[feature request] multiple run

[nitrix-ud]

Hi,

since i lost my PM to josh where there was about 10 feature requests...

i'm gonna do it again 

here is the feature request of the day :

multiple run !!!
in my opinion, this one is a must, since it allows :

1) multiple runs (obvious  )
2) On screen display (mouser could add an on screen display util, so people could make FARR a little bit sexier, by adding on screen display messages)
3) Sounds ! (play a sound when launching a result, that can be fun )

[vitalyb]

Why would you need a multirun? What's the potential uses?

[mouser]

can you explain what this would do?

[nitrix-ud]

ok let me elaborate... (since i and others already asked for this feature several times i thought it was pretty obvious)

the request is to be able to run multiple commands within one result

examples :
Launch my favorite sites | http://www.google.fr AND http://www.yahoo.com AND http://www.donationcoder.com

Open my favorite apps | c:\program files\app1\app1.exe AND c:\program files\app2\app2.exe AND c:\program files\app3\app3.exe

Open the calculator | c:\program files\calc\calc.exe AND c:\program files\osd.exe "Launching calculator" AND c:\program files\sounds.ahk "Launching calculator"
(osd.exe being a on-screen message system, and sounds.ahk being a script playing various sounds)

you can imagine thousands of use ...
Open my app | c:\program files\app\app.exe AND c:\program files\counter.exe
(counter.exe being used to count the number of time the app is opened)

Open app | c:\program files\app\app.exe AND C:\Program Files\FindAndRunRobot\FindAndRunRobot.exe -search other alias
(doing something then relaunch FARR...)

it just adds many many possibilities to FARR

[mouser]

yeah, not too hard to add.. of course if you wanted to do it now you could just put that list of programs to launch in a .bat file and have farr launch the batch file.

[nitrix-ud]

of course if you wanted to do it now you could just put that list of programs to launch in a .bat file and have farr launch the batch file.

of course (even better in a ahk file...)

but i think it would be much more elegant within FARR
and one day maybe FARR will be distributed with a On-screen messaging system, sounds etc.

PS: multiple runs is a feature in many app launchers... FARR being the best... i cannot imagine FARR without it 

[vitalyb]

Oh! I thought you meant multiple instances of FARR Couldn't figure why would you want to do that 

[nitrix-ud]

Oh! I thought you meant multiple instances of FARR  Couldn't figure why would you want to do that 

well i'm pretty sure someone could find a use in running multiple instances of FARR 

[nidusin]

Hi Mouser,
I know this is an old thread and if it has been resolved elsewhere I apologize but i think the feature it is a worthwhile addition considering this is FindAndRUNRobot.

Consider the following situation:
One of my jobs in IT Support so I'm constantly hopping from machine to machine with the need for different tools each time. There are however some that I know I will need EVERY TIME.
FARRv2 is running from a USB key. It is in use as the primary launcher for a whole swag of portable apps on that drive. I've previously used the portableapps.com platform but with the number of apps I have it is prohibitively slow (particularly on first start).
The one redeeming quality portableapps has is the ability to start other apps when it starts. I don't envision this feature would be in the best interests for FARR as it would slow down the program's startup (which is impressively fast by the way!) but it provides excellent utility especially when combined with Portable Extension Warlock or Coffee, or utils like CapShift and AlwaysMouseWheel, Autohotkey,... (my EVERY TIME apps). To get around this I'm using a batch file listing my 'default apps' that FARR launches. Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to use workarounds though?

AND NOW ACTUALLY GETTING TO THE POINT:

The ideal feature as I see it would be the ability to create an alias with the apps that the user wants to start and have a checkbox option to "launch all". When they type in "myapps" and hit enter all the programs that match the alias would start.

Alternatively, create an alias as usual and have a hotkey option (Ctrl + Enter or some such)after the search is run to launch every returned result (This would make the feature extensible to ANY results).

I'm keen to hear your thoughts/opinions,
nidusin

[mouser]

I'm glad you revived this thread since I think this has been solved for a while now.

You can combine multiple things to run on one line of an alias result by separating them with ;;;

But I think what you really want is the ctrl+alt+enter, which says to launch every result currently listed.

Let me know if that solves your request.

ps.
I keep meaning to look into making farr capable of loading PortableApps configuration files or similar things to make it an easier drop in replacement for that.  any suggestions about that would be welcome.

[nidusin]

Mouser,
Blown away by your response . Donation incoming.
Exactly what i was chasing on both counts, thanks!

RE: PortableApps
As I understand (and please don't take this as gospel because my only experience is from being an end user) Portableapps packaged apps are pretty much self contained. Their folders are structured in a way that the platform can gather program data (versions, icons, etc) in a predictable manner and add its own metadata to them (categories, favorite app flags, etc.) The exe to be run sits in the individual app's root directory but this is sometimes a launcher made by the team to augment the original app's startup (providing portability enhancements and support) or to fix certain existing issues. The original exe sits in an '%App'sDirectory/app/%appName' subdirectory.

My 'search folder' in FARR for portableapps is thus (NOTE: the 'portableapps' subdir below is created by the platform and is the default area to install apps via the platform):
Directory=%APPDRIVE%\portableapps
subdirectory depth=1
file types=exe

FARR handles this just fine with no excess crud coming up in searches and I'm a happy camper.

nidusin

[mouser]

Glad it's useful to you!

Maybe we can revisit the portable apps use cases in the near future and see if there aren't some good options and metadata handling that farr could do to make it even better as a portable app usb stick launcher.

[nidusin]

I'd be happy to support that in any way I can! 
Cheers
nidusin