You are here

geek.menu (a portableApps.com menu fork) beta testing complete thank you for your feedback

197 posts / 0 new
Last post
maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
geek.menu (a portableApps.com menu fork) beta testing complete thank you for your feedback

intro-geek.menu is a fork of the PortableApps.com Menu, designed to include additional features not available in current release of PAM. It builds on the work of Mr. Haller and others, as well as the feedback of the PortableApps forum members. Thanks to all.

geek.menu version 0.9 is now out. This is pretty much what I expect to be the 1.0 release, just posted as .9 for final testing. This started as a "special interest" release, but many of the features may be of interest to the general portableApps.com public. Advanced features are available for those who want them, but many of the small improvements may be of general interest.

At this point I will be working on any bugs that are reported and once things settle down will declare this a version 1.0 release, and begin maintaining stable and experimental branches.

For those that haven't looked at geek.menu before, here are the main improvements over the PortableApps Menu:

  • Searchbar supports searching the internet and executing local files and folders
  • Category Support
  • Supports an encrypted TrueCrypt profile, as well as an unsecured profile
  • Theme switching (including icon themes)
  • Custom location buttons
  • Autorun applications on startup (customizable on a per pc basis)
  • A resizable menu

For those of you who want a complete list of details, here you go.

  • (not quite) complete list of added features

    • a search bar with portable history that will search google, google maps, google images, google products, and wikipedia, as well as lauch local programs, files and directories
    • geek.menu allows you to control how many applications are displayed on the menu
    • you can personalize the label displayed on geek.menu
    • you can add custom buttons to the right panel which will open files or directories
    • any batch files stored in the \PortableApps\PortableAppsBackup\Data\personalBackups folder will be displayed on the backup drop down menu
    • wallpaper information for different pcs is stored so that if the drive is not properly ejected, the next eject will fix it
    • multiple wallpaper files can be stored as jpgs in the \Documents\Pictures\wallpaper directory- geek.menu will randomly choose one, and you can switch it periodically from the options menu
    • geek.menus tray icon can refresh itself to the left of other displayed menu items
    • You can create a list of applications to automatically run upon insertion. This is now supported through the settings dialog.
    • You can point to an eject script located on the PC to dismount the truecrypt volume and eject the USB drive (this is currently not very well documented, and I will be releasing a utility that will do the above).
    • support for categories is included. Only one level of category support is included for now, this may change in future versions.
    • an experimental ejection application that will exit running apps, dismount your truecrypt volume and eject your USB drive is included (must be copied to PC). Note that this is experimental and has not been widely tested- please back up regularly until you are reasonably certain this feature is working for you..
    • new in 0.8- Theme switching is now supported, as is Icon theme switching, and a few example themes are included
    • new in 0.8- If you define a large number for the minimum number of apps displayed, geek.menu will adjust the number actually displayed based on the screen resolution.
  • security
    • it is possible for geek.menu to mount a truecrypt volume and run apps and directories from that drive.
    • geek.menu maintains a list of "authorized" pcs- if you run the menu you have some options as to what you want to do, including displaying contact info, not mounting the truecrpt volume, etc.
    • if you are using the authorized PC list, geek.menu can run applications from the unencrypted drive on unauthorized PCs, so you can maintain a separate set of applications and settings for use on unknown pcs, thus bypassing issues with Truecrypt's requirement for administrative privileges.

Notes:
The included themes are modified versions of NeoRame's "neo" theme (included with NeoRame's permission), and are currently the only themes which will work properly with geek.menu (scaling support requires new themes).
This product includes TrueCrypt, freely available at http://www.truecrypt.org/. It is distributed under section II of the TrueCrypt license.
This package contains icons or portions of icons copyrighted by the Tango Icons Project and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license. The icons for the Google buttons and wikipedia are covered by the Mozilla Public License. The icons for geek.menu and any other icons distributed with this program may be freely modified and redistributed.
You can see a screenshot here and download the project as a zip or in it's "installer" format, here. I'd appreciate it if you try out the installer, simple as it is, it is new and needs testing.

Thanks.

