Mac OS X 10.7: a Lion in Apple systems Document management: auto-save, versions, Resume

A number of features designed to simplify file management have been introduced in the new Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, with special attention to the activities of saving files. First was the introduction of the auto-save feature throughout the operating system (of course for third-party applications will need to make the appropriate API) that allows you to automatically save any open documents, or in the background to which you are working, at intervals of time set. The user still retains full control on bail, having the ability to lock a document where you want it to be accidentally saved over it unauthorized changes. The moment a locked document is changed, the operating system asks the user to unlock it, to copy or use it as a template for a new document. Also in this context is the command "Revert" that restores the conditions under which the document was at the time of its opening.

Versions

A completely new feature introduced in the Lion, who works in tandem with the auto-save, is the ability to record different versions of the same document, in other words, to understand the concept of the historic Lion automatically keeps track of changes to the document currently in progress. It is a more comprehensive review of the well-known commands "undo" and "redo".

The creation of the automated version is managed by the operating system: Lion generates a new version of the document each time it is opened at intervals of one hour when you're working on it. New versions are created even in the presence of significant changes to the document when it is sent by email or when it is blocked, duplicated or reset. It 'can create new versions manually by choosing the appropriate command from the File menu, or with the key combination "Command-S", equivalent to the old "Save" command.

By implementing a graphical interface similar to that used for Time Machine backup feature, you can see all versions of the document visually comparing them together, and also by copying parts of the document between them, if there is to retrieve some items an earlier version, maybe later in the work written off, and copy them into the current version.


In order to avoid unnecessary waste of disk space, version management system records only the changes made to the document. The version management plans to maintain the versions hourly for a day, every day for a month versions, and versions for all the months preceding week. Deleting a file also removes all versions associated with it. Sharing a document with third parties will share only the final version and all previous versions.
All versions are integrated in Text Edit and Preview. Support it iWork applications under Mac OS X versions Lion, with a small update. Even in this case for third-party developers are available APIs to implement versions within their programs.
This is definitely a very useful feature, which allows you to leave behind any kind of psychosis resulting from saving the document. The rescue system does not provide any possibility of releases management and configuration from the user would not mind to have the opportunity to decide their own rules about saving and maintenance of versions over time.

Resume

The "Resume" (or Resume, in the original English version) allows an application to reopen and find it exactly as it was left: to find the document to which we were working on, plus any other documents left open, the tool palette instead where we had left, the position of the cursor and any text selections we made to the document. The same concept applies to the whole system: you can turn off the computer knowing that every time the windows and all programs will be available again just as we left them. There is of course the possibility of a "clean start" option in choosing the appropriate dialog box when you reboot.


While Resume function may be particularly useful, especially combined with self-rescue and releases, as it can leave all the concerns arising from the non saving documents, by contrast we are convinced that it can be a trinket a little 'annoying for users accustomed to working in a traditional manner. The Resume feature, in fact, also operates in the event that an application is invoked by opening a document related to it: it follows that by clicking on a document will cause the opening of the program show that in addition to the document of interest to us, will also display all other active documents at closing generating probably a bit 'of confusion on the desktop.

The Resume function applied to the operating system is only useful in specific situations rather than as a regular habit. For example, when you need to upgrade your system without having to worry about saving documents and closing programs: once the machine rebooted after the updates will all meet again as it was before, ready to continue our work and our activities entertainment. On the other hand we noticed that the resume of the system if there are different applications and open windows causes a considerable (and understandable) extension of time to boot.

Posted by: Wasim Javed