Application: Mini Launch Bar (Preview)
NOTE: This version is deprecated. Please follow this link for the latest version
Category: Launcher
Description: This an application launcher for PortableApps applications. Rather than organizing the apps as a list like the Windows Start menu, they are organized in a tool bar a bit similar to the Mac OSX dock bar.
There's still a lot more work to do on it, but I thought I'd release a first version. In particular, I'd appreciate if somebody could give it a try on Windows 98 (95?) and Vista.
You simply need to drop the executable and data folder anywhere on your USB drive and launch it. As long as you are using the standard folder structure (apps in "PortableApps" and documents in "Documents"), it should detect everything automatically.
Feature suggestions and bug reports are also welcome.
Download Mini Launch Bar (Preview)
Features:
- Add or delete a shortcut or a divider by right-clicking on any icon
- Change the properties (name and path) of an icon
- Move the bar by clicking and dragging its border
- Order the icons by clicking and dragging them
- Eject the drive by clicking on the arrow button, and then the eject button
Release Notes:
Beta 1 (2008-09-06):
- Support for 16x16 and 32x32 icons
- Config dialog box to change the locale or icon sizes
- Finished French localization
- Improved rendering speed of the interface.
- It's now possible to select a file OR a folder when adding or modifying a shortcut
- Added Multi Launch button (the one with a thunder icon)
- Added "New shortcut" icon
- Added "Minimize" icon
Preview 2 (2008-08-31):
- NEW: The bar can now be resized
- NEW: The application location and dimensions are now saved on close
- NEW: Tooltips on icons
- UPDATE: Disabled animation of drawer for now as it's currently too slow
- UPDATE: Disabled dividers in icon panel as they don't work properly with multiple rows of icons.
Preview 1 (2008-08-30):
- First preview release
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looks nice. Ill try it right away.
EDIT
Is there a GUI for the properties?
How can I change the language (I want to use my german translation)?
Another suggestion is to make it be on top of all things/windows.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
There's currently no GUI available, but you can already do a lot of customization by modifying the file "MiniLaunchBar.xml" in Data/Settings.
For example, to add german language, just put your file "de.txt" in the "Locales" folder, then add this line inside the "Settings" tag of MiniLaunchBar.xml:
<Setting name="Locale">de</Setting>
If there are parts that you didn't translate, it will automatically default to english.
I really like it.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Please update the Launcher with my polish file
Thanks!
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I think I'll choose german in upper middle!
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Thanks for the translations, that was quick
It might be a bit too early for this version since there's a lot more text to come, but I'll drop your translations in the locales folder, and let you provide the updates whenever you want. If a string is missing, it will default to english anyway.
http://drop.io/Mini_Launch_Bar_PL
Will you be releasing the source code for this application? If not, this unfortunately can not be posted here at the current time. This site (for now) only supports open source software.
If you are worried about people stealing all your work after you release the source, look into a license like the GPL, it requires any derivative works to also be GPL, so your code will be shared, but always be available, even in someone else's derivative work.
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
Yes it will be open source, probably under GNU license. Right now the code is a bit too messy for a release but as soon as it's cleaned up and commented I'll put it on Google Code.
Okay I went ahead and already uploaded my repository to Google Code. It's under GUN GPL version 3.
http://code.google.com/p/minilaunchbar/
Awesome. Thanks Laurent
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
Yeah, open source makes all the difference.
Needs SVN to see the source and I don't want to install that for just a one-time use.
I just wanted to be nosy and see what language it's in for starters...
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
you can just browse it
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I looked for that too!
ty
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Wow this looks awesome! it looks much nicer than the plain menu, now if needs some work, a GUI for properties would be very nice, but seeing how this is just a preview, that means there's more to come, which leaves me excited
Lead, Follow, or get out of the way.
This is looking very nice!
Keep up the good work!
Optimism is a moral duty - Karl R. Popper
Once this becomes open source it will be much more awesome.
to say I love it
And that it works great under Vista. Any chance that you could put the path to the folders on a tooltip as I cant tell all the identical folders apart 
and btw I love the folder support too!
