Calling All Programmers!!!

Xade · Nov 25, 2005

Hey, okay...

I've just had a great idea. It's probably been done, but frankly I can't be bothered trawling Google for it.

Basically, wouldn't it be grrrand if someone developed a program, possibly to integrate into the Windows shell but really just something to sit on the System Tray, that allows you to assign 'shortcut' commands to folders and files and then allows you to press a shortcut key to pull down a console to enter the command for that folder?

Alright, that sounded convoluted and shit. Instead, let me give you an example:

You're sitting on your PC, you're bored, you decide you want to play some ancient game through MAME. Or whatever. You haven't got a shortcut to the MAME folder or file because it'd clutter stuff up, and the Start bar is huge and dire. Damn! To My Computer it is. BUT WAIT! What if you could whack F12 and type in 'MAME' at the command box instead? Bingo! Sorted.

I don't know, if that sounds terrible to you guys I apologise, but I know I'd find it really, really useful. I'd literally pay someone to develop that little program - it'd be a piece of cake to code, I'd reckon.

...Anyone?!

Doomulation · Nov 25, 2005

Huh... funny request. Piece of cake, sure, just need to take some time to make sure it all works.
...I could do it, but at the moment, I'm too tired to try anything like that.

Maybe tomorrow if I'm not that bored. I should have everything I need...

Xade · Nov 25, 2005

Yeargh! Seriously, I reckon you'd probably end up using it a load yourself.

Just have the program start when Windows loads (or give you that option at least) and from then on it'd just need a shortcut key to bring up a command prompt in the middle of the screen. I don't know what'd be easier - assigning keywords to files and folders, having the tool find them based on words (eg. 'prog*' for program files, etc) or allowing the option of both so that everybody wins.

I don't know - I think people would really find it incredibly useful if they needed to get to some sub-directory in the depths of the hard drive, and they could just fire up a command box, type in a few letters, and have the folder pop up right in front of them...

[EDIT: Just a few ideas... you could have different shortcut keys depending on if it's a folder or a file you want to access, or you could have a preceeding command... "a;file", "b;folder"... or whatever. And yeah... if there were some way to just integrate shortened folder names *as well as* pre-assigned keywords, that'd be brilliant. Eg. the windows folder shortcut would just be "windo*" or something.]

bcrew1375 · Nov 25, 2005

I think it'd be better if you could right-click a file or folder and choose to assign a keyword to it. If you had several files or folders named the same thing, the tool would probably only open the first one it finds(which may not be the right one). If you assign keywords to specific files and folders, you'll know exactly what will open when you type the keyword.

I do know some voice recognition programs allow you to assign certain spoken words to Windows actions. I have a program like that. I can just say "ZSNES" to open ZSNES, or "Internet" to open my web browser. You can even type in web addresses just by saying them. Unfortunately, it does have some downfalls. You have to train it to your voice, which can take a long time. If it doesn't know a word, you have to add it and tell it what it sounds like. It also only works with certain programs. For cryptic addresses, you could probably just link a simple word or two to the web address.

Xade · Nov 26, 2005

Yes! Exactly - that'd be ideal. Right-clicking and shell integration would be great but probably a fair bit harder to do.

If somebody like Doom actually undertook this project, I wouldn't want it to take him for-friggin'-ever - although that feature would obviously be great.

But yeah, the program could have a centralised database of all keywords for anything you want - folders, programs, files, web addresses, movies - whatever. Once you assign something a keyword, it's just a case of F12 (or whatever), "keyword". And that's that.

The other stuff, like actually "finding" the folder to open with a shortened command might run into problems like you say. The tool could possibly open them all, present you a list, or just give you a message in the command bar saying "More than one match!" or something. Whatever, y'know...

The more I think about this, the more I wish I could make it myself. Since I can't, I'm urging one of you guys who has the "skillz" to seriously give this a go - it's a fantastic project that hopefully wouldn't be too tough, I reckon.

Toasty · Nov 26, 2005

Windows already allows you to assign a shortcut key or key combination to any shortcut file. Isn't that what you're talking about doing?

zAlbee · Nov 26, 2005

it sounds like it would take an equal amount of work to make a desktop shortcut vs. making a shortcut command in this program?

desktop and start menu have always worked for me. *shrug* just gotta keep your start menu organized.

smcd · Nov 26, 2005

I might give this a shot, though it'd be rather simplistic. Of course I'd release the (rather poor) source to it as well for future people to continue or make fun of it

Xade · Nov 26, 2005

zAlbee, the Start bar isn't normally used for keeping shortcuts to random files, folders and websites though, is it? Just common programs. And as for desktop shortcuts... they're handy, obviously, but you only have so much space. And finding what you want on a cluttered desktop could itself become a bit of a bitch.

