Dan Wood: The Eponymous Weblog

Here's an interesting bug, reported at 4424293 to Apple.

According to the documentation for the CFBundleGetInfoString key in an applications' Info.plist:

Note: Prior to Mac OS X v10.4, this string used to include version information for the bundle. It is now recommended that you do not include version information with this string. Version information should instead be associated with the "CFBundleVersion" key.

Ok, so following the guidelines, I put the version number under CFBundleVersion, and leave it out of the CFBundleGetInfoString.

But what does the Finder show in its Get Info window? It shows the contents of CFBundleGetInfoString next to the "version:" label. So if you follow the guidelines, there's no version number visible!

Never noticed this? Maybe it's because nearly every single one of Apple's applications don't follow this rule, and they are still putting the version number next to the copyright statement.

Here's a little list of the violators I found (with the help my friend grep):

• Address Book
• AppleScript/Script Editor
• Automator
• Calculator
• Chess
• DVD Player
• Font Book
• Image Capture
• Internet Connect
• Keynote
• Preview
• QuickTime Player
• Safari
• Stickies
• System Preferences
• iCal
• iChat
• iDVD
• iMovie HD
• iPhoto
• iSync
• iTunes
• i<cough>Web

Still, the bug is really with Finder. Well, Path Finder too. There's no way to figure out the version number of an application from the "Get Info" window if you follow Apple's guidelines!

I posted this story over on Karelia's Sandvox Weblog: Small and Nimble- The Long Story behind Karelia's New logo. It's a long post, but there's a small surprise announcement at the end.

Yesterday's post about CSS designsers has gotten a few responses, thanks readers!

I figured I'd also toss out this request as well. We've integrated Quartz Composer into Sandvox to create graphical titles for pages. However, I am not a particularly proficient QC user! So we are looking for somebody we can contract with to create some compositions for us.

These are not the kind of "video" compositions that I tend to see a lot ... these are just still images, rendered at time zero. Technically, a typical composition would be an "Image with String", processed with some cool effects, and all rendered into a "Render in Image" with a published output.

If any QC jocks here are interested, please drop me an email at "dwood" at Karelia. If you have some example compositions you can attach that show off your skills and creativity, that would be ideal.

P.S. Let's hope the latest Macworld announcement rumors are false, or not what they look like...

Back in June when we first revealed our work on Sandvox, I put out a call (actually, another call even earlier) for some Web Designers/CSS coder gurus who could help us with creating designs for Sandvox. Our response was great — it seems that there were more talented people who read my weblog than I was able to find through neo-traditional methods like advertising on Craig's List!

Well, even though we are close to releasing Sandvox, our CSS needs are not over. In fact, they may have just begun. Unfortunately, the web designers/CSS coders that we found have become gainfully employed full-time, and are unable to continue helping us out.

So, let me throw down the gauntlet again. We are looking for a contractor who knows CSS well, who can do the technical work of building a layout according to our specification, modifying existing designs that need fixing, and making sure the designs work well across all modern browsers and IE as well. Ideally, this person will also have good design skills as well, and can produce layouts along the lines of those currently found on our website and sites like CSS Zen Garden.

If this is you, drop me a line: dwood at karelia. If you know somebody who might be up for this, please pass the word along.