How do you launch stuff?

[sri]

Off late, I've been researching on several ways to launch programs/files/folders/web sites.

I've tried

a) adding a menu in DOpus but realized that I have to switch to its window and click on the menu to get to the items 

b)
1) Added a menu in PhraseExpress and set a hotkey ctrl+M to bring up the menu. I still have to press a hot key to bring up the menu
2) Similar hotkey menu activation using PS Hot Launch (better than DOpus method because the individual items automatically get a letter by which they can be selected)

c) Launchy, FARR etc.: I have to press a key like Alt+space to bring up the floating command line. Of course this method has the added advantage that you need not manually add items to the menu as they get auto picked from Program Files.

d) LaunchOnFly: This brings up the menu simply by moving mouse to one of the 4 screen edges or corners. Excellent! Here are some screens:

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I'm using the last free version which can be downloaded from here.

Are there any similar better free programs that brings up a menu by simply mousing over a region of the screen?

How about you? What do you use?

[TucknDar]

I use FARR, LaunchBarCommander and some shortcuts in my LiteStep theme. I've also got quite a few hotkeys configured (in an AHK script) to launch at least the most used apps (WIN+E = Total Commander, WIN+N = metapad, WIN+T = notepad++, etc...).

[jgpaiva]

I only have 4 methods to launch stuff:

• Farr (this is the one i use 99% of the time)
• QuickLaunch bar (i use this when i don't feel like using the mouse)
• AHK shortcuts (after i've launched my main ahk script through one of the above methods)
• XYplorer (to launch files which i can't remember their location)

[icekin]

I use

Launchy

Stroke it

Panekiller (CTRL + right click anywhere to get start menu)

[yksyks]

I created a dozens of single-key shortcuts for the main applications (using Hotkeyz), for the not so frequented apps I'm using FARR and the rest including command-line driven apps I'm starting from within ZTreeWin. Not a single icon on desktop, no Quick Launch toolbar. For me very efficient setup.

[rjbull]

Are there any similar better free programs that brings up a menu by simply mousing over a region of the screen?

PowerPro can do that (amongst an astronomical number of other things), depending on how you set it up.

[PhilB66]

I use QuickMenu (see http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=9627.0) and MenuMaker (plugin for Samurize).

[edbro]

1. Powerpro hotkeys & mouse assignments
2. Powerpro built toolbar.
3. Start menu
4. FARR

[rjbull]

PopSel and Qsel, freeware by Horst Schaeffer.

[tomos]

of course then there's Vista Start Menu which is keyboard friendly

[Armando]

Farr almost exclusively. Easier, and overall quicker than any other solution (except for the other similar solutions, like Launchy, etc.). I've timed myself.
Sometimes i'll use the start menu -- to start farr if I had to close it for some reasons. 

[ljbirns]

Direct Acess for programs I use  often every day 
FARR for programs I use occasionally and for programs I know I have but don't always know where

[scancode]

for RL things... I tend to use rocket fuel to launch them;
for software... I use bbLean and the hotkey plugins :]

[Nighted]

SLICKRUN!!!!!!!

[nitrix-ud]

FARR and autohotkey
because it is much much faster than anything else 

[Curt]

SLICKRUN!!!!!!!

Stable or Beta ?

"floating" - what about showing us a screenshot ??

[Curt]

I can only remember a few hotkeys and I very often cannot remember the name of the program I want to use, when I want to use it, so all these "click, type 2 or 3 letters, and hit enter" programs are not for me.

But I can visualize where the link to the program is placed, and how it looks, so I have almost every program represented in True Launch Bar, Rocket Dock, PS Tray Factory, PS Hot Folders (and apps), and in the Maxthon toolbar. In Firefox I use Launchy. And when my PC is ztable I also have a lot of favourite apps linked in Explorer > QT TabBar.

It really is a very fast way of launching. I NEVER go to Windows' standard Start > All Programs, but I do have TidyStartMeny and VistaStartMenu installed - but as I said, I never go there.

[Dirhael]

Here's what I have running currently:

* FARR
* Enso
* Direct Access
* True Launch Bar
* Objectdock+
-- And when the next update is out, I'll start running Dash Command again as well.

Yes, I know that I use to many application launchers for my own good…but I love them all and can't really see myself removing any of them 

[edbro]

Here's what I have running currently:

* FARR
* Enso
* Direct Access
* True Launch Bar
* Objectdock+
-- And when the next update is out, I'll start running Dash Command again as well.

Yes, I know that I use to many application launchers for my own good…but I love them all and can't really see myself removing any of them 

Dash and FARR together??? Seems odd.

I gave Dash a good try, even buying the license. But, it is no where near ready for primetime. After using it I realized that it didn't do anything that FARR couldn't do and FARR was more mature (even if Mouser won't do a public release  )

[Dirhael]

Here's what I have running currently:

* FARR
* Enso
* Direct Access
* True Launch Bar
* Objectdock+
-- And when the next update is out, I'll start running Dash Command again as well.

Yes, I know that I use to many application launchers for my own good…but I love them all and can't really see myself removing any of them 

Dash and FARR together??? Seems odd.

I gave Dash a good try, even buying the license. But, it is no where near ready for primetime. After using it I realized that it didn't do anything that FARR couldn't do and FARR was more mature (even if Mouser won't do a public release  )

Hehe, see the problem is that I just can't decide which of them to use. I mean, I like both programs and when the next Dash update comes out and solves the problem with it not removing old outdated shortcuts it should be ready for everyday use (for me at least), but at the same time...I love the real-time updating of FARR. On the other hand, I wouldn't dare even attempting having FARR index all of my music and movie folders, something I can do with Dash seeing as it uses an index. Gah, the problems of having a choice

[Darwin]

Direct Acess for programs I use  often every day  
FARR for programs I use occasionally and for programs I know I have but don't always know where

Ditto. This is getting repetitive as I've had to say "ditto" about using the same workflow as ljburns in a different thread on the FARR boards 

[Armando]

Direct Acess for programs I use  often every day  
FARR for programs I use occasionally and for programs I know I have but don't always know where

Ditto. This is getting repetitive as I've had to say "ditto" about using the same workflow as ljburns in a different thread on the FARR boards 

But can't you guys create specific aliases (or boost scores) in farr for those apps you use everyday? How is Direct Access more convenient? 

[Darwin]

To be honest Armando, the thing I like most about DirectAccess (and to a lesser degree ActiveWords) is the ability to simply type an abbreviation, word or phrase followed by a trigger and having a file or a program open up (or boilerplate text inserted, etc.). It all happens in the complete absence of a programme interface. It might just be the gee whiz, neato factor, but I've been using this type of launcher for three or four years and still love it...

A contributing factor is simply the fact that I bought ActiveWords a long time before I discovered FARR and got used to working like this. I *should* try running with FARR only. Darn it! I will... I expect I'll fall back into this pattern because it's very comfortable and I am sentimental - I paid for DA so want to use it! I've also gotten used to using it and like it... For a long time, as an aside, I couldn't get the FARR alpha to work (it does so now, brilliantly) which is one reason I turned to DA from AW.

[Darwin]

PS Just noticed dirhael's post above - he hit's the nail on the head for me with:

Hehe, see the problem is that I just can't decide which of them to use. I mean, I like both programs...

About sums it up for me. Every so often I still fire up ActiveWords as well...

Sue me! I'm a software junkie 

[Armando]

[...]the gee whiz, neato factor [...]
[...] it's very comfortable and I am sentimental [...]

These are good reasons ! Even a scientific like you needs to satisfy these needs.