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Thanks for testing, I'm glad to hear it works on Vista too. Good point for the tooltip - it will be on the next release.
Feature Request:
Let user select the size of the icons. My "mini" bar extends the entire width of my monitor at 1680px. Being able to pick a smaller icon size would help.
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
I agree. Allowing the user what size icon to display would be great.
Not sure i'd include 16x16, but 32x32, 48x48, 64x64, 128x128 and 256x256, maybe a few others between 128 and 256, would be good to include.
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
It's using the icons in the executables so it's limited to what icons are in them and that's the six "standard" portable apps sizes and bitdepths (at a minimum of course).
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
I tested it a bit more and I really like it!
There is a feature I'd like to see:
The possibility to choose how much icons to show at once and then the possibility to scroll through the remaining ones horizontally (by adding an arrow at the right perhaps?) Otherwise, as said above, the screen can get too cluttered. And maybe the option to choose the size of the icons wouldn't be a bad idea.
I know this is still a preview version but for me it's an impressive preview version which is already pretty stable!
Optimism is a moral duty - Karl R. Popper
Thanks for the feedback and comments!
I'm currently doing some changes to the way the bar displays the icons to make it possible to have more than one row of icons. From then, it should be pretty easy to support any size of icons - at least 16x16 and 32x32. I'm not sure if it's possible to support 128x128 since I'm working on Windows XP but I'll give it a try.
I know I'm getting way ahead of current development, but I think way down the road it would be great it this was tweaked a bit to better be used locally. There's no open source docks out there, and this is already the best one.
I've just uploaded the second preview on Google Code. You can get the executable from the Download section.
Changes:
* NEW: The bar can now be resized
* NEW: The application location and dimensions are now saved on close
* NEW: Tooltips on icons
* UPDATE: Disabled animation of drawer for now as it's currently too slow.
* UPDATE: Disabled dividers in icon panel as they don't work properly with multiple rows of icons.
By the way, I'm also looking for a name for this application (MiniLaunchBar is temporary unless I really can't find anything else). If anybody has a suggestion, please let me know - you'll be credited in the About box.
how about OpenBar?
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
It sounds too much like the name of bar/pub. A name with "open" inside would probably be nice though.
That's bad why?
I am not my signature.
I'm usually good with naming...
DOCK (Docking Openly is Cool for pacKing) LOL.
OHDD (Open tecHnological Dimensional Dock) LOLZ.
I'll come up with more acronyms when I have more time ;).
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I think OHDD is too obscure, and DOCK is too vague (and I'd rather try to find a name that doesn't already return 80,000,000 results on Google
Launcher of the USB?
POAL (POrtable Application Launcher)? (See I am good with acronyms :P)
PrettyBar (Nah, tooo well... Girly?)
OPS (Open Portable Stuff)?
OSAILLER (Open Source Application and fIle/foLder LaunchER) (Probably would be good with a little bit of modding).
BAILEY (usB Application and fIle Launcher with Extra functionaliY) (too long).
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How about Portable Apps Bar?
sounds a little generic. PABar, maybe.
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
Already taken by lawyers in Pennsylvania.
SI(M)Bar = Simple, Intuitive (Mini) Bar
NMBWBar = Not-Mac-But-Windows Bar
PBar = Personal/Portable Bar
Preview 2 is looking even better btw
Optimism is a moral duty - Karl R. Popper
When I think about it, it would be preferable not to have "bar" in the name as it means too many different things. Also since preview 2, it's no longer a bar because it can be resized to any rectangular shape.
How about "Portable Apps Launcher" (PAL)?
Perhaps:
Pocket Dock
Pocket Dock-It
Or something with pockets?
Edit: Pockit Dock(-)It/Pockit Dock would keep things more original.
I quite like the names with pocket, however "Pocket Dock" and "Dock-It" must be trademarks so I'd rather avoid. Not sure about the Pock-it names...
Pockédock would be nice (and 0 hits on Google), but it sound too much like a pokemon device
I like that one
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
I like it. Very fine.
