SyMenu Forum

Gianluca

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04/11/2022 Topic: App not recognizing programs & now won't even run Gianluca Administrator	Well... it seems that Windows has made a mess with your system. I've never heard so many problems all together. Are you sure your system is not infected by some kind of virus/malware/ransomware? Besides Windows, naturally. Anyway the problem with SyMenu seems similar to the problem you can have downloading any file from the Internet. In the SyMenu manual for example I explained what you should do when this kind of issue plagues the SyMenu plugins (read https://www.ugmfree.it/SyMenuManual.aspx#SyMenuPluginBlocked). So assuming the problem is similar, try this procedure: download the last SyMenu zip package; right click the zip and unblock the file (same way I explained for the plugins); unzip SyMenu in an empty folder; try to use it a bit, download something, close it and re-open it. If everything works fine the reason for your tribulations is that you have some of the unzipped files still locked. Because, in the Microsoft world, the Internet is evil and everything you download from there can damage your PC... ops sorry their PC . If this is the cause for all your problems you have a big big problem because you should unlock all the SyMenu files and, I fear, any package SyMenu has ever downloaded could be infected with the same disease (in technical terms the disease it's called alternate stream). But the mighty Nir Softer is always here to help us. If you have problem with the alternate streams thing, you can use the AlternateStreamView program (you can find it in the NirSoft suite or here https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/alternate_data_streams.html) that is able to heal all your sick files in batch. Let me know if the solution is suitable for your system, otherwise I can think of something else.
25/11/2022 Topic: Add control panel items in SyMenu Gianluca Administrator	Hi Kordoff. It's very simple: go to the configuration form add a new program in the Path field write %windir%\system32\control.exe in section Additional params, in the Program arguments field write /name Microsoft.ProgramsAndFeatures Done!
25/11/2022 Topic: Add control panel items in SyMenu Gianluca Administrator	BTW SyMenu already indexes the Control panel content so you can reach the snap-in searching for "Programs and Features". You don't need to create the entry by yourself.
26/11/2022 Topic: Add control panel items in SyMenu Gianluca Administrator	You shouldn't use the special .dll for any item you want to link in SyMenu because there is a simple shortcut that makes use of the control panel executable and the items canonical names. I think you can find the canonical names for every item available in any Windows snap-in. The procedure to create the logical element in SyMenu is the same as described above: Path:%SystemRoot%\system32\control.exe Program arguments: /name Microsoft.AdministrativeTools For a complete list of Control Panel item canonical names, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/controlpanel-canonical-names If instead you want to use the cryptic GUID names you can set your item this way: Path: %SystemRoot%\system32\explorer.exe Program arguments: shell:::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153} The GUID list is on the same page. edited by Gianluca on 27/11/2022
28/11/2022 Topic: How to disable large Symenu icon? Gianluca Administrator	Go to the option form - general tab and disable Start menu button. https://www.ugmfree.it/manual#Advanced_menu_Options
02/12/2022 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	sl23 wrote: More compact and just as functional way would be to remove this side bar entirely and have the Search bar and it's two buttons in a horizontal line Why do you hate the poor search so much??? Well I think your previous suggestion, customizing the search appearance, should be better. I like the option to have my search filters visible and immediately clickable and I would hate to be forced to open a dropdown, scroll to find my search filter, and click again to apply it. Today search is a one-click action. My idea is that if you like the search, you need your customized filters otherwise you can hide it at all and if you need it occasionally you would be more than happy to click to make it appear again. sl23 wrote: How many Suites are likely to be added? Well my dream would be to include the NirSoft suite in the main suite. I have some technical problems to solve before being able to do that. So the SyMenu destiny is to have a single all-purpose suite, isn't it? Not at all because you can create your custom suites and I don't know how many suites you would need. Plus I have a project, currently paused, where third parties can publish their own suites. These suites could be even private. This way SyMenu will become a platform to publish things without my control. Imagine a company that uses SyMenu to distribute its private software to their employees or a group of guys that share pirate software among themselves.... well... Am I seriously writing this? I'm only thinking about the outcome of this feature, who knows where it takes us? So interesting question, no response for now. sl23 wrote: Also, the current list of search types listed in the side bar could be added to a drop down menu button. Maybe even have the option to save your own. ... well sl23, you must save your own search. The default searches I created are quite useless and their utility is only to teach you how the search works. Try to create your personal searches and probably you will reconsider this poor search feature. sl23 wrote: Personally, I think it would look a lot better to have apps to be added and/or removed listed in the side bar. I'm really not a fan of the current method. But just my opinion. It could be a good position. I have to think about that.
