[Win7] Jumplist Extender - Add jumplists to any program! (RELEASE 0.4)

[DigiM29]

EDIT 3/31/2011: Jumplist Extender v0.4 is released! See the website for changes and the download.

EDIT 3/20/2011: The old Jump List Extender website has gone down indefinitely. See the Google Code page for general information, and click here to download the latest version. If you're running on another language besides English, see this page for information on how to make this program work. I no longer work on this project.

EDIT: Want some Jumplist Packs to get started? See Post #21 for downloads and screenshots!

Jumplist Extender is an easy-to-use utility that lets you add custom jumplists to any of your programs on Windows 7!

With Jumplist Extender, you can:

Add your own Program Tasks

You can add any action you want on your jumplist, provided it has a keyboard shortcut to your program. Make easy-to-access jumplist items for your everyday tasks! (Works with command line switches, too!)

Pin Any Type of File

Add ANY file and ANY folder to your jumplist -- and even rename them on the list! Windows only allows you to add files assigned to (or "openable by") the program -- Extender bypasses that limitation.

Create Extensions to your Programs

Use AutoHotKey scripting to extend and add functionality to your programs, easily accessible from your own jumplist! Add a "Save to Desktop Notes" function to Notepad, or add "Snip and upload to ImageShack" to Snipping Tool!

Share your Jumplists with Others

Export and import your jumplists into "Jumplist Packs"! Upload your Jumplist Pack to the web, and enable others to download and enjoy your work!

Download (v0.3)

JumplistExtender_v0.4.exe (1.6MB)

GPLv3 Source: TaskbarExtenderSrc_v0.4.exe (1.3MB)

Contributions

Find a bug? Be sure to send them my way! Reply to the topic, or send mail to [email protected]!

Jumplist Extender v0.4 is relatively stable, but expect bugs! Regardless, any notifications sent my way are appreciated!

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Sounds awesome. Interested for sure!

[User6060]

looks really really good. i would definitely use this for Firefox if possible

[RoomKid]

Great dude, looking forward to it.

[Sikh]

Good work man. Keep it up. This would be very handy.

[DigiM29]

Thanks for the kind responses :)

Truthfully, the configuration window is taking me forever and a day, but the engine itself is almost done. I could possibly release an EXE next weekend that accepts a manually-edited jumplist XML and applies it for you! I hope that will tide some folks over?

[macf13nd]

Thanks for the kind responses :)

Truthfully, the configuration window is taking me forever and a day, but the engine itself is almost done. I could possibly release an EXE next weekend that accepts a manually-edited jumplist XML and applies it for you! I hope that will tide some folks over?

+1 interested.

[Pallab]

Drop me a PM when you release the software. I will love to use it and review it for my blog.

[DigiM29]

@Co_Co: Regarding Firefox, you totally can :) Works nicely, too!

@Pallab: Thanks for the offer -- and when Jumplist Extender becomes stable, I'll PM you.

---

I did some great work on Jumplist Extender (J7E) today, and it's coming together really nicely! I hope to release an "alpha" within a week or two -- perfectly functional, but the config may throw exceptions, crash, etc., if a user goes beyond expected boundaries. It's stuff that I can handle, but to have an influx of bug reports coming in would be extremely helpful with knowing what needs fixing, stuff like that.

[david]

Looking forward to a release! (Y)

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

This will be more work for you probably but,

I think you should also make your application be able to edit jumplists as well. Once Firefox supporst jumplists for example, they will have there own, we should be able to remove and add stuff to it. (unless it already does that)

Nice work, can't wait!

[san.W10]

wow, this is awesome app. you're working on.

i always wanted something like this for notepad, office 2010, tuneup utility 2010... :D

looking forward for the release :)

[DigiM29]

Man, you guys are quick :) @Bman: Yeah, existing jumplists are replaceable -- not sure about editable, though, but yes I definitely agree that it would be helpful. I'll look into that soon.

---

Anyways, I did some great work on Jumplist Extender (J7E) today, and it's coming together really nicely! I hope to release an "alpha" here within a week or two -- perfectly functional jumplist'ing, but the config may throw exceptions, crash, etc., if a user goes beyond expected boundaries. To have an influx of bug reports would be extremely helpful with knowing what needs fixing, stuff like that.

As far as a preview goes:

J7E allows you to specify File/Folders and automatic Keyboard Shortcuts, Command Lines, and AutoHotKey scripts to add to your jumplists. On a basic level, I feel that most program functions can be reached via keyboard shortcut (e.g. pressing Ctrl+O in Notepad or Word will open a file,) or a command line switch (e.g. firefox.exe -new-tab, or foobar2000.exe /playpause.) AutoHotKey scripting is available for advanced users.

I could think of more specialized options, but these four are the most global towards all programs.

My own usage proves that jumplists come really handy, when used the right way! E.g. In MS OneNote, I often have to switch between typing and pen writing, but it totally cripples my flow to search for the two buttons. However, jumplists make it easier to just flick up the list and select what I need!

Due to how jumplists are designed, J7E has to run as a background app to assign windows to their jumplists. That's okay -- Winfox had to run in the background, too, to do the same thing for Firefox. Anyways, alpha hopefully coming soon.