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
Well, let's see

I"ll test and let you know.

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

cookie
Offline
Last seen: 10 months 1 week ago
Joined: 2007-10-31 18:52
testing

Hi I'm using 0.9 with a usb thumb drive and everything works fine here. No bugs detected yet.

powerjuce
powerjuce's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 9 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-20 21:34
source?

just out of curiosity how can i get the source code for the program
specifically for the geekEjector?

Please search before posting. ~Thanks

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
source

source for both projects is included in the zip and install distribution in the \source directory

CygnusTM
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2007-07-16 07:37
I've been trying this out,

I've been trying this out, and I've only found one problem so far. Both the installer and the zipfile put the PortableAppsBackup folder next to the PortableApps folder. It should be inside.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Thanks for the catch

I'll fix that up in the next release.

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
Results/Sugestions

Suggestions
1. May I suggest that you reshack the rest of the "installer"? If you want, I'll hack in my spare time.
2. Delete the app folder. If it does nothing, I don't think its needed.
3. Can we have the original geek icon back? Please?
Questions
1. Where do we place our icons for the custom folders?
2. The portable apps backup utility- where's that go?
Possible Bugs
Windows SP1- I think, 1.1 gh processor, 1.0 or 1.1 usb port.
1. When I added the OOo to a catagory, the menu went non-responsive repeatedly- it was even listed in the task manager as "Not Responding"

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Thanks, Oliver

1) Good suggestion. Done.
2) Good suggestion. Done.
3) Actually, the icon is now themeable. If you like the orange one, you can download it from my site and copy it as geek.menu.ico in any iconTheme directory and you'll have it back.

Answers
1) Custom Folder icons belong in the iconTheme subfolders. You can use the same or different icons with each theme. Same with custom buttons.
2) It should have been under the PortableApps folder- it is with the new installer- delete the one in the root from the previous installer.

Finally
Assigning an app to a category will force a reload of the application icons. On a slower PC with a slow drive this is likely to take a while, especially if you have a lot of applications.

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
CoolI'll play with it.

Cool

I'll play with it.

*EDIT*- I played with it, and it looks good.

*EDIT 2* May I suggest that all custom icons be in a folder or its own? When I switch the icon themes, it loses some of the icons for my custom folders and catagories icons. Maybe under a "customicon" folder or such.

Looks good other then that.

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

dragonmage
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-01-15 02:25
Or maybe

You could save Custom Icons as part of the Icon Theme. That way you could actually have custom icons for each theme or just the same Custom Icons for all themes , it would be user choice.

tvalladon
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 2 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-05-14 12:35
Issues

A few issues I see.

BUG:
* Autorun applications should be loaded AFTER the truecrypt volume is mounted
* Shortcuts should be added after the truecrypt volume is loaded
* Cant get the eject script to work

FEATURE:
* Would be nice if you could select the mount type using the truecrypt /m option
* It would be nice is truecrypt had a check box to be hidden using the /q option

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Hmm

Bugs (?)
1) Not only is autorun loaded after the tc volume is mounted, if the tc volume is not mounted within a reasonable time, the application halts
2) See above
3) Could you be a little more specific. Can't help much with that as posted.

Features
1) The tc volume is always mounted as a removable medium. This is the appropriate behavior for a portable volume.
2) "/q background" is always passed as a parameter.

Either you're hitting some serious bugs that haven't been caught previously, or you haven't really looked too closely at what geek.menu is doing, and from the detail you've provided, I'm not really sure which it is. If you can provide a little more detail, perhaps I can help. You can create a support bundle using Help..Create Support bundle and email it to g33k dot m3nu at gmail dot com and I can take a look at that.

tvalladon
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 2 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-05-14 12:35
RE: Hmm

I have sent you an email with additional information concerning the issues, I did get shortcuts to work as expected, it was an error on my part, please keep in mind some of the others could be errors on my part.

Thank you.

Espreon
Espreon's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2006-09-29 18:23
Suggestion

Why not make an option so geek.menu can use Xenon instead of Explorer for the shortcut buttons and the file opnener (the search bar on the vottom of the menu)(The Documents button, etc).

