Topics

1

LaunchBar Commander / FR: Disable a node but keep the gap (dimmed or invisible)

« on: March 03, 2023, 12:49 PM »

Hello Mouser.
I hope everything is going well for you.

As always, thank you for your great applications and especially for LBC. I really couldn't live without it. Every time I set up a computer I am absolutely lost until I install it.
Unfortunately I have had to do it several times lately, between some catastrophic errors or system upgrades.
All this has led me to consider a small suggestion for a future LBC upgrade.

I always use the same configuration, 3 bars (left, top and right) with all the software, directories and links I use. The icons are always in the same place, so this way I move the mouse to the same spot with almost no thinking.

The thing is that I don't install (or reinstall) everything at once. Normally I do the most necessary things first and the rest as I need them.
Sometimes I turn off, in the configuration, what I don't have installed, but that makes the rest of the icons in the bar move out of place.

So the idea is that it would be nice, apart from the current option (deactivated and hidden) other options to be able to deactivate a node but that it remains in place:
-deactivated and dimmed.
-deactivated and invisible.
This way it would not change the position of the rest of the icons.
Now you can achieve something similar using "Node Override" "Force: No icons" (Min. item Width/Height set to the icon size). It removes the icon completely and keeps the gap, but it is not a very practical way.
Maybe with a context menu with "disabled dimmed, disabled invisible" in the tree view.......

Anyway, thanks again and best regards.

2

LaunchBar Commander / Activation area

« on: March 10, 2015, 04:40 PM »

Sorry for revive this but I am using photoshop a lot lately and its very very annoying.... 
Thanx.

"Could be possible to add an option to reduce (or specify...just one pixel) the width of the activation area?
Many programs, in full screen mode and without the title bar (for instance Firefox or Photoshop), have the menus so close to the edge of the screen that you end up activating LBC unintentionally even with some "appear delay". Also usually happens when trying to use scroll bars or buttons (minimize, maximize, close).
Now is 6 pixels wide....
Thank you."

3

LaunchBar Commander / %variables% and other small (or not so) things.

« on: November 28, 2014, 09:34 AM »

Hi Mouser!! (and LBC users!!)

First of all, thank you for your work and your dedication to BLC. It's an amazing application!!
As many XP/Vista users, I was really disappointed when the ability to create desktop toolbars on the edges of the desktop was removed on Windows 7. I tried many alternatives but all of them lack of one feature that I miss the most: Access to %enviroment_variables%.
I've been using Coolbarz for many years (although it lacked too). I've been in touch with the developer for some time, sharing suggestions and comments but it seems that the project is dead.....The web is empty and he does not reply anymore.
I started again looking for alternatives (with the ability to use environment variables) and ended up discovering LBC.

LBC it's fast (in operation and startup) and has a really low memory footprint.
I have some suggestions and comments about features and "user friendliness"

• Environment variables. Actually they work with system variables (and user variables too). You can add a "Command node"  with variables in the "Command path" but.......they are not refreshed.
  
  I have this folder structure:
  C:\Users\voxel\Desktop\test\folder1
  C:\Users\voxel\Desktop\test\folder2
  And an user Environment variable %selection% set to:
  %selection% = folder1
  Then I add a "Command Node" with "Command path:  C:\Users\voxel\Desktop\test\%selection%"
  
  If I launch the node, the explorer opens "folder1" correctly.
  Then I change the Environment variable to a new value (using "System Properties | Advanced Options", a command prompt or with autohotkey....)
  %selection% = folder2
  If I launch the node again, the explorer opens "folder1" incorrectly.
  The only way to "refresh" is to close LBC and launch it again.
  Then if I launch the node, the explorer opens "folder2" correctly.
  
  So, I think that launching nodes using %variables% should refresh its values before process them.
  As an interesting use of this, It will be useful (at least for me ...) to be able to use variables in Captions. So you can have a Node that point to a certain folder using a %var% and the Caption of the node also reflects that name.
  
  
• Drag & drop an item on an empty spot in a dock should add the item the right section/place. Now all items are added at the end of the dock.
  
  
• Drag & drop a folder on a dock could have an option to create a node "command folder" instead of a node "folder". Maybe using a dialog (like when you drag & drop a shortcut) or using a key combination (Ctrl or Alt).
  
  
• Use "Folder Node" as a "Menu Node" with an option like "Contents as root-level items". This way you could have the contents of a folder as icons directly in the dock. This was the default behaviour in the "good old" original windows toolbars. When you selected a folder (with the browser) all the content were added directly as icons and also it was dynamic. If the contents of the folder changed, it also changed in the toolbar.
  
  
• Middle mouse click on any folder node (or subfolder) to launch it (I mean open it instead of display its content). This can actually be achieved with right click context menu, but could be simplest/fastest.
  
  
• Context menu (right mouse click) on a node in a dock should have an option to delete the node. Now you have to launch "Configure Preferences and Options" to perform this operation. Also could have a move up/down to rearrange them.....or the ability to "click and drag" them.
  
  
• For building docks, it could be a "live preview" mode that could reflect the changes (without saving them or using "View | Rebuild LaunchBar no to preview th changes") or at least.....an icon on the "icon bar" in "Configure preferences and option" window to access to the menu function "View | Rebuild LaunchBar....." more easily.

And that's all......(by the moment...)
Sorry for asking if there are already ways to achieve some of this features. I just begin testing LBC and aside my very first good reactions, those are things that are catching my attention. In that case I will be very grateful if someone points me in the right direction.

Again thank you for LBC and looking forward to see more features and improvements!!!