FastRun. User Manual
Author:
A. Titov
DOWNLOAD:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fastrun
FastRun – Windows desktop
tool for running applications, opening files, folders and urls
by typing part of their name.
Folders are
opened by Total Commander by default, but can also be opened by Explorer.
The main
window of program can be displayed at any moment by pressing hot key (~).
The main
window uses periodically changed background pictures from “images” folder (GIF,
JPG formats are supported).
The program
doesn’t try to automatically add any paths. You must do it yourself. Main
purpose is an exact and really fast load: when you type, for example, “de” then
you are sure what path will be on the top of suggested list (on the second
place, third, etc…). So in most cases you must not be delayed by observing the
list. Of course, at first you need to configure the priorities of paths and remember
them quite well. It can be done step-by-step while working with program.
A
restriction is that 32bit color quality must be used.
1. Install
For install
you only need to unpack distribute. Program will be ready to work.
2. Base use
After the
load of program the main window will be hidden. It may be displayed by pressing
` (~) key.
If you use program then when you
need to type ` or ~ symbol press key ~ while holding key 1.
So after
pressing ~ the main window will be
displayed and you can input the mask of search.
At first
start it may be that there are no paths to search by mask. So you will need to
input the full path to some file or folder. Type “e:\”. In the list below you will see the content of dist E. Symbol ; will be treated as :.
In order to go to target file or folder press down arrow by several
times. The first
ten paths are numbered so you can press corresponding number key to go to
target path.
Target path
is marked. If no paths are marked then the top path is assumed as marked.
Now you can
press Enter or Shift for opening file or folder. By pressing Enter the string from edit box (area with black background) will be
processed. By pressing Shift the current
marked string will be processed. Sometimes these string are equal and sometimes
are not so.
Folders are
opened by Total Commander by default (see below).
In the case
of folder you can also press TAB to list
the content of this folder and for subsequent search in it.
While listing
folder’s content if target file or folder doesn’t appear in list then you may additionally
type its mask, ex: “e:\base\comma”. “Comma”
is the mask to search in “e:\base”
directory. You don’t need to press TAB
before typing “comma”.
After the first
opening of file or folder its path will be added to path list (stored in file “runstr.txt”). Further you can type
file’s or folder’s name and see the full path to this file (folder) in the list
below.
For closing
window press Esc.
3. More fast running
You don’t
always need to mark path and then run it. If you want to run the first path in
list then simply press Shift. If you want to run second, third, .. path then press corresponding
number key while holding right Ctrl.
4. Working with Total Commander
If total commander (TC) is not
started then program will attempt to start it from
c:\Program
Files\Total Commander\TOTALCMD.EXE
Otherwise program will simply open the specified folder in already started
TC (more reliable way). Right shift – folder will be opened in right
panel, left shift – left panel. Commander window will be automaticly activated
and choosen panel will be automaticly activated. This function may depent on current layout configuration of TC. If you
have some problems when I recommend to be based on the following configuration:
Program was tested for TC 6.55, TC Ultima Prime 3.0 (TC 7.01).
5. Opening folders in
Explorer
For opening
folder in Explorer mark target path then press Right Shift + Left Ctrl.
6. Easy adding paths
In Total
Commander move cursor (not mouse, by arrows) to target
file (folder) then press F9. The full path to file will be added to path list.
This function may depent on
current layout configuration of TC.
In Explorer
move cursor (not mouse, by arrows) to target file (folder) then press F9. The
full path to file will be added to path list.
7. Running
applications with parameters
You may
specify an application before opening some file. The file will be opened by the
specified application.
At first
you must specify application.
Then press F1. List will be resetted.
Now you must specify parameter to program - folder.
After
pressing Shift or Enter specified folder will be opened by Explorer.
Similarly
you can open files by other programs, tags or something else. The parameter to
program will be always quoted.
8. Priorities of paths
Priority
defines the position of found path in list.
If you want
to search some file or folder (its full path) then you should type the
beginning of its name in order to increase the priority of found path. Similarly for WEB addresses. In general: you should type the
part of full path which goes after slash, back slash, space or dot (found path
will have “good match”). If the typed mask is found in any other part of
path then path will be displayed at the end of list (named “any
match”).
Ex: path
“c:\total commander” will have good match if the mask is “total” or “comma”. It
will have any match if the mask is “tal” or “mander”.
You cannot
force paths with any match be higher
then paths with good match.
With the restriction
of above rule priorities are defined by the positions of paths in file
“runstr.txt”. For changing priorities you can directly modify file “runstr.txt”
by moving paths or use one of the following methods.
To change
the priority of some path you must type the mask so that the path would appear
in the list below (with good match). Then go to this path (so it will be
marked). To increase priority press up arrow while holding Ctrl, and you will
see that the position of string has changed. To reduce priority – press down
arrow.
Similarly
you can set the highest priority for some path by pressing Ctrl + T while it is
marked.
If you want
to find the following path
http://sourceforge.net/project/stats/?group_id=231203&ugn=fastrun
by typing
“fastrun”, then you should add comments after comma:
http://sourceforge.net/project/stats/?group_id=231203&ugn=fastrun,
fastrun
In comments
“fastrun” goes after space so the path will have good match. Otherwise the path would have
any match and have lower priority than
the other paths containing “fastrun”.
9. Comments
You can add
comment to some path, after comma, for example:
www.google.com, web search
Now you can
type “search” and www.google.com will be displayed in list. The part of name
after comma will be cut before running.
10.
Last
used paths
After
activating the main window the program displays the list of last used paths (no
more then 4). A path may be run by pressing corresponding number key and subsequent
pressing Enter or Shift.
11.
Copying
paths
If you want
to copy some path to clipboard then mark it and press Esc.
If you
works with standard “Save” (“Save as”) dialog then activate program (press ~),
mark some directory.
Press Esc.
Directory
will be added to the name of file from “Save As” dialog.
12.
Removing
dead paths
When program
starts it will remove from the path list all paths which don’t reference to any
file or folder. If some path doesn’t contain spaces, slashes and
back slashes then such path will not be examined, so it will stay in the list.
Be careful
when using paths which reference to files on removable disks since program will
attempt to find them.
13.
Deleting
paths
To delete
some path mark the path in list and press Ctrl + D.
14.
Additional
useful functions
F3 – change
background picture,
F2 – remove
last part after slash from currently edited path.
15.
Displaying
info
When the main
window is displayed then press Ctrl+H to watch the
info about program.
16.
For
russian users
You can
type a mask by english
(while english keyboard layout is active), but the corresponding
mask on russian will be also processed (as though russian layout was active). So you may not change the
keyboard layout before typing.