Xenon + geek.menu = awesomeness IMO

Patrick Patience
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 11 months ago
DeveloperModerator
Joined: 2007-02-20 19:26
And while he's at it

I haven't looked at this menu in a while, but if it's not already included, maybe set an option to use a custom search program.

If possible, thanks.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
New Features

No new features are going to be added right now. I'm trying to get up a stable platform, at which point I will begin maintaining stable and experimental branches of geek.menu. Otherwise, I'll never have a stable platform available.

Espreon
Espreon's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2006-09-29 18:23
But will

But will you consider my suggestion?

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Of course

Looks like 0.9 is pretty solid- many downloads, few complaints, so by next week I should be setting up two branches and forging on.

tvalladon
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 2 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-05-14 12:35
I second this feature for

I second this feature for the future.

CygnusTM
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2007-07-16 07:37
Rename apps?

Is there a way to rename the applications on the menu? I can't find any way to do it.

Espreon
Espreon's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2006-09-29 18:23
No

No, from what I have seen (I have used the menu for about 2 weeks) there is no way to do it.

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
Nope

Not yet- Perhaps you can utilize XN Resource Editor Portable or ResHacker. XN is somewhere around here- just google for Resource Hacker.

Other menu mods do it. PAM Mod R30 supports it, I believe.

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Not in this version

top of the list for future improvements.

tvalladon
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 2 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-05-14 12:35
TrueCrypt Related Feature Requests

Per our email conversation I am requesting the following features be added to the geek.menu in the future.

Feature One:
On the Menu Settings tab in the Advanced Settings dialog please add "Mount TrueCrypt volume as Read Only" in the drop down list for "Behavior on unknown Computer". This can be done by modifying the /m truecrypt option.

The reason I feel this is a useful feature is if a person needs to access stored utilities in a truecrypt volume (Such as virus scanners or recovery software) from a computer that may be infected by malware or a virus. This would allow the drive to be mounted without concern of having the files in the truecrypt volume infected.

Feature Two:
Please allow, using the /q truecrypt option, for the truecrypt GUI to be exited on launch. With the wonderful eject script there is no need for truecrypt to stay down in the system tray. This may require making a custom button or item in the options menu to launch truecrypt gui again if someone needs to change settings in truecrypt.

Thank you very much, your menu is very nice and does everything I was previously using batch files to accomplish.

aehrlich
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-10-23 05:54
Very nice tool

It's a great application. As I see the scene goes the way I am using portable applications for the last 2 years. I also had an own launcher for true crypt with an portable volume, but I had to solve it with a batch-script.
One thing is not solved in your menu. It does not save the setting for the locale in the ini-File, I had to type it on my own to the ini-File.
Greaat work. Smile
PS: If I am going to install anything through the options menu, it installs the application to the same folder as the StartGeekMenu.exe.

I like webdesign, especially with some portable apps

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
install folder

I can't reproduce this problem (or see how it is possible with a proper .paf installer in the code). What application(s) did this occur with, and can you send a support bundle to me?

Thanks,
-xopher

aehrlich
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-10-23 05:54
RE: install folder

Ok, I just updated the FFP, the instaler works fine with any version of PortableAppsMenu.exe.
Ahm, my portableApps-folder is located in a subfolder also called portableApps, just like this
Drive:
..-systembackup
..-portableapps
....-Documents
....-PortableApps
......-FFP
......-TBP
......-EclipsePortable
......-EmulePortable
....-StartGeekMenu.exe
....-StartPortableApps.exe
....-TrueCrypt
When I am going to install anything through the options menu, it is going to install into Drive:\portableapps, not as it should into Drive:\portableapps\PortableApps.
Then I got to type the correct installfolder.
That is all what is wrong, that I was not really able to solve on my own.

I like webdesign, especially with some portable apps

paulm
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2006-09-16 23:33
nice work.

I'm still using rocketdock primarily but this is pretty nice. I love the search features. great work, looking forward to 1.0.

Signature automatically removed for containing links

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
How's about stting it so

How's about stting it so that it will ext the programs it autoran at startup?

