Custom context menu

[Carlo Didier]

I'd love to have a custom context menu.

Let me explain:
- to start an app, you either have to have the app panel open or a keyboard shortcut assigned to it (I assume that's possible, though I never used that feature as I prefer a more visual interaction - like a right-click context menu).
- to open a file with another external application than the one assigned to it in Windows, I have to open the other app and drag and drop (cumbersome if you are working on a single monitor, as when traveling with a laptop). Example: I have Fast Pictureviewer assigned as the default application for DNGs to quickly view them by double-clicking. But from iMatch I would want to easily open them in Photoshop or On1 or C1 or ..., or whatever, depending on what I want to do.

Solution: Add a user configurable custom submenu to the right-click menu, like the "Additional Functions" sub-menu. Ideally, the user should be able to assign apps or external programs (with passing of parameters like selected file), or even often used internal functions.

Why: As explained above, keyboard shortcuts are not for everyone (especially if you can't memorize them) and they are directly triggering something, so if you use the wrong one, you can't stop it anymore. And having the app panel open all the time uses screen space that could be used better.
Also, I'm pretty sure that many people are so used to right-click menus that it's very intuitive for them (it is for me).

[Mario]

1.You can select an app also directly in the App Panel, with the drop-down list at the top.
Or from the Favorites Panel (Visually). Or assign  keyboard shortcut to the Favorite so you can run the app via click or keyboard shortcut.

2. You can open files in external applications in many ways. From the simple <Ctrl>+<Enter> to open in the associated application to <Shift>+<Ctrl>+<Enter> where you can pick the application to open the files with. Plus drag & drop, Favorites, ...

These commands are also available directly in the File Window toolbar, via the application button:



See Opening Files in Other Applications

[Carlo Didier]

As I said, I don't want the app panel or favorites panel open all the time when I can use that screen space for something else which I want to see all the time.
If I remember well, in the old iMatch, I could add my own scripts to the context menu. That was a great feature.

Shift-Ctrl-Enter and the application button are a partial workaround. Partial because they are limited to a) the associated application in Windows and b) what Windows lists in the "Open with" list.

I would largely prefer to have for example 2 or 3 favorite applications directly available in the context menu without having to select them between any number of applications Windows presents to me.
AND I'd like to add other things like my own external scripts or applications which Windows won't show in it's list.

[Mario]

If I remember well, in the old iMatch, I could add my own scripts to the context menu. That was a great feature.

Interestingly, I have this already working. It's just not yet available in the enduser version of IMatch nor documented. Not many people will ever have a use for that so this is on the "maybe" list.

For launching applications, I have already explained all the various features already available. From telemetry I know that over 90% of all users use the "Open with associated application" command or drag & drop, but very rarely or even never one of the "Open with..." commands. This might be an indicator that even more ways to open files in other applications is not something that many users will need.

[Carlo Didier]

...but very rarely or even never one of the "Open with..." commands.

Maybe because that's too complicated and not what I'm asking for?

Be careful with interpreting telemetry data. You might conclude that a function is not interesting for users because nobody uses it, when in reality it's implementation is just too complicated and if it was implemented differently, more users might use it.

[Mario]

It's just that there are so many ways to open files in external applications.

We'll let your FR sit for a while and see if it gets a number of likes from other users.

when in reality it's implementation is just too complicated

Pressing Shift+Ctrl+Enter for the "Open with" dialog is not really hard.
Or picking the command from the drop-down menu of the "open" button in the File Window toolbar.
Easy to see and this also shows you the keyboard shortcut every time you use it.

[lbo]

Pressing Shift+Ctrl+Enter for the "Open with" dialog is not really hard.

As far as I see, it's Shift+Alt+Enter (not Ctrl).

Interestingly, I have this already working. It's just not yet available in the enduser version of IMatch nor documented. Not many people will ever have a use for that so this is on the "maybe" list.

I use(d) such a private "open with" list in FastStone Image Viewer to send images to programs.

