Aqua-Soft Forums

MorphDock

TabbedDock is dead, long lives MorphDock...

any form & design and more than launching shortcuts...

UPDATE 05.June 2007 - MORPHDOCK V1.1

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

- fixed some major bugs (tabs being cut off on skin change, reducing number of tabs not working, "type" saved as "import" when one needed a shortcut)

- added "update" function in the desklet's menu (if one edits the skin file/settings file manually)

UPDATE 04.March 2007

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

- fixed some bugs

- added show/hide feature for AveDesk desklets

- added AutoHotkey launcher

- added HotSpot feature via AutoHotkey

Details see below... :)

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

Hi there -

first of all: This is a first Beta release,

so there are still some small bugs included.

But with christmas coming close I thought,

this is sth. for everyone who's pressies run a bit low in the semiconductor area

and who therefore need sth. else to play around with - and so can do some

testing for me, too... ;)

The normal features are mostly working o.k. already, some of the new stuff needs some

workover:

MorphDock can not only launch programs (working),

but also exported desklets (working),

launch a desklet (not SysStats and AveScripter desklets) and I hope to be able to show/hide

running desklets soon:

I thought it would be nice if you could set a desklet always on top and when you want to watch

a video or so, can hide it on a single click (Unfortunately it takes ages to get the handle or

label of a desklet with vbs, so I have to think of another way... maybe by using tags or so...)

Anyway, the preview pic shows most of what you can do/can't,

there's a help file included (not very detailed so far, but that'll change).

Merry XMas by the way!!

(I'll be probably offline for the next week and leave you in misery with this! :D )

IMPORTANT:

YOU NEEDTHE LATEST AVESCRIPTER (1.0.7.5) FOR THIS!

Download and preview:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/45118777/

#434881

As usual...excellent work. ;)

I'll try to break it over the holidays! :P

#434882

Hi there -

been working on fixing some bugs and hopefully can release an update soon...

@SirSmiley:

Thanks again, especially for the fav on deviantArt, too! :)

@perfection:

I'm answering your questions here, as others who encounter the same problems will find this topic easier. :)

- Can morphdock handle folder links as also to non exe files and links?

Yes. Just drag the folder/file onto a placeholder (empty icon) in the dock or rightclick it and type the path into the field (C:programs) and press enter.

If you encounter any problems with launching links, press the exe/lnk switch in the options dialog and drag the link onto the desklet again.

- Further how do you do the same on avedock?

You won't need TabbedDock/AveDock as MorphDock combines them: It's a kind of next generation and can have any design - the skins of TabbedDock and AveDock are included.

Fur two docks just put a second MorphDock on your desk and use another settings file (Rightclick any icon/placeholder for options).

- I cannot find how to successfully open a shortcut that points to c:windowssystem32appwiz.cpl

This is not a normal shortcut/exe but part of your System settings (Remove Software). You can however launch this by MorphDock like this:

Open the Start panel, choose the Control panel and rightclick the System setting of your choice (printers, software, ...). Choose "Create shortcut" in the context menu. Drag the shortcut onto MorphDock or choose it in its dialog. Make sure the exe/lnk switch is set the right way (so in the "Link text box" the path of the shortcut is shown). Launching the shortcut will result in opening the software dialog...

edit3:

See also here:

http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread....s+control+panel

- Can you change the icons and hover icons for morphdock?

You can change an empty icon by drag'n drop of a PNG/GIF/BMP image onto it or rightclick/set path to image file.

If you're thinking about showing a different image as hover icon as shown as normal icon: I could implement that, I'm just not sure if it's a good idea as it would mean a lot of work to set it up (2 images for every shortcut).

edit:

A quick way for setting MorphDock up is this:

Open your programs folder and your image folder.

