AveDock (Beta)

IMPORTANT: This is for the latest version of AveScripter!

As there have been Problems with triggering a specific action when dropping a file onto the desklet, PCM added some new code to Avescripter for some workaround - won't work with older versions than 1.0.5.7 Beta!!

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UPDATE 2: AveDock 1.0

11.05.2006

- fixed bugs regarding hover effects and labels thanks to pcm!

- added 3 more background images

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UPDATE: AveDock BETA 2

09.05.2006

- fixed some minor bugs

- added 3 variations of the dark background image

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Hi there,

this is a (tabbed) launcher for up to 50 shortcuts (similar to ObjectDock Plus).

This desklet doesn't use the GID script or G-Toggle effectlet for the tabs (other than e.g. Curved Bar), so you

can use it only for shortcuts/launching apps, not for switching between widgetlike desklets.

BUT - it's a lot EASIER to CONFIGURE:

-----------------------------------------------

- Drag and Drop icons/images or files onto an empty socket/placeholder: A shortcut will be created/the icon

will be changed (note that PNG-images look best, get them e.g. at deviantArt or wincustomize: "Dock Icons").

- For advanced options for each shortcut, rightclick the icon: Set Arguments, Label, ... there (Press ENTER after

changing the name). You can also drag and drop images or files on this window for changing the icon's

appearance/shortcut or press the two buttons on the right to select a file. Don't use empty PNG's for an icon -

there should be at least one non transparent pixel left. Otherwise you'll have difficulties to change this icon

again later.

- Leftclick the "tabs" (small silver icons within the outer ring) to switch between 5 sets of each 10 icons. Drag

and Drop icons/images onto the tab for changing its appearance.

- Leftclick the tab right to the topmost one to switch to "General options": Here you can change the skin (two

square - about 320*320px - pics for the background and one for the label background). There's a dark

background/ring (DarkGlassCircle.png") in the deklet's folder also. If you don't want the inner ring, use an

"empty" PNG-file for it.

Issues:

----------

- All major bugs seem to have been fixed so far - regarding speed and flickering of the hover effects it seems that with the upcoming(!) version of AveDesk this desklet will run a lot smoother... as all others of course, too...

- The "rotate" effect seems to work in the upcoming version, too (with AveDesk 1.3 at least I experienced some icon images to get "cut off")

Last but not least:

-------------------------

- why a ring?? Cause OD can't do... But once the bugs are fixed, I'll add some normal (tabbed or not tabbed) launch bars (like OD) to the desklets' section. Graphics already exists...

- If you've got some nice SKINS (background/label pics) for that desklet, please post a link/the PNGs here. I'll do so too, if I got some new ideas...

- This desklet was only possible cause PCM gave me a lot of lessons in js... I'm not a naturally born programmer and never will be, so that it got this far is mostly owing to him and his patience to help me out every time I got stuck! (I hope he still can use MSN without getting a heart attck every time my contact window pops up)

Get (and see) it here:

-------------------------

http://www.deviantart.com/view/32661498/

(as zip-file - has to be renamed first, for the ones who reported that they have problems downloading the aveinst-file)

or here (as aveinst-file):

http://avedesk.philc.ca/

Official Forum:

http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread.php?t=34702

More stuff of mine at my deviantArt page:

http://spider4webdesign.deviantart.com/

#384943

the second i saw the screen, i knew you were the hotweather guy, which is awesome. can't wait to take this baby for a spin...

#384945

I can't seem to download this :-( . Deviantart seems to be blocking Opera users by only displaying ads; with IE I get an invalid XML file error.

edit: using the direct link did work for me in opera.

#384949

Thanks a lot - hope you'll find it woth waiting!

