
        Readme for Comment Explorer 2.5.0.0

  Comment Explorer is an AHK Hotkey Tray Utility
  that allows comments to be associated with files
  in Explorer. When you use the Up and Down Arrow
  keys or click the Mouse to select a file in Explorer,
  if there is a comment for the file, a ToolTip displays.


  **********   Quick Start   **********

  Unzip download to an empty folder.
  Run CommentExplorer.exe.
  Open a Folder in Explorer.
  Use the Up and Down Arrow Keys or Mouse to navigate.
  Press Shift-F11 Hotkey to add a comment for
  selected files.

  (If nothing happens when hotkey pressed right click
  CommentExplorer Tray Icon and make sure ArrowToolTips
  has a Check Mark beside it. If not, click to Check it.
  If the hotkey is still not active then another application
  already owns it. The source code is included if you
  need to change hotkeys.)

  An InputBox will pop up to add a comment for each
  selected file.

  Press Control-F11 Hotkey to copy comments for selected
  files.  A folder browse dialog appears to select the
  target folder.  The target folder will open in Explorer
  and you will be prompted to drag & drop the files.

  To get rid of a hanging ToolTip press Esc key or click the Mouse
  on any Explorer window. (Note when pressing Esc the key is
  allowed to pass through. It may also close any active window
  that's programmed to close when Esc is pressed.)

  As of v. 2.5.0.0 when the ToolTip shows it is copied to the
  Clipboard.  This enhancement is mainly for those who use
  the download url as comment.  You can paste it in a browser
  etc..  Once the ToolTip disappears the original Clipboard
  contents is restored.

  *********  End Quick Start  *********


  *** Options ** Most important option is FolderMode **

  Set CommentExplorer options using Edit Ini File
  command in the Tray Icon Menu. Note that the command
  uses Windows file type association to open whatever
  editor is for .ini files. CommentExplorer will wait
  until you close the editor. It will relaunch itself
  loading the new .ini file settings.

  Set ArrowsEnabled=1 Start with Up Down keys and Mouse enabled.
  Set it to 0 to start with them disabled.

  Set FolderMode=0 to start using the global comment
  file Comments.txt in the same folder as CommentExplorer.exe.

  Set it to 1 to use a local comment file in each folder.

  In FolderMode only the filename is used as key. This
  can make it simpler to transfer files with comments to
  another folder,drive or machine. When using Shift-F11
  hotkey in FolderMode the comments are appended to the local
  comment file in the target folder. When used in normal mode
  the filenames are appended to the target path and appended to
  the global comment file.

  Tip:

    Using a global comment file is convenient as you only have
    to back up that one file.  But I recommend using FolderMode
    if you think you may want to copy your download folder to
    a different machine, drive or folder. In that case just copy
    the entire folder to an empty folder on the target and the
    comment file will travel with it. A no-brainer. If you
    use the global data file method, when moving to another
    machine take care that all components of the paths match
    since the entire file path is used as key. For example if
    I have AutoHotKey downloads in C:\downloads\AHK and move
    the folder to D:\downloads\AHK or C:\AllDownloads the comment
    lookup will break. Also since Windows uses drive letters,
    global mode is hazardous with USB as the USB may come up as
    drive X: one time and drive V: another. Any difference in the
    path string of the file breaks the lookup. Since Vista and
    Windows Seven like to see themselves as on drive C: it may
    be more feasible to use the global mode on those OS than on
    XP.  Just make sure the folder structure is the same on all
    machines. Use Storage Management Control Panel applet to force
    your USB to use the correct letter etc..

    The comparison is not case sensitive. If you change capitalization
    such as mydownload.zip to MyDownload.zip it shouldn't break the
    comment lookup. But changing the file name to MyMoreDescriptiveName.zip
    will definitely hose it. For file comment to work transparently it
    should really be built into the file system.  CommentExplorer is
    just a hack to use some commenting until that is implemented,
    if ever. (I wrote my first comment utility as an Explorer
    shell extension for 32 bit Windows in 2001. I'm still waiting.)
    

