Author Topic: FARR V2 hyper-alpha - alias fiends available to test? (Read 14543 times)

mouser · « **on:** May 25, 2007, 11:29 AM »

So i'm finally making a big move to use multiple alias files (in xml format) instead of one big one.

This has been discussed before and it has some giant advantages in terms of sharing and updating alias files.

Alias files are autodiscovered on startup, from 2 directories, one for readonly alias files designed to be replaced on update, and one for user alias files (by default the user has just one custom editable alias file where they can put their custom aliases).

So now someone can post a special alias file called "Yahoo Alias Set" with a bunch of aliases for yahoo stuff, and users can "install" it simply by copying the file to their alias subdirectory.

I hope this will make sharing aliases really easy and fun.

I've also added the ability to specify a default icon to show for an alias, plus the ability to specify a custom icon for every result in an alias, which should make for some pretty alias sets (just put the aliases used by an alias in a subdirectory along with the alias file, which is in xml format by the way).

NOW:

I've written code that should on first run detect all your existing custom aliases and save them to the new custom alias file.
But because of this dramatic change in the way things work, i really want to get some pro testers who use aliases and custom aliases (and might be interested in making some custom alias sets for sharing), in case i messed something up.

I'm putting this special test up somewhere and request you email me ([email protected]) or message me on the forum for the download; don't use this unless you really want to test this version, and PLEASE backup your farr config files first!

nitrix-ud · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2007, 02:00 PM »

I would love to get this Hyper Alpha !

Cheers, Nitrix

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2007, 02:07 PM »

I would love to get this Hyper Alpha !
-nitrix-ud (May 25, 2007, 02:00 PM)

count me in too, mouser!

Josh · « **Reply #3 on:** May 26, 2007, 02:26 PM »

mouser must not be responding to pm's as I sent him one a few days ago now

lanux128 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2007, 02:54 PM »

probably he's busy preparing the test downloads..

Josh · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2007, 02:58 PM »

nah, i think we've just been mousered (n).

mouser · « **Reply #6 on:** May 27, 2007, 09:24 AM »

sorry, i'm just a bit slow responding. i'll have it up and emailed today.

Josh · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2007, 09:46 AM »

SURE! I call shenanigans. There really is no new release is there, you've just been taunting us!

Liquidmantis · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2007, 10:37 AM »

Just fired up the new version. It did not keep my existing aliases however. This is on Vista which forces the FARR ini files to be kept in the AppData tree if that matters.

First thing I did was rename the AppData\DonationCoder directory and copy my INI files to the FARR program directory. My launch history and all was kept but not my aliases.
Then I tried deleting the new AppData\DonationCoder directory and the FARR program directory INI files I originally copied over. Then I restored my original AppData\DonationCoder directory. The behavior was the same both ways.

[Edit]
So the GUI doesn't seem to currently have an easy way to create new alias files. I created an alias file manually in MyCustom and restarted FARR but it didn't detect the file or give me a way to add it either.

TucknDar · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2007, 10:58 AM »

I don't use aliases enough to test and frankly I haven't the time either, but it definitely sounds like a good idea to split 'official' aliases and custom aliases and keeping them in xml!

I'll wait for the official release, though

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** May 30, 2007, 11:35 AM »

Liquidmantis,
it was supposed to keep your aliases -- i think it's probably a vista issue.

as you say, the gui doesn't yet have a way to let you create a new alias file, but what you did manually should have worked. can you check the appdata directories and make sure it didnt create folders in there? i have to check my vista version for this stuff. when you modify your custom alias file, can you make sure its saving your changes, and see what alias file in what directory it is really modifying.

ps.
please save your backed up original alias prior to this new version! when i get the vista version working you will want to restore to that version in order to have it properly import your old aliases.

Liquidmantis · « **Reply #11 on:** May 30, 2007, 12:14 PM »

Nope, no alias files or directories in the AppData location. The ConfigDir.ini file still doesn't affect the Vista redirection either.

I can't modify any alias files through FARR right now if that's what you mean as the only one showing up is the read-only Core1.

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** May 30, 2007, 12:42 PM »

crap, i see that it's not auto-creating the myaliases.alias file. damn that may be the problem

ok i better release an update asap or no one is going to be able to create aliases!

mouser · « **Reply #13 on:** May 30, 2007, 07:03 PM »

liquid, can you try the latest version, i think it should now create a myaliases.alias file in the appdata location.
also could you email me ([email protected]) -- it would be nice to have a vista user who can test stuff.

