NANY IDEA: Find start menu orphans

[mouser]

Here's my idea: A utility that scans a set of (user configurable) directories, to find executables (.exe) for which there is no matching start menu item.

Bonus feature: Show the list with checkboxes and offer ability to create shortcuts for the items in a special subdirectory of start menu.

This utility would be useful to find programs that aren't on your start menu for some reason, maybe because they were left over from an uninstall, or maybe one is scanning their own portable app directory that one would like to have added to the start menu.


Some subtleties to this app:

1. You will have to be smart about scanning and caching the start menu shortcuts.  That is, you will have to FIRST scan the MULTIPLE start menu folders, and parse all shortcuts found, and cache the paths in a datastructure that you can do fast string lookup on.
2. And only then start scanning the directories and looking up paths.

[anandcoral]

Isn't this will be reverse of FARR ?

I only use FARR and get .exe from both "Program files" and "Portable" folders to execute. Your suggestion is to make menu of the "Portable" folder and also those missing in "Program files".

Any reason for not using FARR ?

Regards,

Anand

[mouser]

I envision totally different use case than FARR.
FARR is good for quickly finding something you know exists (by typing it's name).

I still use the Start Menu sometimes to browse to see what is installed on my computer.
And I think it can be helpful when the Start Menu is "complete"..

Plus I think searching for executables not in the start menu would turn up some occasional surprises, like executable tools that come with a program that you didn't know existed, or portable apps that you forgot about.

[anandcoral]

Plus I think searching for executables not in the start menu would turn up some occasional surprises, like executable tools that come with a program that you didn't know existed, or portable apps that you forgot about.

-mouser (November 23, 2019, 05:45 AM)

Hmm..this is very good point. 

Regards,

Anand

[Winkie]

Well, here is my stab at this idea:

NANY IDEA: Find start menu orphans

The source script, written in AutoHotkey: ISMONISM.ahk. (In Start Menu Or Not In Start Menu)

The script scans the Start Menu and for exe files in the Program Files folders by default. But other folders and file types can be added in the configuration section at the top of the script.

The bonus feature is on the to do list. And will stay there for a couple of days.

[mouser]

Exciting!! 

[anandcoral]

Ah! Oh! Winkie beats me !!
Congratulation Winkie 

I was working on it and was planing for 31 Dec, but looks like it is too late

Now, should I abandon it ? as two apps for same feature is of less use to community, I think.

Regards,

Anand

[mouser]

It is always a very tough personal decision when to stop working on a project because of someone else's work.

NANY is as much a programming excercise for oneself as it is to make something for others, so there is room for multiple versions..
But sometimes the motivation is hard to find when another program exists..

[Ath]

+1 what mouser says.

I'd love to see & compare both, so @anandcoral, please publish your creation when you think it's ready 

[anandcoral]

Thanks for the inspiration, but not to "compare". Everyone's creation is good from the point view one sees and requirement it satisfies.
Just to have another option for nearly the same requirement. Maybe some features here and there.

Will speed up now

Regards,

Anand

[Winkie]

Exciting!! 

-mouser (December 20, 2019, 01:49 PM)

Congratulation Winkie 

-anandcoral (December 21, 2019, 03:21 AM)

Thank you both.

Will speed up now

-anandcoral (December 21, 2019, 11:32 AM)

There's no rush. I still haven't implemented the 'create shortcuts'-feature yet... And getting to the point where anyone can use the program (e.g. change settings without editing the source)  may also take a while...

I did work on this project today, and the 'retrieve data from the ListView'-tests resulted in adding some little features. Look like this will be the GUI for the next 'release':

NANY IDEA: Find start menu orphans

[anandcoral]

I did work on this project today, and the 'retrieve data from the ListView'-tests resulted in adding some little features. Look like this will be the GUI for the next 'release':

-Winkie (December 23, 2019, 11:37 AM)

Good progress 

Regards,

Anand