You are here

[feature request] start minimized

14 posts / 0 new
Last post
peck_jon
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2009-01-22 03:38
[feature request] start minimized

Could you add a way to start the PortableApps menu minimized (such as with a command-line /minimized switch)?

This would allow us to, for example, place a shortcut into winndows startup, and not have to manually minimize the app each time windows starts.

Zach Thibeau
Zach Thibeau's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2006-05-26 12:08
I would one could be created

I would one could be created but only as a commandline switch. I say that because if you have it start minimized it would have the potential to confuse new people as they would expect the menu to popup on first run.

your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 6 min 41 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Already Exists

This option already exists. Go to your X:\PortableApps\PortableAppsMenu\Data directory and edit your PortableAppsMenu.ini file. Under [DisplayOptions] add this line: StartMinimized=True

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

incognite
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2008-08-28 06:40
Thanks John for supporting

Thanks John for supporting this application as you do.

I put the StartMinimized=True statement in the .ini file and it works but is there a reason why I see it appear briefly and then disappear and while appearing showing it as a "right-angle" portion of what it really is?

In other words is there a genuine method to start the program minimised even in a newer version or does no subsystem currently exist for this kind of functionality?

Thank you

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 6 min 41 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Can't Reproduce

This is yet another behavior on your personal PC that I'm unable to reproduce. You must have something else running that is somehow affect screen redraw performance or on-top programs' screen redraw somehow. When I run it on all my test systems, the menu doesn't show at all. Something on your PC is interfering again (same thing that is affecting your fading performance) so it would be in your best interest to figure out what and solve that.

Things to check:
- Video drivers (latest and up to date)
- Docks (ObjectDock, etc... these are all buggy and cause issues with other apps)
- Widget engines (Google, Yahoo, etc)
- Screen monitoring software
- Other already running software (check task manager)

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

incognite
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2008-08-28 06:40
Hi

I use ATI Hybrid Graphics and yes often I get delays in processing resulting in system crashes but mostly my experience is very stable computing.

It would seem that PAM is not optimised to work with Vista but I will wait and see what happens on the next version.

Basically, since there are no options in the Systray Menu I cannot show/hide etc this means that the program has no idea what it is supposed to be doing whether it's been clicked, double clicked and so-forth.

I understand the need to look at an individual users' system first but this is my feedback of which you can take or leave.

Thanks

P.S. I turned fading off and the result was that only the right-side of the container was drawn to the bottom left.

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 6 min 41 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Like I said

Like I said, I simply can't reproduce it no matter what. And it works just fine on everything from Windows 98 to Windows Vista and Windows 7. I know, I have personally tried it on multiple PCs. It also performs fine on Wine under Ubuntu.

There is something on your personal PC which is interfering. What do you mean that there are no options on the systray menu? Left clicking it shows/hides the menu. Right-clicking brings up a context menu with access to your document folders and other items. Millions of people are using this daily and yours is the only report of this I have seen, so saying that its not optimized to work with Vista is simply wrong. It works fine for everyone else.

So, again, what specifically else is running on this specific PC while this is occuring. Are you sure you are running updated video drivers. what other issues are you having.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

incognite
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2008-08-28 06:40
Thanks again John

It seems that sometimes single clicking (left click) produces the correct result, ie appear/disappear but sometimes this doesn't happen, eg. nothing happens at all and I need to double click on it to get it to do anything, which in reality it may be only the first click of the second sequence that does anything.

I have a feeling it has something to do with the multimedia class scheduling service of windows vista in that it is prioritising it way back in the queue but that's only a thought so it's not to blame the programming in that PAM hasn't accounted for this particular type of contingency.

All I am saying here is that with the next imminent release maybe that it can incorporate the class scheduling service in order for a more robust, integrated and timely experience.

Thank you for your time.

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 6 min 41 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Not Needed

There's no reason to take into account anything like that in Vista. This works right on every Windows Vista and Windows 7 machine I have encountered both with and without Aero enabled. There is something particular about YOUR PC and NOT OTHER PCs that is causing this issue. I keep asking you questions to determine what it is. But you keep claiming it's PAM's fault for not taking into account Vista.

It's not the PortableApps.com Menu.

It's not Vista.

It's something with YOUR PC. And I'd like to help figure out what it is.

But if you're going to claim it is Vista once again without answering any of the questions or investigating any of the possible conflicts I have given you, I'll simply have to leave this as a user issue that they are not willing to troubleshoot and not persue anything related to it further.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Zach Thibeau
Zach Thibeau's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2006-05-26 12:08
*handsmackonforehead* I

*handsmackonforehead* I forgot about that Blum

your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau

incognite
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2008-08-28 06:40
Well actually, if you think

Well actually, if you think about it..

..since it has no taskbar presence, then it could be helpful to have a "minimise" button or would that be too extreme.

Opening in a minimised state is not a bad idea and those options as what Zach is eluding to or thinking about should really be on the Shortcut menu of Windows.

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 6 min 41 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Systray

As with other menus like the Windows start menu, there is no minimize button. You can make the menu disappear by clicking anywhere else on the screen. You can also left-click the systray icon to make it appear and disappear.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

incognite
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2008-08-28 06:40
Hi John, yes

Now I see why it is "always on top" but only insofar as being in focus or rather appearing.

Single click function is good I think but maybe more could happen on the context menu like "5 top programs" and so on.

Thank you

P.S. Clicking anywhere on the screen doesn't make the menu disappear and nor should it. It is slow to load and slow to go away so it may as well just stay there anyhow. Double clicking in the systray is horrible with this application, surely it can be made better next time.

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 6 min 41 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Does and It Should

It does disappear automatically when it loses focus just like the Windows Start Menu and menus within apps. As to your fade issues, I have responded in the other topic.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Log in or register to post comments