IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties

[skwire]

it misses Hotkey but looking nice 

-KodeZwerg (November 06, 2018, 01:42 AM)

I could add hotkey support but it's so limited that it's really not worth the time:

• In AHK, all LNK-style hotkeys have to be created as Ctrl+Alt+[Key].
• Furthermore, the shortcut key of a newly created shortcut would have no effect unless the shortcut file resides on the desktop or somewhere in the start menu.

One would be much better off using AutoHotkey for one's hotkey shortcuts or any of the other available hotkey-centric app launchers.

[KodeZwerg]

(in my own tries, i added a field, to see its decimal value, no edit capability)
I just mentioned it because i had this thing in mind:
What happen to a defined Hotkey after your Tool modified a file, is value gone, is value kept.
For myself i do not care since i do not need that kind of Tool.

As another suggestion (i dont know how your program work), if multiple selections then maby another checkbox to each option would be nice.
Not that all gets all the time same value.
For example, i select 10 files, check [X] icon or comment, those be activated and modified/saved on that 10 files.

(just suggested, for myself i still dont need it)

[KodeZwerg]

IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
i mean like on that proto-form.

[skwire]

What happen to a defined Hotkey after your Tool modified a file, is value gone, is value kept.

-KodeZwerg (November 06, 2018, 02:07 AM)

As I mentioned, with the FileCreateShortcut command, I can add a Ctrl+Alt+[Key] hotkey which would work for shortcuts on the desktop and in the start menu. However, for whatever reason, the FileGetShortcut command in AHK does not return the hotkey data.  I also checked the Shortcut Search and Replace application mentioned previously in this thread and it does not appear to handle the shortcut keys, either.  Soooo...maybe there is some WinAPI-related thing with actually getting those hotkeys?  I don't know.

[berkland]

For what it's worth, I don't really use Hot Keys that much, so I really didn't expect them to be part of the programming.  Let's keep this as simple as possible.  KISS!  I really appreciate this collaborative effort.  Can't wait for the final product!

[KodeZwerg]

Aslong you need to wait for final product and to show that I dont compete to skwire (I left out .URL files)
I like to present a little toy of my own that I think is final stage, now to be shown to public.

Since I did not invented this to your needs, instead to anyones usage (limited to .lnk files).
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
This is how it looks in action.
I liked to design it a bit like skwires preview. Thanks to him for idea.

Manual:
On right side there is a large box, this is dragdrop zone, drop any files on it, no matter extension.
If you select anything inside box, the left side off app gets filled with data.
Feel free to modify anything you like, no restrictions set to nothing (aslong you stay on correct format, like IconIndex should always be a number...)
Press "Save Current" will save current Entries back to file.
(you always be able to see current file below buttons)
De-/Activate checkboxes infront of Field definitions.
Whatever you have checked, with whatever you have entered, those be written to files with "Apply" buttons.
Press "Apply to Selected" will apply all checkboxes to selected box entries.
Press "Apply to All" will apply to all entries, quick and dirty way ;-)
As seen on Preview Image above, if you load a file and its target does not exist, color changes to red as warning.
Red color only be used on loading, editing has no checking.
To quick check if some of your dropped links are invalid (target does not exist); I made a button "Mark Bad"
That action will check links and pre-select all bad ones.
You can also multi-select the Windows way on your own. Whatever you prefer it should does. Just try ;-)
You now could either "Remove Selected" to simply remove them out of list, total harmless.
There is also a button "Delete Selected", it will enable itself during "Mark Bad" phase.
If you press on that button....
TAKE ATTENTION NOW!
THIS WILL REALLY PERFORM A DELETEFILE() ACTION ON WHATEVER IS SELECTED!!!! DANGEROUS, NO WARNINGS!!!
All buttons have instant effects.

If I made you hungry for it, here you find the Archive, you will need 7zip to extract.

Known bug/limitations:
- This app must run with same privilegues as target process from where the drop starts.
  (if you run app, drag files over box but box dont let you = wrong privilegues)
  (a fix could be, run as administrator, but if it than catches all at any time... i dont know yet)
- This app needs Windows
- This app doest care what input you give, it just work
- My apps Shortcut Hotkey doesnt care about if entered Key came from NumPad or not.

My best advice, create any new shortcut file (.lnk) to play with.
Try out anything and keep checking with Windows File Property Box if it matches.
Like Hotkeys, please dont ask me, all i can say as advice belonging to Hotkeys (since it is not limited to a single char)
If you want to know any specific value as a readable, to see how you should input it to my app, do that inside Windows File Property Box.
Whatever is inside, cut CTRL+ALT+SHIFT statement and use the shown rest. Example "F2" would mean "Function Key 2"
If any specific combination aint possible since its definition is missing, please let me know.

