F4Menu for all v0.58

[MVV]

fm-xvid,

If you have default editor set (top line in config editors dialog), it will be used to open any file w/o association if F4Menu started in background mode. BTW you still may open F4Menu in foreground mode for such file so it will show list of editors anyway.

If you want F4Menu to ask for editor when unassociated file is opened, you must remove default editor (just edit its properties and remove 'default' flag). E.g. I don't use 'default editor' feature, and F4Menu asks for editor when I'm trying to open unassociated file. Then I choose editor and use 'associate and open' (or just open).

[Shanny]

I think 'Settings' may be optionally moved to context menu of editors ('Settings' and 'Modify' are similar, may be placed near) - as for me, 'Settings' is not needed frequently so can be opened via context menu.

Item 'Other program' may be optionally moved to 'More programs' - it is logical (e.g. after separator) - some INI switch may be added for this (e.g. I prefer to move this item from main menu while some another user not).

Thanks a lot, I'll consider your suggestions but sorry for that I cannot guarantee anything now.

Also INI option to hide first item would be useful for some users (with choices: 0 - show always, as now, default value, 1 - show only when multiple files opened, 2 - never show).

Seems I have explained several times for this issue, the first item is just designed to show the file name, you know even in the similar tools such as "Choice Editor" and "Open File shell for TC", the filename is also displayed on label or windows title, I think it's absolutely necessary.

[Shanny]

2 fm-xvid

Seems MVV has answered your question, in addition, currently for this case

2. Menu Appears
a) Opening an established file like XML and there are several options (XML Notepad, PSPad, Notepad2, etc), then a menu with those apps are shown.

you have to launch F4Menu in foreground mode, however in the next version, background mode can work too, since I'll add an option according to the following MVV's suggestion

And please add an option to display menu in background mode if more than one editor is registered with file type - some users like this feature in similar tools. Or maybe even another mixed mode with separate key combination (like default editor mode).

[fm-xvid]

@MVV: thanks for pointing that out. i hadn't noticed the 'default editor' setting.

@Shanny: thanks for considering the suggestion. initially i had some trouble distinguishing the different modes - foreground and background. once again, thanks for this wonderful tool.

[Balderstrom]

Also INI option to hide first item would be useful for some users (with choices: 0 - show always, as now, default value, 1 - show only when multiple files opened, 2 - never show).

Seems I have explained several times for this issue, the first item is just designed to show the file name, you know even in the similar tools such as "Choice Editor" and "Open File shell for TC", the filename is also displayed on label or windows title, I think it's absolutely necessary.

Could have a setting to move it to the bottom instead of the top of the list? It's not what I initially suggested, but seems like it would be a compromise.

[facinlaburo]

2 Shanny

If you want F4Menu to ask for editor when unassociated file is opened, you must remove default editor (just edit its properties and remove 'default' flag). E.g. I don't use 'default editor' feature, and F4Menu asks for editor when I'm trying to open unassociated file. Then I choose editor and use 'associate and open' (or just open).

I think "default editor" and editor for unassociated extensions should act in a clear different way. For instance, I would like to have notepad as a default editor to quickly open a text editor for any extension with a hotkey other than F4, and besides I would like F4Menu to ask me when extension is not associated if I pres F4.

One more thing: I started testing the tool with 0.55, and I found very difficult to understand the way to asign the hotkeys.
I'm used to ChoiceEditor so I set F4Menu to use F4 with an associated extension and Esc+F4 to show menu. Besides I set Win+F4 to the default editor. The picture shows the way I had to set the options -after trying for quite a time-.

Image: http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/9150/f4menu.jpg

I think this is not at all clear for the average user.
My suggestion is a more classical dialog for setting the hotkeys, like:

Code: Select all

Launch key for foreground mode: the four checkboxes + the combo list
Launch key for background mode: the four checkboxes + the combo list
Enable default editor: checkbox
Lauch key for default editor: the four checkboxes + the combo list

Thanks for the tool, I like it. It would be great if you can add this features + MVV's suggestion you plan.

[MVV]

I agree that it is not very clear to set hotkeys. But program should do something if it is started with hotkey that is not listed. Currently it just starts opposite mode.


I have some idea how to make it more clear.

User puts dot near mode that he would like to see as default, and F4Menu disables hotkey setting for this mode but enables hotkey settings for other modes so user can directly set hotkeys for all other modes. It is logical because user will choose hotkey for launching exactly for this mode:

Image: http://imagehost.spark-media.ru/i2/B4985D70-917B-B4C6-52AF-F00A8BA23D68.gif

So I choose foreground mode as default and background mode if started by F4 (previously I needed to choose background mode and specify hotkey Win+F4). There is no any reverse logic.

And, if number of modes is greater than two, such logic doesn't causes troubles - if no mode associated with hotkey, default mode is choosen.

Maybe we should modify dialog like this?

All user settings are unchanged, changes are only for configure dialog.


Also, Shanny, please add command line parameters to specify start mode (e.g. -m<digit> or -m<letter> - so if no letter specified, it works as currently existing menu mode ) - e.g. if I want to start elevated F4Menu from itself in foreground mode, I can't do it because hotkey can't be detected in such case.

