Ever since switching from Windows to Mac, the one application that I tried the hardest to replace was Info Select from Micro Logic. I used Info Select for many years and have amassed a huge amount of well-organized notes that just didn’t work in any Mac OS X program with the ease that it works in Info Select. That’s not for lack of trying, either. Since May of 2005, I examined the likes of DEVONnote, iNotePad, LittleSecrets, Mori, Notae, TopXNotes, VoodooPad, NoteTaker, OmniOutliner, Yojimbo, NoteBook (by Circus Ponies), and others. Many of these are fine programs. But I was looking to replace certain features of Info Select, such as automatic outlining, automatic encryption on exit, free-form notes, placement of the notes on the workspace, etc. The software I tried each had many of the features, but I didn’t find one that worked the way I had grown accustomed to working.
Those of you who use Info Select know exactly what I am talking about. Once all of your notes are organized, you would rather not do that again!
For me, the real power of Info Select is its lightning-quick search capability. I can find my most obscure notes with just 4 or 5 keystrokes. It is simply amazing.
Although I was willing to go to many lengths to keep Info Select, I really did not want to install Windows on my Mac, just for this one application. A few months ago, I tried (unsuccessfully) to install Info Select with CodeWeavers’ CrossOver Mac. I just couldn’t make it work. I fiddled with it for a few days, but Info Select just wouldn’t load. I kept getting errors: necessary files not found, etc.
Today, I decided to give CrossOver Mac another chance. I downloaded the latest version (6.2.1) and installed it on my MacBook Air.
UPDATE: CrossOver Mac has been updated. See my Update Post. Also see: Info Select for Mac with Snow Leopard.
Success! Wow! Back in business!
Here’s exactly how I did it:
Download CodeWeavers CrossOver Mac from the Codeweavers Site: www.codeweavers.com
Installation of CrossOver Mac is, like many Mac applications, simple. Just drag the application into your Applications folder, and start the program.
Open the CrossOver application you just dragged into your Applications folder.
The opening screen is where you begin the installation. Click on the CrossOver Software Installer.
We are going to install unsupported software, so click that button: “Install Unsupported Software…”
We just continue, ignoring the warnings. Although Info Select is unsupported, it works anyway.
This is the part where you have to be a little patient. You really do have to wait several minutes (at least 3 minutes on my MacBook Air).
If you downloaded Info Select (or you kept it updated over the Internet), you have an installation file, so we click on the icon for “Choose Installer File…”
Locate your .exe file (mine is is80038.exe, which I copied over from my Windows machine).
(Click on “Use this installer”)
With any luck, the installation should begin automatically.
Good… this looks familiar. We are well on our way. Click the “Next >” button a few times.
Finish the installation by clicking “Finish >”
![Click \](http://www.officecafe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/picture-15.png "Ready for you to click \")
Ah… I had almost forgotten: Windows likes to reboot. It won’t be disappointed. We may do it a couple times, just to make everybody happy.
And just like magic, you have Info Select in a folder.
I got a warning. I looked at the log file. That was a useless exercise. Don’t bother unless you have trouble later.
I had a little trouble with Info Select freezing before the first splash screen. It was easily fixed… you guessed it: simulate a reboot in CrossOver Mac (you don’t need to reboot Mac OS X, just the “bottle” containing Info Select). That fixed my problem. You might not even have this trouble. If you do, don’t panic, just try rebooting. It makes Windows feel better.
Be patient. Info Select takes a really long time to produce the opening splash screen the first time. It seems to do that only on the first time. Subsequent starts are relatively quick on my machine.
Here you see the main reason that I use Info Select. My entire file is encrypted. So every time Info Select is closed, my data is encrypted and locked away.
So there you have it. Best wishes. Info Select may be the one application that would have kept you from switching from Windows. But here it is on my MacBook Air. And all in just enough space to run the application. I really don’t need the entire Windows operating system just to run this one program. Your mileage may vary, as they say, but I am really happy to have made this work! I think you will be happy, too.