Take care what you do, no warnings, no checks, just doings...
Control twice wich checkboxes you have checked before you press any "Apply" button !!



Regards,

KodeZwerg.

[KodeZwerg]

New Bugfixed Version is available here.

Bugfixed:
Win32/Win64 bit location thing.

Features added: (hopefully bugfree, lets see)
- added Allow to drop folders, if checked, those folders will be scanned for .lnk files and added to list
- added scan all subfolder switch, take care what you doing, this may take a while :-)

GUI Preview:
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties

[KodeZwerg]

Another small addition is made, two new buttons.
Now you can press on ".." buttons to simplify things.
One to easy choose Target and one to easy choose Icon.

Screenshot with localized Icon select dialog (you will see it in your language):
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties


known bug, soon to be fixed:
If Target or Working Path contain Environment Settings (%XYZ% for example) then my App has a problem to autofind target.
So pressing "Mark Bad" might not always be 100% accurate...

[KodeZwerg]

Here a new version can be obtained.

Fixed:
- nothing of above post 

Added:
- Icon Display for current file (it either try load whatever is stored to use as icon/index or load associated from target)
- Double check, you cannot add a file twice (or more) anymore
- Double check for subfolders aswell
- missing HotKey "Ext" field

Since a picture tell more than thousands words:
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
That bug is also on my todo list, somehow it is kinda resident.
When you work with my ".." icon choose dialog, whatever you have choosen will be printed in Arguments and Description on save.
It is invisble at first, you only see it when you "Save current" and press inside box on shortcut again (this will reload to left screen).

I am sorry for this situation, i'm on it to fix, if interested at all.

[KodeZwerg]

I am so happy to eleminate that IconDialog bug in a KodeZwerg way :-)

Fixed:
- IconDialog bug, I really hope its gone now...
- %ENVIRONMENT% for icons should work now always good

Added:
- To my StatusBar Frankenstein would say: Its alive!
  (now you see some status on major actions)

current known Bugs/limitations:
- you can not save shortcut file if no target found, if doing mass operations, those might be skipped
- %ENVIRONMENT% strings are still buggy for target/working path name
- due to above line "Mark Bad" not always good


Enjoy.

[KodeZwerg]

This should be considered as my final build, last contribution in here aslong no bugs reported.

Fixed:
- file handling with those fancy %environment% strings should be solved now

Bugs left:
- sometimes no iconfile is named, but as soon as you press ".." it will be revealed
- not all shortcut target types are supported, like a folder or windows api special stuff
  ( this application is designed for files as target, try out what goes and what not )
- "Mark Bad" feature still not best since some files be marked as bad because they include some of above mentioned types

You should at least know how i fixed that %environment% bug because it belongs your files.
Whenever my app detect %values% it try to decode them to readable form.
That belongs to "Target" and "Working Path". "IconLocation" will not be modified.

From my point of view, i can live with left bugs, project is closed to me.

I still do offer support if needed.

[skwire]

Looks great, KodeZwerg!  I hope to finish out the LNK handling on my app this weekend and at least get that version out to berkland for testing.  The URL handling will come after the LNK  handling is done.

[KodeZwerg]

If i remember right, .url is plain text file like .ini.
Maby i add it someday too, but never implement "search'n replace", it is easy to add but thats your terrain
Fancy editable Listview belongs to you aswell, to me with WinApi commands it is too slow.
And i wonder how your filehandling work with different %environments% and how your icon support will be,
and everything else that struggled me alot.... I am looking forward to yours, best wishes!
If needed, as always, my sourcecode you can have.
I hope some of my features inspired you to do same like my GUI was inspired by yours, just KodeZwergonized hahaha

[KodeZwerg]

IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
(as small clue how i do)

soon to be ready, i also found field named "origurl", i have absolutly no idea what does what, as seen on picture just my labels get renamed.
i think i added most important features.

for now my app is dead. my code to find files (that formerly was restricted to *.lnk) is in that moment total crashed. i need to start from scratch that internal procedure.....

[skwire]

If i remember right, .url is plain text file like .ini.

-KodeZwerg (November 09, 2018, 11:15 AM)

Yes, it is just a renamed INI file.  I've worked with them in the past on some other apps I've written.

[KodeZwerg]

What to say, to me it look final, do you like to say same aswell?

