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ineedh3lp Posts: 25
13/04/2012
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I don't want to crowd the forum with individual topics, so I will cover more in a single thread. These are regarding usability, not issues or problems, just stuff that could improve the workflow.
1. Allow dragging items between containers and do not automatically position an item in a container, unless the item is dragged over the container. A separator indicator would be good to inform the user that the item is going to be positioned between two containers and not in the container.
2. Allow renaming separators so that they automatically get repositioned in the desired location when automatically sorting items. That way a separator will have its own identity but still look like an ordinary separator in the menu.
3. Allow multiple item selection (with Shift and Control modifiers) for easier reconfiguration of the menu. Currently, if I want to drag 100 items in a container, I have to repeat the drag-and-drop process for each of them.
Do not get me wrong, I totally like SyMenu and the work you're putting in it. These suggestions are mere ideas for improvement. I, by any means, do not try to crowd your ToDo list with useless stuff- I actually believe that these additions would improve the workflow with the application.
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ineedh3lp Posts: 25
13/04/2012
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One more thing I have forgot about (well, there may be more, but I recalled this one):
4. Automatically give unique ID's to generated/extracted application icons. Currently, if a program is called "application.exe", SyMenu generates an icon called application.exe.ico The problem arises when I add another program called "application.exe"- SyMenu then uses the same icon for it. The issue is the same when updating the icon for an existing application. My suggestion would be to add a random string at the end of the extracted icon, like application.exe-dBnQCa55.ico every time a new icon is added, even if it is the same icon (or do a CRC check to see if it is the same, and if it is, leave it the same).
5. Please add a Description field to containers and maybe even a URL field. There's enough room for it and some may find it useful- I know I would.
<em>edited by ineedh3lp on 4/14/2012</em>
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ineedh3lp Posts: 25
14/04/2012
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And a couple extra ideas:
6. Allow for longer Name entries, unless there's a XML limitation that makes it impossible. Maybe add an option regarding how long a menu entry should be, automatically trimming the name title.
7. Allow making copies of entries. Just like dragging, but instead of moving it performs a copy operation. If you add this, an important feature would be linking copies, so we can have multiple instances of one object (which benefits updating of multiple instances at once).
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Gianluca Administrator Posts: 1274
16/04/2012
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Hi ineedh3lp.
I would like to thank you very much for your suggestions. SyMenu lives thanks to its community collaboration and renews itself at every release thanks to the users' suggestions.
This is the reason for which your participation is fundamental. So that don't apologize for your posts!!! 
Here my replies.
1 - Dragging a SyItem among two containers
It's a really difficult feature to implement. I could try to solve it but I can't assure you that it will be implemented.
2 - Renaming separators
If you think that it could be useful I can implemented it easily.
3 - Multiple item selection
Well it is againsts the nature of a treeview. The problem is not the multiple selection inside the same node but the multiple selection inside more than a node. Windows itself doesn't allow the multiple selection inside the explorer treeview and I think that it is too difficult to implement in SyMenu. Anyway it is already possible to move an entire folder even with the current SyMenu version.
4 - Icon unique name
You are right. Wait the next version for this.
5 - SyContainer description
A description for containers could be really useful but I can't realize for which reason a container should have an url too.
Next version for the folder description.
6 - Longer name for SyItem
You are right. Current length limitation (35 char) is not due to xml limits but for other two reasons:
- a RAM economy because every SyItem resides into your PC memory during SyMenu execution;
- a graphical need because the SyItem names forces the contextual menu to be draw with a certain lenght.
I can create an option to let you decide the max length but inside the contextual menu the long name should be cut the same to avoid oversized menu.
I put this feature in my TODO list but with low priority
7a - Copy SyItem with drag and drop
The copy of items with a simple drag is a great idea. Maybe I'll be able to insert it directly in the next version.
7b - Introducing a link relation between SyItems
Well a copy is a copy. A link is a link.
If I understand well you would like to have a copy that stay automatically updated for some elements (I imagine they should be the path, the icon...) and that could be loose with other elements such as the program arguments, the home page, the name... You want me dead, don't you? 
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ineedh3lp Posts: 25
16/04/2012
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Thank you for considering each point.
1 - Dragging a SyItem among two containers
I understand it is difficult and it's not that important either. I would've just helped speeding up reorganizing items. The "Move item up level" will have to do.
2 - Renaming separators
Yes, I would find renaming separators useful when sorting items. That way I can give the separator a specific name and predict its positioning after sorting, so manual repositioning isn't required.
3 - Multiple item selection
I understand this may pose a issue. This feature isn't an important one as well, just one that would've aided easier menu items configuration.
4 - Icon unique name
Thank you for adding this in the next version.
5 - SyContainer description
Let me give you an example for container description and URL: For example, I tend to organize my items similar to the way Softpedia does. So, If a container contains browser applications, the container's description would be Home > Windows > Internet > Browsers and the URL would be http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Browsers/ The URL would be to link to something related to the description, so I believe it would be useful to have it too, actually I would be grateful if you'd add it. Or maybe give the option to enable description and URL fields in containers.
6 - Longer name for SyItem
Yes, please allow for unlimited characters in titles, even if the complete title is trimmed when displaying the menu. I really use SyMenu not only as an application launcher, but also as an applications map with names, descriptions, links (that's why I asked for container description and URL at the previous point).
7a - Copy SyItem with drag and drop
Yes. Since currently both left-drag and right-drag perform an item move operation, you could program SyMenu to do a copy operation when using right-drag.
7b - Introducing a link relation between SyItems
Well a copy is a copy. A link is a link.
The main reason I'm asking for this is because sometimes I want to have the same application in different containers (for mapping purposes), and when I update one instance, the other gets updated as well, but without having the linked item displayed multiple times when searching for the corresponding entry. Hmm, I think this would complicate things in the programming sequence, so you should probably forget about it and just add the ability to copy entries (7a).
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<em>edited by ineedh3lp on 4/16/2012</em>
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