Dock positioning/resizing by external programs

[poyan]

Hi,
I'm still looking for a dock allowing multiple docks, which are displayed according to the active program, as described in this thread: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=23567.msg213845#msg213845

Since LBC basically offers multiple docks plus the possibility to submit codes via the commandline for building docks plus offers docks positioned freely on the desktop ("floating") I was again playing around with it. The only problem I have is that the dock-windows seem to be not resizable and cannot be positioned by codes from third party programs/scripts. If that would be possible the docks could be "attached" to (=positioned just above/asides) the window of the corresponding program, thus allowing a kind of an individual toolbar for programs which do not offer customizable menus/toolbars, and this toolbar-dock would be located not somewhere at the possibly far away located side of the monitor, but just at the program-window thus being in sight permanently and easily accessible with the mouse, without the need to push the mouse around the screen - at least an issue with the modern, large monitors of 22" or even more.

Therefore I suggest that the LBC dock-windows should be customizable as far as possible by external code: position on the screen (left, top), size (width, height), z-order (from always on top to regular to minimized/hidden/tray). Or, LBC offers this feature by internal codes, that is: positioning/resizing other program-windows and the corresponding LBC docks...

Any chance?
poyan

[mouser]

that is a very interesting idea..

it sort of ties in with an idea of adding a feature to LBC that would track the current program and show some subsection of the dock configured specifically for it.

but i'm just not 100% sure how well this idea of a custom sized launchbar attached to the current window would be..

let me ask a question -- if i did add a feature to let you set the dock poition and size, would that really be useful? what happens when users drags the other window around on screen and LBC does not follow it?

[mouser]

What you might want to try instead is using the hotkey method for showing an LBC menu under the cursor, instead of having it docked to the side of the screen.
That is the solution that some people use who dont like having to move the cursor to the edge of the screen, etc.

[poyan]

Hi, mouser,
thanks for your reply.
1.
dragging around a window:
yes, you are right, that could be a problem: however, that should be no problem for you to write some code so that LBC follows the window?!?
If not, a hotkey could reposition the dock.
I personally don´t drag these windows around by mouse, I use my scripts for positioning the windows. And these scripts are controlled by hotkeys (or by commands included in a dock).

Why using window-related docks
I work with very many different programs, and not all of these are well designed (nearly none, in fact).
That means, that some features, which I need frequently, cannot be accessed directly, they need several actions within the menues. Or, I need some combinations of actions. Some are really complex.
A very simple example: I want to have a text formatted yellow+bold+italics+orange background+set hight to 20pt + use verdana instead of times. And your editor has no macro functionality. And that you have to do repeatedly... That is boring and time consuming and makes me mad. Instead: one click onto an icon in my dock, that shows the text: 20pt (in verdana), yellow on an orange background. It´s much faster, much more convenient...

Why attaching to the window
I work with a lot of different programs, thus I have at the moment 15 different docks with around 10 to 20 individual icons (=commands). All docks at the margin of the monitor: they would be one beneath the other... (Ok, that would just need some code to bring the right one on top)

More important: I use a 28" monitor - that means, that I have a really long way sometimes from the window to the dock and then back again. Not rarely, I´m at the edge of the mouse pad and hve not reached the dock, that means, lift the mouse, position it on the mouse pad and then try to reach the dock again. So I imagine that a dock attached to a window would allow shorter ways.
The optimum would be if the attached dock would behave like the corresponding window: if the window is activated, the dock comes also to the foreground. If another window is activated, the old dock is no longer in the foregound. If a window is minimized, the dock also disappeares, and so on....

I think I could manage this with my scripts, but I would need a dock that allows to be controlled. I guess it would be better if the control of the windows and the dock would come with the dock.

Sure, this is a feature that is only of interest for users who are willing to do some coding to enhance the usability of their programs. But that could also be a new service: offering (predefined, but easily changeable)  individual controlbars for programs which do not have this feature.

2.
using hotkeys for displaying a LMC menu
That would mean I would have to position the mouse at the wanted position first, then pressing the hotkey... That are two unnecessary two actions (with every window)...
I will give it a try...

Kind regards
poyan