Customizable Context Menus

[jacky]

Ok, just a wish I'll throw in before the break. I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I really think it would be a pretty cool thing to have.

You know how, when thinking about adding command to various context menus, such as the List (blank area) one, or Tree items one, etc there's always the issue of space, and how those menus are already quite filled up for some.

Well, why not let the user dedcide and bring in "Customizable Context Menus" !

Just like for CKS, there would be the need to have a list of all commands available in XY (this cound include Misc. & "customizable commands"/softkeys -- see again why need it might be good to separate the name for those to "keys" ) and the user could then decide what to include on the context menus.

Thay way one could decide what should and should not be on different context menus, so not only could one get ride of items there by default that he never uses, but he could add some he uses a lots & whishes to be there, even Misc/customizable ones (eg. "Move To [D:\MyFolder]"), that are unlikely to be there by default/for everyone.

You'll probably have noticed that I said context menus, because I actually think you could even push it further that "just" the List context menu (and its Finding Tab twin) and also includes the context menu for items on List, and on Tree.

For those, there could even be the possibility of one extra "command" : Shell Context Menu. This would be the shell context menu, so one could not only decide where to add his XY'x items (before/after), but also decide to have it as a popup/sub-menu !!

For example, imagine this: For the Tree's items context menu, one could only left the XY commands, maybe adding a few of his choice, eg. add XY's Cut/Copy ones, and then have a menu that would say "Shell Context Menu", which when clicked would get the usual shell context menu for that item.
Results: Besides being able to choose/design the ctxt menu, by getting ride of the shell part the menu will show up at the speed of light, being an XY only menu.

Of course this could also be done on List, I only choose the Tree as example cause I almost never user the shell items from that menu, unlike with the List items ctxt menu.

[j_c_hallgren]

Not sure how this might affect ability to document XY, or in supporting those with questions, but this basic concept makes perfect sense to me also!

There are a few items on these context menus that I doubt I'd ever use, and some that I do use are positioned in places that are not the easiest/quickest for me to access, so being able to configure these menus would definitely help out....now if it can be done is another matter, but at least the concept has been pretty well described by jacky, IMO.

[admin]

Just like for CKS, there would be the need to have a list of all commands available in XY (this cound include Misc. & "customizable commands"/softkeys -- see again why need it might be good to separate the name for those to "keys" ) and the user could then decide what to include on the context menus.

Yes, that would be a nice spin-off of CKS. The major CKS work (making all XY commands internally available by ID) would nicely pay off. The same could be done for the main menus, the toolbar, mousebuttons etc. Ultimately, XY would be a fully modular thing, a box full of (factory + customizable) commands and some digital glue to stick them together. The DIY file manager. Build you own custom file manager using the XY file management kit.

Great concept (if the handling is intuitive and foolproof). However, for my taste this is leaving the scope of this app. I would rather develop and market this as a different thing. The next generation file manager or so. You could even make it extensible, respectively offer it in different sizes: here's the small version for 9,99 Euros, buy 50 additional commands later for just 6,99 Euros. On offer: XY Rename Commands Kit for 4,99 Euros. Or even the single command for 12 cent. "Micro-Soft." And so on... total customization.

[j_c_hallgren]

I agree from a marketing perspective that having that level of customization could be "XY - Ultimate Edition" or similar, just as M$ has variants of Vista, etc...

And in terms of context menus, maybe allow a couple of user defined cmds in the standard edition so users could see potential, but to add more, they'd have to get the other vers...

After all, we don't want (I think) to make basic XY so complex that it scares off the average user who wants to upgrade from Win Expl, right?

[jacky]

Yes, that would be a nice spin-off of CKS. The major CKS work (making all XY commands internally available by ID) would nicely pay off. The same could be done for the main menus, the toolbar, mousebuttons etc.

Exactly, now that you did all this work for CKS, I thought it could be nice to benefit from it in others useful ways, like customizable toolbar buttons, or customizable context menus!

I'm honestly not sure going to the whole "micro-soft" concept would be such a good idea, just like extending it to all the menus, etc
But only for context menus, I strongly believe it would be a great thing.

Take me as example I know I could tweak my List context menu in ways that could improve my workflow, by removing those items I never use by always slow me down to locate/click on the ones I want, and adding those I might need there.
And reading jc posts seems to confirm I'm definately not alone there.

I'm not saying make XY a "fully modular thing", but allow customization where it would really be useful...

[John Bee]

Take me as example I know I could tweak my List context menu in ways that could improve my workflow, by removing those items I never use by always slow me down to locate/click on the ones I want, and adding those I might need there.

Yes, yes!

Or even allowing us to relegate unused or not used as much items to a sub-menu entry of the context menu!

[lukescammell]

I love all these ideas as my context menu is a beast and sucks

What about taking it one step further still and allowing different context menus on different file types in the list view That would be truly brilliant. For instance, there's not an awful lot that I do with compressed archives other than open, in the archive manager or "extract here". It would be great to be able t have a tiny context menu that just had those options.

Would it be possible to use CTRL, SHIFT and ALT as modifier keys so you got different context menus if you were pressing them? So if you pressed CTRL+Right mouse button, you got the full system/XY context menu instead of the customised one?

P.S. If/when you do this, please also make it possible to customise the icons in the context menu - perhaps even with XY themes

[admin]

What about taking it one step further still ...

Oh, I can easily take it one step further, too. You just have to pay me for it, and there will be lukescammellsfilemanager.exe!

[lukescammell]

Hahahahaha, easy Don Just throwing some ideas out there. Much as it would be great to have my very own coding genius slave/whipping boy, I can't see you taking the post