[Balderstrom]

A Key difference between ChoiceEditor and F4Menu is that when you assign an Extension to more than 1 Editor in ChoiceEditor then you will get the MenuPopUp so that you can select which editor you want to use.

Whereas in F4Menu it provides more global options:
* Background mode if possible.
* Foreground mode Always.
And the Win+F4 option (always show).

Though on retrospect its possible those options aren't really that useful.
Since they are global settings that apply to every single extension -- As is
the "default editor".

It seems to me You should be able to set a default Editor for a given extension,
e.g. Each editor should have an assigned extensions list AND a default(for)
extensions list.

So if you haven't assigned a default editor for a given extension, then F4Menu displays all of the (assigned) editors for that EXT.
If you HAVE assigned a default editor for a given extensions, F4Menu stays in background and uses the default.

If you use Win+F4 (your always show option) Then F4Menu is displayed.

The global settings of Always show, or stay in background if possible thus seem not so
useful... And an overriding "Default Editor" while perhaps useful to some seems like we
would be better off with the ability to assign a default for every extension as well as
multiple editors for a given extension.

Thus you wind up with 2 general uses:
-> Stay in background if possible. (Assign Key for this, default: F4)
-> Show F4Menu (Assign Key for this, default: Win+F4)

The always show global can pretty much be deprecated.

[MVV]

So if you haven't assigned a default editor for a given extension, then F4Menu displays all of the (assigned) editors for that EXT.
If you HAVE assigned a default editor for a given extensions, F4Menu stays in background and uses the default.

I think it may be a good feature to set default editor per extension. E.g. there may be three options: a) like now, always start first associated editor; b) like was sugested, always show menu if more than one editor is associated; c) use default editor for extension if set else show menu (seems like we need additional subdialog to choose editor per extension and additional INI key - but program will need to fix it every time editor list is changed - e.g. deleted one of first editors).

[Shanny]

Could have a setting to move it to the bottom instead of the top of the list? It's not what I initially suggested, but seems like it would be a compromise.

IMOH, set at the top is reasonable, just like the title of a window

[Shanny]

2 facinlaburo
Thanks for your suggestion for hotkeys setting, that's helpful.

[Shanny]

2 MVV
You suggestion is also helpful, however that produce a new question, if user press unexcepted keys when disabled the "default mode", what's the proper behavior for F4Menu.

please add command line parameters to specify start mode (e.g. -m<digit> or -m<letter> - so if no letter specified, it works as currently existing menu mode )

No problem, you know 0.55 support -f for force foreground, I'll add -b -d for the backgroud and default mode.

[Shanny]

It seems to me You should be able to set a default Editor for a given extension,
e.g. Each editor should have an assigned extensions list AND a default(for)
extensions list.

Well, I agree that's useful in some cases, but it also made the configuration more complex, user have to maintain two extension list for each editor. however I want to make this tool easy to use.

[facinlaburo]

It seems to me You should be able to set a default Editor for a given extension,
e.g. Each editor should have an assigned extensions list AND a default(for)
extensions list.

Well, I agree that's useful in some cases, but it also made the configuration more complex, user have to maintain two extension list for each editor. however I want to make this tool easy to use.

I understood this different from Shanny. I think the suggestion is that each editor has a list of extensions and -instead of a default global editor- having a list of assigned extensions where you could set a default editor for each one. I mean two different approaches: one by editor, other by extension. Perhaps you could ALSO have a global editor. I'll try to make an example of the behaviour I would like since the hotkeys (user configurable, of course).

Situation:
You have assigned html to Notepad, NVU and PSPad. The default editor for html is NVU, and the default global editor is Notepad. You also have assigned txt only to Metapad, and csv is not assigned.

Behaviour:
html
F4: opens file in NVU
Esc+F4: opens dialog with just the assigned programs
Win+F4: opens file with Notepad
Esc+Win+F4: opens full F4Menu dialog
txt
F4: opens file in Metapad
Esc+F4: behaves like F4
Win+F4: opens file with Notepad
Esc+Win+F4: opens full F4Menu dialog
csv
F4: behaves like Esc+Win+F4
Esc+F4: behaves like Esc+Win+F4
Win+F4: opens file with Notepad
Esc+Win+F4: opens full F4Menu dialog

However, I think I could live if behaviour for unassigned extension is made user configurable, so I could select to open it with default editor or show F4Menu dialog. That would also prevent accidental F4 pressing.

Salu2.

[MVV]

No problem, you know 0.55 support -f for force foreground, I'll add -b -d for the backgroud and default mode.

Now I know it! Great undocumented [yet?] feature! Thanks!

You suggestion is also helpful, however that produce a new question, if user press unexcepted keys when disabled the "default mode", what's the proper behavior for F4Menu.

Please don't mess currently existing default mode (that just opens default editor) and default between foreground and background modes - i.e. one that has its radio button checked (maybe default is bad title here so lets call it base mode). So, one mode is always choosen as base mode since radio button group always has one item checked, and this base mode is used when unexpected key combination is found (other modes are used with their key combinations). Base mode doesn't require key combination so its hotkey options are disabled when hotkey options for other modes are enabled.