Release: Sort by Name version 1

[qwertylesh]

This is a set of finely written packed batch files which make sorting the Ceedo's All programs menu folders, easy, seamless and in the same way that XP and Vista sort their start menu All programs.

There are some things you need to be aware of before you use this so, read the cautions and disclaimer here and read the Read-first file for instructions on how-to install and known issues, limitations and bugs.

The missing sort menu feature has been asked by forum members ever since Feb 06 when the forum was created, and yet to be integrated into Ceedo likely due to more pressing feature requests and probably also due to the over all program design of the EAM's all programs enumerator code.

The most important limitation/bug that is needed to be noted here is that if you use this program, it will break uninstaller shortcut removal references, in other words, some of your uninstaller's will not remove all the added menu shortcuts or menu folders after you use this package. all other limitations/bugs or known issues are documented within the package.

This thread is for general discussion, usage troubleshooting, and suggestion and functionality ideas and the point of availability for this release.

Here is a preview of this package in action!

So you have a messy Ceedo start menu somewhat like this:


after installing SbN v1 you get a dock icon and a program group:


After running SbN, Problem solved!:


(these Screenshots show a version which has an Undo option, before you ask, let me explain: this option was removed because in certain circumstances, running it could delete all of your icons from Ceedo) It won't be re implemented untill a non file based method of sorting the list is developed.

Legal, Obligatory stuff..
If you don't agree to the following, do not download or use this release:

• You must ask and obtain permission from me the author, before using any resource/code or file from this package for other works.
• Do not host my work anywhere else, it must only be made available by the author or by permitted third parties*.
• You Must not edit or modify this package or its contents without express permission from me, editing or modifying this package or its contents constitutes as Intellectual Property theft, and doing so is a prosecutable offence.
• By using this package, you agree to hold blameless and harmless both the author of Sort by Name and Ceedo Technologies, Ltd. should any damages or data loss occur during, or be caused by, your usage of Sort by Name.
• By downloading the release in this thread, You agree to strictly abide by the terms & conditions stated herein.

*List of permitted third parties:

• Ceedo Technologies Pty. Ltd. & Staff
• Keith Watson

** Ceedo & Argo are copyright Ceedo Technologies, Pty Ltd. Other third party software/operating system references are copyright their respected companies.

Download Sort by name v1 [first Release - 13-03-09]

Remember: instructions and additional warnings are contained in the rich text document supplied in the archive containing the SbN v1 Packaged installer.

Many of you should find this release usefull, it will save you plenty time if you already manually sort your menus and it will allow those who don't (more suitable for those who don't uninstall programs form their Ceedo allot) to reap the benefit of a neat Ceedo environment.
It is very quick to do its work and has been written and bug fixed numerous times so far to be prompt-less in installation and also in using.

If you have ran it only once, and do not like the result, this package does backup the state of the Ceedo all programs menu the way it was before you ran it. So you can remove the appropriate folders and copy them back from your Program Files\SbN\Backup directory to revert your Ceedo to its previous condition.

Enjoy the release, comments and suggestions are welcome

[Lord_Night]

Kewl...

followed the instructions, installed it as you said too.
clicked on it once, saw it run. refreshed. even reloaded.
saw no change in the list.

[qwertylesh]

Click the ceedo button twice to 3 times, give it a few seconds, it sorts the folders to the top and the shortcuts to the bottom of the menu.

[Lord_Night]

ahhh.. ok.. kewl.. worked.... hehehe... sweeet...
i need more coffee... be back later on...

[qwertylesh]

haha thats ok lord_night.

It is documented somewhere (in the readme maybe, pleh I forget could be anywhere!) that you may need to click the Main button a few times for Ceedo to 'force a refresh'

I hope you like it and find it very handy

on another note; ive done my best to write it so the batch call will not halt at a prompt, if you get the minmized 'sort by name' in your task bar not going away, could you bring up the window, screenshot it, and let me know here. its unlikely but if anyone who uses it gets this situation, let me know.

[qwertylesh]

Minor adjustments and Pictures added to OP.
enjoy!

[polimero]

Hello Qwertylesh,

Thank you for this Add-on...

But I don't know why, it don't work well anytime...

When I've created "subfolder" for classified the software that I used, "Sort By Name" wasn't operated...

Have you a suggestion for help me please ?

Thank you for your attention.

--
Best regards,
Paul

[qwertylesh]

Sorry Paul, it only works for the all programs items, Im aware that it can't organise sub folders, Im not aware of a way to sort those yet, its a limitation.

[polimero]

Hello Qwertylesh,

Thank you for your answer.

Originally Posted by qwertylesh

Sorry Paul, it only works for the all programs items, Im aware that it can't organise sub folders, Im not aware of a way to sort those yet, its a limitation.

Ok, now I know


--
Best regards,
Paul

[JennyeK]

I would love to try this, but I can't seem to get it to download. All I get is the disclaimer document! I've tried numerous times on the link but it just keeps taking me back to the link. Please tell me how to do this as I would like to try the program. Thanks

[JennyeK]

The program is now loaded and did sort my files, however there was no way to undo the sort. I'm not sure everything downloaded correctly. As a new user I must say I was confused when the Notepad kept popping up with the info and I wasn't sure what I was seeing. For users like me it would help to have some sort of a way to know that the program was there, something like, it's loaded and ready. I think you know what I mean, even if I can't state my case clearly. Worked quickly and I like it.

[qwertylesh]

Sorry to reply so late.
In the beginning I wrote an undo feature, however because its all written in such an out dated method, the undo feature had a bug that wasn't correctable.

The bug was that if you clicked the undo icon before ever using the sort icon, it would delete the entire menu contents, since I couldn't fix it, I removed the feature from the release.


I tried to keep the notifications minimal, even the installer is just a coded extractor and a .bat file, so I could re write it to prompt once its installed but wanted to keep the installer as un-interactive as possible.

When a program form of this sort of feature is made for Ceedo, it would be good, this one I've released is not perfect and just put together in a few nights.

[qwertylesh]

Hi guys,
I would like to ask anyone who reads this to provide me with a bit of help if they are able to.

I would like to make this add-on much nicer by making it into an actual packaged program instead of its current batch/extractor state.

The problem is I am not thoroughly program minded and have limited knowledge on using certain programming languages, I am more script orientated and can manage to write (certain) scripts and batch without too much hassle.

The thing is though, I always get a kind of 'writers block' when trying to write something that will move files around in the same way which this one does in different script and programming languages. (this package is really a complicated copy & delete method to mimic file moving at a dos based level, but.. Ive made to attempt to hide this and have never stated that you cannot look at how it works just not to change it)

So anyhow, I tried to make a simple VB script which would move a test file from a static folder to another static folder path but failed miserably, and it just gets worse from there whenever I give a proper programming language (like Visual basic) a try.

If someone can help me code this into a proper add-on with an installer package it would be very appreciate and I would welcome any credit/benefit to those who help and contribute.

Also the limitation of how to sort out sub-menus still to this day has me completely stumped, if anyone has learnt anything about how the folders enumerate or knows how to sort them, please let me know so I can improve this homebrew add-on even in its current form.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

regards.


edit: this URL shows how to perform what I want with Visual studio in C sharp programming.
Still, writing the whole thing in a language I dont know is something I dont think i will be able to do sucessfully, then just thinking about how to go about and package it is another concern. Help would be very appreciated from anyone in the forum community.