Can it be done?

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
exiting apps

That would be the point (or one of the points) of the ejector script.

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
ah- never having used it, I

ah- never having used it, I didn't know.

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
0.9.0.2

Fixes a few niggly little bits and pieces, and is now up on sourceforge.

goldencrater
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2007-11-07 11:04
Auto True Crypt mounting is cool...

I would love to have an option to mount that drive as 'read-only' on untrusted computers...

This allows a virus scanner / spyware remover to be launched w/o worrying about infecting the app.. Of course, you will need to keep a copy of the launcher and T/C in a password protected ZIP file in order to recover them if they get infected...

For version 1.1, maybe???

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Yes, this is on the todo list

For the forthcoming experimental release, as well as "stealth" tc mounting (without the icon).

M-T-P
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: 2007-09-26 15:29
Large Vols

I've noticed a slight bug in the display of large volumes. I have a 3.5 GB Truecrypt volume that I use with Geek Menu. When it mounts, the file size bar says 3.2GB of 3GB free. I don't know if your code has a 3GB hard-coded size limit, but that might be one little fix before the 1.0 release.

Thanks for an awesome program!
M-T-P

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Odd

These are the results of windows API calls, so I'm not sure where the bug is. I think I've seen some similar complaints posted about PAM.

**EDIT**
Okay, this has to do with reporting precision of the drive size (Guess this never came up with PortableApps Menu due to drive size being relatively fixed). It will be fixed in 1.0, which should be out in a day or so.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
1.0 is out

If you have any feature requests for the experimental track or bug reports for the current track, please post them to the sourceforge tracker page.

Thanks to everyone for the excellent suggestions, and John for his forbearance in allowing a fork to be discussed in his forums.

-xopher

oldboy
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 4 weeks ago
Joined: 2006-05-27 11:40
Language settings

Hy!
Thank you for the v1.0 Smile
The Options\Language ...is out of action?
Do you intend to introduce oher language file then English?
Sincerely, oldboy

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
No locales installed by default

You can copy them from the appropriate place in PAM to the same directory under geek.menu, and the Language tool will be active. I'll add some locales to the distributed release with the next update.

edit
Okay, that's only part of the problem. Looks like there's also a bug in the locale loading bit, I'll post a corrected menu shortly.

digitxp
digitxp's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-11-03 18:33
Autorun

How does the autorun work?

Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Advanced Options

There is an autorun tab on the advanced options dialog. You can specify the command and parameters there. If you're having a specific problem, let me know.

Tristiano77
Offline
Last seen: 5 years 9 months ago
Joined: 2007-11-11 02:29
-

-

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
That's nice

If you'd like to share, mail it to g33k.m3nu Angel gmail dott com and I'll post it to SourceForge.

Thanks,
xopher

declan@xares.net
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2007-09-04 20:29
Bug reports?

I assume your taking bug reports for the experimental version.

I just tried the places bar thing in the options and all the places buttons are blank. Luckily closing Geek Menu does fix it through.

Hmm?

JerryM
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 1 week ago
Joined: 2007-01-04 14:57
Vista UAC nag?

Will v.1.0 eliminate the Windows Vista UAC nag? PAM does not nag, but Geek Menu v.9 beta does.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
I believe

This is resolved with 1.1.3.0.

*edit*
There is still a bug in the "startgeekmenu.exe" application, but this will be fixed with the next release.

mcwa
Offline
Last seen: 17 years 3 days ago
Joined: 2007-07-05 13:46
*BUG* Video Button

Hello first of all I just want to thank you for making this menu. it rocks!!!
Everything seems to work great!
the only thing that i found is not working is the Video button. It wont open folder
when i click on it.

thanks again for the menu

"If imagination doesn't have barriers why do we limit our imagination?"

Knight-Reaper
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2006-10-29 18:33
Plural

You have to make sure the file name is "videos" not video. you need the S.

Unemployed Stor...
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-18 22:35
I was wondering ?

Does everything have to be kept in the root of the drive or can I move it all into one folder in the root of my drive and just create a link to the launcher

powerjuce
powerjuce's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 9 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-20 21:34
i think you can...

but you could probably get a better answer in the sourceforge forum for this...

