Filed under: OS, Software, Productivity, Universal Binary
Hazel - automated file management
Hazel is one of those rare pieces of software (with a strange name) that feels like it's filling a gaping feature void I didn't even know Apple left in Mac OS X: it's a powerful, rule-based file and folder management app that brings a little bit of Automator, AppleScript and Folder Actions to the table in a way that none of those apps and features do well on their own. Hazel installs as a System Preferences Pane and, as you can see, allows you to build a list of folders on the left with a list of toggle-able rules on the right. The on/off switch on these rules is key, as they make it easy to switch between running certain kinds of rules on a folder for different workflows, jobs, times of the day or week.
Hazel's rules function a lot like Mail.app's and other rule-based systems, so most users should feel right at home. The beauty here is in the sheer power available in building workflows like this, and Paul Kim, Hazel's developer, has posted a Tips & Tricks section at Hazel's site to offer some ideas, and he also includes a set of sample rules for importing to help you hit the ground running (none of the rules are enabled by default after import, so your files won't get, uh, filed until you say so). Imagine: being able to have Mac OS X automatically delete unfinished downloads after a specified number of days, or automatically assign a label and move a document or other type of file to the Desktop after you haven't touched it for a week.
Hazel's potential for bringing an entirely new level of organization to your workflow is refreshingly endless, and I'm genuinely excited for the potential of this app. This 1.0.1 release is a Universal Binary, and Paul has even incorporated an interesting way of offering three different registration modes for Hazel: evaluation, demo and registered. Registered is, of course, when you purchase a license for a mere $16. The evaluation period allows Hazel to run feature-full for 14 days after installation (except for exporting rules). Hazel steps down to demo mode after that 14 day period, allowing you to run up to two rules on one directory at any given time. Not bad for such a potentially useful app, so take it for a spin.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Simon said 2:22PM on 9-07-2006
Nice review - I might consider tinkering with this app...
Incidentally, I believe the name is a reference to the old tv show Hazel.
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Hiram said 2:29PM on 9-07-2006
I think the idea is very good, but the execution is lacking. It would be very helpful, for instance, to have an "Add to New Folder" action, with the name of the new folder carrying the date. This would really clean up your Desktop and your downloads folder.
Also, the Hazel failed to move its own disk image when running a rule that would move any files with the .dmg extension to the Desktop.
I'll wait and see how Hazel grows.
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Paul Kim said 6:16PM on 9-07-2006
Hi Hiram,
There was an action to add to a new sub-folder based on either a date attribute or the site it came from but it was taken out of an earlier beta because not one of the beta testers used it. It is on the plate for a future release though.
As for the bug, someone on my forums also had a similar issue (maybe you're the same person). Please contact me (use the form on my site) as I'd like to figure out what is going on.
Thanks.
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Dave Barnes said 7:15AM on 9-08-2006
From Wikipedia: "Hazel is a single-panel comic strip illustrated by Ted Key about the titular character, who works as a live-in maid for a middle class family. It was first published in 1943 in The Saturday Evening Post and has been syndicated by King Features since 1969. Key won the National Cartoonist Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for 1977 for his work on the strip.
The comic strip was adapted into a television series starring Shirley Booth that ran from 1961 to 1966."
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