.3.1
These Applescripts let you encode or decode items by just dropping them on the script. If the item is already compressed the script will decode it, otherwise it will encode. They are a lot better at working with long filenames and "strange" characters than Aladdin Systems Stuffit Expander.
Version 1.3.1 removes the previously included Zip Tools installer, because zip is now included with Mac OS X. If you still want Zip Tools you can download it from this site.
You can download the Mac OS X Encoding Plethora scripts here. (732 KB)
Updated: 27-6-2007 (new version without Zip Tools)
RegExhibit 1.2
Having trouble getting your regular expressions just right? Not sure what they match and what they leave out? Tired of having to write test programs every time? RegExhibit can help.
RegExhibit shows you what your regular expressions match as you type on a sample text you provide. You can set the colour RegExhibit uses for this, and whether it should underline matches and captures. It also provides full details on successful matches.
As RegExhibit uses Perl to interpret your regular expressions, you get access to one of the most complete regular expression dialects around. RegExhibit will even allow you to use Perl code inside a regular expression.
You can download RegExhibit here. (171 KB, universal binary)
Version 1.2 improves responsiveness, so RegExhibit no longer drops characters if you are a quick typer. It also fixes a bug that would cause a crash when entering text in multi-byte languages, like Japanese and Korean. Finally, RegExhibit now saves your preferences.
If you like, you can also take a look at the source-code. (170 KB)
RegExhibit requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
Updated: 4-9-2007 (improves responsiveness, fixed problem with multi-byte languages, preferences are saved.)
ZipCleaner 1.0
Although being able to create zip files right in the Finder is very convenient, they have the disadvantage of often including invisible files. These can be handy on the Mac, but if you send them to people using other operating systems, e.g. MS Windows, they show up as a bunch of unusable extras, like .DS_Store, Icon^M and __MACOSX.
ZipCleaner can remove these files from the zip archives the Finder creates: just drop them on it. It also allows you only to remove the .DS_Store files, which contain Finder settings and Spotlight comments. To do that, drop an archive on ZipCleaner, while holding down the option key.
Warning: Removing all resource information from a zip archive can make included files, like applications, unusable! If you want to be safe, unzip the archive and test the files. Removing only .DS_Store files should give no problems, though.
You can download ZipCleaner here. (128 KB, univeral binary)
If you like, you can also take a look at the source-code. (129 KB)
ZipCleaner can best be used with Mac OS X 10.3 or higher.
Updated: 31-7-2007 (first release.)
Zip Tools for Mac OS X 1.1
These days Apple includes zip and unzip as part of Mac OS X, (you can use them, for example, when you choose “Create Archive” when using the contextual menu in the Finder). Unfortunately, these implementations leave something to be desired. For one, they don’t implement things like encryption. Zip also includes resourcefork folders in the archive. Often you will want this, but not always.
Zip Tools packages the unmodified versions from Info-ZIP, in a convenient installer. (Note, I didn't make these applications, I just compiled and redistribute them because they can be hard to find.)
These binaries are meant to be used from the Terminal and include no GUI, let alone an Aqua one. For your convenience, I have included a copy of the zip script from my Mac OS X Encoding Plethora.
Version 1.1 now has an installer that works under OS X 10.4. It also includes new versions from zip (2.32) and unzip (5.52) .
You can download the Zip Tools for Mac OS X here. (601 KB)
Updated: 27-6-2007 (new version)