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ManOpen

ManOpen is a MacOS X GUI application for viewing Unix manual pages, which are the standard documentation for Unix command line programs, programmer libraries, and other system information. It can open files directly or be given titles, in which case it will display the output from the `man' command-line program. An apropos interface is also provided, which is basically a quick-and-dirty search of the man page databases. Services are provided to other applications to open selected files/titles or do apropos searches using the selected text.

ManOpen can be useful for opening a man page without dropping down to the command line, browsing and searching through long and complex man pages, or simply for printing them out.

Also included is an `openman' command line tool, which is similar to man except it will display the man pages in ManOpen.app instead of directly to the terminal.

Screenshots

Check out this screen shot to see model with model with a qualifier, results window with relationship popup, and row editing inspector. Here is a larger version.


Pricing

DBEdit is freeware. Please see our About page for more information.

Feedback

We are always interested in bug reports, suggestions, comments, or any other feedback on ManOpen. Send feedback to here.

Versions

2.4, March 2003

  • Space bar pages down (shift-space pages up)
  • Switched Cmd-O and Cmd-Shift-O; Cmd-O now brings up title panel and Cmd-Shift-O brings up File Open panel
  • Can rearrange man paths in preferences
  • Added preference to open title panel on startup
  • Titles get added to Open Recent menu on MacOS X
  • Gzipped man pages are now handled
  • Fixed bug with Page Setup changes not being remembered
  • Fixed crash on launch when opening files from Finder
  • Fixed bug causing cancel buttons to appear as blue
  • Mouse cursor changes over hyperlinks
  • Printing works in the Apropos window now
  • openman command line tool now has -b option to avoid forcing ManOpen.app to the front
  • Fink's /sw/share/man is added to the default man path if it exists
  • Avoids treating binary files as man pages
  • Apropos list sorted alphabetically
  • Preferences uses "org.clindberg.ManOpen" now
  • Added note on tcsh completion for openman to help
  • Hyperlinks supported on OPENSTEP (uses RTF Help links)

2.3.2, October 2001

  • Fixed another crasher under MacOS X 10.1
  • Find panel works again in OPENSTEP
  • Changed some defaults setting names; occasional conflict caused crashes on MacOS X Server 1.2

2.3.1, October 2001 (MacOS X-only release)

  • Fixed bug that caused crashes under MacOS X 10.1

2.3, April 2001

  • Colors are now settable in preferences
  • Added menu items to list man sections
  • Version number shows in Info panel
  • Preference to keep open title/apropos panels open
  • Opening files explicitly sometimes wouldn't work
  • openman now forces ManOpen to the front
  • A couple of other minor bug fixes and improvements

2.2, December 2000

  • Fixed bugs that prevented ManOpen from working if it was located under a directory that had spaces in its name
  • Much improved window maximize behavior
  • Better MacOS X icon (though it still needs a completely new one)
  • A couple of other minor bug fixes and improvements

2.1, October 2000

  • Runs on MacOS X Public Beta
  • Added apropos(1) interface
  • Added hyperlinking of referenced man pages
  • Added font preference
  • Can choose manual section when opening titles
  • A few other minor bug fixes and improvements

2.0, October 1999

  • First MacOS X Server version