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Should we have a new forum section for scripts?

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 09:12
by zridling
Given how CKS and scripting really unleash the power of XYplorer, I'm wondering if we shouldn't create a new forum section on the Index page for sharing them among users? If not, we can put them in the Tips & Tricks, Questions & Answers section.

Don, your call.

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 09:21
by j_c_hallgren
Glad to see you here again, zridling!

This was talked about at least once before in:
http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?t=2186

Re: Should we have a new forum section for scripts?

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 10:21
by admin
zridling wrote:Given how CKS and scripting really unleash the power of XYplorer, I'm wondering if we shouldn't create a new forum section on the Index page for sharing them among users? If not, we can put them in the Tips & Tricks, Questions & Answers section.

Don, your call.
Probably a good idea. I imagine that some scripts may need some discussion and debugging, so it would make sense to have one topic per script. Which means we would need a new forum for scripts.

Any objections anybody?

Re: Should we have a new forum section for scripts?

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 10:37
by ugus
admin wrote: Any objections anybody?
Nope, I think starting a new forum for sharing scripts is a really good idea!

:)

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 10:41
by zridling
Sorry for the repetition, JC, and thanks for the welcome. I searched 'scripts' and didn't find that topic. This can be merged with that one if you like or delete it.

Script-sharing and debugging seems a natural evolution of the forum, now that XYplorer has it. And all XYplorer users should know that scripting is a huge selling point to new users looking for a reason to switch from their current file manager.

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 11:50
by admin
zridling wrote:Script-sharing and debugging seems a natural evolution of the forum, now that XYplorer has it. And all XYplorer users should know that scripting is a huge selling point to new users looking for a reason to switch from their current file manager.
Done. 8)

Posted: 03 Apr 2008 16:42
by graham
zridling wrote:

Script-sharing and debugging seems a natural evolution of the forum, now that XYplorer has it. And all XYplorer users should know that scripting is a huge selling point to new users looking for a reason to switch from their current file manager.
Totally agree !

I think that once scripting has a few more commands to enable branching based on a condition then it opens up the possibility of some really powerful and useful scripts. Maybe some gui enhancements (colour coding of script) would make it look more attractive and less daunting to non programmers. Given that XY can get exposure I predict sales will roll in :)

What would be good is for such a script to evolve which does a whole raft of file management tasks with the user being prompted to input required conditions. Then publicize this script with a bold statement like

"What other File Manager can offer simple flexibility and power to do this task" - Answer, only one XY7 (XYplorer with scripting).

Posted: 04 Apr 2008 08:14
by zridling
graham wrote: "What other File Manager can offer simple flexibility and power to do this task" — Answer, only one XY7 (XYplorer with scripting).
Hey, nice marketing, Graham! One of the things that lured me from Directory Opus to XYplorer just before version 6 hit the scene was that it allowed me to do many things in a highly efficient way, e.g., search, renaming, UI customization, etc. Another was how well written the Help file was. I printed and read the entire document when I first started and now I see the same attention to documentation with Scripting.

That's important for a non-coder like myself. Sure, I can do AutoHotkey scripting on a basic level, but that's about it. And Don's "Roll your own code" (or is it 'commands'?) now allows me to take XYplorer 7 and wrap it around the way I work throughout the day.

Don is one of the best Windows coders I've ever come across in my 23 years on the PC. If he ever created a Linux version of XYplorer, he'd be a god. Ha! :twisted:

Posted: 04 Apr 2008 17:52
by graham
zridling wrote:
Don is one of the best Windows coders I've ever come across in my 23 years on the PC. If he ever created a Linux version of XYplorer, he'd be a god. Ha
Absolutely but it goes further than that because Don takes personal pride in his product. This approach seems to only come with products written by a small team rather than the 'big boys' who write committee code that is so convoluted it reminds me of the early days before modular or object programming - spaghetti coding we called it, and something I contributed too!

Because of my experience with XY I now prefer the small company products - eg. I use Bibble whereas I was a PhaseOne (now bought by MS) advocate, not any more!

I just hope that Don's skills are rewarded with sales, just compare XY with MS equivalent, I bet the man hours put into WE far exceed Dons but paradoxically XY features far exceeds WE.