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N.A.N.Y. 2020 / NANY 2020: ISMONISM - search Start Menu (or any folder) for 'missing' entries
« on: December 28, 2019, 09:44 AM »NANY 2020 entry information
| Application name: | ISMONISM (In Start Menu Or Not In Start Menu) |
| Version: | 0.5.0 (2020-11-30) |
| Short description: | An utility for scanning folders recursively, to find files for which there is no matching shortcut in (a subfolder of) of any user-defined folder. |
| License: | MIT License |
| Supported operating systems: | Windows NT (in theory) and later (tested in Window 10). |
| Scripting language: | AutoHotkey 1.1 |
| Web page: | See Repository on GitHub. |
| Download page: | See Releases on GitHub. |
| Version history: | See Releases on GitHub. |
| Author: | Winkie |
Description
Originally an idea by mouser.
This utility was created with the Windows Start Menu in mind. By default it scans the Program Files folders and its subfolders (defined the 'search folders'), to find executables (*.exe) for which there is no matching item in (a subfolder of) the Start Menu (defined the 'shortcut folders').
Any file that is in (a subfolder of) the search folders, but does not have a shortcut in (a subfolder of) a shortcut folder is listed in the application when it is started.
As mouser pointed out, this application can be used to:
- find programs that aren't on your start menu for some reason, maybe because they were left over from an uninstall;
- scan a portable app directory that one would like to have added to the start menu.
The shortcut folders, the file extensions to search for, and the search folders are user configurable, so it is not limited to the Start Menu alone.
Features
- Portable application with a minimalistic interface.
- The ability to create shortcuts of found items in a user configurable 'personal shortcut folder' (By default a subfolder of the Start Menu).
- The ability to copy paths of found items to the clipboard.
- The ability to jump to a found item in Windows Explorer.
- The ability to search for a found item online.
- The ability to save a search and re-open that when the application is launched.
Planned features
- Some sort of ignore function for search folders (suggested by mouser and Darthagnon).
- Save up to 10 searches (and maybe do something fancy with them).
- (Maybe) Retrieve file descriptions of items and use them for shortcut names (suggested by mouser).
Screenshot
See screenshot on GitHub.
Usage
Installation
Extract the zip-file to a new folder. The application will save its settings in a subfolder named 'Data'.
Using the application
After starting the application, clicking the 'start search'-button will scan with the default settings.
It will scan the 'shortcut folders' first, then the 'search folders'. When that's done you will see the 'missing items' in the list view.
Then you can check one or more check marks, which enables the buttons on the right. Or right-click in the list view for other functions.
Uninstallation
Delete the folder containing the application.
Known issues
- There is no check for hard links. This means that some applications in the Program Files folder are listed (wmplayer.exe, wordpad.exe etc.), at least at 64-bit systems.
