Quick Launch - Launch favorite folders and apps

Miscellaneous tools
Message
Author
User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

Quick Launch - Launch favorite folders and apps

#1 Post by don570 »

Help me translate this app...
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 162#576162

Quick Launch - Launch favorite folders
[Edit] Italian Portuguese Russian French German
Spanish translations available
[Edit] Now warns user the first time it is launched
that it will launch quicker next launch

[Edit] Now closes all Rox windows by pressing a button
[Edit] Now launches apps as well!!

Oct 22-Application list is generated from desktop files

Sept 21-Spanish translation is available - thanks to autogestion
Sept 20-version 1.4 Fixes warning about no selection
and German version now available thanks to wuwei

Sept 17-version 1.3 Quick closing of some Rox windows possible
Sept 14-French translation is available - thanks to esmourguit
Sept 13 - version 1.2 - Rox Bookmarks are added automatically
Sept 10-new version 1.1-centered windows and more messages
It is localised for foreign languages
I saw a need to open Rox windows quickly with some
Puppy versions... Exprimo in particular .
It also works well in Scottman's Akita puppy.
April 7 version 2.8 Added clock to quickly tell time
April 12 version 2.9 list of all disks is added

Note that Rox filer must be the file manager.
A few oddball distros use Thunar or some other file manager.

The Enlightenment e17 window manager can open applications
quickly from a list but opening a folder is awkward, so I wrote
this app. It may be useful for other window managers
as well.

To use it effectively you need to launch the app window
with a keystroke combination.... I suggest xbindkeys
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 48&t=61472

Edit: version 1.3 will automatically set keystoke launch
combination ctrl-shift-L for most machines
(Sven key launcher is exception)
So once you install try using the keystroke ctrl-shift-L
immediately to see if it works.


It is very easy to use and is built into the Exprimo puppy.

Instructions to install:

1 Install xbindkeys. This is optional but I
highly recommend it. Sven is an alternative program
that I don't like as much. Note that window managers
have there own method to launch an app with only keys
and this works also with Quick Launch.

2 Install this pet. You will get a screen warning
that Ctrl-shift-L is the keystroke combination to
launch the program (with most recent Puppies).
You can use Ctrl-shift-L immediately with most Puppies.

It can also be launched the regular way from the start menu
but this is awkward!!!!!

Here's a screenshot of an early version.
Image

It is localised for foreign languages. It uses Zigbert's method.
Just look inside /usr/local/quick_launch/ and you will see the file that needs to be translated and send the translation to me.

The file FOLDER_LIST can be edited with a text editor easily.
Click on 'help' button for instructions.

The best way to edit the list of favorite folders:

The first few entries are created by the program when it is
first launched. Then the rest of the entries are added from
the Bookmarks list of Rox.

If you want to edit the first few entries that the application
first adds, the best way is to find the hidden preference
folder in /root (called .quick_launch) and modify the first few
folder names with a text editor.

The other folder names you can modify using Rox
by changing the rox bookmarks.
http://roscidus.com/Manual/Manual/Manual.html#id2504178
__________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Edit: new feature-- If you're a heavy computer user
you will have a lot of windows open. To deal with this
problem I have put in a special button in version 1.3
to close some of the Rox Filer windows. This is
a simple and quick solution to the problem and
none of your data is damaged since only the Rox
windows are being closed!!!
Attachments
quick_launch-NLS-2.0.pet
French Russian German Spanish translations of quick launch
(6.69 KiB) Downloaded 719 times
quick_launch-2.9.pet
Application to install
(9.29 KiB) Downloaded 834 times
Last edited by don570 on Thu 12 Apr 2012, 23:23, edited 43 times in total.

disciple
Posts: 6984
Joined: Sun 21 May 2006, 01:46
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

#2 Post by disciple »

Also see my bookmarks viewer.

Does yours list the rox bookmarks, or the gtk bookmarks?
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

Classic Puppy quotes

ROOT FOREVER
GTK2 FOREVER

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

bookmarks viewer

#3 Post by don570 »

note to disciple: Looks like a useful app! You should
have kept developing it. I'll test it on Exprimo and
report back next week. If you don't mind I might
take some lines from it and add another list to my app.
I was originally going to put a 'notebook' interface in
my app but then decided that one simple window
was the way to go, but I might go back.

I'm so inexperienced in programming that I don't even
know how to use the 'cut' command. :oops:
So your code could be useful to me.

