Author Topic: LaunchBar Commander Idea: Submenu from commandline tool (Read 29,976 times)

mouser · « **on:** June 14, 2009, 09:00 AM »

So i was thinking of adding a feature to LBC that would let you create a node whose contents would be built when clicked, by hidden shelling a commandline tool and grabbing the output.

It would let the commandline tool output a filename list but also use some syntax for making submenus/separators.

As an example use, you could have a commandline tool that generated a system MRU list, that showed most recent documents, etc.

It could also be used for generating purely informational info -- for example user clicks a button and it shows various info in the submenu popup.

Any thoughts? Anyone actually have use for this? Would anyone write any commandline tools for it if i added it?

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2009, 10:10 PM »

Ok ok, with all of the replies i've gotten to this thread begging for this feature i broke down and implemented it.

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:24 AM »

Quote from: mouser on June 16, 2009, 10:10 PM

Ok ok, with all of the replies i've gotten to this thread begging for this feature i broke down and implemented it.

anyway looking forward to try this..

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:34 AM »

I've asked phitsc about making his amazing MRU plugin for farr into a commandline tool that LBC could use to make nice submenu of MRU docs.

I just hope at least one person on planet uses the feature, and i won't feel like a total idiot.

dluby · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2009, 11:52 AM »

It sounds interesting and it maybe something I'd use. I'm a big user\fan of LBC and I'm always looking for new ways to do things better.

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2009, 12:24 PM »

im going to upload a version today with the feature -- let's see who can be the first to put it to actual use.

mouser · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2009, 12:33 PM »

aside from the MRU stuff, which seems a perfect and valuable use.. can anyone even think of other uses for this function.. i'm having a hard time..

mouser · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2009, 12:39 PM »

actually i thought of a couple more uses:

this new feature can create a subtree menu dynamically from a text file as well as a commandline exe.

you could use this for example to create a "addons" for LBC, that combined a tool and a .txt menu structure, that would give people a pre-configured set of tools/commands. e.g. you could take nirsoft's nircmd and bundle it with a .txt menu file that users could just copy someplace and add to LBC, which would then give them a big menu tree of commands without having to do any configuration.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:10 PM »

Another use would be if someone makes a nice commandline tool to generate control panel links -- could be an improvement over current method.

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:47 PM »

UPDATE:

phitsc just sent me already a working MRU commandline tool -- and it works GREAT in LBC.. a very cool addition, that makes all the work worthwhile.

TucknDar · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2009, 02:51 PM »

Sounds like a great idea. If I understand the idea properly you could use it to check mail with command-line e-mail-programs (which I take for granted can be found somewhere).

Once LBC with this feature is out there and we can play, I'm sure plenty of great uses will surface!

mouser · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2009, 03:08 PM »

Quote

If I understand the idea properly you could use it to check mail with command-line e-mail-programs (which I take for granted can be found somewhere).

no, nothing is to stop you from doing that normally if all you are doing is launching a commandline tool.

the point of this feature is to have menus in LBC which are generated on the fly behind the scenes, based on some information that a commandline tool can generate (like a list of recently opened files on the computer).

TucknDar · « **Reply #12 on:** June 17, 2009, 04:24 PM »

Yes, I wasn't being clear. What I meant, was that you could use a command-line mail checker and put its output in an LBC menu, like number of new e-mails, latest subjects, or similar. And if there are command-line RSS-tools as well, you could have your own News LaunchBar

Not that I'd use that, but in theory it could be possible.

mouser · « **Reply #13 on:** June 17, 2009, 04:26 PM »

right ok -- yes then you are right. it probably makes more sense to think of a menu of items that you might want to take action on -- so maybe a menu of unreplied emails where you could click any of the items to open up your mail program with that email in the reply editor, etc.

joby_toss · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2009, 05:06 PM »

Could one use this feature to have cpu or ram usage shown live on LBC's buttons? Or disk usage? Or temperatures?

mouser · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2009, 05:12 PM »

Quote

Could one use this feature to have cpu or ram usage shown live on LBC's buttons? Or disk usage? Or temperatures?

that requires a plugin system.. something i've considered, but is pretty low on my priority list, given that LBC is not the most beautiful sidebar type thing, and people who like to have gauges and dials tend to like to have really pretty displays.

joby_toss · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2009, 05:52 PM »

Oh...sad to hear that...I was hoping for something (no skin whatsoever) like my current powerpro:

My dream remains (still) the unification of LBC, FARR and CHS (and maybe I can replace my powerpro - not very portable).

Thanks for everything!

mouser · « **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2009, 05:58 PM »

well it's certainly possible if enough people wanted it -the plugins that is -- i don't know about this unification thing

TucknDar · « **Reply #18 on:** June 17, 2009, 06:09 PM »

I'd love "the unification thing" as well, btw

Pop open a submenu with latest clips from CHS (or a simple 'chs' alias in FARR...)

Suppose this warrants a thread of its own though.

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** June 24, 2009, 08:59 AM »

Next up is a feature that will let you pack these "pre-configured" commandline tools and their menu helpers in a way that they can easily be installed and added to users toolbars through the GUI, like plugins.

mouser · « **Reply #20 on:** June 24, 2009, 11:36 PM »

Quote

Next up is a feature that will let you pack these "pre-configured" commandline tools and their menu helpers in a way that they can easily be installed and added to users toolbars through the GUI, like plugins.

done -- will be in next release. People can now pack helper tools along with custom submenus to use them. These tool packs are placed in a users "Tools" directory, and after that users can add such submenus/tools to their launch bars easily through the gui tree config:

mouser · « **Reply #21 on:** June 26, 2009, 03:44 PM »

phitsc' MRU tool in action, tell me this doesn't look sexy:

mouser · « **Reply #22 on:** June 26, 2009, 03:46 PM »

And while i'm add it, here's the simple nircmd tool menu in action:

mouser · « **Reply #23 on:** July 09, 2009, 12:35 PM »

i suppose no one is using these new features that i was so excited to release?

joby_toss · « **Reply #24 on:** July 09, 2009, 12:44 PM »

I always thought the lack of feedback meant that everything is working flawlessly and nothing more needs to be said! Except "Thank you!", of course!