  When FolderMode is active, the Purge command is disabled.

  When the program first starts in FolderMode it hasn't loaded
  a folder data file yet.  The Compact and Backup Tray Menu commands
  are disabled.  When you operate in a folder, it creates or loads
  the comment file for the folder and enables those 2 commands.
  Once you have loaded a folder comment file I have no way to know
  if you have moved to another folder until you take an action that
  loads or creates the comment data file for the new folder. For
  this reason when doing a Compact you are prompted with the name
  of the active folder data file and asked if you wish to Compact
  it. If it's not the file you expected click No. Using Up and Down
  keys in the new folder should load the data file for that folder.


  Comment Explorer is free for you to use at your own
  risk.  Donations are welcome:
  http://milesaheadsoftware.tk/
  
  I hope you enjoy using the utility.
  MilesAhead
  
      ******  Important Note    ******

  Comment Explorer is written using
  AutoHotKey_L scripting language and
  compiled to exe that has a copy of the
  AHK_L engine to run the script.  Some av
  may see this and register a False Positive.
  For this reason the source code is included.
  You may download AutoHotkey_L yourself and
  compile to CommentExplorer.exe on your own machine.

      ********************************

  revisions

  2.5.0.0 Bug fix release.  The clipboard code interfered with
  Copy As Path and other clipboard functions.  The Explorer
  selection detection no longer uses the clipboard.  Thanks
to Learning One for Explorer_GetSelection() function.

  2.3.0.0 Added Comment Search to Tray Menu. It searches either
  the global comment file, or the one in the current folder as
  dictated by "FolderMode" setting. If in FolderMode and no
  comment file has yet been loaded for the current folder, it
  will show as disabled in the menu.  Selecting a file with
  the arrow key in the folder should trigger loading the
  comment file, if one exists for that folder. This in turn
  should enable the menu command.


  2.2.0.0 Minor Code clean up.

  2.1.0.0 Added Taskbar Progress for Windows Seven.

  2.0.0.0 Added ProgressBar and dialogs to Purge/Commpact
  commands. Windows Seven Taskbar Progress is on ToDo List.

  1.9.1.0 The TimeOut ini option is no longer used.
  Click Esc key to get rid of a hanging ToolTip.

  1.9.0.0 Clicking with mouse now shows ToolTip for comment.

  1.8.5.0 Minor adjustments.

  1.8.4.0 Minor fixes.

  1.8.3.0 Added "F" indicator to Tray Icon tooltip
  that shows when FolderMode is active.

  1.8.2.0 Added FolderMode option to ini file.

  1.8.1.0 Fixed Esc key bug.

  1.8.0.0 Added Control-F11 Hotkey to copy comments to
  another folder.

  1.7.7.0 Added Edit Ini File Command to Tray Menu.

  1.7.6.0 Minor improvements.

  1.7.5.0 Improved exit routines.

  1.7.0.0 Multiple files/folders may be selected for
  comment entry.

  1.6.0.0 Clipboard text now saved when Arrow Keys
  active.

  1.5.0.0 Enlarged font for ToolTip.

  1.4.3.0 Program exit bug fixes.

  1.4.2.0 Fixed bug in Back Up Command.

  1.4.1.0 ToolTip time out is adjustable via .ini file.
  Valid range is 1000 to 10000 milliseconds. The default
  is 5000(5 seconds.)

  1.4.0.0 Only shows ToolTip when there's a comment.
  Also the ToolTip is shown at the top left corner of
  the active window.

  1.3.2.0 Minor fixes.

  1.3.1.0 Minor fixes.

  1.3.0.0 Added Tray Menu command to back up comment file.

  1.2.0.0 Fixed hang at exit if program started with
  no comment file.

  1.1.0.0 Optimized adding comments.  Added Compact
  and Purge Commands to Tray Menu.
  
  1.0.0.0 Initial version.
  