So I might use it in IMatch, too.

Oliver

[Mario]

I use(d) such a private "open with" list in FastStone Image Viewer to send images to programs.

You know that you can easily do this with Favorites? Even with custom keyboard shortcuts to quickly open files in specific applications?

[lbo]

You know that you can easily do this with Favorites? Even with custom keyboard shortcuts to quickly open files in specific applications?

Yes.

There are many ways, and the OP's request is a method that I used in the past and liked it. I can work without it, but I like it.

Shortcuts also have drawbacks. There are already so many, and they are not suitable for seldom used operations.

Extending the Shift+Alt+Enter menu wouldn't add another shortcut and could offer a "private" list of applications.

Oliver

P.S.: I also know that I can add programs to the Windows "open with" list.

[Mario]

IMatch cannot extend the "Open with..." menu, because this comes from Windows.

We have to add an entire UI to define applications, code that links these custom applications into a menu etc.
Plus, many applications no longer can be started via a simple run command (I used that in IM3) but require all the "Windows shell COM interface" extravaganza to understand which files to open, which is why Favorites are created via drag & drop of existing shortcuts or from the START menu.

It's doable, but before I spend a week or more with this, I need to know if this is of any importance for more than a handful of users. I'm sure Carlo would be happy, but how many other users would even notive this or use it..

[Carlo Didier]

Pressing Shift+Ctrl+Enter for the "Open with" dialog is not really hard.

No, But it does only give me the "Open with" list from Windows, not a custom menu.

[Carlo Didier]

You know that you can easily do this with Favorites? Even with custom keyboard shortcuts to quickly open files in specific applications?

Favorites need the Favorites panel open which again takes away useful screen space.
And being an old man, I can't remember lots of keyboard shortcuts, apart from Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V (and even those I mostly prefer to do through right-click-menus)   

[ubacher]

I am also one who favours right-click menus.

My thinking: If we could get an App on a menu then this app could be made to produce a dropdown list of actions.
The user could then tailor the actions to his liking.

---> Assignable app to the Open with icon
---> Assignable action to double-click actions (Currently only Viewer,Slideshow,and Open With selectable; Add app also)
---> Assignable app to the rc menu.

[sinus]

I am also one who favours right-click menus.

Me too.

[lbo]

IMatch cannot extend the "Open with..." menu, because this comes from Windows.

I see...

It's doable, but before I spend a week or more with this, I need to know if this is of any importance for more than a handful of users. I'm sure Carlo would be happy, but how many other users would even notive this or use it..

Then might give your already working version a try.

Oliver

[lbo]

I am also one who favours right-click menus.

if you don't bother to switch between keyboard and mouse, try Alt-Enter then "Send To". Also possible with the keyboard but they way to the correct entry may be rather long with the arrow keys alone.

The sendto folder is a lightweight alternative to associations stored in the Windows registry.

Oliver

[Mario]

<Alt>+<Enter> opens the standard Windows Explorer context menu. With <h> you then open the "Open with..." list that contains all the applications associated with the file or which you have used previously used to open a file format.

So: <Alt>+<Enter> <H> is the keyboard shortcut for "Open with..."

[Jingo]

I am also one who favours right-click menus.

Add me to this list group as well... love me some right-click menu options... though I do use Favorites for this and have that panel open on the widescreen.... can see where using IM on a laptop or smaller screen could preclude this though.

[Mario]

But what would that do differently than the already existing menu (see above)?

[ubacher]

But what would that do differently than the already existing menu (see above)?

In my thinking I would like to be able to run an app on a file.  (not needing the app panel open nor a favorite defined)

[Mario]

"Run an app on a file" would mean what?

IMatch Apps can always access the selected files. Or all files in the file window. Or any file in the database.
An app can run an external program and hand over a list of files to process.
If you write your app in PowerShell or Python you have low-level access to all operating system functions.
...

