I am testing two new products to improve my productivity:

Direct Access - Shortcut tool:
http://www.nagarsoft.com/
It allows you to type 'word' wherever you are (even you don't have box to write in) and then Word opens. Further, you can use it to open applications, websites (including a search box) or to paste text snippets. It is simpler than ActiveWords but more productive for me.
Don't buy it now - Bits du jour will have a promo for this tool within the next two weeks!
http://www.bitsdujour.com/

XYplorer - Windows Explorer replacement
Most important feature: It allows you to open folders in tabs and these tabs are preserved when you close and the re-open the app.
Further, you can download a no-install version and run it from your USB drive.
Another interesting feature: You can highlight a branch.
And last but not last: It is useful if you are working with keyboard shortcuts.
Check here:
http://www.xyplorer.com/index.htm

Dominik

Dominik,

Have you tried ActiveWords, a similar product. I'd be interested in your comparative impressions, if you have. There's another product that has this hyper-modernized command line functionality that may be the best. Again, haven't tried it, but it is attached to a full-featured macro program as well.

Stephen

I have tested ActiveWords several times but always stopped using it because it needs an additional filed to enter the words to lauch the applications or websites and I always had the feeling that it slows down my pc a bit. It has very powerful macro features and is overall the better tool than Direct Access and has a quite fair pricing ($49.95) and they allow you to install as many instances as you need with just one licence. Further, they provide a 60 day trial period. Perhaps I should give AW another chance an learn the scripting part better to fully use its potential.

The big advantage of Direct Access is its simplicity. You don't need a field to enter the shortcuts. Even when you have a website open you can type 'goog' for example and DA opens a new tab with the google page. Even better, you can add a (very simple) macro that opens a search field where you can enter the search term. When you then click OK a new tab in IE7 is opened and the search results are displayed. Price: $ 39.95

I have to be honest: You get much more for just $10 more to pay when you are buying AW. But only if you are using the scipting/macro features.

You wrote:

"There’s another product that has this hyper-modernized command line functionality that may be the best."

What product do you mean?

Dominik

Dominik Holenstein wrote:

"There’s another product that
has this hyper-modernized command line functionality that may be the best."

What
product do you mean?

Found it--Perfect Keyboard Pro. There's a version that's more sophisticated still, called Advanced Scripting Edition.

http://www.pitrinec.com/pk-editions.htm

I've been using both of these for years. Recommend them highly.

Free shortcut tool, floating command line utility for Windows: SlickRun - http://www.bayden.com/SlickRun/

Free open source scipting/macro utility for Windows: AutoHotKey - http://www.autohotkey.com/

Ike

I'm Andrea Nagar, the author of Direct Access.
I would like to thank Dominik for mentioning my software.

As you pointed out, Direct Access doesn't offer a complete scripting language (as Activewords or other opensource tools like Autohotkey do) but it offers macros that allow you to enter input parameters when executing a command, insert the current date/time or a special symbol.
Although, adding a more powerful scripting language is definitely in the Direct Access development plans, my main focus is in usability. I believe that adding commands and executing them is much easier in Direct Access than in Activewords or Autohotkeys (where you have to manually prepare the file containing your abbreviations). For example, to create a new autotext, you just need to select the text and type CTRL+SHIFT+W, in any application.

On top of that Direct Access is actively developed (while Activewords is not) and very customer driven. I'd love to get suggestions from you: what do you like most? what features do you feel are missing from Direct Access?

Thank you.
Andrea

Andrea,

Thank you very much for replying to this thread. I appreciate it very much.

I mentioned in my reply to the question from Stephen that I was thinking to give ActiveWords another try. But I won't. Whay? Because the tool has not been developed further several time. Further, it is not that intuitive and easy to use than Direct Access.

What I would like to see in Direct Access: Scripting! Real scripting with a language like JavaScript or VisualBasic. Further, you could think of a visual programming system like Automise provides: http://www.automise.com/ You can click together the commands and instructions and arrange them in a hierarchical tree. This approach is very user friendly and allows users not being familiar with scripting and programming to develop their own little shortcut applications.