Thanks for the tip. I have used Info Select (v7 – hard copy) for over 6 years and have tried to find a similar program on mac to no avail. I will try this – do you think it will work with a hard copy CD of info select (vs. the online upgrade?)
Thanks again for the tip.
Patrick
Patrick, thanks for the comment. According to the User’s Guide, an installation CD should work just fine:
http://media.codeweavers.com/pub/crossover/docs/userguide-crossover-mac.pdf
See the bottom of page 8. Crossover should look for the CD. If it doesn’t find the location of the installer, you might be able to “help” it, telling it where to look.
Hope this helps!
David
I had no problem installing Info Select 8 using Crossover. Many thanks. But I cannot open any of my old .wd2 files from my IS 2007. I get an error message. Do I need to convert them somehow? Thanks.
Randy:
Since Info Select 8 is older than IS 2007, it might not know what to do with IS 2007 data files. Did you try installing IS 2007 with CrossOver? I think we would all be very interested in your results!
David
Thanks for the guide. Already had Crossover and just installed IS. Very easy.
Phil:
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you made it work! Thanks for letting me know about your success. Best wishes.
David
I installed Infoslect with no problem & it seems to run well however I don’t know where the .wd2 data files belong.
I’m not “allowed” to drag them into the Infoselect folder.
Consequently, I can open any file I double click but all the folders are not present in my finder to choose from.
I guess the question is, …. after installing the program, where do the backup files live?
Have I missed something obvious?
thanks for all your research etc.,
Terry
Hi Terry,
My .wd2 files are in this folder:
(my_user_name) / Library / Application Support / CrossOver / Bottles / default / drive_c / Program Files / Info Select
They also appear on my system in the following folder:
(my_user_name) / Library / Application Support / CrossOver / Bottles / win2000 / drive_c / Program Files / Info Select
Hope this helps.
David
Thank you for pointing the way.
I’ve been using Info Select for nearly 20 years now, and with my recent move to an iMac I was VERY reluctant to drop Info Select, as one can imagine.
Initially I tried Parallels with a virtual Windows Xp installed, but it sometimes conflicted with Info Select. I next tried the Boot Camp method for XP. There Info Select ran as normal, BUT…… the switching from Leopard to Xp was so slow and drawn out it was not very convenient.
After searching the forums I came across your publishings on the subject of Info Select and tried CrossOverMac 6.2.1Info Select 2007-0-42 works 95% OK.Leopard 10.5.5 for OS. It’s early days yet, & tranfer of data files has not been trouble free, but it looks VERY promising. THX for leading the way. I’m now about to buy the CrossOver software.
John,
Thank you for the comment. You certainly have a long history with Info Select! I really struggled to replace Info Select with a native Mac application, but I was never satisfied with the other programs. Info Select simply works the way I do.
Thanks for letting me know that IS 2007 works.
I use Info Select daily, and I would really like for Micro Logic to create a Mac version. That would solve a few of the minor issues that I have experienced (like not remembering the size of my window from session to session).
David
HI David
I’m trying to bring infoselect from my old PC to my new Mac & am trying to follow your instructions.
I’ve gone to the codeweavers website & filled in the info to trial Crossover Mac 7.1.0. An pix/icon comes up beside ‘Download crossover Mac 7.1.0’. It is not the same as the icon in all the info re installing. When I drag it over to application it is just a 4KB pix that does nothing.
when i hit download-something downloads & when I go to that in downloads it says that there is no default application to open the document & it won’t allow anything to open to open it.
As you may guess I am not strongly mac literate.
Am I missing something obvious?
thanks for any help you may give me.
Liz
Liz,
The file you should be trying to open is named something like this:
crossover-7.1.0.dmg
… or …
crossover-pro-7.1.0.dmg
The file should be about 35.7 MB when you locate it in finder.
If you do not see that file in your downloads folder, then it did not download successfully (which I’m sure you are painfully aware. sorry).