[ubacher]

An app can do just about anything. Problem is I need to have an app panel or a favorite panel open to run it.
How about this idea: an icon (beside the Open With? icon) which runs an app I, the user, can specify.

This app can then run a simple task or present a (drop down?) menu of other apps to select from. The ultimate customizable
function for Imatch.

[Mario]

Problem is I need to have an app panel or a favorite panel open to run it.

No. If you assign a keyboard shortcut to your Favorite, you can run it anytime, even if the Favorite panel is not open.
You only need to have it open when you want to click on the Favorite.

[Carlo Didier]

Problem is I need to have an app panel or a favorite panel open to run it.

No. If you assign a keyboard shortcut to your Favorite, you can run it anytime, even if the Favorite panel is not open.
You only need to have it open when you want to click on the Favorite.

But you still need to remember shortcuts. Nothing to remember to use a right-click menu ...
And my Windows "Open with" list only contains a single application for DNGs and that is FastPictureViewer.

"Run an app on a file" would mean what?

Example: Open the folder containing a file with Adobe Bridge (that isn't possible with the "Open with" menu from Windows for example!) or ON1 Browser or Capture One or a script or ...

<Alt>+<Enter> opens the standard Windows Explorer context menu. With <h> you then open the "Open with..." list that contains all the applications associated with the file or which you have used previously used to open a file format.

Yes, but that being a dynamic list, it may or may not contain what I want and I have pretty little influence on what it contains and in which order.
We humans cling to habits ("der Mensch ist ein Gewohnheitstier") because that simplifies things. A static menu with the exact functions we really need regularly, not guessed by some ANI (Artificial Non-Intelligence) speeds up things quite a lot. If you have to think for 10 seconds how and where to find something, that doesn't make you happy ...

[Mario]

You can also reach the Open with menu via other menus using your mouse, if you don't want to remember the shortcut.

Example: Open the folder containing a file with Adobe Bridge (that isn't possible with the "Open with" menu from Windows for example!) or ON1 Browser or Capture One or a script or ...

Then it is probably also not possible with IMatch. IMatch can only use the official shell commands, and if Bridge (like many other Adobe applications) does not support the standard protocols, IMatch can do nothing.

The protocols to launch an application and hand over a set of objects (files) is standardized in Windows. IMatch uses this mechanism in Favorites.
Most applications support this and then they also support drag & drop from Windows Explorer, IMatch etc.
If an application does not support this => problem.

Or do you propose to make this fully customizable, so you can even define individual command line parameters, use variables, have some way to reference things like "the names of all folders currently selected" or "the names of all files currently selected in the active file window)? To deal with applications which cannot handle the standard Windows protocols but support some type of command line parameters?

[Carlo Didier]

Or do you propose to make this fully customizable, so you can even define individual command line parameters, use variables, have some way to reference things like "the names of all folders currently selected" or "the names of all files currently selected in the active file window)? To deal with applications which cannot handle the standard Windows protocols but support some type of command line parameters?

Exactly. And there is already an iMatch App to start Bridge with the folder of the currently selected image ... no problem for that. Many applications allow to start external programs (editors) and either pass the filename or folder as parameters (like %f for the filename and %d for the folder). That's how, in my workflow, I start Bridge from Breeze Downloader Pro for example.

[Mario]

I see. This will require quite a lot of work on the UI etc.
Maybe quickest to implement as an app.

Let's see how many users chime in.

[ubacher]

If you assign a keyboard shortcut to your Favorite, you can run it anytime, even if the Favorite panel is not open.

It is awkward if one has to put down the mouse to initiate a command via keys.
(And remembering which keys do what)

[Mario]

If you assign a keyboard shortcut to your Favorite, you can run it anytime, even if the Favorite panel is not open.

It is awkward if one has to put down the mouse to initiate a command via keys.
(And remembering which keys do what)

I've just replied to your "I cannot run a favorite when the Favorite Panel is closed" and explained that you can run Favorites via keyboard shortcuts in that case.
Either you use the mouse or the keyboard, your choice.