UDC: Better Separators and Invisibility.

[TheQwerty]

I was cleaning up my User-Defined Commands and found myself wishing for these....

1) Currently, you can insert menu separators using "-" as a caption and some additional empty strings; could we have an official means of doing this? Ideally it would show up in the Commands list as a full line as well, instead of a single "-".


2) We discussed using scripting and UDCs to generate a poor-man's two-stage shortcut. This works but it also clutters the menu with items that may only exist to be assigned shortcuts keys.

I'd like a way to hide items. It could be a property of the command or a continuation of the scripting rules (captions starting with "_" are hidden).


3) Could we have an INI-Tweak to hide unused categories from the User menu? I only use UDCs for easy script access, which means I have 8 ugly disabled items and my cursor has to travel further to reach its destination.

[admin]

No luck this time. Partly not possible, partly not what I want.

[j_c_hallgren]

I was cleaning up my User-Defined Commands and found myself wishing for these....
3) Could we have an INI-Tweak to hide unused categories from the User menu? I only use UDCs for easy script access, which means I have 8 ugly disabled items and my cursor has to travel further to reach its destination.

I've had the same issue with distance here...maybe if instead of hiding others, the order could be flipped via tweak so that Run/Load Script could be under Manage Cmds? I don't object that much to seeing other unused/disabled items but having to go around them each/every time isn't greatest either.

Actually, I'd almost prefer having the Script cmds as very first section, with Manage Cmds at the bottom, if that was an option.

[admin]

I was cleaning up my User-Defined Commands and found myself wishing for these....
3) Could we have an INI-Tweak to hide unused categories from the User menu? I only use UDCs for easy script access, which means I have 8 ugly disabled items and my cursor has to travel further to reach its destination.

I've had the same issue with distance here...maybe if instead of hiding others, the order could be flipped via tweak so that Run/Load Script could be under Manage Cmds? I don't object that much to seeing other unused/disabled items but having to go around them each/every time isn't greatest either.

Actually, I'd almost prefer having the Script cmds as very first section, with Manage Cmds at the bottom, if that was an option.

Tip: Assign KS to sub menu Run/Load Script ...

[j_c_hallgren]

p: Assign KS to sub menu Run/Load Script ...

KS doesn't work strictly via a touchpad/mouse, right?
I use KS very rarely...remember, I barely use context menu to avoid using right-click or context key...

[TheQwerty]

No luck this time. Partly not possible, partly not what I want.

When you say "not what I want" you mean you can't achieve these in a way you like or you don't want that behavior to be possible?

I've had the same issue with distance here...maybe if instead of hiding others, the order could be flipped via tweak so that Run/Load Script could be under Manage Cmds? I don't object that much to seeing other unused/disabled items but having to go around them each/every time isn't greatest either.

Actually, I'd almost prefer having the Script cmds as very first section, with Manage Cmds at the bottom, if that was an option.

To be honest, I'd much rather be able to get rid of disabled/unused items completely.

I understand the whole exposing the features to users thing, but there comes a time where I'd much rather get things done than be reminded of a feature I have no interest in and may not be using. This is why I've always loved the fact that MS would hide less frequently used items in the Office menus.

Changing the order will fix the distance problem but I think the current order makes perfect sense and should remain the default. I'd still find it silly to display the disabled items, but it becomes more a problem of aesthetics.

Tip: Assign KS to sub menu Run/Load Script ...

I actually have a script that acts like I want the User menu to be, shows Run Script/Load Script File and then opens the appropriate menu, but as j_c_hallgren points out its use by mouse is a bit limited.

[admin]

I made some tests and it's actually technically not possible (resp. to difficult to make it worth the pain).

Once you have programmable toolbar buttons, the mouse people can be a notch happier again...

[admin]

I made some tests and it's actually technically not possible (resp. to difficult to make it worth the pain).

Once you have programmable toolbar buttons, the mouse people can be a notch happier again...

PS: oh, surprisingly I could get something going...

[TheQwerty]

My user menu looks better and my mouse thanks you!

Now if only the other two were easily possible.

[admin]

My user menu looks better and my mouse thanks you!

Now if only the other two were easily possible.

I decided that idea 2) was not bad.

[TheQwerty]

I decided that idea 2) was not bad.

Oh, I'm really excited to give that a try tomorrow (here at home I don't actually use UDC).

* Tweak HideEmptyUserMenus=1 is now the default setting for fresh
installations.

While it is the behavior I prefer, I'm not sure it should be the default. The disabled items do serve a purpose in showing new users what is possible with UDC and they provide a clue as to the point of the User menu.

Hiding them by default eliminates that and thus it seems a bit silly to even provide the option. I mean who's going to actively seek out the ability to see disabled menu items?

[j_c_hallgren]

While it is the behavior I prefer, I'm not sure it should be the default. The disabled items do serve a purpose in showing new users what is possible with UDC and they provide a clue as to the point of the User menu.

Fully in agreement here! Having the ability to hide what we know is there but we don't use once we're familiar with XY seems to be the better way...

[admin]

I decided that idea 2) was not bad.

Oh, I'm really excited to give that a try tomorrow (here at home I don't actually use UDC).

* Tweak HideEmptyUserMenus=1 is now the default setting for fresh
installations.

While it is the behavior I prefer, I'm not sure it should be the default. The disabled items do serve a purpose in showing new users what is possible with UDC and they provide a clue as to the point of the User menu.

Hiding them by default eliminates that and thus it seems a bit silly to even provide the option. I mean who's going to actively seek out the ability to see disabled menu items?

I agree with the last point, but as for the other: presenting a "User" menu with 10 disabled items does not look that great either. UDC is an advanced feature and I think hiding them initially is less intimidating to newbies.

[TheQwerty]

I agree with the last point, but as for the other: presenting a "User" menu with 10 disabled items does not look that great either. UDC is an advanced feature and I think hiding them initially is less intimidating to newbies.

Fair enough.

I'm liking this new hide underscored UDCs behavior. It's going to make my User menu all tidy now!

[j_c_hallgren]

UDC is an advanced feature and I think hiding them initially is less intimidating to newbies.

Ok...I'll agree...IF it's clearly documented somewhere so that they'll discover and know about it.