You can use Spotlight to find it…
1) Press command-space (the command key next to the space bar and the space bar).
2) Type: crossover
If the crossover-7.1.0.dmg appears, you can double-click it to get the process going.
If it is not in your list, you’ll have to try again with the CodeWeavers site.
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/download_trial/
If you are still having trouble, please post another comment and we can attempt to keep working on it. Let me know how it works out.
David
Has anyone tried syncing Info Select Palm on a Mac?
I just bought two Palm Centro phones (the latest Palm you can get if you are on Verizon) in order to replace my old Palm Pilot. I have been using Info Select Palm for years–really the only app other than Contacts tha I use on the Palm, but important enough to search out a Palm OS phone–and sync it with Info Select on Windows. The other phone, from a BOGO offer, is for my daughter who has a Mac running Leopard, so your CrossOver solution looks quite appealing…
Hopefully somebody around here has already tried to sync to InfoSelect Palm using CrossOver and can give you a report. Unfortunately, that would not be me, because I switched from the Palm Treo to the iPhone. If you try it, please let us know how it works out!
If only there were InfoSelect for iPhone…
David,
I cannot express my appreciation enough for your gemerosity at posting your research results and assisting those of us trying to follow the same path of migrating to the Mac but ONLY if Info Select is there.
My wife is the Info Select committed user, and has refused to give up her ten years of Info Select experience and data. IS is the only application from her Windows environment that MUST migrate to the Mac.
She is not and does not EVER want to be a computer literate or techie type. She just wants to be a user and get stuff done. The constant problems with Windows crashes, glitches, etc. is all but intolerable and has been for years – sound familiar? Finally a solution!
David, because of this information from you, we are going to order a Mac mini immediately, Crossover and Info Select 7 will be the first applications to be installed and used.
Lynda and I cannot thank you enough!
Vance and Lynda: Best wishes! My wife and I switched to Mac four years ago and are amazed at how happy we are that we did. We love having the iMac in our house. We also run a few MacBook laptop computers in the house, as well. Let us know how it all works out for you.
Another fine example of a mac user who bought a mac to “escape” the “troubles” of windows only to spend more time and trouble making it work on a mac, lol. I see this pipe dream time after time. Mac users brain washed by deceptive I’m a mac adverts, working harder to make sure they can run everything on their mac than they would have had they just bought a good, current pc for 1/2 the price. What’s really funny is to watch these people who claim they don’t want to get all technical with windows. Then next thing you know they are running 5 or 6 different programs that claim to run windows correctly, but don’t. Then they curse windows instead of the fact that they are on a mac trying to run windows. As I said. A Pipe dream. Another folly is to claim to be happy to have switched and they compare to some old decrepit pc. Of course after plunking down $1600 or more, they have to justify being ripped off.
Fact is you can never get the speed of an original PC by running boot camp, crossover, or whatever virtual one you try. You can run native by rebooting directly into windows, but then you are no longer on a mac, it’s a windows pc under brand name apple, lol. Nothing wrong with that, but it defeats the purpose. macs are 99.9% typical pc’s and must be compatible enough to load windows. And these mac users spend double the effort to make them work more slowly, double the money and then brag they have macs, and act like life is so simple and wonderful in mac world, as they sit there running crossover. Only a small percentage of mac users actually run mac only apps. But most people end up wishing they had the flexibility of being able to run all those win programs. There is nothing wrong with a mac, they work fine. But there is something weird about spending double and not getting double in return.
I have a system with Intel core i7 at 4Ghz, 8GB ram, 1 TB HD, great gfx card that is faster than any $2000 imac out there. It kills a new 09 macbook here, and my friends 09 mac as well. I do have access to mac, and I used to sell and program them, so I know what I’m saying. It renders video far faster than mac and has more editing titles to choose from than FCP etc. It only cost $680 as well. I could put together TWO of these for the price of a typical imac. Then network them and load and edit video run studio apps on two machines doing separate jobs. And it’s 100% rock stable. Any pc with the proper updates is very trust worthy. And with windows 7, there it’s got even more goodies. Anyone buying a mac in 2009, with all the new advancements out, has fallen hook, line and sinker.
moon9:
Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
You bring up many interesting points, but I find the discussion to be mostly one of personal preference. You have a strong preference for Windows machines for the reasons you give.