Rightclick the first empty icon - the options dialog will show up. Drag and drop a shortcut/file and an icon image onto this dialog. press the button to switch to the next icon of this tab, repeat...

edit2:

Another way to link the control panel to create shortcut to cpl extensions by ADLI:

Set

::{20d04fe0-3aea-1069-a2d8-08002b30309d}::{21ec2020-3aea-1069-a2dd-08002b30309d}

as file path in the options dialog...

Thanks adli! :)

#443736

UPDATE 04.March 2007

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

- fixed some bugs :)

- added show/hide feature for AveDesk desklets

- added AutoHotkey launcher

- added HotSpot feature via AutoHotkey

Details:

- Show/Hide:

Reason for this feature was a desklet that I usually have set as "always on top" on my desktop. When watching e.g. videos this was a bit of a pain however - so I wanted a kind of ON/OFF switch.

When choosing this feature as "Type" in the MorphDock options, a list of all running desklets will be made - this takes a second and the AveDesk Control Panel will pop up shortly and vanish.

Now you can choose a desklet, which will then be recognized by its label. Some desklets however don't have labels or labels that change.

For these you can use dreadnaut's GID effectlet and apply it to the desklet - it will "tag" it. This tag will be shown in the dropdown list as well. Type the name of the tag in the arguments field ("Args") and press "Enter" if you want to show/hide desklets marked with this tag.

More details about dreadnaut's GID effectlet can be found here:

http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showpost.ph...314&postcount=1

- AutoHotkey:

AutoHotkey is a free, open-source utility for Windows by Chris Mallet and the (younger) brother of AutoIt:

http://www.autohotkey.com/

You can use it to create simple scripts and then launch it via MorphDock - if you choose "AutoHK" as "Type" in the MorphDock options it will show a list of all scripts within the "AHK"-folder in the desklet's folder.

I added some simple scripts for e.g. showing the desktop, launching stuff etc. In the desklet's folder you can also find its GNU General Public License and its Help file.

- HotSpot:

MorphDock can be brought from desktop onto top of all windows via Hotkey if you set it as "normal window" and choose a Hotkey.

I included a small AutoHotkey script that can be easily adapted in any editor that will trigger that key when your mouse cursor is in a certain area of the screen and thus do the same.

You only have to adapt the Hotkey in the AutoHotkey script (see the AutoHotkey help file for keys) and specify the screen coordinates (x,y).

You can launch this script then via MorphDock or put it into your Autostart folder (Choose always "Open With" AutoHotkey for these *.ahk - scripts). Or just download and install AutoHotkey properly if you like it... :D

#445054

Hi - noticed this at devArt.

At the moment I'm trying to set up the hot spot, but I still have difficulties to get it triggered. Could you give me some help on that topic, please?

#445125

Hi there -

here's a commented version of the Hotspot script :) -

so first you have to set a "hotkey" in the MorphDock options to make your dock show up when a certain key combination is pressed, e.g. "ALT + r".

The dock has to be set as "normal window" in the desklet's options - NOT as Desktop object or "Always on top"...

Next thing is to open the "HotSpot.ahk" file that is in ...deskletsAveScripterMorphDockAHK folder with any editor.

Now adapt the x,y - coordinates of the spot on your screen, that on contact with your mousecursor will send a key command.

This key command has to be the same as the one you set in the MorphDock options, e.g. "ALT + r".

Now you can either launch this script by MorphDock or set a link in your Autostart folder to either "...deskletsAveScripterMorphDockAutoHotkey.exe", with "...deskletsAveScripterMorphDockAHKHotSpot.ahk" as arguments OR

rightclick an *.ahk-file, choose "open with" and then "always open with AutoHotkey.exe".

Then you can just move the HotSpot.ahk in your AutoStart folder...

Hope this wasn't explained too complicated!! :D

Code:

Loop ;Does a loop over the program so that it checks the position of your mouse cursor every ...milliseconds

{

coordmode mouse, screen ;Tells the program to get the position of your mouse cursor relative to your screen

MouseGetPos xpos, ypos ;Tells the program to get the position of your mouse cursor

if ( xpos > 700 && xpos < 900 && ypos > 1197 ) ;Checks if your cursor is between x = 700 pixels AND x = 900 pixels AND ALSO if the y position is greater 1197 pixels (my screen resolution is 1600*1200).

