application launcher

 APPLICATION LAUNCHER The ultimate Google Gadget application launcher „ Overview With this gadget you can start any application without using the boring Start menu. As I can't find enough good use with current gadget of this type, I decided to make my own. What I think to be advantages for my gadget are : ▪
40 shortcuts accessible with only one click - 5 categories to organize 8 really visible shortcuts - Shortcuts run applications, but can also be defined to open URL or files ▪
A quick and accurate display - Usage and choice of shortcuts is enhanced by big customizable icons - Text display enhance intercation ▪
All parameters are saved on computer et can be re‐use ▪
Gadget look and feel is cutomizable „ How to use it appLauncher is divided in 2 parts : ▪
Top : for categories ▪
Bottom : for shortcuts ƒ Les catégories 5 pre‐defined categories are available ▪
Office ▪
Internet ▪
Development – Graphics ▪
Miscellaneous ▪
System © Ismaël Ahounou www.ahounou.com 1/6 APPLICATION LAUNCHER
17/05/2008 ‐ v1.01 To change the displaed category, just move your mouse on the corresponding icon. It is enlarged and the corresponding text is displayed. Of course, associated shortcuts are also updated. Office category content Internet category content ƒ Shortcuts Each category can store up to 8 shortcuts. Selecting a shortcut is as simple as you did it for a category : just move your mouse over an icon. Icon is enlarged, it visibility is increased and text is display. PowerPoint can be launched. Firefox can be launched. Once you select the application, click (the first one !) on the icon to start it. „ Default install Gadget is pre‐configured with 28 shortcuts. ƒ Office © Ismaël Ahounou ▪
Microsoft Word
▪
path : WINWORD.EXE ▪
Microsoft Excel
path : EXCEL.EXE www.ahounou.com 2/6 APPLICATION LAUNCHER
17/05/2008 ‐ v1.01 ▪
Microsoft PowerPoint
path : POWERPNT.EXE ▪
Microsoft Outlook
path : OUTLOOK.EXE ▪
Microsoft Visio
path : VISIO.EXE ▪
Microsoft Access
path : ACCESS.EXE ▪
Microsoft Publisher
path : PUBLISHER.EXE ƒ Internet ▪
Internet Explorer
path : IEXPLORE.EXE ▪
Firefox
path : C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe ▪
Opera
path : C:\Program Files\Opera\Opera.exe ▪
GMail
path : https://www.google.com/accounts/[email protected]&P
asswd=monPassword&[...] ▪
FileZilla
path : C:\Program Files\FileZilla\FileZilla.exe ▪
Smart Serial Mail
path : C:\Program Files\JAM Software\SmartSerialMail\SmartSerialMail.exe ▪
eMule
path : C:\Program Files\eMule\emule.exe ƒ Development – Graphics ▪
path : C:\Program Files\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 8\Dreamweaver.exe ▪
▪
© Ismaël Ahounou Adobe Photoshop
path : C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS2\Photoshop.exe Macromedia Dreamweaver
easyPHP
path : C:\Program Files\EasyPHP 2.0b1\EasyPHP.exe.exe www.ahounou.com 3/6 APPLICATION LAUNCHER
17/05/2008 ‐ v1.01 ƒ ▪ Miscellaneous ▪
Windows Media Player
path : C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe ▪
Fast Stone Image Viewer
path : C:\Program Files\FastStone Image Viewer\FSViewer.exe ▪
Kee Password Safe
path : C:\Program Files\KeePass Password Safe\KeePass.exe ▪
Nokia Phone Suite
path : C:\Program Files\Nokia\Nokia PC Suite 6\LaunchApplication.exe ƒ System ▪
path : explorer.exe ▪
Bloc Notes
path : notepad.exe ▪
Command
path : cmd.exe ▪
Look @ Lan
path : C:\Program Files\Look@LAN\LookAtLan.exe ▪
Process Explorer
path : C:\Program Files\Process Explorer 6.03\procexp.exe ▪
Mise en veille
path : rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState ▪
Explorer
Arrêt
path : rundll32.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 8 „ Set‐up You can swap to Settings mode by clicking on (last icon in category place). This special mode (notified by orange text displays) is de‐activated by clicking a second time on the same icon. All modifications are saved. Be carefull : special chars must be used with a correct syntax. ƒ Modifying a category © Ismaël Ahounou www.ahounou.com 4/6 APPLICATION LAUNCHER
17/05/2008 ‐ v1.01 Renaming a category is done in the top text field. Office category can be renamed. Be carefull : all modifications are immediately applied. To change a category icon, click on it to view a selecting file window. Just choose the image you want (32 x 32 pixels, .png files are recommanded). ƒ Modifying a shortcut Setup shortcuts as you did it for categories. Click on the symbol to select another image file (32 x 32 pixels, .png files are recommanded). The bottom text field is use for 2 things : of course renaming the shortcut, but also typing the command line to be executed. Switching between name and path is done by clicking on edit command line or to to change the name. Note : command line can target any executable file, any document file or any url (eg: shortcut to GMail). You can specify parameters the same way you done it in a DOS console (eg: shutting down the computer). Be carefull : all modifications are immediately applied. ƒ Deleting a shortcut Use button to delete a shortcut. A confirmation is needed. ƒ Adding a shortcut Free spaces you can use for adding a shortcut are displayed with green plus sign. One click and you select the icon, next edit displayed text and referring path. „ Technical specifications ƒ Limitations No third party components (like dll) are required to uses this gadget. © Ismaël Ahounou www.ahounou.com 5/6 APPLICATION LAUNCHER
17/05/2008 ‐ v1.01 The use of FileSystemObjet and a mini shell script limit it usage on Windows platforms. Developped exclusively on Internet technologies, you have to ensure yourself of the good use of special and extended chars. ƒ Saving parameters At the first execution, a directory is created for saving parameters %AppData%\Google\appLauncher (with Windows XP : %AppData% = C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data ; with Windows Vista : %AppData% = C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Roaming). After each exit of the edition mode, the parameter file (personalValues.js) is updated is this path. Syntax of this file is very simple, but you may avoid editing it yourself. If you are in big troubles, delete this file to restor default parameters. Just an advice : put all your icons in the same path. ƒ Available release Last release : 1.0.1 Change log : ▪
saving parameters in %AppData%\Google\AppLauncher directory, file personalValues.js ▪
fixing path to accept spaces Previous release : ▪
1.0.0 ‐ 26/03/2008 ƒ Contact and credits You can e‐mail me to [email protected] for any remark or suggestion about this gadget. I will do my best to answer you. Il est important aussi de remercier tous les contributeurs anonymes et notamment les designers des icones préinstallés. I want to thanks all anonymous who designed used symbol in this package, and all users who help me to build this new release (Max, Souli, Leonardo, Calbes, Keith). Ismaël AHOUNOU © Ismaël Ahounou www.ahounou.com 6/6