02/12/2022 Topic: Autoupdate of everything on launch) Gianluca Administrator	My preclusion towards the fully automatic update is coming from my own experience: sometimes I need it, sometimes I don't. So, to make everything happy, even not fully enthusiastic, I'm experimenting with a solution to automate the process, at least a bit more than today. The current update process is cumberstone because it's something like this: if SyMenu is configured to check for updates at startup it checks for the SPS update too if it finds new SPS it changes the icon in the contextual menu but from then on the automation is finished and you need to do some actions to really update you have to open the context menu you have to click on the green button "Updates available" you have to select all the SPS with update status you have to confirm. What if instead a toast Windows message alerts you that some updates are available and suggests you to update them with a single click? Won't it be terrific? This way you can choose to proceed or to avoid the updates or to go to the app form and see with your eyes what are the updatable apps and choose to proceed from there. I think the toast message could be a good compromise.
12/12/2022 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	sl23 wrote: Did you think enough yet? Seriously though, I just think currently it looks a little disjointed, like it doesn't fit and has been put there as there isn't any where else to go. You are probably right. That form has been entirely re-shaped and re-thinked two times and every time my priority was to remove things not to create a smart UI. Because of this I accept your call. Let's try to reason about it. The last survived areas in the form are: the grid the search the detail pad the installation\|removal\|update project pane The grid. My long term intention is to remove the grid entirely. Today that grid hosts more than 1.000 rows... it's a bit too much for a grid because the grid was born when I was thinking about 300 applications, not 1.300... Anyway the problem of showing thousands of items is not unique to SyMenu. The smartphone app stores host a lot more programs and use the search as the first way to access items. And they use a reduced grid based on AI, adv, and popularity. The AI suggests what you probably want more based on your previous choices, the ads put on evidence the apps that pay for a showcase, popularity is based on the other users installations: if so many users install that, you probably need it too. All these magics are possible only with a strict interaction with the user and his behaviour. Today SyMenu acts as a discreet guy: it daily downloads the app definitions and what the user does from then on is no longer its business. This is interesting: the SyMenu users prefer this level of privacy or a more tailored made experience? Unfortunately I don't know. When you create a system that respects privacy in the same way SyMenu does, you have literally no idea about your users. Even leading the development of a project like this is difficult because sl23 tells me he prefers a certain approach but sl24 remains silent until he downloads the new version with the implementation (that he doesn't like very much) and only at that point he complains. And sl25 remains silent but leaves the project. It's really hard to maintain the balance and I can't embark on a transformation like this without a clue on the possible outcome and acceptance. For this reason the grid remains probably forever. And... no, it's not possible to have both approaches and leave the user the choice. The search is inevitable in both scenarios. If the grid remains, the search is essential to find things. Not every person is willing to scroll down a grid of a thousand rows. BTW if I see a 1.000 rows grid on another app, I think it's a bad UI design and the dev is inept If the grid goes away instead (I strongly doubt that), the search becomes the main tool the users have to find what they want and not what the platform suggests. The search could be, and before or after will be, hidden but I think it's a limited need. But sure it can be done optionally. Is the search better located in a different place? Maybe I can put it on the toolbar as I did in the configuration form but, if you use the custom filters, that location is not suitable because the custom filters need to be accessed with a further click. I can't implement a solution where to show the custom filters I force the user to do a further click. But I can think about the opposite approach and force the user to click to show the search to the users that explicitly have hidden it. To be clear, I hate what Google Play forces you to do to update your apps: click on Google Play, click on the user icon, click on Manage apps & device, click on Updates available, and only now I can see what the updates are and proceed. Are you kidding me? I need the information on what I'm going to update immediately... Anyway, let's go back to our search. Why do I think a vertical frame is the best solution to show the search? It's because the horizontal approach is too room demanding. Remember that our PC screens always offer a wide view so the side bars are more suitable if you want to have everything in sight. Well, except a colleague of mine that has one of his monitors turned 90°... anyway he probably is the only person in the world to have done this. The details pad is needed? I sincerely didn't know. Personally I think it's needed but only because I always need information on everything. Probably another person sees this information area useless. I'm open to any kind of opinion on this one. The installation\|removal\|update project pane is fundamental because it remembers what programs you checked even if the grid changes because of a new search. You need to keep track of your installation plan before starting it massively. Is it located in the right position? I don't know. I thought about another side area (On the right? On the left?) but it works along with the search so it can't overlap the search area. Another panel on the right hand side? A new one on the left hand side? What I hate most in both cases is that this panel appears\|disappears and when it appears it shrinks the grid. Is it better to shrink the grid horizontally with a side panel or vertically as today? IMHO it has a minor impact shrinking the grid vertically because you barely noticed it. Is it good enough? Do we have a different option? Don't know again...