{

SendInput !r ;If this is true, it will send a key command to your PC - Here you have to enter the same Hotkey as set with MorphDock, "!r" means ALT+"r". See the AutoHotkey.chm help file for details.

sleep 1000 ;After sending the Hotkey, the program will wait for 1000 milliseconds before it checks your cursor again - otherwise you might doubletrigger the Hotkey.

}

sleep 250 ;After checking your cursor position, the program will wait for 200 milliseconds before checking it again...

#445253

Very good. But I have a suggestion: wouldn't it be much easier if you could just drag icons to the dock?

#445412

Hi - thanks a lot! :)

Regarding the icons:

Not sure if I got you right - if you mean icons for the shortcut images, you can do that, PNG images ("dock icons") will look better however.

If you're talking about dragging e.g. a desktop shortcut onto the dock to create shortcut image and shortcut path in one go - there are 2 reasons against it:

First, also I know how to get the path to the image file, I'm not sure, if this can be handled by AveScripter (as the Image is part of the program/dll, not a normal pic). :(

Second - it will just look crap: Standard icons normally don't come in higher resolutions (XP). If they are displayed bigger than 48x48 pixels, they just are ...uargh... not nice to look at.

Other docks show the standard icons first after drag and drop, but I always ended up replacing every single one - and this took ages , as I always had to go through a dialog for each shortcut to do so. Especially Object Dock was a real pain...

So I came up with the idea to seperate these two steps and do them both by drag and drop: Drag&Drop Images to change images, Drag&Drop links/programs to change the shortcut. :)

I know it's very different, but maybe some change is a nice alternation... ;)

#445619

There is no way for avescripter to get a dll/exe resource image. I could add a "feature" to extract the resouce image and make a png out of it. But it would still have the second problem.

#445898

Hi - how come i can't downlod the updated version - there is an error of some sort which i quote

"An invalid character was found in text content. Error processing resource 'http://avedesk.philc.ca/desklets/morphdock.avein..."

But when i do get the updated version can i apply and overwrite existing version files? Will my existing settings and links be retained or have i to set up everything again or should i preserve certain setting files and insert them after i install new version? Which files

How come Avescripter is uopdated to 1.7 but avedesk program sitedoes not list the same version for standalone download ?

Will i have to upgrade avescripter too or is this optional (just asking)

Finlly, the updated version does not show when you click on the check for new version button within the desklet properties and the reply is that i have the latest version (which i know is 1.0 bet for sure)

#445915

Hi there -

@pcm:

Thanks :) - I think, there's already a freeware that can extract icon files from exe (forgot the name), but this can't make system icons better looking, too. ;)

Best thing is to download "dock icons" from deviantArt or wincustomize - Mormegil and yangge e.g. do great stuf!

@perfection:

The problem with downloading seems to be, that your browser wants to open the *.aveinst file as text instead of saving it -

try rightclicking the link and choose "save target as" or similar (depending on your browser). :)

Updating should overwrite files with same names, not files that you created in the desklet's folder. If you want to make sure that your settings don't get deleted, just rightclick an icon of MorphDock and press the button for making a new setting's file and choose a different name.

Or just make a copy of the settings folder (...AveDeskDeskletsAvescripterMorphDockSettings).

You need the latest version of AveScripter for MorphDock - 1.0.7.5:

http://avedesk.philc.ca/modules/PDdownload...hp?cid=5&lid=31

(The number "flip" in the MorphDock preview pic is a fault of mine...)

This doesn't relate to AveDesk - should work with both AveDesk 1.3 or AveDesk 2.0 Beta, also I recommend 2.0 Beta... Works great! :)

#445924

The website SUCKS! I'll be giving it some time this summer when things get less busy at work.