I made the switch from Windows to Mac OS X based upon my own preferences. I, too, have experience with both operating systems and hardware platforms. I am as happy with my decision as you seem to be with yours.
I wish you continued success.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. 🙂 Cheers! Sandra. R.
I had IS installed using your instructions. Thanks a million! Question though: How do I copy pages from web pages or docs like I did on the PC? The lighting bolts did not look the same or work for me on the Mac. How do I get the info I’m looking at into IS?
Thanks,
Hilton
I recently switched to Mac. I used a different method to get Info Select to run on the Mac. I installed VMWare Fusion, then installed Windows XP as a virtual machine (which took seemingly forever including various updates and Service Packs), then installed Info Select 2007. Fusion has a “unity” mode which allows Windows programs to work in their own Mac window, just as if they were really Mac programs. IS has its own icon in the dock and pops up automatically when needed. My Windows Photoshop works similarly in virtual XP. You have to remember that some programs have the close/minimze buttons on the left, some on the right. I’m very pleased with this setup.
David
Thanks for the very clear instructions. I installed IS 2007 and it seems to work like a dream. I’ve been using InfoSelect on VMware Fusion and it is OK – except that if Windows crashes or shuts down for any reason without InfoSelect being shut down first I lose data. Now I may never have to open Windows again!! After using laptops since the mid-1980s as a consultant (and InfoSelect almost as long) I can finally use a Mac and bring my “electronic brain” along too. People like you who explore new roads and share the results make the internet work as it should.
That you! I’ve run a series of major corporations with Info Select; we should for an admiration society. I have been using it since v.1. I wanted to go to Mac but Info Select held me back. Now, thanks to you, I can use it on the Mac.
Does anyone know how to get the Mac mouse to do a right click on Info Select?
I’ve been running companies with Info Select and I wanted to go MAC. This really helped and it worked. Only one issue. When I open Info Select the Selector always files the entire window. I’ve tried to fiddle with all the default settings; no luck. Any ideas?
Ron
Some answers:
1) Right-clicking works for me. I am using a Magic Mouse (Apple). It performs flawlessly for scrolling and right-clicking. I highly recommend it.
2) The Selector always fills my entire window, as well. One way I have found to “fix” it requires one click… on a folder on the toolbar. I created a folder for one of the pages within Info Select that I use regularly. It then moves the Selector to the halfway point on the window, making it easier to resize.
===== or =====
Another way to fix the Selector filling the window problem:
You now have two buttons on the toolbar. When Info Select opens, just click on these two buttons until you get the Selector close to the size that you like. Then you will be able to resize it easily with the mouse.
Hope this helps.
Have been using the same version of what I believe was the first windows version of Info Select sine about 1991 – 1993 time frame…can’t live without it. Had the DOS version before that…
Your postings are encouraging and I will soon (hopefully) have a working version on my IMAC – I have Info Select on my Windows laptop next to my IMAC so I can just use Info Select. Someday hope to be able to MOBILE ME sync my Info Select info on my Iphone, Ipad and Imac!
Hi David,
You helped me about 2 years ago & now I’m wondering :
Are you are using the current Crossover 9?
Have you tried the InfoSelect 10 beta?
I’d be grateful for any comment you may care to make as your experience has been really helpful always.
regards, Terry
I have just (Sept 2010) switched to Appke after 20+ years of using PC’s – and the only thing I miss is Info Select. Unfortunately it is also the only program I can’t live without. Is anyone currently running Info Select v8 on the Mac using Cross-Over? ? Does running it using Fusion have any advantages and/or disadvantages over running it with Cross-over?
