Menu navigator (search and execute)

[highend]

I know this won't probably be implemented but I've recently stumbled upon a function that can be
incredible useful...

The application is called "The Bat!", an e-mail client for windows that is quite popular (to those
who have to deal with massive amounts of e-mails) and the function is called "Menu Navigator".

It is invoked via the yellow star at the end of the menu bar:

3.png (1.83 KiB) Viewed 1946 times

And these are two screenshots from it:

1.png (12.53 KiB) Viewed 1946 times

2.png (20.91 KiB) Viewed 1946 times

This is better than sliced bread, really.

XYplorer has hundred? of menu entries and ofc, you can configure them to use keyboard shortcuts but
hey, can anybody remember more that 20 shortcuts at all? I can't ;(

My "problem" with XYplorer is: it is so feature packed I often have to spend more than a minute to
find a specific menu entry because I don't know exactly where to look for.

E.g.: Let's assume I want to show the grid inside the pane's list view.

I'd suspect that I find it in the "View menu" but in fact it's under
"Tools -> Customize List -> Show Grid" and I face these kind of things
very often.

Beeing able to invoke a menu navigator with a shortcut (hey, I would remember it!)
and just type for what I'm really searching (in this case "grid") would show me all
occurrences of the word grid in all menus and would allow me to directly open
any of the corresponding menus by clicking on any path in the displayed tree view.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post

[Marco]

I remember, some weeks ago, there was a discussion about something similare for the Configuration windows called via F9.
That, combined with your idea, would be really useful.

For the moment, the closest thing you can do is creating a list of commands (#705) in a txt file to search when needed.

[TheQwerty]

For the moment, the closest thing you can do is creating a list of commands (#705) in a txt file to search when needed.

Here's a script to take us a step closer:

Code: Select all

"&Find a Command, Execute  (a.k.a FACE) : face"
	// This displays XY's list of commands and executes the selected item.

	Sub('_checkPerms');
	Perm $CMD_LIST; // Ensure it is available in current scope.

	$ret = InputSelect('Select a command to call...', "$CMD_LIST", "<crlf>", 4, '');

	if ($ret == '') {
		Status 'No command selected.', 'CD0000', 'alert';
	} else {
		$cmd = GetToken($ret, 1, "<tab>");		// Command
		$cid = GetToken($ret, 2, "<tab>");		// Command's ID

		if ($cid UnLikeI '[#]#*') {
			Status "Error parsing selected command: $cid", 'CD0000', 'alert';
		} else {
			Status "Calling: $cmd", '0000CD', 'progress';
			Load("$cid;",,'s');
		}
	}

"- : _-" //--------------------------------------------------------------------


"&Check for Command List Cache : _checkPerms"
	// This attempts to minimize the pain of getting the command list
	// by storing it as a permanent variable.
	//
	// Updates are only forced when XY's version changes, which means that it
	// is possible for the list of commands from the User menu to become stale,
	// especially if permanent variables are retained across sessions.

	Perm $CMD_LIST, $CMD_LIST_VERSION;

	if ($CMD_LIST_VERSION != "<xyver>" OR ! IsSet($CMD_LIST) OR $CMD_LIST == "") {
		Status 'Retrieving command list...', '0000CD', 'progress';

		$cb = "<clipboard>";
		#705; // Help / Make List of Commands...
		$CMD_LIST = "<clipboard>";
		$CMD_LIST_VERSION = "<xyver>";
		CopyText "$cb";
	}
	Status 'Command list cached...', '0000CD', 'ready';


"&Refresh Command List Cache : _force"
	// Clears the cached command list and retrieves it anew.

	Perm $CMD_LIST;
	Unset $CMD_LIST;
	Sub('_checkPerms');

Has the added benefit that it can be used to look up command IDs found in scripts/forum.

[admin]

Cool! I probably will add CommandCaller.xys to the GUI. Thanks!

[avsfan]

This is excellent! Thanks for posting it!

[Marco]

Simply impressive!

[serendipity]

Cool!!

[j_c_hallgren]

That's really quite neat! Great job!

The only thing that threw me a bit was the initial msg boxes when setting up the command list as I wasn't doing any clipboard actions myself so surprised with text in those msgs.

[TheQwerty]

Glad you're all enjoying it!

The only thing that threw me a bit was the initial msg boxes when setting up the command list as I wasn't doing any clipboard actions myself so surprised with text in those msgs.

If Don would provide alternate means to get the list of commands without the double dialogs it would be better - and it would eliminate the need for all that caching.

As it is, the only alternative is to add a third dialog explaining the next two dialogs. It would be more annoying but would give me the opportunity to also explain that I attempt to restore their clipboard after XY uses it.

Would that be better?

[j_c_hallgren]

As it is, the only alternative is to add a third dialog explaining the next two dialogs. It would be more annoying but would give me the opportunity to also explain that I attempt to restore their clipboard after XY uses it.

Would that be better?

I think so since I'd looked at the script and didn't see those dialog msgs...and it's a event that only occurs on special occasions so not that often it would happen.

If those were able to be suppressed, it'd be better but you don't have that option now.

[admin]

As I already said: I will add CommandCaller.xys to the GUI. Without dialogs of course. Actually I will convert "Make list of commands..." to this function. Any idea for a good caption?

[Marco]

"Show List of Commands" (still #705, right?)

[j_c_hallgren]

As I already said: I will add CommandCaller.xys to the GUI. Without dialogs of course. Actually I will convert "Make list of commands..." to this function. Any idea for a good caption?

Ok...that's good...but might there still be some who'd want to use current function as is for their own processing from clipboard? So if that ability still is possible via some method, then swapping this into that menu item is fine.

"Locate command functions"?

[admin]

As I already said: I will add CommandCaller.xys to the GUI. Without dialogs of course. Actually I will convert "Make list of commands..." to this function. Any idea for a good caption?

Ok...that's good...but might there still be some who'd want to use current function as is for their own processing from clipboard? So if that ability still is possible via some method, then swapping this into that menu item is fine.

All lists support copy to clipboard via right-click.

[admin]

Why not TheQwerty's "Select Command to Call..."?