18/01/2023 Topic: Symenu stored in onedrive Gianluca Administrator	I don't understand if it's a SyMenu issue or an OnlyOffice one. If you double click DesktopEditors.exe file (it's the main OnlyOffice executable) does it work? Because if it doesn't work it is a request you have to address to the OnlyOffice authors. Otherwise let's try to solve your problem. BTW have you checked the OneDrive Files On-Demand option? Because it can be responsible for this issue.
18/01/2023 Topic: Symenu stored in onedrive Gianluca Administrator	Try to check the path depth because some programs can be affected by the anachronistic length limit of 260 chars. Calibre is one of them. If this is the problem, you have to shorten your OnlyOffice path, moving OneDrive root path to the drive root and putting SyMenu on the OneDrive root.
24/01/2023 Topic: How to Open Empty folder? Gianluca Administrator	Welcome to the community! You have several ways to open an empty folder or, indeed, a folder with a content that is the same thing for SyMenu. The easiest way is configuring it as a "Link to folder", exactly the way you proceed in your second picture. But you have to remember to check the special checkbox "Show as a link" to allow the opening. If instead you want to open a not already linked folder the procedure is a little more tricky. Use the search bar instead of "My Computer" item and search for C:\T Still nothing? It's because the search bar can work in several modes. You need the FS mode (FileSystem mode). So when you open the search bar press F3 twice to swith to the FS mode, search for C:\T, and then click on the folder item.
24/01/2023 Topic: Symenu stored in onedrive Gianluca Administrator	Well, my OneDrive root folder is located in D:\ and the only drawback I'm experimenting with this setup is that OneDrive needs to create another folder at the same level called OneDriveTemp (I don't know if the name is a fixed one or if it depends on the name of the real repository folder that, in my case, is exactly OneDrive). Anyway I suggest you check your OneDrive settings because the resolution is probably simpler than the one you are embarching in.
30/01/2023 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	sl23 wrote: could we have an option to hide columns please. I find it unnecessary to show all, and never use any except Icon, Name, Version, Status and Tickbox. Categories is a constant annoyance due to Tooltips appearing under the cursor and restricting scrolling. It's done in the beta version I've just released here: https://www.ugmfree.it/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=840 As I've already told I won't develop anymore on the main brench and the beta one is not still ready because of a bug of the .NET Core (the fix will be released at the end of 2023 and SyMenu will follow). But in the meanwhile you can test it to see how the new hideable columns work.
01/02/2023 Topic: Hotkey doesn't always work Gianluca Administrator	Hello and welcome to the community. It's normal Windows behavior with hotkeys management. If SyMenu is running with normal privileges and the program in the foreground is running in elevated mode Windows prevents the less privileged program from getting the pressed keys for security purposes. Is it possible you are executing Thunderbird in admin mode? Otherwise the reason should be different and we have to investigate. When you have an issue possibly tied with your system like this one, you should mention your Windows version, your .NET Framework version and your SyMenu version to ease the resolution.
01/02/2023 Topic: SyMenu interferes with rightclick Gianluca Administrator	This is really strange. SyMenu doesn't mess with the Windows context menu because it's a perfectly portable program. The only way to leave a track on your system, precisely in your %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ folder, is if you decide that SyMenu must be launched at Windows startup. If you are experiencing a slowdown in your context menu it should be another program responsibility. Try to disable the SyMenu autoexec on start if you use it, and relaunch SyMenu and you'll see that your context menu will be fast as usual. And in every case, please report the outcome.
