FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RESORCERER 2.4 - FIRST FULL-FEATURED MAC OS X RESOURCE AND DATA FILE EDITOR

Top-of-the-line data and resource file editing tool now runs under Mac OS X, with new support for data-fork-based resource files; large Mac OS X icons; hex, binary, and unicode displays of very large data files; object-model scriptability; new integrated developer utility tools; an interface overhaul; and more.

Boulder, Colo. -- May 17, 2001 -- Mathemaesthetics, Inc. announced today the arrival of Resorcerer 2.4, the latest version of its award-winning resource and data file editing utility for Mac OS 8, 9, and now Mac OS X developers. Resorcerer 2.4 will ship both Classic (System 8 and 9) and Carbonized (for Mac OS X) versions. This is the company's first major upgrade of Resorcerer since version 2.2 was released near the end of the last millennium.

"Apple's Mac OS X is an impressive step forward in the evolution of Macintosh, and Mac developers have been demanding and eagerly awaiting a native Mac OS X resource and data file editing tool," said Doug McKenna, developer of Resorcerer and president of Mathemaesthetics, Inc. "Apple has wisely maintained and enhanced support for resources, whether classic resource-fork-based, or the newer data-fork-based format also available on Mac OS X. Resorcerer 2.4's ability to edit data structures kept in either format, and to open and edit other types of data files as well, not only allows Mac developers to continue to rely on the benefits of collections of resources, but also makes it far easier to port, maintain, and enhance older Mac software on the new Unix-based world of Mac OS X."

Resorcerer's interactive data editors for dozens of standardized binary data structures that all Mac applications have relied upon have been modified or completely rewritten to conform to Appearance guidelines on Mac OS 9, and Apple's state-of-the-art Aqua interface on Mac OS X. New editing tools have been added to Resorcerer's stable as well.

Mac OS X software relies heavily on a new icon suite format. Resorcerer's new 'icns' and pixel editor works equally well when opening ".icns" data files. It supports 128 x 128 32-bit deep icons, as well as the 23 other other basic types (depths and sizes and masks), as well as six different variant suites, all easily assemblable in one simple interface. Photo-realistic images developed in other applications can be quickly copied into any of the 144 different icon types or icon variant types that the editor supports. Individual pixel editing at any magnification is also available.

Resorcerer 2.4 can map data fork files containing binary data into "resources" of a given data type, based on the file name suffix. This makes opening and editing ".icns" files just as easy as editing an 'icns' resource, and allows Resorcerer's dozens of editors to be used on binary data kept in flat Unix-based files.

The developer tool now features a brand new industrial strength Hex Editor with integrated searching that can handle even an entire CD's worth of data, using significantly less memory than previous versions consumed. For anyone who needs to view or change any aspect of a large data file, down to the individual bits, the new editor displays any file's or individual resource's data in hex, binary, ASCII, Unicode, or even raw PowerPC assembly language with individually tailored instruction explanations and etymologies.

For over a decade Resorcerer has supported its own scripting language for building resource files. With the release of Resorcerer 2.4, however, the utility is now the first to support object-model AppleScript execution for general binary file data. The resource editor's high-performance scripting engine treats files, forks, resources, bytes, and in fact every individual bit in a file as a first-class, scriptable object. Not only is this useful for building resource files, it is now possible to patch any file using a easily readable and maintainable AppleScript commands.

AppleScript developers who have relied on Macsbug under earlier systems to help them disassemble and understand data descriptors and AppleEvents will be pleased with Resorcerer's console tool, which will automatically disassemble any Apple Event descriptor sent to it (via an AppleEvent) from another application. The distribution CD for Resorcerer 2.4 includes a small amount of C source code to add to one's application to accomplish this form of debugging.

Resorcerer now has drag/drop support for transferring resources between files. File windows can also receive a drag from any other application, automatically converting the data contents of the drag into resource(s) for viewing with the appropriate editor, debugging, or other analysis.