I know what you mean though, there are other ways of doing what this tool would do. I just think this thing would tie everything together nicely and make it a lot easier. Especially considering you'd be able to call up the "box" wherever - on top of an Explorer window, or a Word document, etc etc. Plus, if shell integration ever happened, it'd be as easy to make a keyword as right-clicking the file or folder and clicking "Keyword It!" or something (although obviously not for websites).

[EDIT: Actually, you could just right-click the page background and have a Keyword link on that menu, if that were possible... hmmm...]

Doomulation · Nov 26, 2005

Hmmm... you mean as right-click a file or folder, select Keyword It! and enter a keyword that would then automatically be recorded in the program so that you could type that when the "command box" appears? That would be simple.
I already started and have gotten half-ways; a very annoying bug that would crash the application on exit not to mention that it may cause issues, but still...

It's a, you could say, break from all the other projects

Xade · Nov 26, 2005

Hah! That's fantastic. Yeah, that's exactly what people were wanting really. Also obviously the option to manually add keywords to files, folders and websites.

Basically, if you could do that, at any stage, it'd be brilliant. Would right-clicking web pages to add keywords be possible do you think? What about right-clicking files like EXEs, MP3s and the like?

Also yeah, the program would probably need to sit in the system tray, and the pop-up box would need to shut itself when you actually typed in the keyword and hit enter, I guess.

Damn it Doom, if you get this done, I... I don't know. It'd be great though. Any chance of a sly 'Concept' credit on the side?

[P.S. We *so* need a grrreat name for this thing. Something basic but righteous... gobar, hotbox, quicklink... I don't know. Ideas?!]

MarkC · Nov 27, 2005

Xade said:
You're sitting on your PC, you're bored, you decide you want to play some ancient game through MAME. Or whatever. You haven't got a shortcut to the MAME folder or file because it'd clutter stuff up, and the Start bar is huge and dire. Damn! To My Computer it is. BUT WAIT! What if you could whack F12 and type in 'MAME' at the command box instead? Bingo! Sorted.

You don't need to write a program to do that, it can be done using Windows' shortcuts.

Create a new folder somewhere sensible.
That folder will contain your 'console' list of shortcuts.
in Windows Explorer (=My Computer>C:>...), right-click the folder, and use Send To>Desktop (create shortcut).
Find the icon on your desktop, and right-click. Click into the "Shortcut key" field and press F12. The shortcut to that folder is now Ctrl+Alt+F12. (WARNING if any program you use used Ctrl+Alt+F12 for a command, that command will not work anymore in that program. Choose the shortcut key carefully.)
Click "Change Icon..." and change the icon if you want.

Press Ctrl+Alt+F12 which will open the new 'console' / folder.
Resize as needed. Set icon format using View> menu (Large icons/Small icons etc.)

Drag and drop other shortcuts into that folder window.

For example, to make a shortcut to your MAME program, go into the Start menu, find the MAME program icon and drag and drop it out and into the folder WHILE HOLDING DOWN THE CTRL KEY. This will make a copy of the shortcut in the 'console' folder.

To make a shortcut that takes you to the MAME FOLDER, find the MAME folder in Windows Explorer, and right+click>Send To>Desktop and then drag the created icon from the desktop into your new folder.

To make a shortcut to a folder that includes the Explorer Tree on the left, right+click the DESKTOP, select New>Shortcut and browse to, or type in:

C:\WINNT\EXPLORER.EXE /e,"C:\(mame folder)"
(Windows 2000)
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /e,"C:\(mame folder)"
(Windows XP)

This should create an Application-type shortcut, to program EXPLORER.EXE, with command-line parameters /e,"C:\(mame folder)".
Note: comma "," between /e and folder name in quotes.

Drag that shortcut icon from the desktop into the 'console' folder.

Try it out: Close it all up, then Press Ctrl+Alt+F12, then type "M", then "A", then "M", and as you type characters the selected icon will move between the selected icons until it ends up at the one you want. If typing keys stuffs up, wait a few seconds and try again.

HTH
Mark

smcd · Nov 27, 2005

Creating loads of shortcuts clutters up the filesystem with wasted space allocation (typical 4k or is it 8k used for a < 512 byte shortcut file = yikes) so that's why you'd want such a program. I'm currently coding one myself, thanks for the idea - I doubt it'll have shell integration though.. but will have shortcut keys & tray notification etc.

Xade · Nov 27, 2005

Hey there,

That's a pretty interesting suggestion - I've checked it out and seems to work alright to be honest.

It's easier than you say, too; you can just create a shortcut to anything within the quicklinks folder or whatever by just right-clicking, new > shortcut, then finding what you want. You can add websites that way, too. Alternatively, press the shortcut key combo to bring up the folder, then hold alt and drag a file or folder into it.

I'll be using this for now, definitely. An actual program dedicated to this would have obvious advantages (closing itself, simplified keywords, would be a fair bit quicker and easier), but this is better than anything I've used in the past.

