A limitation of Z-Launcher...

[Jeremyf]

Hi,

I just switched from Launcher X to Z-Launcher.. I prefer the customization abilities of Z-Launcher, but Launcher X has one feature that I really miss: being able to have a "docs" tab that lists all my Wordsmith and Isilo files such that when I tap on them they'll open.. (you can't open DocstoGo files this way in either launcher which sucks).

Am I missing something? Is there a way to do this in Z-Launcher?

Jeremy

[snowymtn]

I think you can add tabs. under the tab option if you hit "new tab"

[tanker_bob]

Under Menu/Tabs/New, there is a pull down listbox where you can choose the type of tab. The default is Application, but you can select DAs, Hacks, docs, etc. instead. Or, you can create a custom tab based on type and/or creator.

[Jeremyf]

tanker bob -

Thanks - but I'm having some trouble. a) even when I change the "type" and "creater" to "WrdS" (wordsmith) in a new tab, nothing comes up. If I go to the card and drag a wordsmith file to that new tab, still nothing comes up (but it does move the file to ram which I didn't want to do anyways)..So, is there any way to set up tabs for Isilo and Wordsmith documents and keep the files on my memory stick?

Jeremy

[tanker_bob]

ZL only looks for files in RAM/ROM (or virtual memory like PiDirect II when active) or in the /Palm/Launcher/ directory. It won't find files for the tabs elsewhere. So, the answer to your question is no if they are not in one of the places I listed above. OTOH, there is no value in doing that since most apps don't have a way to accept command-line arguements to execute and load the selected document.

[Antipod]

I've spent hours trying to set up a tab in ZL with ISilo documents, which were in RAM, with no success. I tried tweaking attributes of the the folder and the files and the most I could do was that tapping the document icon started Isilo, but did't launch the document itself. Finally, I gave up and wrote ZZtechs about it, but received a generic answer from Li Xiangming: "Thanks, we will consider it..."
This is a very significant limitation of ZL for me, along with the inability to customize tabs individually.
If anyone had better luck please share your success story...

[Anita]

I haven't tried it with ISilo or Wordsmith - but have you tried making individual Isilo files launchable through the Zlauncher file manager attributes screen? Then do a refresh and move the new "unfiled" icon to whatever tab you want or create?

I did that for several of my ThinkDB databases, worked fine.

Anita

[Antipod]

Oh yeah... I tried just about every attribute combination possible, some of them I think resulted in fatal exception. But nothing resulted in a launchable file..

[tanker_bob]

Originally posted by Antipod
I've spent hours trying to set up a tab in ZL with ISilo documents, which were in RAM, with no success. I tried tweaking attributes of the the folder and the files and the most I could do was that tapping the document icon started Isilo, but did't launch the document itself. Finally, I gave up and wrote ZZtechs about it, but received a generic answer from Li Xiangming: "Thanks, we will consider it..."
This is a very significant limitation of ZL for me, along with the inability to customize tabs individually.
If anyone had better luck please share your success story...
I understand what you want to do, but don't understand why it is a "significant limitation". Apps can present their data files by category, which a launcher like ZL will never do unless it reads every possible apps configuration files. I've come to realize that executing apps from pages full of uncategorized documents is hardly an increase in capability or usability.

Almost all Palm OS apps are designed to open the app then open the data. Consequently, they don't usually accept command line arguments to pass commands to the app upon execution. That's not a ZLauncher limitation, but a limitation of the app itself. Perhaps a launcher or two may have found a way around that by doing internal scripting, I don't know. None of the other launchers have anywhere close to ZL's power and flexibility, though, so I haven't pursued them.

BTW, the response from Li isn't as canned as you state. English isn't his first language, so the nuances of tone aren't always present in his messages. Given that many launcher developers never answer their email, the fact that Li answers virtually every one should be better appreciated, along with the fact that he ALWAYS delivers on his promises. That's in sharp contrast to other launcher developers who hype their products based on features that never appear.