Liquidmantis · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2007, 08:35 PM »

Badabing. Working as designed now.
Here's what I did:
Exited the previous alpha
Installed the new build
Restored my INI files
Launched FARR

My AppData directory has the myAliases.alias file and FARR lists my custom aliases after selecting the drop down.

Man, in that short amount of time I was lost. I kept having to stop and rethink how to VNC or Remote Desktop to a machine. I can't believe how dependent on FARR I am now.

I'll CC this to your email too.

mouser · « **Reply #15 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:07 PM »

glad to hear the new fix worked on vista and got your old aliases too. thanks for the quick report!

Liquidmantis · « **Reply #16 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:15 PM »

Thanks for the quick fix!

mouser · « **Reply #17 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:35 PM »

Now that the new version can use multiple independent alias files (with custom icons for results), it would be really nice to see people post alias files for sharing.

Liquidmantis · « **Reply #18 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:56 PM »

Here's mine. Nothing special, but a it's a few shortcuts I use regularly throughout the day:

rdp [computer name or IP] - Starts a remote desktop connection to the typed system.
rdpc [computer name or IP] - Starts a remote desktop to the console of the typed system.
vnc [computer name or IP] - as above, but VNC connection.
cm [ditto] - Starts Computer Management remotely connected to the typed system.
ev [again] - Starts Event Viewer on the typed system. Normally I just use Computer Management but this is nice to have for a cleaner tool.
loc [filename] - starts a Locate32 for the typed file.
r [executable] - is the equivalent of putting something in the Run dialog. Not really faster than Win-R but it is consolidated this way.

The Loc and I think the R alias aren't my idea but were forum finds that I can't remember who to give credit for now.

TXT extension added to get through forum attachment filter.

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:58 PM »

in general the best way to solve file attachment issue on forum is to zip the file (added advantage is you can embed any icon files in the zip).

having said that, i'm going to go add .alias files to allowed list.

justice · « **Reply #20 on:** May 31, 2007, 03:00 AM »

@Liquidmantis Use locate32 with Farr

Liquidmantis · « **Reply #21 on:** May 31, 2007, 08:00 AM »

There we go! So I give credit for the Loc alias to justice.

That was only three threads down too. Sorry, I was tired.

nitrix-ud · « **Reply #22 on:** May 31, 2007, 03:47 PM »

Hi mouser

Thanks again for this great version !

i found a bug related to the new /ICON modifier (and finally to all window modifiers)

i have a yubnub alias with the following associated results

[Select]

YubNub $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=$$c /ICON=icons\yubnub.ico
Google + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=g+$$c /ICON=icons\google.ico
Yahoo + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=y+$$c /ICON=icons\yahoo.ico
Live Search + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=wls+$$c /ICON=icons\live.ico
Whois whois + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=whois+$$c
ctqui + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=ctqui+$$c
Delicious + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=deli+$$c /ICON=icons\delicious.ico
Wikipédia + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=wpf+$$c /ICON=icons\wikipedia.ico
IMDB + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=imdb+$$c /ICON=icons\imdb.ico
php + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=php+$$c
mysql + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=mysql+$$c /ICON=icons\mysql.ico
Autohotkey + $$c | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=ahkdoc+$$c /ICON=icons\ahk.ico
chars | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=chars
schar | http://www.yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=schar

the regex is ^yubnub (.*)

the problem is that the /ICON part is added to the search string...
i tried with other window modifiers and it's the same... /STAYOPEN ...

maybe the window modifiers should be after a second "|"
i'm sure the parsing of the results is getting very very difficult !

Keep up the good work

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** May 31, 2007, 03:58 PM »

hi nitrix, can you clarify what you mean by "the /ICON part is added to the search string"

mouser · « **Reply #24 on:** May 31, 2007, 05:07 PM »

i'm also adding the ability to invoke plugins directly from alias results, and scan plugin directories for alias files. in this way, a plugin can have its own alias file(s) with a large set of aliases which when triggered tell the plugin to do a certain thing. this is an advantage over the current system where each plugin can have one and only one regular expression trigger.