Author Topic: DONE: WinWarden - monitor windows and resize (and reposition) them (Read 97,290 times)

lanux128 · « **on:** August 24, 2005, 02:58 AM »

hi there,

first of all, i'd like to thank you for devoting so much time on creating good quality freeware.

i used to have a software called Leaf Winkeeper which allows me to position application's window as they appear on screen. unfortunately that software is no longer being updated but now it is showing it's age as it has problems with WinXP... ;-(

i was hoping that maybe someone in this forum can create a similar software because my hunt for such a software on the internet has proved futile. there is one software that comes close but it can only maximize the windows not resize to a certain size. Here is the link: AutoSizer

another tool that is continuing to elude me is a one-click tool that centers the top-most (active) window regardless of the it's windows title or class name...

once again, i'd like to take opportunity to thank you for your time.

thanks in advance
best regards,
lanux

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2005, 03:11 AM »

great ideas!
i love the active window center idea - ill bet skrommel can whip up a skript for that.

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2005, 05:36 AM »

hi there,

i found this freeware command-line tool that has a lot of features - NirCmd v1.70. it also controls windows positioning but however it centers all top-level windows in one go...

What it does

Quote

... allows you to do some useful tasks without displaying any user interface. By running NirCmd with simple command-line option, you can write and delete values and keys in the Registry, write values into INI file, restart windows or shut down the computer, create shortcut to a file, change the created/modified date of a file, change your display settings, turn off your monitor, open the door of your CD-ROM drive, and more...

best regards,
lanux

skrommel · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2005, 09:34 PM »

WinWarden Control how to display a window.

Move, maximize, minimize, restore, enable, disable, hide, show, ontop, bottom, alwaysontop, clip, transparent, transparent color, move relative to another window, stick to the edge of the screen.

You'll find the downloads and more info at Skrommel Software.

It's not very well testet, so please report back any errors. Also, I'm working to speed it up and add some more functions.

Skrommel

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2005, 10:39 PM »

winwarden looks great.

request (if it's easy to add) - a command to center the active window on the current screen would be lovely.

to be more clear:
so the idea of winwarden, if i understand it, is that you can make a configuration file that says, whenever program XXX is started, put it here on screen, set it to ontop, change transparency, etc. very useful.

it might be nice to allow you to hit a hotkey (or system tray menu) to change *active* window immediately without needing to edit config file.
for example a hotkey to center active window on screen would be cool i think.

skrommel · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2005, 11:55 PM »

Added the Center option (got lost in the +Center and -Center implementation).

Will also add a tray menu to change the active windows settings, an option to add the active windows settings to the ini file, and a minimize to tray function. Anything else missing?

Skrommel

lanux128 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2005, 04:07 AM »

hi there skrommel,

just noticed that at the WinWarden section, you had inserted the link for another topic...
the one that says:

Code

Thanks to lanux128 at DonationCoder for the idea!

it's no big deal... maybe, you want to alter it. ;-)

best regards,
lanux

skrommel · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2005, 04:52 PM »

Thanks, lanux128!

Any comments on WinWarden? Too difficult to configure?

Skrommel

lanux128 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2005, 08:59 AM »

Quote from: skrommel on September 20, 2005, 04:52 PM

Any comments on WinWarden? Too difficult to configure?

hi there skrommel,

basically, i am very pleased that it does what i want, i.e. watch out for a window then resize/reposition it.
but i can't get find the "one-click to center the active window" feature that i need... and also i found a topic that pretty much deals with the same thing, with mouser suggesting:

Quote from: mouser on June 27, 2005, 06:46 PM

i use this freeware tool called "Discover" to move windows off screen back on screen:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/3532/main/freeware.html

i could use this "Discover" tool but then i'll be running 2 window-monitoring apps... ;-)
btw, since you asked, i am rather overwhelmed by the minimalistic ini file settings and more examples on its usage will be very helpful. but rest assured, i am going to give WinWarden thorough spin this weekend & hopefully to get a better picture...

best regards,
lanux

Nighted · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2005, 07:19 AM »

Hi!

I'm surprised no one mentioned Zmover, one of the many great, bloat free apps over at www.basta.com

Check out the older 4.6 version as you may prefer the GUI. The 5.0 version is show below and is a radical change from the original.