Before I'll forget:

Note to effectlet developers:

---------------------------------------

I probably try myself one day, but I wouldn't mind (!) if someone else did the job for me:

A small effectlet, that triggers showcase or BringToFront() on

- Key Kombination (old)

- Left- and (simultaneous) Rightclick OR Middleclick (mousebutton)

- Hotspot (set xstart, xend, ystart, yend)

With additional settings:

- hide desklet when set on desktop (alpha = 0)

- when triggered with mouse: center desklet position on mouse position (GetMouseXY,GetDeskletXY, DeskletXY=MouseXY-DeskletWidth/Height)

If no one else thinks this is a good idea, I'm afraid I'll have to try it myself - which might just be fun watching how one can mess up a job...

@ Ave:

I don't know if you like the desklet to be called "AveDock", maybe you want to reserve the name for a killer app like e.g. your widget dock - I can change the name of course... just tell!

Regarding deviantArt, they now get some money through adds -

Maybe try Opera 9 (beta), that should work.

#384954

I will release the next scripter in the next 24 hours.

I'm trying to fix 1 bug that is driving me nuts... I might just push the fix later. (This is related to the pandora disappearing trick)

#384965

Phenomenal. Really like your graphic originality in your desklets. Keep up the good work.

Edit: A few issues but, will wait for next scripter beta before raising anything.

#384989

Seems interesting and promising.

#384992

looks a lot of orbit dock

http://www.ecocardio.com.br/orbit/

#384999

but it does not require .NET

@thewer:

Dunno about the effectlet. At the moment there is no middle click event, and no way to check for both clicks. Actually the effectlet may even see a double-click as a single click if Avedesk is configured that way. Same for the hotspot: there are only in-out events, with no coordinates.

To activate ShowCase, a single line is enough - see my AddedEffect effectlet - I can move the desklet, but not sure if I can find the mouse coordinated. At the moment I can't even read Screen.Width/Height

#385015

This looks great!

#385046

This is totally awesome... Makes ObjectDock totally obsolete...

Can't wait 'til you finish it!

#385100

Latest version of Avescripter is up, you should get it to use it with this desklet.

#385127

Trying this out, and it's awesome! Totally amazing, hard to believe you're not a natural-born programmer. You already know about my only report of not being able to change the text. I'm really looking forward to the next version of this--I can definitely see myself using this on a permanent basis.

Awesome job .

-NC

#385154

I know i'm a little late but i installed AveDock only yesterday and i really had to say.... WOW I love it so much!! You did an excellent job and i can't wait for the final release

and for me objectdock is not obsolete, 'cause i still didn't find a way to show windows systray somewhere else than in objectdock and that sucks beacause i really don't like object dock :S

By the end, sorry for my english, i'm a french from Quebec and i know my english isn't too good

#386869

Hi there -

thanks a lot for your comments!!

Just got back and wrking on fixing some minor bugs - only major things left are the "getting stuck" of the hover effect and changing the label of the tabs for some reason (this shouldn't be a problem, but for ??? it is...)

Regarding "orbit", I know this idea is not new - I only chose that (ring) design as OD can't do this and I like alternation (I'm using OD myself). I tried Orbit some time ago - its effects and design are great, also the idea itself. The reason why I'm not using it is, that I don't like using 2 programs if one can do it alone - AveDesk really is the most complete and most easiest to use and adapt solution I've ever seen! If it goes on like this, it's soon the only "desktop pimping" software one ever needs... Furthermore I wanted to create something, that is really easy to configure (drag'n drop) - Orbit took me ages to create the shortcuts and it's a pity it only shows on click and not all the time then, too...

Still, the idea to bring up a "startmenu" on click just where you need it (in front of your mouse cursor) is genius, and it's the only solution for this so far - I recommend Orbit myself to anyone for at least trying it once!

@pcm: Thanks again - you're really irrecoverable!!

@dreadnaut: Thanks a lot for your efforts - pity it's not good news... the only workaround I can see so far is, to assign the desklet to a hotkey and then use a mouse gesture program to trigger that key... well, I'll think about it!

@SirSmiley: Just tell - two eyes see more than one, I'm sure there are still lots of issues I've overseen (concentrating on the ones I still can't handle..)!

