Author Topic: Alomware Toolbox looks interesting with alot of tools (Read 15957 times)

sphere · « **on:** April 11, 2023, 11:16 AM »

Anyone heard of or use AlomWare Toolbox? I am wondering what out there might have a similar feature set or if anyone has tried it and had positive or negative experiences with it?

I originally was looking into it because it will OCR screenshots using window’s native OCR, but then I noticed it has a lot of other neat features all bundled into a nice interface and a portable app.

The website https://www.alomware.com/features.html does a better job describing the program features, but in short it consists of a:

Macro recorder and AHK like automation.
Clipboard history manager with text manipulations as well as a screenshot manager with OCR. (I do like link Clipboard Help& Spell more)
File Explorer “power” user options with scripting, file search and folder watching and file backup
PC Desktop State management
Calendar and Scheduler with scripting
Plain text notes with the option to encrypt
various other window tweaks

Folder watching seems like it offers versioning. I am a longtime fan of portableapps, and I think you can bundle many applications to get a similar feature set, but I like how this is packaged and I think it looks intuitive enough that non-power users could use it and enjoy the benefits.

It is in beta.

BarryG · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2023, 05:13 AM »

I got a Google alert about this post. I am a user of this app and yes, it's very handy. No negative experiences that I've had. So yeah, just wanted to say it's worth it and I can recommend it. Ask me any questions if you like and I'll do my best to help.

[Edit] I just realised this sounds like a bot, but I'm not. Here's a screenshot to prove I really use it: [Removed as point proven].

rjbull · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2023, 03:41 PM »

Portable... yet wants your PC ID(s), which I take to be a hardware footprint. I hate hardware footprints.

BarryG · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2023, 04:16 PM »

Hi rjbull. Before I first bought Toolbox, I contacted support about the PC ID and they replied that it's just a hardware hash that Toolbox generates and does not show any actual PC info, and is only needed if you want to pay for the software. Using the free trial doesn't involve a PC ID at all. Apparently it's just to stop sharing of a purchased unlock code with others, which makes sense from an anti-piracy standpoint.

Deozaan · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2023, 04:27 PM »

I just realised this sounds like a bot, but I'm not. Here's a screenshot to prove I really use it:
-BarryG (September 17, 2023, 05:13 AM)

Hi BarryG, welcome to the site and thanks for your input!

For future reference, due to prior experience with images breaking over time, we prefer images to be attached and embedded in the post itself rather than linked externally. This way a year from now (or longer) the image will still work instead of becoming a dead link.

BarryG · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2023, 03:54 AM »

Hi Deozaan. To be honest, I didn't try attaching an image because it was my first post, and most forums prevent that; so that's why I did an Imgur direct link. I'll actually remove it now, since it's done the job of showing I'm not a bot.

Dormouse · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2023, 11:59 AM »

due to prior experience with images breaking over time, we prefer images to be attached and embedded in the post itself rather than linked
-Deozaan (September 17, 2023, 04:27 PM)

An advantage of docx and databases over md files

luvnbeast · « **Reply #7 on:** September 19, 2023, 06:57 AM »

Sure Alomware does have interesting tools, but it does not have event triggering from app monitoring in the toolbox. It is rather nice though, and maybe they could have something like a program monitor in the future as it is in beta.

irkregent · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2023, 12:27 PM »

due to prior experience with images breaking over time, we prefer images to be attached and embedded in the post itself rather than linked
-Deozaan (September 17, 2023, 04:27 PM)
An advantage of docx and databases over md files
-Dormouse (September 18, 2023, 11:59 AM)

Hmm...a counterpoint to the "markdown for everything" movement that I had not considered.

Dormouse · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2023, 03:36 PM »

Hmm...a counterpoint to the "markdown for everything" movement that I had not considered.
-irkregent (September 19, 2023, 12:27 PM)

I've switched all my note-taking with images to docx (also considered odt & rtf).
I tend to save images with a descriptive name and date+time stamp - so all are unique.
I'm usually quite disciplined and have a DAM.
But even so

After using Obsidian & Tangent notes with their vault/workspace systems for some time, I realised that workflows with images were high friction or liable to break (depending on the vault/workspace I was in). The high friction system involving saving/naming the image and using a link to that. Rarely worth it for a note. So I switched and now no friction.

At the end of the day, markdown is a text format. In the long term, I think virtually all links with images will break for nearly everyone.

rjbull · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2023, 03:48 PM »

- re Hardware footprint:

[...] I contacted support about the PC ID and they replied that it's just a hardware hash [...]it's just to stop sharing of a purchased unlock code with others, which makes sense from an anti-piracy standpoint.
-BarryG (September 17, 2023, 04:16 PM)

I eventually bought a license (my UserID is rjbull and I am a sofwareholic). The author said they'd been ripped off right and left with earlier programs, and this was the only thing that helped them make money. Shame, but one can't blame them.