Dominik

Hi Dominik.

It's my pleasure joining. An advanced scripting engine will be added for sure to Direct Access. I looked at Automize and this software is more oriented - I think - at creating automated and unattended scripts. Direct Access has a very interactive nature so the target is a bit different. I can see the value in the ability to create a batch of operations and controlling the flow.
I think that a new scripting engine will make it in v.2.0 (probably by the end of the year)

Andrea

Dominik

Thanks for the two tips. I think I'll probably move to Xyplorer. I have been using Powerdesk for many years, but it isn't under serious development any longer. The new tabbed approach is enticing.

With Direct Access, what is the computer overhead when it is running? These macro/scripting short cut tools can be very hungry on PC resources.

Jack

I am trying Direct Access, and I'm very impressed (even though I often don't like .Net programs). This one is extremely fast, and the ease of use is wonderful. Setting up new shortcuts is fast and easy.

I'm tried ActiveWords twice, and used it long enough to purchase a license. I found it too slow in its response times, as well as being somewhat intrusive. Direct Access seems far superior to me. And it's nicely designed in function, appearance, and ease of use.

I dropped ActiveWords in favor of MacroExpess, which has instantaneous response times, as well as elaborate scripting. It was the only program I tried that allowed me to create elaborate macros that worked instantly while working in an elaborate graphics program. But setting up a macro in Macro Express takes more time than in Direct Access, so all that scripting power can come at a cost.

Randall Shinn

Jack Crawford wrote:

Dominik

Thanks for the two tips. I think I'll probably move to Xyplorer. I have been
using Powerdesk for many years, but it isn't under serious development any longer.
The new tabbed approach is enticing.

With Direct Access, what is the computer
overhead when it is running? These macro/scripting short cut tools can be very hungry
on PC resources.

Jack

Jack, Dominik ...

Have you tried Directory Opus??? http://www.gpsoft.com.au/

I used PowerDesk for many years & switched to Opus 2 years ago. It have everything you need. I'm amazed at all the things it can do.

You should try it out!

-jj

I would also agree with DO being an excellent tool.

I haven't found anything that comes close it terms of power and flexibility.

However, it does take some time to discover all the power/feature within the program.

Ken

JJ wrote:

Jack Crawford wrote:
>Dominik
>
>Thanks for the two tips. I think I'll probably
move to Xyplorer. I have been
>using Powerdesk for many years, but it isn't under
serious development any longer.
>The new tabbed approach is enticing.
>
>With
Direct Access, what is the computer
>overhead when it is running? These
macro/scripting short cut tools can be very hungry
>on PC resources.
>
>Jack


Jack, Dominik ...

Have you tried Directory Opus??? http://www.gpsoft.com.au/


I used PowerDesk for many years & switched to Opus 2 years ago. It have everything you
need. I'm amazed at all the things it can do.

You should try it out!

-jj

Dominik Holenstein wrote:

I mentioned in my reply to the question from Stephen that I was thinking to give
ActiveWords another try. But I won't. Whay? Because the tool has not been developed
further several time. Further, it is not that intuitive and easy to use than Direct
Access.

I agree about the importance of active development. I would probably go with DA if I had a new choice about it. Unfortunately, to change a product like this involves throwing away a lot of work already put into creating shortcuts, and I'm not actually dissatisfied with AW. But something with a whole level of deeper features could be a different matter. Did you get a chance to look at Perfect Keyboard Pro?

JJ wrote:

..

Have you tried Directory Opus??? http://www.gpsoft.com.au/


I used PowerDesk for many years & switched to Opus 2 years ago. It have everything you
need. I'm amazed at all the things it can do.

You should try it out!

I've looked at Directory Opus before, but it is considerably more expensive than its competitors. What feature(s) do you think makes it worth the extra money over and above the likes of Powerdesk and XYplorer?

