better integration/automation

[stodd]

X1 does its basic task admirably [thankyou], but is much too isolated and is therefore not friendly to use in the overall desktop environment.

It could be made much more flexible at I think probably very little cost by the addition of command line arguments. These would connect through to the so called 'command line' option mentioned at http://forums.x1.com/viewtopic.php?t=2752

Thus
x1 name:fred
or
x1 (from:pgk to:dawes) OR (from:dawes to:pgk)

The command line might not generally be used directly, but could be used to implement context menus and other tasks.

~~
Even better would be full automation allowing interaction with some external program; but I guess that would be much more expensive to implement.

~~~
Stephen

[jjx1]

Another vote for this. I actually enter the forum and search how this could be possible, it was sad to discover that is not possible but it is gald to know that someone already ask for this functionality.

Using it with slickrun will be the perfect search tool, I'm actually still looking for a search tool that has the mentioned functionality.

Another keyboard junkie.

[welsh_man]

Tring to do somthing similar for opening searches from an access database

Has any one tried to create the save search file *.x1 in vb and then using a command line to oepn it ?

Thanks

[stodd]

I now have a (prototype limited) command line for X1, written is Visual Basic and poking the various X1 fields to automate setting up the search.

To go with this, I have a '.reg' file to create a folder context menu item to initiate an X1 search of that folder.

It would be better if this were more built in to X1, but meanwhile it is usable and demonstrates a capability. If anyone is interested, please let me know. You may even (politely) suggest where I can put it.

[stodd]

Code (kludge) for better integration between X1 and Windows is now available:
1 - X1 command line
2 - invoke X1 from Explorer etc context menu to search directory
3 - standard context menu, or other user selected action, on files selected in X1.

For description:
http://stephentodd.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/x1-windows-integration-helpers/

For download (including description):
http://www.programbits.co.uk/downloads/X1Integration.zip

Apologies for multiple posts: it applies to multiple threads.

[welsh_man]

Great a solution to the problem if being trying to resolve fro some time

Even better the Source code is provided which has enable to embed it directly into by access database (for personal use only)

[Tod]

First off, thanks stodd for writing some great extensions to X1!

We are actually in the process of adding some right click context menu options to Windows itself and our developers are looking at the code stodd wrote - particularly to see if we can add the support for "right click drag and drop"

In the meantime, I recommend that anyone interested in playing around with some 3rd party extensions should download stodd's applications and give them a test drive.

[stodd]

Thanks for the comments, tod.

A few points on my 'extensions'. Most of the code there is necessary because I can't do the job I would like done 'properly'. If the function was integrated into X1 it could be done in a much more simple (and robust) way.

In particular, I use the drag/drop technique because it was the simplest way to achieve (an approximation to) the effect I wanted with the capabilities currently available. I would prefer (most preferable first)
1 - user changeable right-click actions embedded into X1
2 - user changeable right-click action implemented using client SDK
3 - kludge implemented using emulated ctrl-C to collect currently selected items (this requires X1 to take 'correct' action for ctrl-C)
4 - my current kludge implemented using drag/drop.

My extension is useful for two things:
1 - short term immediate use of the facilities
2 - demonstration of value of capabilities, to persuade X1 to implement them 'properly'.

I provided the source code to be useful for two things:
1 - to help people who want to do similar things to the current X1 that my code doesn't do at the moment.
2 - to help people who need to do similar things with other programs that do not give the extensibility required.

The source code is NOT intended:
1 - to help X1 implementers decide HOW to implement equivalent features directly in X1.

~~
I only recently discovered the existence of the X1 client SDK. That looks a very useful way to do things. I can't see a download, or see from the website what the arrangements are for getting it. I assume this is available by special license from X1? I intend to look into this further.

[stodd]

I have updated the (temporary I hope) X1 integration code.

Download at http://www.programbits.co.uk/downloads/X1Integration20080403.zip

Read about it at http://stephentodd.wordpress.com

The main change is that DragDropHere is now user programmable, for user selected hotkeys and actions. (No GUI for this, you need to edit DragDropHere.ini) By default there are three actions:
1 - alt-\: context menu (as would be expected for right button), as before
2 - alt-Z: copy file names to clipboard
3 - alt-X: launch Xplorer2 in the directory of the first X1 selected file

As I have said before, I hope this functionality will soon be included as an integral part of X1.

[stodd]

There is a minor update at http://www.programbits.co.uk/downloads/X1Integration20080404.zip I hope this resolves some problems that Jim had.

[stodd]

Now possible to control the window state of launched commands ~ eg so that runmenu can be launched minimized.

New download at http://www.programbits.co.uk/downloads/ ... 080407.zip

[rgbigel]

As of June 22, 2009 it appears that it is difficult to download a RunMenu.exe, because eluent has surrendered its internet presence.

"Runmenu is not provided as part of this download (Windows Integration Helpers). It must be downloaded from http://www.eluent.com/runmenu.htm ." The link given does not offer any such download.

Does anybody know where to get it these days?

[stodd]

I have not been using X1 for a time, so have not been following things here. (Looks like nobody else has too much either ....)

I understand from a comment by AGC that there are problems with using this with the latest X1. I cannot fix this, but see comments at http://stephentodd.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/x1-windows-integration-helpers/ if you wish to try fixing it yourself. If anyone does fix it, I will happily host the new version it they so wish.

Also, I have posted a version of runmenu.zip at http://www.programbits.co.uk/downloads/runmenu.zip
(This unchanged zip file follows their terms and conditions, but please read their license if you do download it).

Stephen