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

New version 1.1 Quick Launch

#4 Post by don570 »

New version 1.1 Quick Launch

-changed the default list of folders slightly
-centered windows
-more warning messages
-Xdialog gets orange color
-It is now ready for localization!!
Send translations to me.
________________________________

disciple
Posts: 6984
Joined: Sun 21 May 2006, 01:46
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: bookmarks viewer

#5 Post by disciple »

don570 wrote:note to disciple: Looks like a useful app! You should have kept developing it.
:?:
But it is already developed :)
It does everything it needs to do, and as far as I know it works reliably.
Although, you have inspired me to think about the best way to extend it. What I should do is:
1) check whether folders actually exist, and if not, show them, but grayed out.
2) instead of hiding the standard gtk locations if they don't exist, as I do now (like the GTK fileselector does), show them grayed out too.
3) Add a button to open a separate "Edit bookmarks" gui, which for each bookmark would have:
- a tick or x icon indicating whether or not the target exists
- an entry widget allowing the user to change the bookmark's name.
- an entry widget allowing the user to change the bookmark's target by typing the path.
- a button launching a file selector to change the bookmark's target.
- a + button to add a bookmark
- a - button to remove a bookmark
- an up and a down button for reordering
I was struggling with the idea of how to edit the bookmark files in place, but now I realise there is probably no reason not to just rewrite the whole file.
If you don't mind I might take some lines from it and add another list to my app.
Yes, do. It is much better to see people reuse code instead of reinventing the wheel. Although I think it might be possible to avoid calling sed, echo, cut etc, and speed my code up.
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

Classic Puppy quotes

ROOT FOREVER
GTK2 FOREVER

disciple
Posts: 6984
Joined: Sun 21 May 2006, 01:46
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

#6 Post by disciple »

disciple wrote:Does yours list the rox bookmarks, or the gtk bookmarks?
I see it uses its own list. I'd like to strongly encourage you to use the gtk bookmarks instead. It is bad enough having separate bookmarks for gtk and rox, let alone a third set.

A little off topic, but seeing this has made me wonder if it would be a good idea to create a system which automatically adds mounted drives to the gtk bookmarks...
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

Classic Puppy quotes

ROOT FOREVER
GTK2 FOREVER

User avatar
sc0ttman
Posts: 2812
Joined: Wed 16 Sep 2009, 05:44
Location: UK

#7 Post by sc0ttman »

disciple, Akita (a puplet) does that, using a script from akash_rawal, found here somewhere on the forum..
[b][url=https://bit.ly/2KjtxoD]Pkg[/url], [url=https://bit.ly/2U6dzxV]mdsh[/url], [url=https://bit.ly/2G49OE8]Woofy[/url], [url=http://goo.gl/bzBU1]Akita[/url], [url=http://goo.gl/SO5ug]VLC-GTK[/url], [url=https://tiny.cc/c2hnfz]Search[/url][/b]

disciple
Posts: 6984
Joined: Sun 21 May 2006, 01:46
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

#8 Post by disciple »

Ah, yes, thanks.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 081#510081
Looks like I didn't quite follow that thread for long enough.
Jemimah also mentioned making a libgio patch to make them show up automatically in the fileselector, although with that method they wouldn't be added to the bookmarks file (so the bookmarks script would need extra logic to detect them itself... which could be borrowed from that scripe).
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

Classic Puppy quotes

ROOT FOREVER
GTK2 FOREVER

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

nearly finished

#9 Post by don570 »

I am still developing the program.
I will add some of the Rox Bookmarks
thanks to two 'cut' lines I found in Disciple's
program. It would have been very difficult for
me otherwise :lol:

I am close to finished...maybe the final program
will be finished tonite.

In my help window I encourage people to edit the final
FOLDER_LIST with a text editor if they want.
__________________________________________

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

new version Quick Launch 1.2

#10 Post by don570 »

new version Quick Launch 1.2

- longer list of Favorite Folders is possible in window
of Quick Launch but will still fit in Netbook screen.

-Rox Bookmarks are automatically searched
and a few are added to list of Favorite Folders if
they meet criteria

-I have received first French translation from esmourguit.
I will make a couple of changes to the wording
and then post.

_____________________________________________

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

French translation available

#11 Post by don570 »

Sept 14-French translation is available - thanks to esmourguit

I am asking for more translations on the forum.
It's not very difficult. Just replace the English words
between the double quotes. I'll do the rest.

Here's the file text.

Code: Select all


#Headings
LOC100="Favorites Folder List"
LOC101="License"
LOC102="Favorite Folders"
LOC103="Mounted Disks"

#Popup Tooltips
LOC200="Select a folder to put on list"
LOC201=" Add to the list of favorites"
LOC202="About"
LOC203="Launch Pmount to mount a disk partition"
LOC204=" Launch with Rox-Filer"
LOC205=" Help "
LOC206=" Open the folder's window "
LOC207=" Close this window "
LOC208=" Close some of the Rox windows "

