As I type what is probably the longest post ever, here are my short responses to everyone - I tried to make them logical, but it is late here and I am not feeling well, but it should make sense.
I suggest using your forum signature to link to the post/site with the latest version.
-Deozaan
I will do that - I put the notifications in my sig, but no link.
I installed it and launched it. First impressions are very important. That's why your user's first thoughts should not be: "WHAT THE SMURF IS THAT?"
-Deozaan
This has been fixed in 2.3 - all buttons are smaller (approx 50 pixels tall) and are wider. There is also a new "SnapBar" for common tasks.
I think I know what you're going to say, especially based on some screenshots I've seen here in this thread. "SnapSuite is intended to be viewed fullscreen." Sorry, but with dual 19" monitors, there is hardly a thing I can stand to have maximized anymore. Don't force your preferences on your users.
-Deozaan
Actually - it isnt. It is supposed to be small to stay out of the way. How did you manage to get it maximized?
Also, I noticed that when I hover over some of the icons, no description help bubble things pops up, and actually if I hover over the SnapScreen icon, it takes me directly to the SnapScreen tab without me clicking or anything.
-Deozaan
Program bug I found - has been fixed. Visual Basic set the code to the wrong event (mouse
hover and not mouse
click). I guess it happened while I was adding tooltips.
Okay, now that I've finished talking about that, I can actually try out the features of the program.
AppLaunch:
I'm not sure how this is coded in there, but since I only have 3 of the applications installed (Firefox, IE, and Windows Media Player) I'm wondering if these buttons would break if someone were to customize their installation path for any of these programs. Then again, you probably did it the smart way and used registry information or something I have no idea about since I don't do this kind of programming.
EDIT: The FAQ answers this question:
Q: When I try to start a program with AppLaunch, nothing happens. What is the problem?
A: You need to have the program installed in order for it to launch. It also needs to be installed to the default directory.
-Deozaan
Yes, I know little about how the Registry works - unfortunately.
In my opinion having quicklaunch bars for 7 web browsers is kind of useless. Especially if I only have 2 of them installed. I don't know how feasible this is, but AppLaunch would be much better if you could add entries yourself. Or, perhaps an even better idea, is if there's a way to detect if it's installed or not, just link to the application homepage to download it it if isn't installed already.
-Deozaan
I tried this, and it didn't work out well. I'll put it on my to-do list and give it another go.
I also just noticed that the "Recommend a program to add" and "Help" buttons don't do anything for me. In fact, the Help button doesn't do anything for me on any of the tabs. I haven't tried any of the other buttons in the other tabs yet since I want to go through each section at a time.
-Deozaan
The Help button doesn't do anything yet, but the "Recommend a Program" button *should* open your default e-mail program and start an email off to me. Strange - it works for me.
the buttons and things are too large for the screen:
-Deozaan
Yes, another problem I found. I fixed it in 2.3. I guess I dragged the button a little too far and it didn't want to resize properly and I didn't notice.
Okay, so visual problems aside... I can't get this to work. I press F1 and it makes SnapSuite disappear for a split second and then it comes back, but no text is pasted anywhere.
-Deozaan
Yes, as I said in one of the post above, AutoType is basically dead. Believe it or not that is the FIXED version - the original one was... a nightmare (to put it lightly).
giant button at the bottom that says "Clear/Hide your instant message history..."
I clicked it. I noticed an AHK script show up in my tray that said IM history will be cleared in 5 seconds. I clicked back here in anticipation and waited.
-Deozaan
Gah! Another thing to fix. Didn't know about that one...what the heck?
EDIT:
Okay, I felt it a little unfair to end there after all. While I was flipping through the tabs to see if the Help button did anything in any tab (it doesn't) I noticed some very cool stuff in your Support and About tabs.
...
About:
Pretty much the same thing here. It was a good idea to include info about SnapSuite being a part of the NANY 2008 Coding Challenge (but the image you're using shows a picture of Cody sleeping on Jan 01, 2007)
(see attachment in previous post)
-Deozaan
I couldn't find one of the 2008 challenge - I might use an image of my NANY mug though instead...
Then also a cool idea is to once again use the built in browser to show off DonationCoder.com and even the lovable (though currently migrated for Winter) WTFCody.com
(see attachment in previous post) (see attachment in previous post)
That's a nice touch!
-Deozaan
I need to do some bug fixing, it would appear.
@ Brandon. My little head is confused about the very purpose of SnapSuite. I would like to encourage you to re-consider what the program is supposed to do. I am not likely to open it in order to use a painter, a musicplayer, or a text editor, or any other of that kind of programs - I have better options for this kind of jobs right at hand. SnapSuite has so far been branded as a smart and effecient way to keep my PC clean and healthy. What the *smurf* does all these extras have to do with a healthy machine?
Your head is so full of ideas that I truly must envy you!!, -but it may be helpfull to keep the ideas grouped / seperated, "one item at a time" and "each job in its own time", you know. Sometimes it just is necessary to "kill your darlings"...
You are obviously very talented, so I have great faith that you will write the most awesome programs. Now, kill some darlings, and Go Writing!
-Curt
The idea is to have it open and do tasks as needed. However, as requested before, the new installer includes 3 new shortcuts so you don't need to launch the main program to access the internals:
- SmartBrowse
- SystemCare OneStep Shutdown
- SystemCare OneStep Reboot
So the main 3 parts (as far as I know) are covered right on the desktop (optionally of course). And there is a SnapBar that has common stuff on it in the QuickStart tab so that you only have to open it and click what you want to do.
One does get the feeling that SnapSuite is something of Brandon's Do-it-all repository for all things.
I think the next project Brandon takes on could benefit from some brainstorming and planning here on the forum -- maybe a smaller more focused utility dedicated to solving a specific need.
-mouser
It is a do-it-all idea - just badly designed I suppose. I am trying really hard to get it more normal feeling, and less like a "box of stuff".
My recommendation is to create a suite of standalone, specific, applications where each one performs a specific thing.
-Veign
That was what I did initially - but I thought it would be easier (and less clutter) to have everything condensed into one. Who wants like 15 shortcuts on their desktop when they can be one and just in a series of tabs?
Thinking about the purpose of some of these utilities, I see some very powerful tools being used alongside some utilities (er... one utility) meant for kids. The practical application of KidDraw is not very good if the child can also accidentally click on the other tabs that will mess with your registry or whatever.
Just think if Skrommel's One-Hour software all came bundled together. Every tool in Skrommel's catalog is useful. It's been directly requested by someone on this site. But that doesn't mean every tool is useful to everyone. Skromme's One-Hour software would not be nearly the success it is if you had to install all of them just to use the one or two you wanted.
-Deozaan
That does bring an idea to mind... too advanced for me, but an idea of downloading "addon" parts and just getting what you want - smaller download, smaller program, easier to use...