I look forward to a version of the Help file that has a chapter on Automation...

BarryG · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2023, 05:51 AM »

Sure Alomware does have interesting tools, but it does not have event triggering from app monitoring in the toolbox. It is rather nice though, and maybe they could have something like a program monitor in the future as it is in beta.
-luvnbeast (September 19, 2023, 06:57 AM)

What do you mean by "event triggering from app monitoring"? I looked but can't see anything obvious in the app that might relate to that.

Your best bet is to contact them with any ideas because their website says they're open to suggestions.

sphere · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2023, 06:10 PM »

I got a Google alert about this post. I am a user of this app and yes, it's very handy. No negative experiences that I've had. So yeah, just wanted to say it's worth it and I can recommend it. Ask me any questions if you like and I'll do my best to help.
-BarryG (September 17, 2023, 05:13 AM)

@BarryG I realize some time has pasted, but I would be interested in learning more about how you use it. Also how did you get a google alert about this post?
Thanks for going the extra step and joining.

I have not played much with Alomware.

BarryG · « **Reply #13 on:** September 24, 2023, 04:49 AM »

You can set up Google Alerts at https://www.google.com/alerts

So I've got alerts set up for various topics that interest me. AlomWare is one, so I don't miss any updates or discussions about it (mainly on their subreddit).

I mainly use AlomWare Toolbox to automatically position my windows where I like when they open, and to type things for me like my email address. I also use it for reminders, screenshots and clipboard history. The screenshots feature is good because it OCRs text with each shot, so I can search them later by the text in them if I need to.

I've also got a dock set up with it to show some pre-chosen apps and folders to open when I click the bottom of the taskbar (see the attachment).

Other stuff too but I won't go into it all here (too much to type).

Gonex · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2023, 04:32 AM »

I'll always advocate AlomWare Toolbox because it does what you ask, plus a million other automation things. It really is an excellent piece of software once you get into it.

BarryG · « **Reply #15 on:** November 01, 2023, 12:29 AM »

Just got a Google alert for this Reddit post:

https://www.reddit.c...olbox_v100_released/

Looks like they got rid of the hardware lock license. Hope that doesn't make them go under now. $:-\$

rjbull · « **Reply #16 on:** November 01, 2023, 06:12 PM »

The very responsive author seems to have quite a few beta testers, and has been extremely busy squashing bugs and adding features. Glad to see it made it to full release.

I hope the license isn't his downfall, too, though it's worked OK for other shareware.

EDIT: the author points out that the unlock code is tied to the PayPal email used to purchase the code, which should deter spreading it around.

BarryG · « **Reply #17 on:** December 02, 2023, 06:51 PM »

The very responsive author seems to have quite a few beta testers, and has been extremely busy squashing bugs and adding features.
-rjbull (November 01, 2023, 06:12 PM)

I see it's had another update two days ago: https://www.alomware.../toolbox-changes.txt

The dedication is definitely up there!

rjbull · « **Reply #18 on:** December 03, 2023, 03:34 PM »

I see it's had another update two days ago: https://www.alomware.../toolbox-changes.txt

The dedication is definitely up there!
-BarryG (December 02, 2023, 06:51 PM)

He really, really needs to write the Automation chapter of Help

[email protected] · « **Reply #19 on:** January 12, 2024, 07:07 AM »

This is not the norm. I have seen few VMs that refuse to have VMware Tools upgrade, but they're few and far between, and they were built by people who weren't following best practices in the first place. I would try to investigate to see the pedigree of those VMs and look at the SOP used in building them. We have a number of new VMs with the VMware Paravirtual SCSI controller and VMXNET3 NICs and they don't have any issues upgrading VMware Tools. Maybe you have an overly-aggressive anti-malware solution that blocks/quarantines the VMware Tools install process. We've gone from ESXi 6.0 to ESXi 6.5 U3/6.7 U3, and now to 7.0 U3 without any major widespread issue with updating VMware Tools. If there are any, they're limited to a few older VMs.

BarryG · « **Reply #20 on:** February 10, 2024, 06:22 AM »

He really, really needs to write the Automation chapter of Help
-rjbull (December 03, 2023, 03:34 PM)

I just saw on Reddit that the app has been updated again, and then noticed there's been a start on the Automation chapter.

Go here and then click Automation in the Contents column: https://www.alomware...om/manual/index.html

rjbull · « **Reply #21 on:** February 10, 2024, 03:45 PM »

He really, really needs to write the Automation chapter of Help
-rjbull (December 03, 2023, 03:34 PM)

I just saw on Reddit that the app has been updated again, and then noticed there's been a start on the Automation chapter.
-BarryG (February 10, 2024, 06:22 AM)

He said that v.2 was a very big update, and that the Automation chapter was/will be tantamount to a tutorial on programming.

He's very responsive to comments, which is a nice change in this world of big arrogant corporations.