#Heading (Bold)
LOC300="Select a folder and make it a favorite"
LOC301=" by clicking"
LOC302="'Add entry'"
LOC303="You may continue to add until completed."
LOC304="Restart program to activate the changes."
LOC305="Choose from a list of favorite folders."
LOC306="Select a folder and click on 'Open'."
LOC307="Open a drive window with"
LOC308="a click on the button. Only "
LOC309="mounted drives are shown. "
LOC310=""
LOC311="Close some Rox windows"
LOC312="to clean-up the screen"
#Button labels
LOC400="Add entry to list"
LOC401="Return"
LOC402="Add more folders"
LOC403="Open the window"
LOC404="Launch Pmount"
LOC405="Close Rox windows"

#Help
LOC500="Instructions"
LOC501="This software has been written to provide quick access to folders"
LOC502="or a mounted disk. "
LOC503="Launch it from your bottom panel or shelf."
LOC504="The best way to launch is with a keystroke launcher program."
LOC505="The program can be launched with the keystrokes Ctrl-shift-L."
LOC506="You may modify by hand /root/.quick_launch/tmp/FOLDER_LIST"
LOC507="Rox Bookmarks are added automatically to bottom of FOLDER_LIST"

# Xdialog messages
LOC600="Information"
LOC601="You must choose a folder."
LOC602="You may now add more folders to your list. "
LOC603="Folder has been added to Favorites."
LOC604="You must restart the program to activate changes."
LOC605="Select from your list."
LOC606="You must choose a disk or partition."

Last edited by don570 on Sat 17 Sep 2011, 20:34, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

new version 1.3

#12 Post by don570 »

I have put in code so that keystroke launch
should work immediately. I checked it in the
latest Wary.

So once you install try Ctrl-shift-L and
see if the application launches. If not
then you'll have to take care of the
problem yourself. -->Suggestion: Try opening
the configuration file of your launcher program
or your window manager.

New feature-- If you're a heavy computer user
you will have a lot of windows open. To deal with this
problem I have put in a special button in version 1.3
to close some of the Rox Filer windows. This is
a simple and quick solution to the problem and
none of your data is damaged since only the Rox
windows are being closed!!!

Windows to USB sticks and extra disk partions I have left
unaffected for USER convenience.


_____________________________________________
Last edited by don570 on Tue 20 Sep 2011, 18:37, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

new version 1.4 Quick Launch

#13 Post by don570 »

new version 1.4 Quick Launch

-I made a fix to code of two 'Open' buttons
so that the warning when no selection is made
will be handled in a logical manner.


-German version is now available thanks to wuwei
I will package up a Spanish version soon as well
thanks to autogestion.

_____________________________________________

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

Spanish translation of Quick Launch

#14 Post by don570 »

Spanish translation is added thanks to
autogestion

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

Configuration of JWM

#15 Post by don570 »

Configuration of JWM is done by editing ".jwmrc".

If you're using JWM (Joe's window manager)
this is the entry in the hidden configuration file
to launch with the keystroke Ctrl-shift-L


Image


A good explanation is here
http://www.joewing.net/programs/jwm/config.shtml#keys

___________________________________________________

User avatar
Tman
Posts: 808
Joined: Sat 22 Jan 2011, 21:39
Location: Toronto

#16 Post by Tman »

I like the idea of this app, but was wondering is there an option to remove entries added in the favorite folders box?

Keep up the good work. :wink:

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

edit list of favorite folders

#17 Post by don570 »

Tman wrote: is there an option to remove entries added in the favorite folders box?
The first few entries are created by the program when it is
first launched. Then the rest of the entries are added from
the Bookmarks list of Rox.

If you want to edit the first few entries that the application
first adds, the best way is to find the hidden preference
folder in /root (called .quick_launch) and modify the first few
folder names with a text editor.

The other folder names you can modify using Rox
by changing the rox bookmarks.
http://roscidus.com/Manual/Manual/Manual.html#id2504178

If you're a programmer it's easy to change the list by modifying
the lines at the beginning of the program.
__________________________________________

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

New version Quick Launch 1.6

#18 Post by don570 »

New version Quick Launch 1.6

Now it can launch an application as well.

The first time you launch Quick Launch,
it will take some time to create a list
of favorite folders and a list of
favorite apps... about 3 seconds on my
older machine..... but the next launch
should be snappy. :lol:

Note when using this on Fluppy Linux:

After you first install the pet package,
then you should launch SVEN.
At the bottom of SVEN's window you will
see 'quick launch' listed. Just select and press
the 'Apply' button'

Now Fluppy will use Ctrl shift L as the
key launch combination to launch Quick Launch!


Most version of Puppy should automatically recognize
the key combination for launch. :lol:
________________________________________________

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

new version 1.7 of quick launch

#19 Post by don570 »

new version 1.7 of quick launch

-This is a small bug fix. I noticed that xournal wouldn't show
on the Fluppy list of applications. I tracked down the bug
and fixed.

_________________________________________________________

User avatar
don570
Posts: 5528
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2010, 19:58
Location: Ontario

new version of quick launch 1.8

#20 Post by don570 »

new version of quick launch 1.8
will open gimp image editor
on the app list.

_________________________________

Post Reply