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iHook - 0.8.7

Graphical front-end for command line executables

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All Time:	(4.8)
Version 0.8.7:	(5.0)
Selected Version:	0.8.7
Release Date:	2003-01-08
License:	Freeware
Downloads (version 0.8.7):	861
Downloads (all versions):	13,499

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Product Description:

iHook is a graphical frontend for any commandline executable. It gives scripts a pleasant Aqua face, and allows script writers to provide graphical feedback without having to learn one of the higher APIs available for Mac OS X.

iHook accomplishes this through its ability to understand a set of directives. When a script writes an iHook Directive to stdout, iHook will modify its own interface based on the content of the Directive. In this way, a simple shell script can have an Aqua interface, complete with a progress bar and drawer.

When launched in the Finder, iHook prompts the user to choose a script to run; iHook also accepts file drops on its icon, and will attempt to run the dropped file. When no user is logged in -- during a logout, for example -- iHook tries to execute /etc/logout.hook. This makes iHook highly useful as an interface for Mac OS X LogoutHooks.

What's new in this version:

Added four new directives: %WINDOWPOSITION, %CANCEL, %TITLE, and %DEBUG. %WINDOWPOSITION sets the position of the iHook window on the screen (e.g. TOP LEFT); %CANCEL allows the user to cancel the script; %TITLE sets the string value of a text field near the top of the iHook window, and %DEBUG causes iHook to echo every directive it receives to the drawer.
iHook sets the environment variable $CONSOLE_USER to the logged in user's name before executing the script, if a user is logged in to the console.
Extended %WINDOWSIZE directive to accept two special parameters, MAX and MIN.
Drawer resizes to fit on screen.
Further revisions to directive parsing code for greater speed.
MD5 checksum: ccfafa6902a2e0b626454b749bbf26dd

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

Mac OS X 10.3
Mac OS X 10.2
Mac OS X 10.1

Additional Requirements:

Mac OS X 10.1 or higher

Feedback Summary:

Version 0.8.7:
Overall Rating:	(5.0)	Features:	Not rated (0.0)	Support:	Not rated (0.0)
Ease of Use:	Not rated (0.0)	Quality / Stability:	Not rated (0.0)	Price:	Not rated (0.0)

Key to Types of Feedback:

Reviews Reviews Troubleshooting Usage Tips Developer Notes Commentary Featured Reviews

Really useful - Version: 1.1.1, 11/18/2007 07:27AM PST

tkzero

Very useful tool. Our software deployment tool (not radmind) isn't overly Mac-smart, but I've been able to extend it and make it more useful with some creative scripting, particularly using the command-line installer, and leveraging iHook as the front-end.

Only thing is that the icon creeped a few people out, so I changed it to something generic. I also used Dockless on it, so help prevent people cancelling actions by force quitting iHook, and to make it look more integrated into the system.

It's ALIVE! - Version: 1.0.3, 2/27/2006 02:30PM PST

Hal Itosis

This baby is really cool. I'm surprised it's not more popular/well-known.
Anyone who writes shell scripts (which might benefit from a GUI) should
definitely give iHook a serious look.

Powerful fun.

-HI-

works well... - Version: 1.0.1, 6/1/2004 06:16AM PST

ende

...as frontend in our radmind (same developers) deployment setup. on logout the clients sync the whole file-hierarchy to the server and ihook gives visual feedback (including a progress-bar) to the users without giving them a possibility to interact (not even ok-, close- or cancel-buttons). ihook is just right for that purpose.

if you want the possibility to interact try pashua. it gives you the possibility to interact via radio-buttons, checklists, textfields, browsewindows...

if you just want to display text, try pipealert.