This is how it looks when you selected a .lnk file that has "okay/good" content
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties

This is how it looks when you selected a .lnk file where target is missing. (missing target = file not found)
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties

This is how it looks when you select a .url file
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties

Fixed:
 - re-written my FindFiles() internal thing to get files for *.lnk and *.url in same step.
 - subfolder bug (that exists in non-public release) is finally gone 
 - Red Color bug fixed, i forgot to reset its state on reload   
 - "Apply" bug fixed, i forgot to add new ".url" handling for multiple save actions 

Added:
 - more missing StatusBar Text added. 

known bugs/limitations:
 - for what this application is made for = none known
 - for what this application aint designed for is still not working
   - if target aint a file than my application assume it is bad


Regards,

KodeZwerg.

[mouser]

Looking good 

[KodeZwerg]

Looking good 

-mouser (November 10, 2018, 01:15 AM)

I just had a thought on "how-to" turn [Looking good] into [Looking better] and tried to bring that idea to code.
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
And this is what it resulted into, the box finally shows Windows Explorer like preview of linked Icon.
In some cases preview Icon aint same Icon as defined in Editor. Its Windows we talk about 
I am sorry, the box is now a little bit slower but looking better (I hope) 

Fixed:
 - missing StatusBar Text for .url files (it wont hang on "Compute Data ..." anymore)
 - this and that inside Source

Added:
 - preview Icons for Box

known bugs/limitations:
 - for what this application is made for = none known
 - for what this application aint designed for is still not working
   - if target aint a file than my application assume it is bad


Regards,

KodeZwerg.

[KodeZwerg]

IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
Soon ready with Checkboxes

[KodeZwerg]

For you pleasure, my last final build is here.

Added:
 - Checkboxes inside box
 - Box Fontsize slightly increased to perform better with Iconsize
 - full window is now dropzone (even titlebar), no need to specific target the box anymore

Fixed:
 - hopyfully everything that belong to checkboxes
 - dramatic reduced flickering effect when scrolling inside box on many items
 - black background in checkbox area when scrolling

[KodeZwerg]

Next big update is ready for download.

IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties

Added:
 - colors 
 - replaced ListBox with a ListView
 - speed due ListView usage

Fixed:
 - from all a bit
 - some foldername is now a valid target

I hope you like it, some response at all would be nice.

[mouser]

I hope you like it, some response at all would be nice.

don't get discouraged if a requester does not reply promptly.. there are 2 ways to think of this:
1. try to be like a zen samurai artist who creates things and does not care about whether they are used
2. or just wait patiently until eventually someone gives you thanks, even if it might be a year later

[KodeZwerg]

I hope you like it, some response at all would be nice.

don't get discouraged if a requester does not reply promptly.. there are 2 ways to think of this:
1. try to be like a zen samurai artist who creates things and does not care about whether they are used
2. or just wait patiently until eventually someone gives you thanks, even if it might be a year later

-mouser (November 10, 2018, 08:40 PM)

My zen spirit talked to me, thats why i release my latest build to open public :-)

With my samurai abilities I successful sliced some found bugs out.
 - big icon display bug (if pressed inside box on empty place, a folder icon was shown)
   now my dwarf icon will be used as standard.

Ninjas visited me and wanted that I add more tweaks. I submit and done :-]
 - missing actions for labels with checkboxes on left added
 - missing colors added to all controls

In dojo during a trance session my old master showed up and whispered in my ear, let people show how different Windows work.
IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
If able, compare big icon with listviews small one.

To mouser and Skwire, I admit forgot to mentioned that i recoqnized your "Look good" words. So thankyou too.

If more interested could test and tell bugs, I guess I would not need to release that many builds.
To me it is just fun project, made as good as I could.

[mouser]

It's definitely a great NANY 2019 release. 

[KodeZwerg]

Next logical evolution is made. 64bit.

You will find it here.

IDEA: Batch Editor for URL and LNK Properties
Some tweaks to GUI added.
The box is now splitted into 3 arrays, first for checkbox/icon, second for filename and last for path.
It will always sort by path+filename.

Added:
 - button to copy Hint Text for Target is dynamic avail on left side
 - Hint Text for Target if it dont match my calculated one
 - checkbox to skip Icon loading during a drop, this will extreme speed up the box!
 - doubleclick inside box, no need to guess what it does. exact! it format drive.... erm.... Execute file :-]
 - faster file searching on folder drops

Fixed:
 - reduced internal memory usage by switch to other types; thus that, many many things recoded
 - filedetection improved
 - iconextraction improved

Bugs/Limitations:
 - Application should work great with .lnk files that contain either a Filename or a Pathname as Target
   other types still not supported
 - when you click too fast in box (not fast enough for a doubleclick but still fast) app might crash due pointers that aint exist.
   64bit is not that graciously like 32bit is.

Enjoy!