# Lets you control the position, size, and layering of other windows.
# Easy drag and drop user interface.
# Remembers your settings so you only need to enter them once.
# Works in the background and doesn't waste desktop space.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** September 26, 2005, 07:33 AM »

thanks nighted - those are some nice little utilities at basta.com!

brotherS · « **Reply #11 on:** September 26, 2005, 07:44 AM »

Quote from: Nighted on September 26, 2005, 07:19 AM

I'm surprised no one mentioned Zmover, one of the many great, bloat free apps over at www.basta.com

Free? Neither their site nor http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1014971901/1 says so

Nighted · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2005, 07:54 AM »

$:-\$ I didn't say "free"!!! I said "bloat free" as in "free of bloat"! :p

Sorry if it seemed ambiguous.

lanux128 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2005, 05:04 AM »

hi there skrommel,

just wondering whether is it possible to add a "reload config" option for WinWarden since it is a bit cumbersome to edit the ini file then having to quit first so that WinWarden recognise the changes...

thanks in advance
best regards,
lanux

skrommel · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2005, 10:25 AM »

Try WinWarden v1.2!

It autoreloads when the ini file is saved. And I've also added centering of the active window when the tray icon is doubleclicked.

You'll find the downloads and more info at Skrommel Software.

Skrommel

lanux128 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2005, 03:57 AM »

hi there skrommel,

a big thanks to you! you churn out goodies faster than we can digest... ;-)
the new version works like a charm... i've been busy adding all those pesky amnesiac windows to the list & finally i have a desktop that i can control...

keep up the good work...

best regards,
lanux

skrommel · « **Reply #16 on:** October 09, 2005, 12:04 AM »

Just oploaded WinWarden v1.3!

Removed some bugs and added the options Inside and Outside to check if the mouse is hovering over a window - very handy for rolling up windows and more!

Skrommel

brotherS · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2006, 11:22 PM »

Thanks to skrommel and Tim Morck for WinWarden 2.0!

After using it a bit and playing with its settings, I wonder if this would be possible for 2.1:

I'm using "Active" and "Deactivated" for a certain window and would love it if WinWarden would immediately react on the "Active" event but would take a few seconds 'regret time' before executing the "Deactivated" event. I guess I could live without that additional feature, but it would be the cream on the top of the (already very tasty) cake!

jgpaiva · « **Reply #18 on:** March 07, 2006, 11:29 PM »

I have a funny thing to report.
Try using winwarden with the default configurations, and go to this link in your browser: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=2698.msg18245#msg18245
You'll be surprised.
First time, i even thought it was my screen having great problems, and got very scared.
I think it's because it tries to make the window go down. (try restoring the browser's window, and you'll see what i mean).
(this will only work if your browser displays the link of the page on it's title bar)

brotherS · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2006, 09:17 AM »

Quote from: jgpaiva on March 07, 2006, 11:29 PM

I have a funny thing to report.
Try using winwarden with the default configurations, and go to this link in your browser: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=2698.msg18245#msg18245
You'll be surprised.

I'm a bit worried now

skrommel · « **Reply #20 on:** March 08, 2006, 10:19 AM »

It's the "Calc" text in the title that triggers the Calc rule in the ini file...

Looks like there's a bug in the wildcard settings... It should only kick in when Calc is at the start of a window text...

Skrommel

brotherS · « **Reply #21 on:** March 08, 2006, 11:31 AM »

Ok

Any thoughts about my suggestion in http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=757.msg18246#msg18246 ?

skrommel · « **Reply #22 on:** March 08, 2006, 05:51 PM »

@brotherS: What do you need this for: "but would take a few seconds 'regret time' before executing the 'Deactivated' event"? Is it to prevent "flashing"?

Skrommel

brotherS · « **Reply #23 on:** March 08, 2006, 06:11 PM »

Quote from: skrommel on March 08, 2006, 05:51 PM

@brotherS: What do you need this for: "but would take a few seconds 'regret time' before executing the 'Deactivated' event"? Is it to prevent "flashing"?

No flashing here, it's working pretty good! But I'd like the "deactivated" mode to kick in with a delay that I can adjust - so that I could quickly check something else in another window (or open the ClipX menu to paste something from the clipboard history) without the IRC window going to its "deactivated" position immediately.

At the same time, I want the "Active" mode to still kick up fast when I (later) return to the window that's then in "deactivated" mode.

brotherS · « **Reply #24 on:** April 13, 2006, 08:16 PM »

Ok, you don't seem to like those suggestions as much as I do...

But what about reducing WinWarden's CPU usage? I'm using it only for the task described in http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=2689.0 and it's using WAY (!!!) more CPU than my other 2 AHK scripts combined, which contain ~20 auto-execute scripts and lots of manual triggers/hotkeys/hotstrings (>100 kb code together).