Name:
Barkeeper?
Bartender?
Life is crunchy, anywhere
how about LOLBar? (LOL because its cool, and Bar because its a bar :P)
EDIT: or MLBar? (MiniLaunchBar)
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
yay, can´t it stay with mini launch bar????
I quite like the idea of the bar that serves you an app instead of a beer
but I'd still rather no have "bar" in the name. Taking your idea, it could be appkeeper? or apptender?
AppSelector?
AppConveyor?
(Man I stink at these types...)
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something like "Appesizer"?
Life is crunchy, anywhere
ProBar?
How about Portable Apps Ribbon?
PAR is also the name of the minimum required amounts of swings it takes to get the golf ball in the hole ;). The OP wanted something that'll not give 2 gazillion results that have nothing to do with the software
;).
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Dockit or Docket?
Free Mini Bar (Who could resist?)
Dock of the Bay (Only if you are from San Francisco)
DeskDock
some nautical ones
Floating Dock
PortDock
Portmaster
I am not my signature.
Yet Another Portable Apps Launcher
Hm... But yet another?
Let's see, PAM Mod, Geek Menu, SmithTech Menu, START, Mini. Hm... 6.
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But this isn't only a portableapps launcher!!! For the ones we prefer using the portableapps from a local hard disk, it can be also set to your favourite directories on your PC, or programs you installed & use frequently. I'm in favour of all the ones don't say nothing of portable , even i like trhat one of "yeet another portableapps launcher" (i'll prefer "yet another app launcher")
I think so too - if it's named "portable", it will sound like it's only for portable apps while it can indeed be used as a "normal" dock bar on your desktop. Eventually, there will probably be two slightly different versions anyway - one standalone and one portable. Only the latter will be called "something-portable".
Why go through the extra work of making 2 versions? Just make the installed version possible to run portably. Then leave putting in a PortableApps.com Format to the other devs here. Saves some work on your end ;).
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
You can now download the beta version from Google Code. The most visible changes are:
* Support for 16x16 icons (haven't figured out how to get the 48x48 ones yet)
* Configuration window from which you can change the locale and icon size. If you have made a localization, you can test it by putting your file in the Locale folder. Just don't forget to add the language name at the top of the file (see en.txt for an example)
* The "Multi Launch" functionality is now implemented: this allows you to select a group of programs that you want to quickly launch at the click of a button (it's kind of the equivalent of the Startup menu in Windows, except that they are not launched automatically). To add a program to the Multi Launch group, right-click on an icon and select "Add to Multi Launch".
* The bar can now be hidden / shown by clicking on the minimize button, or via the tray icon context menu
This is most likely the latest release before version 1.0, so please let me know if you find any issues. Also I'm still looking for a name, so if you have any suggestions let me know. So far, it seems like all the good names are already trademarked
Latest version has your settings file included ;). I see several broken links to apps and folders that don't exist on my drive.\
Feature request: Add tooltips to the buttons as well
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
Thanks, I've uploaded a new version without my setting file. Ok for the tooltips, I'll add that in the next release.
bug: under EditFolderItemForm the button caption for save and cancel show up in English, seems they don´t respond to the global button settings..
and the updated German file
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisici elit, sed eiusmod tempor incidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis .." Friday Next -
"May The Schwartz be with You!" Yogurt the Yoda
The latest compiled version doesn't have the features you mentioned. Any way we can get the .zip file updated to so those of us without a compiler can try it out?
EDIT: Looks like the dev read my mind and posted an updated compiled version a few hours ago.
I tried out the smaller icon sizes and liked it. What's the lightening bolt icon supposed to do? It don't appear to do anything on my system. (As mentioned above, a tooltip on those icons would help in figuring out what they do.)
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
The lightening bolt is the "Multi Launch" button that allows you to launch several apps at the same time. To add an app to the Multi Launch group, right-click on any of them and select "Add to Multi Launch group". It's basically a functionality similar to the Startup menu in Windows.
Ah, I see. I'll try it out.
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Beta 1 works fine here!