Please search before posting. ~Thanks

Unemployed Stor...
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 3 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-18 22:35
Nevermind

Actually I got it working right I just had to use a computer actually running windows not just wine

tehgeekguy
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 11 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-24 14:39
Searchbar

Is there a way or would it be possible to make the search bar an option? I like the feature, but it would be nice to either turn it off, or have a version without it. Love the app though, it's an awesome mode to an already awesome program. Keep it up!

powerjuce
powerjuce's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 9 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-20 21:34
sourceforge

try asking on sourceforge... it may be answered faster

Please search before posting. ~Thanks

tehgeekguy
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 11 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-24 14:39
good call

thanks

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Not currently

I have a long term goal of building a plugin structure for geek.menu, and the searchbar would become an included plugin in this scenario. It would be there today, but Delphi makes plugins and portability a bit contradictory, so the plugin structure will by definition have to be pretty manual.

Since John is also talking about plugin support, this is not a high priority for me. There's a lot of work involved, and if I go off in a very different direction than John, it will be a waste.

digitxp
digitxp's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-11-03 18:33
Familiarizing PC's

Is it possible for Geek Menu close and not autorun any applications on certain computers? I have A bunch of paranoid people in the house.

Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.

powerjuce
powerjuce's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 9 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-20 21:34
try asking on sourceforge...

try asking on sourceforge... it may be answered faster

Please search before posting. ~Thanks

Rotgerus
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-23 09:39
Buttons

Hello,thank you for making this menu. it is great!!!
Everything seems to work great!
only i can not work the buttons: Documents music pictures Video. It can not open the folders when i click on it.
how can i let it works?

thanks again for the menu

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
More info???

What version are you running- stable or experimental?

Do the folders exist? Do you have a locale file specifying an alternate location?

dsouza3190
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2011-01-28 18:05
change path

Is there a way to edit the file location? I added an extra directory and wanted to change the locations of Documents, Pictures, etc.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Both are supported

If I understand what you're asking.

1) Not running geek menu on some computers- add the computer names to the "known computers" list on the advanced options form and set the Behavior on unknown computer to "DisplayOwnerInfoAndQuit". If there is no owner info defined, the app will simply exit.

2) Changing the autorun.lst to autorun.pcname.lst (replacing pcname with the name of a given computer) allows you to specify particular applications to be run on a given PC. You can define multiple autoruns.

digitxp
digitxp's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-11-03 18:33
I'm not really following...

How do you edit .lst files?

Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Notepad...

The autorun.lst file is a text file generated by the GUI when you tell applications to run automatically.

Creating multiple autorun lists is an advanced feature not exposed through the GUI as it would make the GUI complicated, and the few people who want it can probably handle doing it manually.

Probably the easiest way to do it is to add all the programs you would want in any list through the gui, then look on the root of your drive (or encrypted drive if you are doing the TrueCrypt thing). Copy the autorun.lst file and rename it to autorun.pcname.lst for as many PCs as you want a custom list. Then edit those files in a text editor to remove applications you don't want to run on a given PC. If you delete the original autorun.lst, then the autorun feature will only execute on specified PCs.

Rotgerus
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-23 09:39
Geek 1.1.1.0.

I put the map Documents on differend places, like pam.
But it still dont work.Geek 1000 =Oke.Geek 1001=oke but Geek 1110 = not oke.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
I'm not sure I understand you

1.1.1.0 supports loading alternate directories defined in the locale file. So you can define paths like shown below for the buttons. If you can post any relevant settings in your locale file, and the tree structure of your portable drive, we might be able to track down the issue.

[FORM_MAIN]
ICON_DOCUMENTS=&Documents
LOCATION_DOCUMENTS=$TRUECRYPTDRIVE$:\work
ICON_MUSIC=&Music
LOCATION_MUSIC=$TRUECRYPTDRIVE$:\work\Music
ICON_PICTURES=&Pictures
LOCATION_PICTURES=$TRUECRYPTDRIVE$:\work\Pictures
ICON_VIDEOS=&Video
LOCATION_VIDEOS=$TRUECRYPTDRIVE$:\work\Videos

Rotgerus
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-23 09:39
geek 1.1.1.0.