I've just registered XYplorer and can see that it in some respects it is considerably more advanced than Powerdesk. However, it doesn't have Powerdesk's built-in zip handling or its undo ability. You can get around the zip issues by leaving Powerdesk installed and using the right click context menus inside XYplorer. Undo is still on the development roadmap at this stage.

Jack

Jack Crawford wrote:

I've looked at Directory Opus before, but it is considerably more expensive
than its competitors. What feature(s) do you think makes it worth the extra money over
and above the likes of Powerdesk and XYplorer?

The one thing unique to DO I have personally found is the "flat" view of files, i.e. showing them all as if they were in the same directory. Frankly, I didn't consider it enough to justify the investment at the time, but I am giving it another thought as I need to organise a large number of files for a project website.

Other than that it's a good all-round solution as it includes viewers, zip handling etc.

alx

Jack Crawford wrote:

Dominik

Thanks for the two tips. I think I'll probably move to Xyplorer. I have been
using Powerdesk for many years, but it isn't under serious development any longer.
The new tabbed approach is enticing.

With Direct Access, what is the computer
overhead when it is running? These macro/scripting short cut tools can be very hungry
on PC resources.

Jack

Jack

Direct Access is much less resource hungry than ActiveWords for example. I haven't had any issues so far.
Laptop: 512 MB RAM, Win XP SP2, Intel Pentium (M) processor with 1.73 GHz

Dominik

JJ

Thank you for the reminder!

I know Directory Opus and have a licence.
It is the Rolls Royce of the Windows Explorer replacement tools and I think one of the best developed software pieces available around the world. But you have to invest a lot of time to get used to it.

I am considering to install it again even I like XYexplorer very much. But why to buy a new tool when you have a cool other already? XYexplorer will stay on my wishlist and I will buy it when I will setup an USB stick with all the basic tools I need to do my work.

Dominik






JJ wrote:

Jack Crawford wrote:
>Dominik
>
>Thanks for the two tips. I think I'll probably
move to Xyplorer. I have been
>using Powerdesk for many years, but it isn't under
serious development any longer.
>The new tabbed approach is enticing.
>
>With
Direct Access, what is the computer
>overhead when it is running? These
macro/scripting short cut tools can be very hungry
>on PC resources.
>
>Jack


Jack, Dominik ...

Have you tried Directory Opus??? http://www.gpsoft.com.au/


I used PowerDesk for many years & switched to Opus 2 years ago. It have everything you
need. I'm amazed at all the things it can do.

You should try it out!

-jj

Stephen

You asked:
"Did you get a chance to look at Perfect Keyboard Pro?"

I have installed it (the scripting edition) and will try the tool within the next few days.
Feedback will follow.

Dominik

Jack, Dom...

DO is certainly the most powerful file manager out there.

Although I don't use all the features every day... the great thing is when I need to do something out of the ordinary... I consult the help files in DO and 99% of the time DO can do it!

Here is a great resource I use.... http://www.pretentiousname.com/opus/

-jj

Speaking of file managers, I picked up a free copy of Frigate 3 on "Giveaway of the Day." I use the paid version of xplorer2 normally. Does anyone have an opinion on whether Frigate 3 is worth using?

Stephen R. Diamond wrote:

.... I would probably go with DA if I had a new choice about it. Unfortunately,
to change a product like this involves throwing away a lot of work already put into
creating shortcuts, and I'm not actually dissatisfied with AW. But something with a
whole level of deeper features could be a different matter. Did you get a chance to look
at Perfect Keyboard Pro?

Stephen,

I have used MacroToolworks Standard Edition (MT) for over 5 years with good success; it includes Perfect Keyboard plus 3 or 4 other modules. I use it every day, especially with PersonalBrain, my main storage for true "nuggets" of information. I also use it extensively with NoteTab, email composition, etc. There is an advanced scripting edition that I have not felt the need for - keep it as simple as possible is my motto :-). At the time I purchased MT I tried several of the more popular macro software programs with little satisfaction.

Highly recommended.

Al Cantley

Just a note to say that Direct Access is on a 40% discount today at Bits du Jour:
http://bitsdujour.com/blog2/wordpress/?p=355

alx