NameCleaner 2.0.1 ($20 Shareware)
Sig Software
The Mac is a good citizen when put in a cross-platform environment. The PC Exchange functionality of the Mac OS (accessed via the File Exchange Control Panel under Mac OS 9) allows the mounting of PC media, and can translate those archaic three-letter extensions to the proper Mac filetype and creator codes.
Alas, this only works if you have the PC media handy. If you receive the files via email or a network, you may be stuck with files that have the generic document icon. Plus, you may run into similar issues when sending Mac files to PC users…
NameCleaner is the perfect tool to deal with these dilemmas. For Mac users who are left with files that have generic icons and the silly three-letter extension, NameCleaner can draw on a database of over 100 PC filetypes and convert these files to have the proper Mac filetype and creator codes. Of course, you can add your own translations. Likewise, Mac files can be converted so that this extension placed at the end of the file, so that PC recipients will be able to double-click on the file and use it immediately.
Although there are several utilities which can can change the creator and filetype of a Mac file, such as the venerable ResEdit, NameCleaner excels in the fact that it can handle batches of files (limited to 20 files and folders at a time with the Shareware version) as well as perform both Mac-to-PC and PC-to-Mac conversions.
Have any other file manipulation gadgets you’d like us to look at? Let us know via the Mac Gadget Forum, or send John an email.
Useful Link
The NameCleaner Console
Extensive Options for File Translation