I make the tree structure of my portable drive just like in pam.That works but not in Geek 1.1.1.0.
Geekmenu.ini: [TrueCryptOpts]
VolumePath=
ExePath=
PreferredDrive=
KeyFile=
cachePasswords=^•vw‹
runInStealthMode=^•vw‹
assumeTrueCryptMountedIfDrivePresent=^•vw‹
[DisplayOptions]
keepIconToTheLeft=True
menuTitle=xxxxxxxxxx
maxButtonCount=25
minButtonCount=15
[MenuOptions]
unauthorizedRunMode=runUnencrypted
useTrueCrypt=False
acceleratedMenuLoad=True
ejectCommand=
ejectCommandParams=
copyEjectorToLocalPC=False
customExplorer=
[OwnerInfo]
ownerLine1=
ownerLine2=
ownerLine3=
[PlacesBar]
replacePlacesBar=False
place1=geek.menu Documents
place2=Desktop
place3=My Documents
place4=My Computer
place5=Network
[Ctg_0]
Name=Office
Caption=Office
Icon=folder.ico

Rotgerus
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-23 09:39
geek 1.1.1.0.

Ah, it works mow,problems whit my USB stick.
Thanks for your help.

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
Found a new bug- whenever I

Found a new bug- whenever I reload the menus, for all relative links inside of a catogory, if I refresh the menus, the icons and labels go away .

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
I'll take a look

a few questions:

-what version?
-can you define what you mean by "relative links inside of a category"
-are "reload the menus" and "refresh the menus" both referring to doing an options.. refresh app icons?

Thanks

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
Well- it disappered. Thanks

Well- it disappered.
Thanks anyway.

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

zarthan
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 9 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-24 12:52
Autorun

I am using the current version 1.2 although I have not ever been able to make autorun function. I have used 8 and beyond and not made it work on any. I am using a Truecrypt volume. My autoRun.lst file is in the root of the Truecrypt volume although I have tried it in the root of the container drive.

The file contains:
$TRUECRYPTDRIVE$:\PortableApps\Thunderbird\ThunderBirdPortable.exe

I have tried the file with and without quotation marks.

"$TRUECRYPTDRIVE$:\PortableApps\Thunderbird\ThunderBirdPortable.exe"

I have used the actual drive letter but still no go. I must be overlooking something simple since others are using it. And just so you know I have held my tongue firmly against my left cheek as I inserted the drive. What am I missing??

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Not sure if autorun handles the $TruecryptDrive$ variables

try simply:

"\PortableApps\Thunderbird\ThunderBirdPortable.exe"

zarthan
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 9 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-24 12:52
That fixed it.

Many thanks. I tried everything I could think of but not that. Obviously I need to work on extending my thinking.

Thanks again.

LOGAN-Portable
LOGAN-Portable's picture
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 10 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-11 12:24
I'm trying out v1.2 and have

I'm trying out v1.2 and have some comments and suggestions about it, many related to truecrypt.

First I did not enter a value to make truecrypt use the first available drive letter. (I could not use A as well which also means use first available drive letter) When I exit the menu and restart it the message appears the volume is already mounted and then the geek.menu Exits Shock

When I exit Geek.menu the TrueCrypt volume does not get unmounted. This could be solved by starting the truecrypt app with parameters. ( TrueCrypt.exe /q /d /s )

In the TrueCrypt options of geek menu one can not use pulldown to get available themes. (also having ability to pick icons and ipersonal image would be nice to have.

I suggest moving the truecrypt folder into the Portable apps or geek menu folder. Same goes for the text and htm file as well as the geek eject.

If you distribute the enu including TrueCrypt you might as well have its location autofilled in.

Some skins you have available maybe should be included in the base distribution Smile

Changed icons, only change when on mouse over.

Menu flickers when you open/close an category folder.

