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Topic: «Request » on forum: Feature Requests   Views: 9283
 
Steve
Guest
 
Posted: 05/01/2005 05:25:33
 
 
 Hi there,

Congratulations on Actualtools - it is by *far* the most comprehensive windows manager - however, here's a few more suggestions:

Window Actions
1)Send to Bottom
2)Always on Bottom (Great for use in combination with Transparency)
3)Prevent Accidental Minimize
4)Prevent Accidental Restore

5) Auto Refresh Interval - if for some reason the app is able to be altered/resized/minimized/etc AWM should be able to check and if necessary reset/reposition the app back to where it should be.

The refresh interval needs to be from 0.1 seconds to ... 9999 seconds?? This allows for two scenarios:
a) An app which just can't be moved etc(for more than 0.1 secs anyway)(This might also be the solution to always on bottom)

b) An app which pops back up every 1min, 10mins, 30mins - almost like a status reminder, before you minimize it, move it, or bring your other window back into focus.

Many thanks
Steve
 
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Michael Tretyakov
Administrator
 
 Posts: 61
Joined: 03/16/2005
Posted: 05/04/2005 06:43:00
 
 
 Hi Steve,

Thank you very much for your ideas!

Can you tell us more about in what situations do you want to use Always on Bottom, Prevent Accidental Minimize and Prevent Accidental Restore actions?


Sincerely,
Michael Tretyakov
Actual Tools http://www.ActualTools.com/
Handy Tools for Windows! Make your day-to-day Windows activities easier and more productive!
 
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Steve
Guest
 
Posted: 05/05/2005 05:06:16
 
 
Often, novice users (and for a specific example my parents!) move or minimise windows without performing the action required by the window (such as send email, print etc) and then get v.confused as to where the window went etc, especially as some windows don't announce themselves on the taskbar.

Having spent years trying (and on the whole failing) to teach them the basics of windows management, moving, resizing, minimising etc AWM would be just the thing to make certain windows more indestructable until the action is performed.

By preventing minimise/restore, and using it in conjunction with maximise, always on top, and prevent accidental close I can configure certain windows to remain in place until they complete the required action, which if course closes the window.

What about the other suggestions?? Any thoughts?
 
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Steve
Guest
 
Posted: 05/05/2005 05:24:18
 
 
 I missed the other request for more info on "always on bottom" so here it is.

I know of several status windows (cable modem throughput stats, taskmgr etc), which I always like to have open, and your transparency option, when used with "ghost when transparent" is an excellent way of deactivating the buttons on these windows, so that I don't accidently change the view or setting on these status windows.

The reason for my original suggestion "Send to Bottom" was so that when used in conjunction with the above settings, it effectively turns these apps into wallpaper items when they are launched.

However, they do have a tendancy to float back up on top, as I use ALT-TAB to switch between apps, and if I select one of these ghosted apps it of course comes back to the top. Hence my request for "Always on Bottom"
 
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Michael Tretyakov
Administrator
 
 Posts: 61
Joined: 03/16/2005
Posted: 05/05/2005 06:34:42
 
 
Quote
Steve wrote:
Often, novice users (and for a specific example my parents!) move or minimise windows without performing the action required by the window (such as send email, print etc) and then get v.confused as to where the window went etc, especially as some windows don't announce themselves on the taskbar.

Steve, thank you very much for your explanations. Now I understand how these features are important and of course we will done them in next versions of our programs.

Thanks again!

Can you give us more information about your idea of "Auto Refresh Interval"? In that cases do you want to use it?

Sincerely,
Michael Tretyakov
Actual Tools http://www.ActualTools.com/
Handy Tools for Windows! Make your day-to-day Windows activities easier and more productive!
 
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Steve
Guest
 
Posted: 05/05/2005 12:16:23
 
 
 I had 2 reasons for "auto refresh settings"

1) It's possible that although settings such as "Start Maximised", "Prevent Minimise" or "Prevent Restore" may initialise the window correctly, these windows could subsequently be altered by another program or method (for instance by right clickiong on the taskbar, and selecting Cascade, or Tile Windows) - by having a refresh interval, AWM would reset the windows back to their initial size & settings to ensure those windows remained as they were required.

2) Sometimes, when compiling, downloading, DVD video creatign or CG rendering (any of these can take from 10 mins to 10 days!) I often forget to check up on these tasks, only finally remembering hours later to look to see what happened - often to see an error msg (low disk space, low memory), or some warning which I could have resolved without stopping and restarting, if only I had checked the app sooner. Having AWM configured so that it could for example "bring to top" the app after a set amount of time, would prevent me from forgetting to monitor these important tasks.
 
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Steve
Guest
 
Posted: 05/05/2005 12:41:31
 
 
 Michael, if you are able to implement any/some/all of these suggestions, (although I know each one could involve considerable time and effort) I'll certainly write articles on them on how to improve your windows experience using these features - especially if your free registration offer is still valid!

ps. I'm also very much able to beta test any version, if that helps.

Many thanks
Steve
 
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Michael Tretyakov
Administrator
 
 Posts: 61
Joined: 03/16/2005
Posted: 05/16/2005 04:07:00
 
 
 Hi Steve,

Thanks for your information and wish to write articles about these features.

I hope that we will done them soon.


Sincerely,
Michael Tretyakov
Actual Tools http://www.ActualTools.com/
Handy Tools for Windows! Make your day-to-day Windows activities easier and more productive!
 
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