IMatch 2018 Sneak Peak: File Window Toolbar

[Mario]

IMatch 2018 includes some bigger changes and technologies. And also many smaller things, which still may mean a lot for many users.
Because it improves their workflow or saves them some mouse clicks. Or makes IMatch more intuitive for new users.

One of the changes is that IMatch now has a dynamic button in the File Window toolbar which allows you to open the focused file (or all selected files) with the associated application. This is the same as <Ctrl>+<Enter> but in a more visual way. IMatch uses the icon of the application associated with the focused file for this button.

Here is an example for a PSD file and an Affinity Designer file:



The button changes when you focus another file.

[hro]

+1
Even small improvements can greatly enhance usability.

[Menace]

Is the triangle on the right side for choosing a different application? If yes.... Great. I wait long time for something like this.

[Mario]

You can already do that.

1. <Shift>+<Alt>+<Enter> : "Open with..." selector dialog box is displayed. Pick the application you want.

2. <Alt>+<Enter> : Windows Explorer context menu is displayed, with open, open with... and all other commands Windows associates with the file.

3. Drag the files to whatever application or application icon you like.

4. Create Favorites for any number of applications and then open the files by clicking the Favorite or by using the associated keyboard shortcut.

Note: IMatch has no features to change the application associated with a specific file format. You can to that in Windows Explorer (or via the corresponding menu in IMatch) or via the Windows Settings App, "Choose Apps by File Type". IMatch uses these settings to determine the application associated with a file extension.

[Menace]

Mario. I know. 3 and 4 I already do. But with an pulldown-Menu it is even more sophisticated. ;-)

[Mario]

This is actually quite complicated to implement (because of how Windows manages applications and the many ways applications can register themselves). I don't think I will start reading the System registry manually, which is apparently the only way to make it really work (and Windows version-dependent!).

I don't know if there are many users who regularly open the same file extensions in many applications and find pressing a Favorite keyboard shortcut or clicking on a Favorite button mot sophisticated enough. Or just pressing Shft+Alt+Enter or using the same command from the context menu. Or using drag & drop. So many ways to open files in other applications in IMatch, there should be something that works for everyone.