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

I do have to say, I hate extra stuff running. Though I know it's the only way for this.

[DigiM29]

Me too. I tried thinking of non-background app solutions, but they involve ugly stuff like code injecting. Or maybe I haven't looked hard enough...

But technically, you don't really need to have J7E running in the background. When you start a program from its pinned shortcut, then it will have the jumplist automatically, without needing J7E to assign it. The problem is that when a user opens a new window some other way (e.g. clicking "Open New Window" in Firefox's menu,) then that window won't have any jumplist, and it shows as a second taskbar button. It's weird; that's why I have J7E looking for new windows.

The good news is that you can leave J7E off, if you know what you're doing :) But it beseeches me to find a more streamlined solution there.

[capr]

wow this would be great!! I would love this and have been trying to find something like it for weeks. I just didn't know how to word it. a lot of apps let you open your most recent files but that's useless cause for example in vlc if i just watched something i am not going to want to see it again so it's pointless to have it there..

hope you are making good progress on this.

[DigiM29]

Thanks for the kind words :)

I'M ALMOST DONE! I hope to release something by Sunday. Have a screenshot:

Jumplist Extender, an easy-to-use utility, lets you add custom jumplists to any of your programs on Windows 7! You can:

Add Program Tasks

For every action on your program that has a keyboard shortcut, you can replicate it on the jumplist! Make easy-to-access jumplist items for your everyday tasks! (Works with command line switches, too!)

Pin Any Type of File

Add ANY file and ANY folder to your jumplist -- and even rename them on the list! Windows only allows you to add files assigned to (or "openable by") the program -- Extender bypasses that limitation.

Create Extensions to your Programs

Use AutoHotKey scripting to create infinite extensions to your programs, easily accessible from your own jumplist! Add a "Save to Desktop Notes" function to Notepad, or add "Snip and upload to ImageShack" to Snipping Tool!

Share your Jumplists with Others

Export and import your jumplists into "Jumplist Packs"! Upload your Jumplist Pack to the web, and enable others to download and enjoy your work!

[macf13nd]

It's Sunday it's Sunday!

[DigiM29]

Give me time to learn how Nullsoft Install works! Promise, give me five hours... :p

[DigiM29]

It's a little rusty, but it'll do: Jumplist Extender v0.1 Alpha is released! See the first post for more info.

It's an alpha, so expect bugs! I'd appreciate any notifications sent my way.

DOWNLOAD:

JumplistExtender_v0.1.exe (1.19MB)

GPLv3 Source: hg clone -b "Version0.1" http://mercurial.robotnik.ws/JumpList

[DigiM29]

NOTE: If you haven't already, update Jumplist Extender to Version 0.1-C, to fix the problems of missing start menu shortcuts and overexcessive message boxes. That should be the last rev for 0.1!

The only known issue remaining is, when uninstalling as a regular (non-admin) user, the start menu shortcuts won't be deleted. Should be fixed by 0.2. Admin users already have these shortcuts removed. Also, background/tray process behavior is a result of Windows limitations, not mine -- and I can't fix that under my control. Everything else works as intended.

Check out these Jumplist Packs to help you get started! You can open them using Extender and import into your programs:

Firefox Pack

Download

Adds New Tab, New Window, and a list of sites. You can configure the sites by editing their command line actions.

Universal Actions -- File, Open, Save, Save As

Download

Adds File, Open, Save, and Save As for common programs. All done using keyboard shortcuts! Add a task that performs "Ctrl+P" for printing :)

Notepad -- Desktop Notes

Download

A small widget that copies text from the current Notepad window and pastes it into "{User}\Desktop\00_Notes.txt". Can also work with Wordpad and other text editors by adjusting the AHK scripts!

Calculator

Download

Adds tasks for Standard, Scientific, Programmer, and Statistics Modes, all using keyboard shortcuts.

Snipping Tool

Download

Adds tasks for each snipping mode, PLUS widgets to automatically copy them to the clipboard, open them in MSPaint, or upload them to ImageShack!

[th3rEsa]

Exactly what I was looking for! Didn't want to install Winfox. Thank you a lot!

[goji]

Nifty. I'll give this one a try.

[DigiM29]

Thanks :) New Version 0.2, a BUG FIX release, will be incoming. Changelog:

ADDED/CHANGED:

* Additional options for keyboard tasks:

** Ignore if program is not running

** Ignore if program is currently running

FIXED:

* Command line task will sometimes crash. (#41)

* When saving a jumplist, taskbar icons will sometimes change position (#37)

* [Crit] "Access denied" when selecting a UAC/administrative main window. (#47)

* [Crit] "Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component." (#42)

* [Crit] "Cannot find central directory" when importing a jumplist pack (#45)

* [Crit] "The process cannot access the file 'AppSettings.xml'

because it is being used by another process." when importing a jumplist pack and canceling (#46)

KNOWN ISSUES:

* UAC/administrative windows cannot accept jumplist tasks (#49) Working on this one right now...

[Angel Blue01]

Wow, what an amazing-looking program. With programs that already have jumplists, doe this program override them?