01/02/2023 Topic: Modified structure not remembered Gianluca Administrator	The menu structure resets to the last known configuration if a user changes it and then goes back to the structure manager without quitting SyMenu. So try to change your menu structure, then exit from SyMenu. It should work this way. Unfortunately it's an old bug I've never fixed on the main SyMenu branch because, for several months, I'm completely dedicated to the next version that is in beta now. It still has some issues on high resolution monitors but the other parts of the program are now quite ready. You can find the next version here if you want to test it: https://www.ugmfree.it/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=840
07/02/2023 Topic: Request function to open folders Gianluca Administrator	I don't understand. You asked the exact same questions some days ago and I've already replied here https://www.ugmfree.it/Forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=855#post3011
08/02/2023 Topic: SyMenu interferes with rightclick Gianluca Administrator	Well, probably I haven't understood well before. By chance have you set the SyMenu gesture thing? Because in that case, SyMenu tries to intercept the mouse right button click system wide and it is normal you experience a general slowness. To use the SyMenu gesture you need a really fast PC. Try disabling the mouse Gesture in SyMenu and your problem should be solved.
10/02/2023 Topic: SyMenu interferes with rightclick Gianluca Administrator	I created the mouse gesture hooker using a Windows API called SetWindowsHookEx. It's a great API, really flexible, because you can get both mouse input and keyboard input system wide. If you use it to get the keyboard input everything goes very well but if you use it to get the mouse input the things start going bad. I think the problem is tied with the duration of the related events. A key press on your keyboard is immediate because you can register for a key press event or a key release event. Both events start and finish in a moment. If you register for a mouse event the things start to be a little slower. A mouse moves in a certain direction plus a right or left button press (exactly the way SyMenu asks to be notified about the gesture) can take seconds. Since the program is registered to receive both events (move and press i.e. a drag event), Windows needs to "stop" any other mouse management until the drag is finished. Indeed the drag is not really stopped but it's monitored and every moment communicates to SyMenu. When the drag is finished SyMenu decides if the gesture was for it or if it can bubble the event up on a following subscriptor. I noticed that on a very powerful PC all the process becomes very smooth even if you feel there's something strange in your OS responsiveness. Instead if you activate the gesture on a slower PC you are in trouble. Well my idea is that all the gestures thing, is useless. I really enjoyed developing it and, theoretically, it was a brilliant idea but I think it's unusable. I'm very tempted to remove it at all from the SyMenu 8.00 version and your experience pushes me in this direction more and more. Anyway I'm interested in knowing your opinion and the opinion of any other users on this topic.
10/02/2023 Topic: Hotkey doesn't always work Gianluca Administrator	Well the keyboard hook works this way. If PSMenu is successfully notified of a keyboard event even when a higher privileged app is active, it means it is not using a hook but a shortcut. The differences among the two systems are simple. The shortcut way is considered safer by Windows and for this reason can overcome the applications privilege hierarchy. But the reason it is considered safer it's because you can register only some keys and modifiers. For example you can't register CTRL+C or CTRL+V because it goes against the OS shortcuts Copy and Paste. An application will be refused to register a globally already taken shortcut so imagine what could happen on a portable application like SyMenu... in a PC your shortcut works in another not. A mess. The hook way is considered less safe because you can use it to create a keyboard hooker and use it to register the user data. For this reason Windows limits this kind of tech. The Windows hook system is powerful and flexible because you can register any kind of keyboard combination and then bubble it to the next subscriber (or not, it's your choice). To be clear if you want you can open the SyMenu contextual menu with a CTRL+V. SyMenu opens, but, since I decided to stop the propagation and the focus is grabbed by SyMenu, you completely lose the ability to paste your text or files. But it's my decision not an hook system limit. Anyway I have a workaround for your little issue: start SyMenu in elevated mode. There is a second executable file (SyMenu.Admin.exe) you can use for this purpose or you can set it in a shortcut to the SyMenu.exe. This way SyMenu can register his hooks on the higher possible level and will always work.