CEA for items, request

Features wanted...
sweet40
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Joined: 21 Apr 2013 22:16

CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

hey!

so I've found this entire CEA section under Configuration and I'd like to request an entry so I can register events by the means of "Click on Items" the left/right mouse clicks. Of course this requires some level of attention from the user but yeah, if we're speaking on opening a "game changer", I see no reasons for limiting the possibilities here. TIA!

edit, worth mentioning I'd like to feed off of either mouse clicks or 'enter' pressing.

admin
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by admin »

Not planned.

PS: IMO clicks on items are sacred territory.

autocart
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by autocart »

If you have the time and motivation, sweet40, you could do that or something "similar enough" by using the Autohotkey (AHK) scripting language. Of course AHK this is not part of XY but can work together with XY. Just saying...

sweet40
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

nothing should be sacred enough at the expense of flexibility. I mean... by reading what CEA is capable of, I easily devise ways of finally having control over history LOCATIONS, mainly building 'most recent' lists as well as 'most used', for last 15 days or globally.

I'm currently* facing this issue with locating sets of files I need to work with within a limited period of time and already tried folder based solutions, file based, shortcuts, external software, nothing barely coming close to what I could do if XY allowed me to touch the holly grounds.

Another issue this could come in handy would be launching certain types of files with an older version of VLC instead of a newer one as one deals with keeping the screen alive differently than the other, considering how many times that file was launched.

I really hope devs change their mind on this.

*ok, that's over a year, as of now

sweet40
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

autocart wrote: 11 Mar 2021 20:05 If you have the time and motivation, sweet40, you could do that or something "similar enough" by using the Autohotkey (AHK) scripting language. Of course AHK this is not part of XY but can work together with XY. Just saying...
once I struggled with autohotkey and after much consideration and frustration asking for help on their forums, I decided to never come back. BUT if you can come up with something, after a definitive 'no' from XY devs, well... hope you're open to some granularity and willing to accept some gratitude in exchange for this!

autocart
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by autocart »

At least for the next few months until end of June I have not time to help other than giving general hints. Sorry.

autocart
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by autocart »

sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:14...
Another issue this could come in handy would be launching certain types of files with an older version of VLC instead of a newer one as one deals with keeping the screen alive differently than the other, considering how many times that file was launched.
...
I think you can do that already now with Custom File Associations.

autocart
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by autocart »

sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:14 nothing should be sacred enough at the expense of flexibility. I mean... by reading what CEA is capable of, I easily devise ways of finally having control over history LOCATIONS, mainly building 'most recent' lists as well as 'most used', for last 15 days or globally.
Not sure what you mean.
sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:14 I'm currently* facing this issue with locating sets of files I need to work with within a limited period of time and already tried folder based solutions, file based, shortcuts, external software, nothing barely coming close to what I could do if XY allowed me to touch the holly grounds.
Have you looked at paper folders? But am also here not 100 % sure what your real needs were.

sweet40
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

autocart wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:31
sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:14...
Another issue this could come in handy would be launching certain types of files with an older version of VLC instead of a newer one as one deals with keeping the screen alive differently than the other, considering how many times that file was launched.
...
I think you can do that already now with Custom File Associations.
that would really be the answer if we were talking about version or date diferentiation, while what I have in mind differs completely as it's usage based. next post may have this better explained.

sweet40
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Joined: 21 Apr 2013 22:16

Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

autocart wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:34
sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:14 nothing should be sacred enough at the expense of flexibility. I mean... by reading what CEA is capable of, I easily devise ways of finally having control over history LOCATIONS, mainly building 'most recent' lists as well as 'most used', for last 15 days or globally.
Not sure what you mean.
sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 21:14 I'm currently* facing this issue with locating sets of files I need to work with within a limited period of time and already tried folder based solutions, file based, shortcuts, external software, nothing barely coming close to what I could do if XY allowed me to touch the holly grounds.
Have you looked at paper folders? But am also here not 100 % sure what your real needs were.
I'm launching some files over and over again within a certain period of time. a week or so later, the same happens with another set, which may or may not contain some files from the previous sessions.

I see no reason I should manually keep track of these as XY's CEA could automatically store each launching at the time they happen, saving me hours of tedious, meaningless work as it will constantly change over time.

A basic routine for this being

a. launch file
b. CEA fills a text file registering said file plus an iteration on its launch count
c. a second script, CKS based for instance, is called when such global history is required
c.1 a third one may read another file containing a more recent history when needed

Some granularity may be included, allowing to black or white list certain extensions, including or not locations along with files, range in days (this can be difficulty, a limited ammount of the top "xx" items would suffice) to filter such lists by.

the main idea being, keep track of launched files and visited folders without having to save anything within XY own files, sorting then by "most used ones" along with "most recently used". Hope this is clearer.



