suggestion: tiny enhancements for options GUI & helpfile

[Nod5]

I just added icons to some om my aliases and thought of these tiny enhancements to the FARR options and helpfile. If any of them are very quick and easy to implement then they might be worth considering.

1. When dropping a file on the "Edit Group Alias" box FARR currently puts the file path on a new line.

Suggestion:
- instead put path at current cursor position
- if dropped files is .ico then instead autocopy the file to the FARR alias file directory and insert "/ICON=file.ico" at the current cursor position

2. Helpfile > Alias Launch Tricks reads: "/ICON=localfilename_from_aliasdir.ico (icon file must be in same dir as alias file)"
That is ambiguous -- it refers to FARR's alias directory but could also be interpreted as the directory of the file that a specific  alias will run when executed.

Suggestion: Add this to helpfile:
For example, in a default FARR install on english Windows XP the alias file dir is C:\Program files\FindAndRunRobot\AliasGroups\MyCustom

3. on the "Edit Group Alias" screen, make the term "help" into a link that runs:
hh.exe "%PROGRAMFILES%\FindAndRunRobot\FindAndRunRobot.chm::/alias_tricks.htm"

[mouser]

Thank you for the push to add context-sensitive help buttons/links -- i really need to do this in my programs, and no program needs it more than FARR.

Regarding suggestions (1) -- good idea, will add.

#2, ok will clarify.

[Nod5]

Great! Yes, contextual help might be useful in many cases. Maybe a "help with these options" link on the bottom left of every option tab (as an alternative or complement)? That way, the user would quickly learn that there's a single place in the GUI to click for help. And I'm guessing that it would be less work to add that compared to links at special places in the GUI for each options tab.

[Nod5]

Some more new (and old) ideas on FARR options enhancements (from some quick brainstorming just now):

4. modest suggestion: lists > aliases should as default always have the "myaliases.alias" selected (reason: almost all users going to lists > aliases are going for that, I think)

5. radical suggestion: maybe the GUI does not need to separate the alias/group files at all? FARR could remove the dropdown box and instead behind the scene add aliases from all such files into one single list. "the select alias..." dropdown and the yellow box could be replaced with a checkbox to filter built in aliases on/off and an inputbox for filtering the list based on alias name (i.e. a FARR in FARR - that will add great recursive cred mouser!   )

Middle way: only two separate lists: combine all built in aliases to one list, combine all user added aliases to another (= default list)

6. add a NEW ALIAS button at the top (rationale: right click + "add new entry" is slower and harder to find)

7. rename "add new entry" to "add new alias" or just "add new"

8. add a special command that immediately opens a blank "edit group alias" window for a new entry in the myaliases.alias file. That allows for starting to setup a new alias in a single step from the FARR input box (a button click, an alias, or a hotkey). I.e. similar to what "gooptions" already does for opening the options window. Also add that command to the "helpfarr" list.

9. add some quick way to access current search folder modifier keywords from the "edit group alias" window - maybe a dropdown or a right click submenu?

10. in the "edit group alias" window hide some of the regex windows until a user enters something in the "Regular Expression Pattern" box (rationale: makes the window less complicated for new users)

[mouser]

Great stuff.. going to try to add a bunch of them now.

[Nod5]

re no 8: I discovered in your answer to the other thread that there already is a context menu shortcut for going straight to the new alias window. Great! I didn't know about that but it is that kind of shortcut I was thinking of. (Detail: it might be better to put the "New Alias Group..." at the top of the right click submenu since users with many aliases might miss it otherwise - I had to scroll down in the submenu to discover it.)

It still makes sense to add a special command for it so that keyboard centred users can access it through an alias or hotkey.

[TucknDar]

4. modest suggestion: lists > aliases should as default always have the "myaliases.alias" selected (reason: almost all users going to lists > aliases are going for that, I think)

+1

Also some interesting other suggestions you've got there