SyMenu Forum

Gianluca

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07/12/2023 Topic: New Version 8 Scaling "Yikes" Gianluca Administrator	Does the new option solve the problem?
08/12/2023 Topic: Cannot start from command line after 8.x update Gianluca Administrator	JackoBongo wrote: However I've tried installing the "Microsoft .NET Runtime 8.0" and ".NET Windows Desktop Runtime 8.0" packages through winget and SysMenu wasn't starting the working directory wasn't set. Ok, so I'm learning a new thing here: the redirection I did to probe the Lib folder, prevents the runtime to be executed from its normal installation path. Thanks for this info even if, since I will take the framework with every new SyMenu version, it'll be useless for SyMenu.
11/12/2023 Topic: update problems again Gianluca Administrator	I'm very sorry to hear that because you've been unlucky twice. First because your AV caused this mess. In fact the update process doesn't touch the Config folder and it's impossible SyMenu changed it by itself. What has happened is that probably the AV prevented SyMenu from accessing the ProgramFiles folder, as a consequence SyMenu thought you had no programs configured, trashed all the files, and saved an empty configuration file. The second misfortune is you had not activated the backup of configuration files (Options - General - Backup configuration files) otherwise you could have taken one of the older files.
11/12/2023 Topic: Cannot start from command line after 8.x update Gianluca Administrator	Taking along the needed libraries it's not weird, think that it's a behaviour Java has allowed for decades. Today it's possible for the new .NET Core framework too when you want to grant the best portability. They call this behaviour "self-contained deployment mode" and finally freed all the .NET programs (web or desktop) from the dependencies nightmare. When a program takes its own dependency along you are 100% sure it works on any machine. It's paradise! Anyway, it's possible to allow flexible probing but I would have left all the libraries SyMenu needs on the root folder and I don't want that because this way you won't find the executable anymore. I don't know if it's possible to redirect the local libraries to a custom folder (Lib) as I'm doing now and at the same time grant a normal probing on the local system but I will study this scenario too.
15/12/2023 Topic: update problems again Gianluca Administrator	I recommend you to report any false positive you get on your AV and stay with it because every AV has this kind of issues sometimes.
18/12/2023 Topic: Custom apps folder? Gianluca Administrator	Yes it is. Read here https://ugmfree.it/manual#CommandLine The option you need is -fp
20/12/2023 Topic: Custom apps folder? Gianluca Administrator	You can't use your apps as SPS apps because SyMenu needs to find the right folder structure and names. If you succeeded in make it point your custom folder as the SPS folder you'll finish having all your custom apps trashed by SyMenu itself. What happens inside the SPS folder is for SyMenu only. edited by Gianluca on 20/12/2023
23/12/2023 Topic: Cannot start from command line after 8.x update Gianluca Administrator	JackoBongo wrote: What I meant by "weird" was more the fact that dependency paths are based from the active directory rather than the executable file location. But maybe this is intended with .NET 8.0 Indeed the suggested scenario for a portable program in .NET 8.0 is different because you should put the dependencies lib in the program root. Paint.NET for example is based on .NET 7.0 and works exactly the way Microsoft suggests. Try to open the Paint.NET main folder and you realize why I don't like the standard suggested way (dozens of meaningless files mixed with the main executable file scares anyone in my opinion). So I hacked the SyMenu.runtimeconfig.json to redirect the libraries probing to the Lib folder. I think it's this redirection that creates a problem on the probing in system folders but, sincerely, who cares? You have all your dependencies included with every new SyMenu release and the update program cleans up every remains. IMHO it's a good option. JackoBongo wrote: I assume it's not possible to generate a self contained binary where all libs are included right? Yes, theoretically it's possible and it's an option I'll probably investigate in the future.
01/01/2024 Topic: DBever portable unable to update Gianluca Administrator	These are the bugs I like more. The SPS is not guilty, the problem was in the 7Zip version SyMenu was using. The way the DBeaver package has been packed is probably compatible only with the very last version of 7Zip, any other version is able to unpack it but returns an error. And SyMenu is very sensitive to these kinds of situations and stops the installation. The resolution has been quite easy: I've just released a new SyMenu version with the new 7Zip library (23.01) and now everything is working fine. You simply have to update SyMenu and try again. Thank you for your report.
04/01/2024 Topic: SyMenu 8.00 Gianluca Administrator	scentse wrote: I was hoping that the previous issues encountered in the Beta - with many UI elements improperly scaling - were tied to AMD's instruction set. But alas, that is not the case. The issue persists with Nvidia as well. It's probably because the graphical issues are on the Windows side. Rendering a form is not a complex thing... It's a 2D draw. What's difficult is calculating the distances among elements when you have more space available for them and they need to be resized. But MS asserts the new framework is able to do the magic by itself allowing a smart resize. And instead we experienced that the only working resize mode in zoomed screens above 150% is the virtual resizing and not the real resizing. So WTF are you doing MS? scentse wrote: As for why the program displays properly in Win11 virtual machine's VMware SVGA driver, I cannot say. Interesting enough the machine where I experienced the issue was a virtual one running on VirtualBox with VBOXSVGA driver.... I should try to execute it with the other available drivers but, I wonder, what's the point in that. MS is not paying me to catch their bugs, rather it causes me to lose a lot of time for this issue. scentse wrote: Unknown if there is an issue with HP machines specifically. Well, my tests are on a HP PC too but, at this point, I'm pretty sure the problem is on the software layer.