I once used a DOS “information finder” program called Memory Mate from Broderbund. It allowed storage of notes on any subject, and retrieval by typing any word, number or phrase contained in that note. I next got a similar program for Windows called Info-Select that does the same thing. My version seems to date from 1992 – perhaps the first version. It is simple and works fast – I found later versions too complex and with features I wouldn’t use. I’m dependent on the original Info Select and would now like to get it on my MAC. I really miss Info Select when I’m using the MAC. Anyone have experience with making this transition?
@David – re changing Selector Width
I’m using InfoSelect 2007 under Crossover 9.1.0 and when I use the “shorten Selector” button the workspace takes over all of the screen, no Selector showing. However if I go to Tools>Options>View>General and change the Minimum Workspace Width from the default of 11 pixels to some value more than 23, then I get the Selector / Workspace separator in a useful position and any adjustment from there is just a minor drag one way or the other.
On another topic – does anyone know how to change the Menu text size in InfoSelect 2007? Running under Crossover the Menu text becomes minute, but I can’t find any way to adjust it.
I’m now using Crossover Version 11.2 with Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8). It’s all working just the same as it always has.
Hi David,
Thanks for running this valuable blog. I am still a very content ISW v1 user. (Upgrades complex and superfluous.)
A long time ago, ‘Larry’ & Bill Boemler, in this thread, were on track to ‘Crossover’ ISW v1, you know if they had any luck?
I would appreciate an email reply cc.
Kind regards,
Gerhard Beukes
Hi Gerhard,
I have not heard from Larry or Bill. Unfortunately, I have not heard if anybody has made Info Select for Windows v1 work on Crossover.
I will send you an email.
David
I, too, put off migrating to Mac because IS is so awesome. But when I made the move in 2006, I chose DevonThink (not DevonNote, which is a toy). I can pretty much find what I need instantly, and their support is really good. But it was a major hassle importing the IS data from the PC. I merged a lot of notes; fortunately the search still works and I can find what I need.
I might try this Crossover trick, though. I still miss IS>
Fran,
Please let me know how it goes. I still use IS on occasion (at least once a week). I am in the process of migrating passwords and private notes to the 1Password app. This app provides a syncing mechanism between iOS devices and a Mac.
The Crossover method will be easy to try. Give it a shot and see what you think. You can copy and paste notes to other Mac apps. You will be able to see your data in its IS outline form. And search works great!
David
I’m using Info Select 2007, Version 9.00.42, and running CrossOver 14.1.1 (14.1.1.28551), and everything seems OK! It loads quite quickly, and no problems, so far.
FYI, I’m running OS X Yosemite, Version 10.10.3. I had been using Parallels, for several years, but had a messy crash, and it deleted the Windows 2008 files completely!
Judge,
Thanks so much for your comment! It is greatly appreciated.
David
I assume it takes CrossOver that Parallels doesn’t work. I just checked with MicroLogic and even the latest version of InfoSelect isn’t Mac compatible.
Cody,
I have not tried Parallels. CrossOver gave me just enough functionality for InfoSelect, so I went with it and stayed with it.
David
Very helpful posts
Many thanks
Barry,
Thank you for commenting. I’m glad that the posts were helpful.
David
Just a word of caution: I’ve been running Info Select 2007 on my iMac for 2 years using Crossover. It works very well and I’ve been happy. The problem: I’m now moving back to a Dell laptop. I’ve copied the overview.wd2 file from the IMac to Dell Laptop. When I start Info Select I’m getting this message:
“IMPORTANT: This file is corrupted. A salvage will be attempted.”
When Info Select loads, about have the records are OK, the other half of the records show gibberish ASCII characters.
I’m not worried YET as my InfoSelect on the iMac is OK and shows no corrupt records.
I haven’t figured out why transferring Overview.wd2 from the iMac to Dell laptop causes corruption, but will let you know when I do figure it out.
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