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Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
- Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
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Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
buttonpusher > 2019-10-07 14:30
I've recently discovered QAP and it's fantastic. I can see all sorts of super useful things I can use this for already. Thanks for creating this app! Now, on to my request...
I have a set of AHK scripts that allow me to store the location of a Current Working Project folder and then jump to several specific subfolders based on that stored root folder value. I store that value in a specific text file (a single line that contains the path to the desired folder). And then the scripts read that and jump to those specific subfolders. Mostly I call these scripts as one-time executions via a set of Stream Deck triggers. And all of my projects have a pre-determined set of subfolders.
Could you add the ability to read a 1 line value from a given text file and then set either the title and/or the folder path on a Folder Favorite? (I understand it would need to be character-count limited.)
This would allow a controlled use of a (somewhat) dynamically update-able folder path. Whereas using a recent folder list item wouldn't work because that list changes to frequently. For instance, some times the Current Working Project Folder might change after 2 or 3 days or it might stay the same for several weeks/months. Having it update when QAP loads would allow me to see, at a quick glance, which folder is currently set as the Current Working Project.
As you can see by the attached image, this is the StreamDeck panel I'd like to replicate in QAP. The benefit of using QAP would be that I wouldn't need the "SHOW Current Project" option. It could just be shown as the Title/Path to a Folder Favorite.
Thanks,
Ben -
RE: Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
Jean Lalonde > 2019-10-08 08:49
Hi Ben,
Thanks for your good words. I think I understand what you do with your script. But when you say:
Quote:Could you add the ability to read a 1 line value from a given text file and then set either the title and/or the folder path on a Folder Favorite?
I do not see exactly what QAP would do with this line? And I don't see how it would be beneficial for other users?
However, your post inspires me for something that would be like a "template" (subfolders structure) with a configurable template root. This could be new QAP favorite type.
Jean -
RE: Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
buttonpusher > 2019-10-08 10:38
I can see how its not clear how it would be used. Allow me to explain my setup and give you an example.
I work in Video Post-Production. I work on many different projects. I am regularly juggling between 2-5 active projects over the course of a month, for instance. As, I said, I have a set of scripts that allow me to jump to different subfolders within a given project. In the attachment from my first message, you can see the different folder types I have in every project.
I use the excellent project template app, Post Haste, (https://www.digitalrebellion.com/posthaste/). This allows me to create a consistent setup to all my projects, so my scripts can easily parse the paths to a given project and I can get to any & all of the various components of a project quickly. And has the added bonus of being able to, not only, make folders but work with template project files, and pre-populate them in specific locations.
When I am working on a specific project, I run the script: "SAVECurrProj" that saves the root path of that project to a single-line text file. And then all the other scripts read that stored path and prepend it to open the appropriate subfolder.
Attached below is how I've set it up in QAP so far. This is a submenu called "Current Working Project". (The 2 items at the bottom are just to allow full access to all projects stored in the places I usually put them. And "DRAKE Scripts Folder" is where my AHK scripts are.)
You can use the "SHOWCurrProj" item to display a message box of the stored path. It looks like the second attached image.
Today I might be on that NatGeo project. Tomorrow I might be on a different project for a week or two. When I switch to a different project, I will run the "SAVECurrProj" script again and store the new project root path.
What I would like to have is a way to easily see what project I have stored (without needing to run my "SHOWCurrProj" script). If it could be dynamically updated on a QAP Favorite, that would be the most efficient. What I see is, back in that first attachment, where the first item says "ROOT," it could say the path that is displayed in the second attachment ("F:\Client Media\NATGEO-MISSIONS_AFRICA-2019OCT_edit2"). And that item would or could be updated somehow. Then, when I switch projects, it would get updated again, after I re-ran the "SAVECurrProj" script.
Maybe this could be an added function to the QAPmessenger app? You could call it with a set of parameters that would update a specific Favorite's information? As opposed to adding a whole new type of Favorite to the main app. -
RE: Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
Jean Lalonde > 2019-10-08 11:16
(2019-10-08 10:38)buttonpusher Wrote: What I would like to have is a way to easily see what project I have stored (without needing to run my "SHOWCurrProj" script). If it could be dynamically updated on a QAP Favorite, that would be the most efficient. What I see is, back in that first attachment, where the first item says "ROOT," it could say the path that is displayed in the second attachment ("F:\Client Media\NATGEO-MISSIONS_AFRICA-2019OCT_edit2"). And that item would or could be updated somehow. Then, when I switch projects, it would get updated again, after I re-ran the "SAVECurrProj" script.
Maybe this could be an added function to the QAPmessenger app? You could call it with a set of parameters that would update a specific Favorite's information? As opposed to adding a whole new type of Favorite to the main app.
I think I understand your use case. It is interesting. However, as I understand it, you ask something that would be for your personal specific need and I could not see a more generic use of this feature for other users. For that reason, your suggestion would get quite low in my priority list (I have a lot of other suggestions in the Wished section).
But I have two additional thoughts.
1) I'm thinking of something that would be useful for all users having needs similar to yours. A QAP feature (that could be named "Templates" or "Projects") would scan a given folder root, analyse its subfolders structure/content and create a template based on these folders and documents. Then, user could create an "instance" based on this template (copy the folders and files to a given location) and add an entry in its QAP menu to give access to the folders or files in this folder. There could also be a way to identify a "current" template. But this is for thoughts in the long run.
2) A short term alternative to your use case could be to use the user variables (in QAP 9 see "Options, More" tab / in QAP 10 see "Options, User Variables" tab). Create a user variable named {Project_Root}. Then, create a set of favorite folders (or documents) in QAP with the location being "{Project_Root}\MyFolder\...". After that all you would have to do to switch project would be to edit the User Variables. I understand this is not as convenient as you current setup but I just wanted to let you see this alternative in cas it gives you a better idea.
Jean -
RE: Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
Jean Lalonde > 2019-10-08 11:19
I posted notes about the "Templates" idea here:
https://forum.quickaccesspopup.com/showt...hp?tid=285 -
RE: Set a Folder Favorite's Title/Path from contents of text file
buttonpusher > 2019-10-08 11:57
I understand. It is a very niche thing.
Thanks for looking at it though. I'll follow-up with any other ideas I come up with. And thanks again for the great script!