Ability to have Apps on TrueCrypt and un encrypted Apps listed both in menu (Thes so you don't need to double all applications possibly)

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Thanks for the feedback

Thanks for the feedback, I can see you've given this some thought and I find it helpful.

I'll have to look at the truecrypt mounting issue.

The truecrypt volume does not get unmounted on exit as there may well be applications running. GeekEjector will properly unmount the TC volume (and indeed is designed to handle that)- I'll take a look into the parameters you suggest and see if they are a fit.

I'll take a look at the Truecrypt options tab, not sure why that is not pulling down. Also your points about icons and personal image make sense.

The truecrypt folder really belongs in the root of the drive for the distribution 1) to be fair to the developers and 2)comply as fully as possible with the license. I may move the other files.

I should indeed prefill the TC location.

Skins are out of the base to keep it small- I may add a download skins option which will point to the sf thread.

I'll have to test the changed icons thing, the menu flickering thing doesn't show on my drive, but I'll see if I can reproduce it on a slower drive/pc and correct it.

The TC and host drive profiles are different, and this lets you run, say, Firefox with a different profile when running off the unencrypted drive to maintain privacy (no history, cookies, etc). However, linked apps can be added to the menu from the host drive which will show in both profiles. This is the primary reason for that feature.

LOGAN-Portable
LOGAN-Portable's picture
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 10 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-11 12:24
Thanks for your

Thanks for your reaction.

Maybe it's nice to have an mount TC button although I could add it myself. to the left icon bar.

I understand your reasons to put truecrypt in the root of the drive. However, it being a security app it sounds reasonable to have it semi hidded from the root of the drive. First it's less cluttered and secondly it doesnt scream that truecrypt is available on the drive as well. This isn't much of a serious issue as I can move the truecrypt folder out of sight myself.

I understand the desire to keep the themes external but so far I downloaded all themes and icons available on the geek.menu sourceforge page and the total ammount used uncompressed is less than 2MB. I'm not suggesting to add each and every theme in the world but the ones available now look very neutral and give the user 2 or 3 alternatives to use. (For example to visually show if you're using truecrypt or not.)

The unmount parameters I used unmount every TC mounted drive, so that might be problematic in some cases. Maybe looking for an valid autoRun.lst in the root of the last removable drive might hint what drive to unmount. If a app is running from a truecrypt volume, initial testing revealed the volume is not being dismounted in that case.

Its true the truecrypted drive is used for secure work. The normally is used on 'trusted' PC's. Thats why I thought the unencrypted menu could feature non critical apps like VLC and so on. Ok, I might as well add the unencrypted apps i want to feature in the encrypted menu manually Smile (gotta check to see what the dynamic drive letter was again.)

And I guess I can add multiple truecrypt volumes through the runfirst file to set a seperate truecrypt for various PC's. (1 for trusted PC, another for untrusted PC that mounts for example a read only truecrypt that contains some rescue tools like antivirus or something.

Is it possible that for untrusted PC's you can run antivirus memory scan from a read only truecrypt volume?

Thanks and keep up the good work!

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Read only TC volume

One of the options for untrusted PCs is to mount the truecrypt volume read only, which should let you get what you need done. I've put in a feature request on the sf tracker to allow for an alternate truecrypt volume on an untrusted PC. I'll ponder that when I start up the 1.3 experimental track in a week or two.

Jimbo
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-17 05:43
w.r.t. the duplicated apps

Hi,

I'd like the menu to (optionally) scan both drives, too.

While I understand your point about two different profiles for apps like FFP, you could achieve that by putting them into separate categories in the menu, if you wished.

At the moment, if you use shortcuts to $HOSTDRIVE$:\PortableApps\App\App.exe, they do indeed show correctly when you have the TC volume mounted, but they also show when you don't, which means that you get both the detected app and the shortcut to it listed when you run without the TC volume. The only way I can see to resolve this would be to use some other root folder for geekmenu so that it couldn't find my portable apps, but, since I regularly add (or remove) apps from the list, it would be more than just irritating if I lost all of the auto scanning and had to manually add all the apps I wanted into the menu.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
re: Duplicate apps

The duplicated apps issue with unencrypted mode has been classed as a bug and will be corrected in the 1.2.1 release which should be ready in a day or so.