07/01/2024 Topic: Unable to update Gianluca Administrator	Yes it is. SyMenu.Updater.exe is a simple executable that works with a command line to copy the new package over the old one. To work it needs that: SyMenu should be closed; the new SyMenu package needs to be already downloaded and unzipped inside an empty and reserved folder. This is the documentation for the SyMenu.Updater.exe executable: Args[0] - symenu folder path - The folder where SyMenu is installed Args[1] - update folder path - The folder where the new SyMenu version files are available (unzipped) Args[2] - application name - The program name. It's used for titles, error messages, progress messages so you can put whatever you like. Args[3] - executable file - It's the file the updated calls when the update process is finished and it's the symenu.exe because we want SyMenu starts at the end Args[4] - version released - It's the version of the updated symenu files. It's important to trigger the one time activities like file clean up Args[5] - not defined Args[6] - not defined Args[7] - not defined And here we have a full example: SyMenu.Updater.exe "D:\SyMenu\" "D:\Misc\Down\SyMenuNewVersion" "SyMenu" "SyMenu.exe" "8.00" Let us know if you'll successfully update SyMenu with this method because it can be a useful workaround for other users too.
12/01/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	Hi sl23, A lot of suggestions here. Let's try to deepen them all. The three columns grid With the hide feature my idea was to offer a lighter grid but, as you noted, you can't go down to the three columns layout because the status column is really important. Well, I can't go down to three, unless I use your smart suggestion. I can allow the user to hide the status column and, if he does that, I use the checkbox background color to replace the lacking status column, exactly as you suggested. The checkbox has no tooltip at the moment but, in case I use it as a status indicator, I can add a tooltip to remind the item status in a more extensive way. And BTW even the differentiation among Installed (green) and Installed/Discontinued (blue) is a good idea. So consider it done. Moving the update project pane to the right If a user chooses to see the grid in a normal way (with all the columns available) there is no room to show the project pane to the right. I can't sacrifice the search area because when you build your update project the search is really useful. I could sacrifice some of the columns as a temporary setting. A sort of column auto hide function. But which column can be hidden? I'm absolutely sure that, for example, the category column is not so useful during the building of an update project. And maybe I can experiment with shrinked columns. Or again if the status is clear even when expressed by the checkbox background color as you suggested, I could sacrifice that one. Well I have to test some solutions but it should be done. And BTW, as you do, I hate the list view in file managers but my choice to use it in the project pane was the only available solution. Details in vertical layout Well it's impossible because it makes the form too crowded. I use a MS web application for Azure services that is built horizontally. You click on a function and the detail appears on the right, you click on a function on the detail and its own detail appears on its right, and so on. When you reach a certain depth the functions on the left disappear but before that moment every previous function has been shrunk and has become useless. When I use this application I feel a sense of claustrophobia and I'm not claustrophobic. I would like to speak with the persons that have designed the application this way to ask them: "why???" I don't want SyMenu to become something like this so the only viable layout is the second one with a slight modification for technical reasons: GRID \| SEARCH and when you start to plan an update: SHRINKED GRID \| UPDATE PANE \| SEARCH The modification for technical reasons regards the inversion of update and search. What do you think about that? Remove button in details pane I never used it by myself but, if you don't use the checkboxes for a batch update, you have only the buttons in the details pane and in the contextual menu to manage an update. The right mouse click that is necessary to show the contextual menu is not so immediate and clear for a lot of people. My wife for example doesn't use the update pane and prefers to manage the program one by one and guess what? She uses the details pane buttons. So at least one person uses it. Condense the detailed information App Publisher, Contact Reviewer, VT It's a really interesting idea but I would like to know how you'd realize that. For example I can change: App publisher ASoft in App publisher ASoft or Publisher ASoft or ASoft With this last option, that for sure is your favorite, how can I explain the meaning of the link? Is a tooltip enough? Contact reviewer SyMenu Suite can become Review by SyMenu Suite or SyMenu Suite but again I need to explain the meaning. edited by Gianluca on 12/01/2024
17/01/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	sl23 wrote: You could make the Grid Pane a set width, by default, three columns. If the user wishes to show more/all columns within it, they can either scroll that pane horizontally or enlarge the window horizontally to view the extra columns. Is that a realistic way of getting around your issue? Unfortunately not. The horizontal scroll is a terrible idea because we, as technological human beings, are not used to it and for good reasons: you risk hiding the most important column (program name in our scenario) only to see the other ones. Sometimes you can see some elaborate settings in tables like this such as the smart way to freeze the most meaningful column. Anyway I don't like this solution the same because you are forced to scroll horizontally and it is unnatural.Think about your mouse. It offers a nice and easy to use wheel for vertical scrolling but no options for horizontal scrolling. sl23 wrote: the [checkbox] tooltip gets in the way and stops you scrolling or clicking This is impossible because the checkbox is a very small field and the tooltip appears on the right of it or on the left if there is no room available on the right. The scenario you fear is possible only on bigger fields. sl23 wrote: [a tooltip] to alleviate the problem with combining links and descriptions You are right. A too heavy use of tooltips could risk becoming bothersome. I could experiment with clickable tooltips instead. This way all the less useful information on the program detail panel, can be put on a single big tooltip and maintain their verbosity and clickability. But I don't even know if this thing is possible in Windows (it's a typical web solution) and how it can work. sl23 wrote: Moving the update project pane to the right This is a good idea because it will eliminate the horizontal list view and offer a more natural way to plan an update. I like it. I have to study it. sl23 wrote: Details in vertical layout I don't like it at all. We have very long texts on the detail panel and already too many vertical panels. Plus the detail is often not useful when you plan an update so why should it steal precious room?