#446245

Hi thewer

Its me again

(1) There seems to be a small problem with Morphdock. When i hover the icon on the dock or the tabs it does display the name of the item but when i switch the tab and hover on the icons of the next tab the taged name does not appear. However if you right click refresh the names do appear until the next time the tab changes. Any workarounds. In short the auto refresh does not happen for new tabs

(2) can morphdock be named thru the desklet properties?? Am i right in assuming 'NO' as the name depends on the tab or icon and the sublabel is automaticallt the path to that folder/file/exe??

(3) Not all desklet scripts work with morphdock right? for eg riseup does not but magnify does. Any way of knowing which do and do not or it is trial and error

#451417

Hi perfection :)

Hope I can give you some help:

(1) I couldn't reproduce this problem - tested on 2 PCs with AveDesk 1.3 and 2Beta. :(

If you choose the desklets properties and look at the "AveScripter Error Log" tab, are there any messages?

I found something in the code, that could be a problem (not sure), but only if you click on the Tab text instead of the Tab itself - not sure so...

Which skin are you using?

(2) Your right - naming the dock would get lost once you hover over a tab/icon. But you can "tag" the dock with dreadnauts GID effectlet, if you want to control it via another MorphDock or by a Group "switcher".

(3) I always used effectlets only for PIDL shortcuts - which of these work with AveScripter desklets in general I'm not sure. But I guess most of them should - I'm using MorphDock with the slide effectlet sometimes and now (after your post) tried some other ones, too. So most of them did work exept the AutoRise one. Also maybe some effectlets might need configuring before.

#451720

Thank you thewer - reply much appreciated

What's in store rearding future plans for morpgdock??

#451743

thewer - here is how you can reproduce the error i was getting about the captions (read earlier post)

I have now discovered that this only happens (the captions of the second or third yab do not show) only when a label background is used. If label background is not used then there is no problem.

In other words, have the caption shown on a label brackground (any one from the drop down designs available).

Next hover on the icons of the tab 1 and you can see the various names.

Now click to another tab that has shotcut icons and try hovering - no titles and names will be displayed.

Now if you want it to display refresh your desktop and then hover

So it is basically a refresh or redraw that is not scripted in when the tab is changed and labels are in use

Thanks and hope you understand what i am saying. Tried in a friends PC too and thank god the problem occured as i said or else iwould have been wondering if there was something wrong with my OS

#452009

thewer - another thing i noticed is that when a user changes the number of tabs shown from say (all) 5 to 3 (and hits enter), morphdock does respond and show only three tabs but on reboot morphdock shows on the desktop with all 5 abs. Is there any way to set and retain the number of tabs settingf at 3 or less than the default 5.

#452635

Hi -

I can reproduce it now. :)

However I'm not sure, what kind of bug it is - I have to test, if a redraw really fixes it, or if this is something that just happens, cause changing Labels are not really supported. Have to check this with pcm - he's got the understanding I lack... :)

I know about the problem that some tabs only show up after a restart of AveDesk if you raise the number of tabs - the other way it should work o.k.

However the number of tabs is stored as parameter, not in the settings file -

so it should work fine, if you save your avedesk theme.

Maybe it would be better, if the number of tabs is stored in the settings file? Have to give this some thought...

Future plans do so far mainly include new skins -

For this I have to find some time and get some ideas...

and I wouldn't mind help (hint... ;) - got skinner's ambitions?)

Porting some ObjectDock skins would be also nice -

but one always needs to ask for the author's permission and this might need time and patience... something I lack :)

#452643

No changing the number of tabs from say 5 down to 3 and saving as a avetheme does not work. I shows back to default 5 (on the grey curved skin) on reboot and startup of avedesk engine and morphdock

#452823

Hi again -

thanks :)

I think I found the bug...