@nightcrawler: I'm not, but pcm is - if I'd have to pay him a cent for every syntax error he found in my scripts... that'll be 4 $, ...

@ltjmax: The only other solution for this I know so far is Desktop Sidebar - I'm using it if I've got some ressources left, otherwise I'm using the normal taskbar (set on autohide). It's not bothering me, as it's hidden all the time and I only need it for the system tray as well.

Edit:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi there -

just released he second beta of AveDock:

- fixed some minor bugs

- added 3 variations of the dark background image

To Do:

- hover effect sometimes is triggered twice (e.g. the magnify effect will make an icon pulse once...)

- label names of the "tabs" (!! normal labels work) can't be changed yet

- hover effect "Fade" isn't added yet, "Rotate" doesn't work on icons at the left side of desklet

#387223

Wow... this is pretty wicked. It's so easy to use and configure. I'll be using this until you find the time to make a straight one.

Would it also be possible to set this to double-click for opening? I've never really been a fan of the single-click-open of the dock.

Keep up the good work.

#387457

Great dock with lots of potential.

But here's something strange - I would get a "double" effect when hovering - e.g. when on mag, it would magnify in, out and then back in. Similary for fade. It really doesn't look nice though - makes the program look slow and jerky, so I was looking for the code to see if I could remove it.

But I couldn't find any double effect in the code. Just a simple mag (or fade).

Then I realised that it only happened some (actually most) of the time. What I thought was a deliberate effect seems not to be.

Anyone else get this? Anyone know whats causing it?

#387521

Well this is the first time I find some time to look at this desklet. And I must say, WOW. You've done super and used lots of the features of scripter.

I"M IMPRESSED!

Also, got a couple of things to tell you about the code and I have your fix for you double effect bug.

I'll tell you about it on MSN.

#387569

Hi Phil -

thanks a lot! This bug really was annoying me and I don't know the reason for it - the only solution I could think of was another if... case (for if GetActiveLayer = hoverout layer or so), which is not the elegant way I'm afraid... but I really can't figure out what causes the bug! Will be on MSN shortly (might be away for the weekend though). Guess there's still lots for me to learn... Thanks again for your help!

@garcia:

Hi - your question is probably already answered now...

The "double effect" is what I described as a "pulsing icon" on the ToDo list. As Phil (pcm) found a fix, I hopefully will release AveDock 1.0 version soon...

#387747

Just FYI.

For those experiencing flickering effect on some of the "effects" (rotation). This wil and has been fixed for the next avedesk release. This isn't a "bug" from AveDock or AveScripter.

Ave has fixed a few things and optimized alot of stuff. I've been following and matching a few things for his version.

So be patient and it will be better.

#387795

That's what I call good news!

I'm really looking forward to the next version...

I also uploaded the first "non-beta release" (thanks again!!) to your website...

Again - everyone who has nice background images or other mods for it - please post a link here!

#387827

looks great! I very like it . can it do likes Dashboard dock?

#387856

Nice improvements.

Are you still working on implementing arguments? I've tried a number of ways from the gui to get folder shortcuts to open in explorer mode but, it doesn't seem to save either the arguments or modified shortcut.

EG. C:WINDOWSEXPLORER.EXE /E,

Also, how about saving current configuration on close? You've already got most of what is needed I believe. I think it is just a matter of adding a function to save on close. You could use either a text/csv or xml file. Just some thoughts.

Keep up the good work as you're distracting me from three desklets in my programmign basket.

#387861

Dash board dock will be released by Ave probably with the next version of avedesk.

It seems to work very well so far.

#387868

Check this out:

http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=5/13015542375.jpg&s=f5

Effect courtesy of G-toggle & GID.

Btw the other desklet is my modded version of whatsmyip - it showing general info from my router (big thanks to ave and pcm), showing uptime, download rate and snr.

All it needs now is a wav file and a changing icon to go along with the click.

Garcia.

#387876