Paper Folders would still need manual intervention, as I said I'm avoiding for a very reasonable motive, also being the undesired side effect of requiring a second panel for its usage, which would be a waste.

autocart
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Re: CEA for items, request

Post by autocart »

If I understand correctly, what you have in mind, would be something like the current MRU list and/or Hotlist but extended by actual files that were launched. Plus it should be customizable regarding filters.

2 questions:
1) How do you intend to access (display and select) any items on such lists?
2) If you think you could do it with CEA if it allowed to customize the action when an item is clicked, why would it not work with CFA as well? After all, CFA also allows you to run a script instead of defining an executable. So, what is the real difference for your purpose?

sweet40
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Joined: 21 Apr 2013 22:16

Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

autocart wrote: 11 Mar 2021 22:49 If I understand correctly, what you have in mind, would be something like the current MRU list and/or Hotlist but extended by actual files that were launched. Plus it should be customizable regarding filters.

2 questions:
1) How do you intend to access (display and select) any items on such lists?
2) If you think you could do it with CEA if it allowed to customize the action when an item is clicked, why would it not work with CFA as well? After all, CFA also allows you to run a script instead of defining an executable. So, what is the real difference for your purpose?
1. by reading those text files where the entries are being store and classified by the registered amount of launches and offering a simple inputselect() + goto()
2. well, strict sense "custom file associations" should have nothing to do with all of this, while I see no valid reason why CEA isn't handling those yet. but if it's the only way I could delve into solving my issues, then I'd have no choices other than waiting for the 4th of July (*hint*). Thanks for already taking the time, anyway.

sweet40
Posts: 84
Joined: 21 Apr 2013 22:16

Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

hm.

a quick look at CFA tells me this would open potential conflicts with existing associations, which may got forgotten over time, leading to "mysterious" problems which could be avoided prior. Am I right assuming this?

autocart
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Joined: 26 Sep 2013 15:22

Re: CEA for items, request

Post by autocart »

sweet40 wrote: 11 Mar 2021 23:45 hm.

a quick look at CFA tells me this would open potential conflicts with existing associations, which may got forgotten over time, leading to "mysterious" problems which could be avoided prior. Am I right assuming this?
Not 100 % sure, what you mean.
You could define a script for CFA like this:
*>::echo <pfaitem>;open <pfaitem>, w
This would first echo the item path and name of any file and then open it in the OS associated default application.
So, it would not interfere with any OS application settings and you could still apply the script of your choice.
Regarding compatibility with other CFA definitions, I would think it is up to the user to ensure these.

The only quirk is that, as I now realized again, CFA only work for files, not for folders. Folders are always browsed and the script would not be executed. However, now with CEA including events for changing locations, which is in effect browsing, this could be taken care of too.
So, yes, it could probably be imagined a bit more comfortable, but as far as I see it now, technically it should be possible to do it?

sweet40
Posts: 84
Joined: 21 Apr 2013 22:16

Re: CEA for items, request

Post by sweet40 »

hi again...

yes, I see I can run a script using PFA. The thing is, I have several alternatives for opening movies, for instance. Not only players but versions of those players. First, PFA would demand a certain caution as order mean a thing for it to work, and I am used to copy and paste those commands to other XY instances. Not only that, I am kind of fond of a set and forget routine. So if I notice something is broken a bunch of months in the future, huge chances I'll have not a slightest clue on what's being wrong, and where, as PFA leave no trace at all it's broken. All in theory, of course, so it's wiser to expect such a function to work under where it logically belongs, CUSTOM EVENT ACTION it is, not a gimmick FILE ASSOCIATION improvisation.

not only that, Help states

"You can also state a one-line script (see Scripting) as "application" in the definition of a PFA."

and I clearly see I'll need several lines to accomplish what I'm up to, concerning the custom History, for instance.

autocart wrote:The only quirk is that, as I now realized again, CFA only work for files, not for folders.
well... I already started the FOLDERS part by using the proper CEA as expected. That's why the wish comes into play... I see no reason why FILES should be excluded from it, real usage case in discussion.
autocart wrote:So, yes, it could probably be imagined a bit more comfortable, but as far as I see it now, technically it should be possible to do it?
another reason why CEA should support files... Imagine I want to share this custom History thing with a friend who finds it cool. Well... I'd either had to teach him entire sections on XY's gearings, eventually asking for remote sessions as for installations, or share my own custom files.

which is kinda lame and have high chances of not happening.

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