I'll consider the possibility of scanning both drives with the next experimental track- one of the main reasons I started developing my own menu instead of going with the SmithTech menu is because I personally don't like that approach. But it seems like something people want, so it'll probably end up in there as an option.

Jimbo
Offline
Last seen: 4 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2007-12-17 05:43
thanks on both counts...

Both for the fix, and for considering looking at it as an option for a future version.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
the fix is in

you can download 1.2.1 now, various bug fixes.

LOGAN-Portable
LOGAN-Portable's picture
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 10 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-11 12:24
Thanks for the

Thanks for the update!

Question: why does scroll wheel of the mouse doesn't scroll the apps list?
Also click and hold the arrow up or down in the menu doesnt continue scolling and one needs to click many times to scroll up/down. (At that time I missed a scrollbar Smile

Also: Should the folders not be on the top of the list, like folders on the darddrive?

Great work on the MOD!

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Scroll wheel bug

The mouse scroll wheel event is getting absorbed by the search list, that's a bug and I'll see if I can fix it (similar issue with up/down arrow). You can turn on the option for autoscroll and save the clicks for now.

When you are asking about the folders, I think you're referring to categories. The categories are sorted alphabetically in with the apps by design.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
scroll wheel bug

The scroll wheel events were getting swallowed by the search bar- this is corrected as of 1.2.2.1.

The categories are sorted alphabetically with the apps. As of 1.2.2.1, you can name a category with an initial space, which will force it to the top of the list.

LOGAN-Portable
LOGAN-Portable's picture
Offline
Last seen: 11 years 10 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-09-11 12:24
Thanks

Thanks!

Using a trailing space will be helpful when dealing with some categories and some un-categorised apps.

Concerning categories btw, it is possible to have two or more categories with a duplicate name. Although it can be considered as user ignorance maybe a warning "Category already exists" would be useful? (I encountered it by making a second Games category because I forgot I already had it Smile

Any progress on finding why when opening or closing the caterogy will briefly hide then show the menu making it appear to flicker?

I switched to your menu because it has the cost things to configure and because the new updated platform might take many months to be released (looking at how v1.1 is pushed forward first while I'm using that one already for a long time, it seems the 1.5 (hopefully 2.0) will not be arriving for another 6 months Smile

About plugins... maybe it's an idea to make plugins use "Object Pascal" that allows pascal scripts to be executed on runtime. I think this would be great for a number of reasons. First the pascal lies close to Delphi, and second, it would give people easy access to the environment to create plugins. For example, making a 'plugin" that easily adds a music to be played when the menu starts can be done, or showing a (round) splash screen, etc etc.

With a few hooks on the events of the menu (on start, on exit, on applaunch, etc) this could be a great way to have the opportunity of custom scripts. Object Pascal can be used freely and allows scripts to be executed on runtime. (You can use remobjects Pascal for it for example.)

OliverK
OliverK's picture
Offline
Last seen: 3 years 5 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2007-03-27 15:21
New bug- with the latest

New bug- with the latest version. When I expand the catagory, it messes up. Where do I send the support bundle?

Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Oliver- as before, please

Oliver-

as before, please send bundle and detailed description of the problem to g33k dot m3nu at gmail dot com

digitxp
digitxp's picture
Offline
Last seen: 13 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-11-03 18:33
EjectScript Relative Paths

I notice the ejectscript button opens an absolute path. Can this be made relative?

Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.

platypus
Offline
Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: 2008-02-05 19:36
AutoScroll Menu setting not sticking?

I'm not sure if this is a bug or if I am not doing something correctly. I go to Options -> Advanced Options and turn on AutoScroll Menus.

The next time I start geek.menu, the setting is turned off again. Was I supposed to do something additional to make this setting stick?

This is a great improvement over PAM. Thank you for your hard work.

maggotb0y
Offline
Last seen: 15 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2007-06-06 09:13
Bug

That's a bug. It should be corrected in 1.2.3.0 which should be up on SourceForge by the end of the evening.

Pages

Log in or register to post comments