Thanks for the tip

. And if you (seth) or Doom get a working version of the tool built, I'd like to try that out if you wouldn't mind - Doom seems to be doing okay with his so far.

Doomulation · Nov 27, 2005

Xade said:
Hah! That's fantastic. Yeah, that's exactly what people were wanting really. Also obviously the option to manually add keywords to files, folders and websites.

Basically, if you could do that, at any stage, it'd be brilliant. Would right-clicking web pages to add keywords be possible do you think? What about right-clicking files like EXEs, MP3s and the like?

I'm not quite sure how to add commands for folders and all possible file types, but for specific ones, I know. I'm sure I could find out, though. Once I find a way to integrate commands into the shell, adding them with a keyword won't be hard.

Also yeah, the program would probably need to sit in the system tray, and the pop-up box would need to shut itself when you actually typed in the keyword and hit enter, I guess.

Already done.

Damn it Doom, if you get this done, I... I don't know. It'd be great though. Any chance of a sly 'Concept' credit on the side?

I'll mention it was your idea, naturally

[P.S. We *so* need a grrreat name for this thing. Something basic but righteous... gobar, hotbox, quicklink... I don't know. Ideas?!]

Dunno. Just named it command launcher for now.

Oh and this might be easier than shortcuts, too. If you assigned a shortcut to every game/file/folder, it would add up to many pretty quick. Which shortcut went to what game/file/folder? It's easier with commands, which isn't possible with windows shortcuts, not to mention the abovementioned waste of space.

Xade · Nov 27, 2005

A-hoy. Glad to hear about the progress.

Yeah, shell integration would be fantastic, and it'd make the program extremely user-friendly. My own mother would be able to use the PC that way, basically... and she's not exactly computer literate. Right-clicking something and keywording it for later? Simple, no-nonsense, and it'd work fabulously.

But yeah, handling all the different file and folder types - plus web pages - might take a little while. Ideally the tool should be able to load up any file at all that you've keyworded, or any web page either. Hit F12, type 'emu', and you're logged into emutalk.net, etc etc...

It's good you've got the bar closing itself after entries, too - simple, but it's a bitch of a problem with the QuickLinks folder thing I've set up through Windows; the folder just sits there and stays open.

I was wondering though... would it be possible for you just to type the first few letters of your chosen keyword in? It's just that otherwise, if you forget the whole keyword, the program would just return an error, right?

Keep me up to speed on the progress anyway, Doom - and thanks a lot!

Doomulation · Nov 27, 2005

I know you're just dying to try the program out, so I've done a little wip release. Here's wip 1 of command launcher. Try it out, give me some feedback on what needs improving, suggestions, bugs, etc.

Don't forget you need the visual studio .NET 2003 (msvcx71.dll) files for it to run. Also needs MFC. IF you don't have these already.

Oh and the manage commands dialog does not currently iterate all the commands you've created; I didn't have time since I had no enmuerate values registry function. I'll create one tomorrow. You can manually delete and change the values by the registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Doom's Infested Key\Command Launcher).

EDIT: Ack, forgot to mention: the app responds to the F12 key. Wherever, whenever. Just hit it to bring up the command console. Do try it out. I need feedback on that, too, since I recently changed it.

Xade · Nov 28, 2005

Hey...

Okay, a few issues...

1) I can't enter any commands! I try to type in the boxes but I'm told I haven't entered any commands yet so I can't execute any. The only way to get around this is click the Browse button, but then after that I have the same problem - I can't enter a command!

2) Huge slow-down in terms of trying to type anything (E.G. in MS Word or whatever) while the tool's running.

3) It keeps popping back up saying I haven't entered any commands yet - even when I'm away from the tool. Often this happens even when I'm trying to right-click it to close it!

The layout and premise of the thing seems great, and it'd be excellent if I could actually get it to work, but it just won't let me add anything at all. And obviously yeah there's no shell integration but that isn't even needed really, and it could always get added later.

It's looking good so far, but I wish it worked!

bcrew1375 · Nov 28, 2005

Hmm, well it could use some work, but so far so good

. I tried using a command to open ZSNES, which worked, but the command box didn't close. It also tends to capture keys it shouldn't, such as the backspace key. Keep at it, it's looking nice, but the "master" thing may be going too far.

Xade, to add a command, add the folders Doom mentioned into your registry in regedit. Add a string value, name it your keyword, then for a value, give the path to the executable. So, the one I made is:

Name: ZSNES
Data: "c:\games\emulators\zsnes\zsnesw.exe"

Doomulation · Nov 28, 2005

Maybe that global keyboard hook isn't such a good idea, after all...
I'll revert to DirectInput in the next wip (will require dx9).
Xade: I'm unsure of the first issue you mention. How do you do it? What do you do?

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