17/01/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	sl23 wrote: Horizontal scrolling [...] if you don't like the idea, that's fine It's a bit more than that... the horizontal scrolling is a sort of anti-pattern, a UX aberration. And it's evil above all when it's implemented without a strong reason. sl23 wrote: Click to show Tooltips - Isn't that how it's done in the SPS Builder app? Yes it is if you refer to the flying window that appears on hovering the info icon. No it isn't if you refer to the text appearing on clicking the info icon. My idea is to implement a tooltip but it should have some content clickable. It's quite different. sl23 wrote: I realise there's some apps with a lot of text, hence why I suggested trimming this down. [....] The description pane should show info about what the app is in a concise but informative way. Usually the text in description is the text you find on the program home page. So the brevity of the text depends on the program author.. but you know the topic better than me I like the copy and paste approach because it avoids useless editing on behalf of the SPS editors. We have the worldwide larger library software for a Windows launcher for these kinds of optimizations too. Plus remember that the description is search relevant so more words means more results in search... Well now that I'm saying it out loud I don't know if it's a good thing...
17/01/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	jibibi wrote: I'm sorry for the off-topic but I'd like to stop the email notifications for this topic and I can't find any more.... It's on the first line. Home - General discussion & questions show rated messages only stop watching this topic
31/01/2024 Topic: SyMenu 8.00 Gianluca Administrator	butaford wrote: The program does not open in the line command Yes, I was replying you that the first script lacks the working directory definition. You solved it changing the current dir. Good for you but please next time open a new thread in the right forum topic (Troubleshooting & Bug Reports).
31/01/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	The update planning list is now on the right hand side. It's a super preview because it exists only on my PC but I think it's not bad. I like it. And this is the version with a three only columns grid. I don't like it very much but someone could appreciate.
02/02/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	scentse wrote: There exists a middle ground between the compacted clutter and the ultra-simplistic. I only showed the two extreme situations but you can choose which column to hide except for Icon, name, and checkbox. scentse wrote: 1. The date format could be changed to [...] Absolutely no. The yyyy/MM/dd format is the only one everyone can understand without becoming crazy. If I write 24/02/23 am I intending 2024/02/23 or 24/02/2023? Without considering the misunderstanding on a date like this 10/02/2024. Do I intend to write 10th of February or the 2nd of October? Thank you American friends for this madness. So the date will remain yyyy/MM/dd. scentse wrote: 2. Certain columns could be hidden by default (e.g. Version) The first time you open that form you'll find all the columns visible, then you can choose what to show and what to hide. From then on you'll find your custom view unless you change it again. scentse wrote: 3. Status nomenclature could be changed to reduce column width It could be but remember that SyMenu is not only in English so I spare some pixels for the English version but I have the same problem with the other languages. Anyway I'm interested in the label's alternative. Anyone else want to share his ideas about this topic? scentse wrote: 4. Category names could be shortened This one is equally interesting. Are these the only categories we can improve? BTW I would replace Files - Compression/Decompression with Compression and not Archiving because Archiving has a different meaning. Probably a topic where we discuss the improvement of the SyMenu labels, messages, and text deserves a specific post.
03/02/2024 Topic: Cleaning up the program categories Gianluca Administrator	Thanks to @scentse I realized the categories for the SyMenu suite programs are a bit verbose. Years ago, when I implemented them, I copied the huge work portablefreeware.com did to categorize their suites. IMHO it was a really good job. Seeing these categories today I have to admit that they are too much for our purpose. The cleaning up will be both deleting useless categories and shortening most verbose ones. This thread is not only for scentse and me but it's opened for the suggestions of everyone.
03/02/2024 Topic: A new approach to the installation of apps Gianluca Administrator	scentse wrote: Since you're interested in implementing, I'll go through the categories in English and see what others could be cleaned up. I'm not only interested but really grateful to you for this help. I've just opened a special thread for this job https://www.ugmfree.it/Forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=890&MessageID=3211