Mac developers have always enjoyed Resorcerer's integrated Value Converter utility. With the advent of Resorcerer 2.4, this handy tool has jumped from 32 bits to 64 bits. It now displays and simultaneously edits any 64-bit quantity in over 32 different forms, including signed and unsigned hex, decimal, and octal integers, short and long dates, four- and eight-character types, text (ASCII and Unicode), fixed-point, floating-point, PowerPC instruction (with English translation), pure binary, and even as four-field Internet IP addresses.

A new pixel magnification tool lets developers view the screen at any magnification from .25 to 64 times. It makes pixel measurement a snap, which is handy to developers who are laying out interfaces with an eye towards precise positioning.

Resorcerer now begins its support of Unicode. Not only does the general purpose Hex Editor display data in Unicode, but there is a new tool that displays every Unicode character (code point) in any current font. The entire 65 thousand possibilities are grouped and labelled according to the Unicode standard, and any glyph value can be searched for or instantly scrolled to, selected and copied. Individual groups can be disclosed or hidden for easy navigation.

In addition, there is now a preliminary resource editor for Unicode text ('utxt') data. The editor takes advantage of Apple's new MLTE (Multi-Lingual Text Engine) technology for simple Unicode text editing.

Several other individual resource editors have been completely rewritten, and important enhancements have been made to Resorcerer's Dialog and Menu editors to better support integrated editing of Appearance Manager resources. For instance, the Dialog Editor now simultaneously edits both the new 'dftb' and the old 'ictb' resources to keep them in sync when developing or maintaining applications that need to run on older Mac systems as well as the newer ones.

Finally, Resorcerer has had an interface overhaul. Opening and saving files now uses Navigation Services. Support for drag-and-dropping of list cells has been significantly increased. The application now supports the Platinum look and feel under Systems 8 and 9, and the state-of-the-art Aqua interface under Mac OS X. In what may be a first, Resorcerer has implemented OS X style dynamically growing windows under System 9. And Resorcerer's own high-performance "sweet" scrolling manager has been used throughout the application to give the interface a state-of-the-art feeling of user control and solidity.

"Resorcerer has always been a work in progress," says McKenna, whose company has been developing and supporting the application for over a dozen years. "We've been working for nearly two years on this new version, and we're looking forward to bringing even more enhancements over the coming year to this important tool as more and more Mac developers dive in to Mac OS X development."

Requirements and Caveats

Resorcerer 2.4 is a PowerPC native application that runs under Systems 8 and 9 and Mac OS X's Classic environment. The application requires the Appearance Manager.

The Carbonized version launches directly under and works best on Mac OS X. The Carbon version is missing several features provided by the Classic version, in particular older style color cursor, pattern, and icon editing. The company is expecting to have these working in a near-future update. Also, due to Carbon limitations, screen copying under System 9 is not available.

The Classic version supports all these capabilities.

Pricing

Resorcerer 2.4 has a suggested retail price of US $256, with quantity, reseller, educational, and student discounts available from Mathemaesthetics. New copies can be ordered directly from www.mathemaesthetics.com, or from other resellers, including Developer Depot (www.devdepot.com). Distribution is by CD-ROM.

Upgrades

Upgrades from version 2.2 or all earlier versions can be ordered directly from Mathemaesthetics' website (Visa or Mastercard), by faxed Purchase Order, or by mail/email/phone. Upgrade prices for purchasers of earlier versions are:

(0) free to anyone who purchased after Jan. 1st, 2001 (four months ago);
(1) US $64 for anyone who purchased after Sept. 1st, 2000 (8 months ago);
(2) US $128 for all purchasers who bought prior to Sept. 1st, 2000.

Upgrades require a registration number. Shipping/handling not included.

About Mathemaesthetics, Inc.

Mathemaesthetics, Inc. is a leading tool provider for Apple Macintosh and Mac OS developers and localizers. Founded in 1988, the company is a privately-held corporation based in Boulder, CO. Resorcerer, the company's flagship product, has received numerous kudos from press and users, including a MacUser Eddy Award for Best Mac Development Tool.

Contact

Web: http://www.mathemaesthetics.com
Email: resorcerer care of our domain name

Phone: 1-303-440-0707
Fax: 1-303-440-0504 (purchase orders only, please)

Mathemaesthetics, Inc.
P.O. Box 298
Boulder, CO 80306-0298 USA