Optimism is a moral duty - Karl R. Popper
Thanks for the translations, I'll add them in the next version.
By the way, I've decided to switch the project to C++ / wxWidget instead of Delphi, so it might take a while before I release the next version.
I'd like to learn some C++ with wxWidgets myself so it will be great to see the code for myself. And that Delphi file browser is ugly.
lol, yes it looks like they haven't updated this component in 20 years
Count me out.
C++ can crash the PC...
and Curly Brackets languages aren't very nice to me :(...
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wxWidgets = good stuff. Nice choice!
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Great program! I like PStart allot but your program might replace it. A few comments:
I would like to change the icons of the shortcuts.
The rounded corners look a little “blocky” on my 1152 x 864 screen.
It would be nice if the shortcut “tip” could show on the bottom.
Again, great program!
Bill
The icons of the shortcuts are the actual icons embedded within the executables themselves. Allowing you to change them would take a LOT more programming (I assume) and add more complexity to the XML settings file. Not worth the programming effort IMO.
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
It shouldn't be difficult to implement, but I don't think many people would use this feature as it's just too much work to create your own icons for each app. Unless of course we provide packs of alternative icons...
In any case, this kind of feature won't be a priority for the next version.
Having used for a couple of days, it has replaced PStart ( a good program itself). I hope this program continues it's development! I "played" with the default skin files (I now have square corners).
Thanks again, Bill
Any names going?
From some of Patrick's, maybe perhaps:
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I'm for Launchmi
your friendly neighbourhood moderator Zach Thibeau
i like that one
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
but also sounds Japanese :P.
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
it could still be an opportunity, you racist!
But there’s no sense crying over every mistake,
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
Kind of like it too. Easy to remember yet weird enough to be unique.
I have a list of about 30 names but haven't picked on yet
I'll do that before releasing the next version.
May I also ask about when the next version will be published?
And maybe what features to come?
Christian Greeting
Translated by Google ^^
I don't have a date yet for the next version. It will depend on how easy or hard it is to adapt the current Delphi code to wxWidgets. From then, there are some other functionalities that I'd like to add although nothing is final yet. In no particular order, here is the list of possible features:
- Functionality to close all the apps that have been opened by the dock
- Built-in encryption. The dock will ask if the files should be decrypted before launching any app.
- Plugin support? (not sure how useful it would be)
- Help file
- Use a thread to search for new applications (the dock should then start much faster)
- Snap the window to screen sides
- Search function?
- Open folders with any file manager (eg Total Commander) and not just Explorer
- Groups of applications (sub-menus)
- Support for drag and drop
I am using the beta version and it's working pretty good! Regardless, there is interest in the program. Thanks, Bill
- Help file
Would be most useful!
- Snap the window to screen sides
That in combination to an "auto-hide" feature would be very useful!
- Groups of applications (sub-menus)
For me this is a MUST HAVE. I have TOO MANY icons and many are not used a lot. It would be nice if the sub-menus were available in the list. I could put my most used apps in the bar and then have sub-menus in the drop down list. When clicked on I would want them to drop down another list. Sort of the way that XP's stert menu does.
i have just installed this and really like the idea. The only other comments that I would add is that it would be nice if the MiniLaunchBar.xml was formatted instead of being one ginormaous single line. An interface to adjust the settings would be nice also.
Paul LaBrier
- Help file
There will definitely be a help file at some point, most likely after version 1 is out.
- Snap the window to screen sides
- Groups of applications (sub-menus)
These two features are not priority for version 1 either but it's planned for the version after that. I just need to figure out what's the best way to handle sub-menus.
- it would be nice if MiniLaunchBar.xml was formatted instead of being one ginormaous single line
This is done - in the current development version, the XML is now properly indented.
I think an intarestant feature would be (when you fix that bug of the dividers) when making multiple rows, to "name" them & to put an horizontal long divider in front of the line (but the name in the same color as the dividers, which should be grey, maybe darker) like This
PD:What is that lightning-like button?
That question was answered earlier in this thread.
https://portableapps.com/node/15390#comment-96441
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
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