Feature Request: Quickly set desired slide

[superboyac]

Mouser, I had no idea about this program.  But I just made this thread:
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=22154.0

But since this program is already made, I wonder if you would be willing to add the features here.  Here's what I am suggesting:

When I'm at work, I have to go to different rooms and meetings all the time.  I'd like someone to know where I am if they come to my cubicle and I'm not there.  So if my monitor was showing in big colorful letters where I'm at, that would be perfect.  So, if your screensaver can be configured where I can quickly pick from a list where I am, that would be perfect.

I'm thinking something in the task tray where I can click on, a list pops up, I choose the room where I'm at, and the monitor immediately goes to screen saver mode and shows the desired text.  No slide changing or anything.

Is this possible?

[mouser]

it wouldn't be very hard to this; even easier might be to have a shortcut that would launch the program and ask you for your away message, and let you choose from your preset and recent list, and then launch it with that text.  an additional benefit of this vs. tray would be no memory use when not running.

however, i know from your previous thread that you are really more interested in just plain text screensaver, and i'm sure you will find one like that.

so i think it's only worth me adding if you and/or others really also want the photo/multimonitor features of MPQ.

[superboyac]

Well, yes, I am primarily interested in the text part.  But once I saw your program, i got other ideas!  For instance, I do have two monitors.  I also like the options for splitting the monitor up in grids.  I can put arrows and stuff on it.  And I like the idea of having pictures in some of the cells or something.  So your program has given me ideas.

I haven't been able to find anything else as of now, with what I'm asking.  if you wanted to do it, I think it would be a cool, useful feature.

[superboyac]

Well, sadly, I haven't been able to find anything to do what I'm asking.  I've settled on using powerpoint for now.  I have a bunch of different slides for different situations, and I'll just display the appropriate one for the given situation.  That's the most efficient solution I've come across so far.

One of the main problems with that is the multi-monitor support.  I'd like one monitor to display the message and the other to be blank.  Or have both monitors showing the same slide.  But I can't do that.  Either the slide is shown on one and the other is not affected.  Or I can use "presenter mode" and the other one shows some fancy navigation tools (this is the method I prefer because it covers up the windows underneath.)

Anyway, if you were willing, I think this software still has room to grow!  The simplest way to possibly accomplish this is to allow the user to manually select the quote (or any text phrase) in some kind of quick way (drop down).  Maybe in that text override area, have a drop down for saved text snippets.

[mouser]

ok i'll add it.

[superboyac]

ok i'll add it.

Whoo!!  Sweet.  It really is useful.  I had my screensaver set up today and my supervisor quickly found out where i was.  Thank you.

[mouser]

my plan is to add it this week.
the way i plan to do it is this:

you will invoke MPQ through a shortcut that passes a commandline paramter that says to query the user for the text to use, or you can pass the actual text to use.  if you pass the text string to use, it wills start and use that text string.

if you pass it the commandline arguement saying it should ask you, it will present first a quick dialog where you can select from preset text items you have configured within the program, or recent history, or something new, and will then launch, showing that text just as it shows text currently (i.e. in one of it's boxes mixed with optional photos and date/time if configured(.

[superboyac]

my plan is to add it this week.
the way i plan to do it is this:

you will invoke MPQ through a shortcut that passes a commandline paramter that says to query the user for the text to use, or you can pass the actual text to use.  if you pass the text string to use, it wills start and use that text string.

if you pass it the commandline arguement saying it should ask you, it will present first a quick dialog where you can select from preset text items you have configured within the program, or recent history, or something new, and will then launch, showing that text just as it shows text currently (i.e. in one of it's boxes mixed with optional photos and date/time if configured(.

That sounds pretty damn good.  You're the best.

[mouser]

Please try:
http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/mpq/downloads/beta/MultiPhotoQuotesSetup.exe

with a shortcut to launch mpq with /away
or /away "message to display"

[superboyac]

mouser, thanks so much for this feature.  It has been tremendously useful the past couple of weeks for me.  I'm never in my cubicle in my current job and it is possibly the most effective way for people to find me.  Thanks again.

[mouser]

glad that it's useful.

you know that MPQ already has a feature that supports a plugin-like system for grabbing quotes online (there are sample "plugins" that query various online sites for quote); i was thinking it might be useful to have one that fetches the last "tweet" or text from some web service, so that you could change your away text remotely from offsite.

[superboyac]

glad that it's useful.

you know that MPQ already has a feature that supports a plugin-like system for grabbing quotes online (there are sample "plugins" that query various online sites for quote); i was thinking it might be useful to have one that fetches the last "tweet" or text from some web service, so that you could change your away text remotely from offsite.

That sounds interesting.  I'm trying to think of a way to implement that without having it too difficult to use.  The current method is pretty good because I double-click, choose one of the preset messages, change a word or two if necessary, and I'm done.  The whole thing takes under 10 seconds, which is awesome.  The only way I can see something working where I'm offsite is if it can somehow read my outlook calendar, or something along those lines.  Or override it from another location updating where you are, I guess twitter could do that, if I used it.

It's a good idea...remotely change the message.  If I think of anything, I'll be sure to let you know.

[mouser]

a plugin that displayed the latest twitter message of a user might work.. then assuming you have some feature on your cell phone to update twitter, you're good to go.

[superboyac]

That sounds pretty simple.  I don't do that with my phone, but it could be done.  As much as a software geek as I am, I'm pretty bland with my phone use.  I don't even text!