Edit program load

[graham]

I know this must have been wished for before. Every time I am reviewing a file I wish there was a quick button to load my editor program with a single click enabling me to edit the file content.

Ideally, I would like to see such a button (Edit) in the Info panel and positioned alongside the Report tab. (a 'suedo' tab)

On selecting the Edit Button it would call the user preferred editor program, say EditPad, with the highlighted file and load the external program.

This facilitiy would seem a natural move having viewed the file in Preview or Raw and wishing to then edit some content.

The user could via a Config set which editor is called for a file type and the button simulate Open With and the file parameter

[admin]

Normally when previewing the list has the focus and one file is focused and selected. Wouldn't a simple <enter> do what you want?

[graham]

Well yes for some files but not say .htm or .bat files.

[admin]

Well yes for some files but not say .htm or .bat files.

Ah, I understand. That would mean a 2nd set of file associations. One for "open" (we have already) and one for "edit"... hmm, feels a bit bloaty... maybe there's an elegant way to incorporate it into the current file associations... maybe simply a second mapping!

+jpg;png;gif>ACDSee.exe
+jpg;gif>Photoshop.exe
+png>PngEdit.exe

If you want to "open" the first would be chosen, if "edit" the second (if there is any second).

[serendipity]

Well yes for some files but not say .htm or .bat files.

why not assign "open with" UDC and have ur fav CKS?

[graham]

admin wrote:

feels a bit bloaty...

The idea of an Edit button just seems so appropriate and intuitive in work flow. Having selected and inspected the file if appropriate the next step is to work on it.

There are many solutions already (plus loads I don't know about) within XY like dragging and dropping the file to a Catalog program which is the method I use. This is one area I would like to 'thin down' as the number of items in the catalog seems to grow.

I do accept that as there are many alternatives then this is bloat but equally some of he alternatives could also be thought of as bloat

[lukescammell]

Well yes for some files but not say .htm or .bat files.

why not assign "open with" UDC and have ur fav CKS?

If this worked against a list of extension types where you could specify the program you want to "Edit" it, then that would rock

For instance, you could assign CTRL+ENTER as the CKS which would "Edit" a .html file in Notepad2 and a .png in Photoshop.

Along with this wish comes the ability to reference the editing program using relative paths, as I can then specify the portable applications I have on my USB drive to edit files, keeping the whole portable thing going very nicely indeed Then it doesn't matter which computer I'm on, I know that I'll always edit HTML files in Notepad2.

[admin]

Well yes for some files but not say .htm or .bat files.

why not assign "open with" UDC and have ur fav CKS?

If this worked against a list of extension types where you could specify the program you want to "Edit" it, then that would rock

For instance, you could assign CTRL+ENTER as the CKS which would "Edit" a .html file in Notepad2 and a .png in Photoshop.

Along with this wish comes the ability to reference the editing program using relative paths, as I can then specify the portable applications I have on my USB drive to edit files, keeping the whole portable thing going very nicely indeed Then it doesn't matter which computer I'm on, I know that I'll always edit HTML files in Notepad2.

Yes, could be done via extending the file associations by a third optional field which defines the type of action:

use IE to OPEN (default action, hence can be dropped) htm:
+htm>IE
+htm>IE>open

use homesite to EDIT htm:
+htm>C:\Programme\Allaire\HomeSite 4.5\homesite45.exe>edit

[j_c_hallgren]

Another great idea! As it is now, I have to either use "Send to" or "Open With" on context menu to work on the file, which is not as convenient as using Cntl+Enter, or other similar easy variant of Enter.

[graham]

admin wrote:

Yes, could be done via extending the file associations by a third optional field which defines the type of action:

use IE to OPEN (default action, hence can be dropped) htm:
+htm>IE
+htm>IE>open

use homesite to EDIT htm:
+htm>C:\Programme\Allaire\HomeSite 4.5\homesite45.exe>edit

Yes this is very good. To really get XY on steroids why limit it to two options. The 'EDIT' tab could become a drop down list of available 'edit' programs. This is actually quite useful for me in photography raw processing. I use different programs for certain aspects and this would make it very slik.

[j_c_hallgren]

To really get XY on steroids why limit it to two options. The 'EDIT' tab could become a drop down list of available 'edit' programs.

Do you mean like "Open With" does now? It's not a drop-down list but a sub-menu, as I understand the terminology...and how would that be then invokable by a single KS?

[admin]

To really get XY on steroids why limit it to two options. The 'EDIT' tab could become a drop down list of available 'edit' programs.

Do you mean like "Open With" does now? It's not a drop-down list but a sub-menu, as I understand the terminology...and how would that be then invokable by a single KS?

That's my question, too. I've already built in the mechanics but I'm still in doubt about the interface.

(1) I don't think it should be limited to the preview tab. I also want to edit files when preview is hidden.
(2) I don't want to clutter the File menu with another command "Edit..."
(3) I have built it much more flexible: it's not only "edit". The user can create as many actions (action labels) as he likes! It's done in File Associations exactly as I had planned it above in the thread:
*.htm>iexplore>open
*.htm>firefox>open2
*.htm>Notepad2>edit
*.txt>Notepad+>edit

And this could be one way to invoke it: UDC | Open with a new option for "mode".
Item: <items>
Option: edit

If a HTML file is selected it would be opened in Notepad2, a TXT file would be opened in Notepad+.

But it means complicating things:
- the UDC-Open command would have to be made variable aware to resolve <items>
- there would be an issue with different extensions selected at the same time -- which would be the associated app?
- where would go any app params?? probably into File Associations, making this again more complex:
*.htm>Notepad2 -max -mux -mix>edit
But then also this should be possible:
*.htm>Notepad2 -max <items> -mux <curpath> -mix>edit
and the question of single/multi instance...
and so on...

Well...

[bergfex]

I've already built in the mechanics but I'm still in doubt about the interface.
[...]
If a HTML file is selected it would be opened in Notepad2, a TXT file would be opened in Notepad+.

As always a lot of fascinating ideas...

But it means complicating things:
[...]
and so on...
Well...

and as always a lot of hard work for Don...

[admin]

I've already built in the mechanics but I'm still in doubt about the interface.
[...]
If a HTML file is selected it would be opened in Notepad2, a TXT file would be opened in Notepad+.

As always a lot of fascinating ideas...

But it means complicating things:
[...]
and so on...
Well...

and as always a lot of hard work for Don...

The hardest work is to make it simple for the user... the File Associations interface/syntax is a bit hardcore already for the average user, sooner or later I have to give it its own better dialog (take it out of general list management). Also because it's becoming a real powerful thing, not just one of many MRU lists...

[bergfex]

The hardest work is to make it simple for the user... the File Associations interface/syntax is a bit hardcore already for the average user, sooner or later I have to give it its own better dialog (take it out of general list management).

Yes, the conflicting priorities of functionality and usability. But I'm always surprised how well XYplorer can handle both of them. Everything is well thought out and even though there are so many features built in I never had any problems to find what I was looking for.