[*YellowRose*]

Originally posted by Antipod
. . . along with the inability to customize tabs individually.
If anyone had better luck please share your success story... I emailed Li specifically about this ~ it was something I LOVED about Launcher X. He said it was planned for 3-4 'versions' in the future . . . and with all the updates that come out, I feel sure it won't be all that long. . . ;)

I get the feeling there are LOTS of goodies planned for ZLauncher. I can't wait to see how it develops.

[Antipod]

Let me say this first. I do like ZLauncher. And wish it had the functionality that I am missing.

Originally posted by tanker_bob

I understand what you want to do, but don't understand why it is a "significant limitation". Apps can present their data files by category, which a launcher like ZL will never do unless it reads every possible apps configuration files. I've come to realize that executing apps from pages full of uncategorized documents is hardly an increase in capability or usability.

I work with documents a lot on my Clie. With LauncherX I could have several tabs where my documents were categorized the way I liked. It really helps to me able to launch the documents without starting an app first. It is also much easier to find a document that you need using launcher tabs rather that categories of most document apps. So there is a huge value for me in having this functionality.

Originally posted by tanker_bob
Almost all Palm OS apps are designed to open the app then open the data. Consequently, they don't usually accept command line arguments to pass commands to the app upon execution. That's not a ZLauncher limitation, but a limitation of the app itself. Perhaps a launcher or two may have found a way around that by doing internal scripting, I don't know. None of the other launchers have anywhere close to ZL's power and flexibility, though, so I haven't pursued them. .

LX has ISilo integration, ant it is done very well. ZL has AcidImage integration, also done quite well. I guess one day there will be all I want in one launcher....

Originally posted by tanker_bob
BTW, the response from Li isn't as canned as you state. English isn't his first language, so the nuances of tone aren't always present in his messages. Given that many launcher developers never answer their email, the fact that Li answers virtually every one should be better appreciated, along with the fact that he ALWAYS delivers on his promises. That's in sharp contrast to other launcher developers who hype their products based on features that never appear.

OK...

[stronggeek]

I agree.

I use zlauncher and work with many docs everyday and it is much nicer to open up a particular doc right away and not just the app.

I still believe the many benefits of zlauncher out weigh this one missing tool, but will be truly greatful when this feature is implemented!

 

Originally posted by Antipod
Let me say this first. I do like ZLauncher. And wish it had the functionality that I am missing.



I work with documents a lot on my Clie. With LauncherX I could have several tabs where my documents were categorized the way I liked. It really helps to me able to launch the documents without starting an app first. It is also much easier to find a document that you need using launcher tabs rather that categories of most document apps. So there is a huge value for me in having this functionality.



LX has ISilo integration, ant it is done very well. ZL has AcidImage integration, also done quite well. I guess one day there will be all I want in one launcher....



OK...

[PurpleMD]

While I have registered both, I stopped using LX because of that nasty bug which causes a crash if you have too many docs associated with the program and make the size of some DB too large...got tired of those fatal error loops

[caldjeff]

I just have to say I agree with those who really miss this feature from LX. I have a simple little reader called 'Read Them All', and in LX, I had a tab with all my books and documentation, and a simple tab would open the document. In fact, I couldn't even see the documents on the mem stick if I opened the app first (as I said...very simple reader), but tapping the icon would open it up just fine.

This is about the last item I really miss from LX.

[stronggeek]

This feature has just arrived with v3.20 b4 It's at palmgear PalmGear.

Here are the new changes compared to v3.20 B3 per the author:

1) Added support for directly opening ISilo and WordSmith documents
even ISilo/WordSmith is stored in /Palm/Launcher/ directory of the
expansion card(Currently only supports the first expansion card).

2) Added presets for creating ISilo/WordSmith document tab in New Tab
form.

3) Changed the internal implementation of "disable the support for
Attention Indicator", which should be more stable.

Gotta love the z boys!

 

Originally posted by caldjeff
I just have to say I agree with those who really miss this feature from LX. I have a simple little reader called 'Read Them All', and in LX, I had a tab with all my books and documentation, and a simple tab would open the document. In fact, I couldn't even see the documents on the mem stick if I opened the app first (as I said...very simple reader), but tapping the icon would open it up just fine.

This is about the last item I really miss from LX.

[n2ifp]

It's almost a full time job, just trying to keep up with those guys at ZZ Tech :)!