Could you please (for a first test) change and try the following line in ...programsAveDeskDeskletsAveScripterMorphDockdock.vbs:

In line 45 of dock.vbs (open with any text editor, e.g. notepad) it says

if amount2 > amount then...

it should be

if amount2 < amount then

So basically it's "<" instead of ">" -

small change, big result... ;)

It worked for me, but I would be happy to have someone else also testing it before uploading it again...

Thanks a lot! :)

#452831

Yes Yes yes it does work - the number of tbs YOU want does stick and remain that number after reboots! Great work so fast

#452851

i noticed that tabbed dock had 6 tabs and i really like the 6 tabs idea any way i can add another tab to this...yes i know it means i have more than 50 icons...yes i swear i use them all just about every day...this copmuter is my baby so i want to make it pretty now :)

#455985

took a few tries to get it to download, only bug I see so far is lack of customizable options such as size and position of dock; nothing in the read-me file.

oh, and when I try to shut down or log off for some reason the confirmation pop up disappears immediately. I have to use the cntrl-alt-delete and end the RKLauncher to log off; there isn't otherwise a quit feature for this dock.

hmm?

#455993

Hi there -

I think I can help this time: :D

More Tabs:

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

Edit the skin file/make your own skins - In the skin folder (...MorphDockSkins...) you'll find a folder for every skin. They contain the images and an xml file describing the skin (position of icons, etc.). So you can either change an existing skin for more tabs or copy the folder and rename it to make your own. If you open the xml file with any editor (notepad, ...), you'll find amongst others following lines:

800

260

...

51

157

51

175

...

6

...

1,3//1,2,3//1,2,3,5//1,2,3,4,6//1,2,3,4,5,6

Now change the number of tabs, e.g. 8:

8

Add the x,y coordinates, where the tabs should appear (x: distance in pixels right from the top left corner, y: distance in pixels below the top left corner):

111

222

333

444

Note, that the tabs should appear within the borders of the desklet (here: width 800 pixels, height 260 pixels - so here the Tab Nr.8 is out of range with y=444). The borders are also the size of the used background pic if you want to change that also...

Now add some stuff to the "tab order" - sounds strange, but isn't: As you can hide some of the tabs, you'll have to tell the computer, which tabs should show up, if you e.g. choose to show only 4 tabs. So

1,3//1,2,3//1,2,3,5//1,2,3,4,6//1,2,3,4,5,6 tells which tabs you specified x,y for show up when showing 2,3,4,5 or 6 tabs...

Change it to e.g. ...//1,2,3,4,6//1,2,3,4,5,6//1,2,3,4,5,6,7//1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Last thing to do, is adding the pics for the additional tabs - e.g. just copy the Tab_1.png and HoverTab_1.png in the folder and rename them...

Done! Sounds complicated, but isn't - just play around with the existing skins... :)

Positon and size:

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

A lot of options come with AveDesk in general (for every desklet, not just MorphDock):

Rightclick the desklet anywhere except at the icons/shortcuts and choose "Desklet properties" -

Here you can set position, size, Label format, shadow options or even colorize the desklet/MorphDock...

Shutdown/Log off etc.:

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

I haven't experienced any problem with the shutdown dialog, but if you're seeking for an option with MorphDock - what should work is either using the inbuilt AutoHotkey feature (Latest MorphDock) or a shortcut to the shutdown.exe:

Rightclick an icon and set the type to "AutoHotkey" - Shutdown, etc. should show up in the menu. Or make a shortcut to C:WINDOWSsystem32shutdown.exe and type "-s" etc. in the args field...

See e.g. here for more: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,156438,00.asp or http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=316

Alternatively one can do a short script with WSH... but no need if you use XP! :)

#456202

UPDATE - MORPHDOCK V1.1

Hi there -

just updated MorphDock at deviantArt:

- fixed some major bugs (tabs being cut off on skin change, reducing number of tabs not working, "type" saved as "import" when one needed a shortcut)

- added "update" function in the desklet's menu (if one edits the skin file/settings file manually)

#458911