Using Sherlock to Find FreeHand Files

MacOS users were introduced to Sherlock when MacOS 8.5 was released. One of the great things about it was that you could search for files based on numerous other attributes including the Creator and File Type codes that the Mac uses for file identification.

Below I show you to use Sherlock to find any FreeHand file you have stored on your Hard Drives no matter how old it is.

Version: Any (Mac OS 8.5 and up)

First, let me explain the Creator and File Type codes a little bit. Each program you install has an associated Creator code. This can be a 3-4 letter code that tells the MacOS Finder who created what on your hard drive.

Each time an application writes a file to the hard drive it writes it's own unique Creator Code with the file as well as a File Type code. The File Type code is also a 3-4 letter code that tells the MacOS finder what kind of document it is.

The combination of both codes helps associate the files with the original applications they came from, displaying the appropriate icons that are written in the Application.

This is why when you create a FreeHand EPS file that it's icon looks considerably different from an EPS created in PhotoShop. So when you double-click on the icon, the correct application should launch and open the file.

All versions of FreeHand have their own unique Creator and File Type codes in order for you to figure out what version of the application the files were created with just by looking at the icons. Below is a chart that lists all Creator and File Types for FreeHand:

Icon / version #	Creator code	File Type code
v1.0	aca3	acf3
v2.0	FHA2	FHD2
v3.0	FHA3	FHD3
v4.0	FH40	AGD1
v5.0	FH50	AGD1
v7.0	FH70	AGD2
v8.0	FH80	AGD3
v9.0	FH90	AGD4
v10.0	FH X	AGD5

Now when in Sherlock at the Find File Tab, Select file type in the pulldown menu. Next using the chart above, enter any of the File Type codes and hit the Find button.

Then it should find every file with the File Type of what you picked. Above I looked for all my FreeHand 7 files with the File Type of AGD2.

You can use this method to find the Creator Codes too, as well as any other file type you can think of.

You can also use this method in conjunction with the Converion scripts also available on this site in the Scripting FreeHand section. Just drag all of the files from the Sherlock window to the script and easily convert all of your old files.