Introduction
The tool can be used as a short cut for launching applications using mouse.
There aren't many technical things to tell in this article. Most of the things are available on the Internet and I searched and used them. I will give the links in this article.
The techniques used are:
- Mouse hook
- How to get icons from EXE
Background
Thanks to Stephen Toub for the useful article on how to hook the mouse in C#.
How to Use
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After starting the application, the application will run in the background. To view the tool:
- Use the mouse wheel click.
- Or Double click in the tray icon. (useful for mouse with no wheel)
- Or Right click on the tray icon, then select "Show" from the menu.
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4x4 matrix buttons will appear on the screen. Now set each button for launching the new application. To do that:
- Right click on the tray icon to view the menu.
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On the menu, select "Setting". The below dialog will open:
- The Rows and Cols will change the number of button to display.
- Click on each button to give the application path and arguments if any.
- Check the startup checkbox if you want to run the application during startup.
- There are 3 pages and each page contains 36 buttons. Each button can be configured as a shortcut for an application or can be set as blank.
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After the matrix of buttons is visible, clicking anywhere on the screen will hide it. Middle click will also hide the matrix of buttons.
- By rotating the mouse wheel, we can move to next page of buttons.
- Right click on the buttons will also move to next page. (This is done for mouse with no wheel)
- Click on the button to launch each application.
Using the Code
Mouse Hook
Please follow the above article for the mouse hook process.
The main window has two delegates that will be called by the mouse hook methods.
One for show and hide the window. ShowHide(int x, int y) will show or hide the window in mouse middle click.
The second one is for scrolling the window. ScrollIcon() will increase the page number of the window.
private static IntPtr HookCallback(int nCode, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam)
{
if (nCode >= 0 &&
MouseMessages.WM_LBUTTONUP == (MouseMessages)wParam)
{
showhide(0,0);
}
else if (nCode >= 0 &&
MouseMessages.WM_MBUTTONDOWN == (MouseMessages)wParam)
{
MSLLHOOKSTRUCT hookStruct = (MSLLHOOKSTRUCT)
Marshal.PtrToStructure(lParam, typeof(MSLLHOOKSTRUCT));
showhide(hookStruct.pt.x, hookStruct.pt.y);
return (IntPtr)(-1);
}
else if (nCode >= 0 &&
MouseMessages.WM_MOUSEWHEEL == (MouseMessages)wParam)
{
if (scrolIcon() == true)
{
return (IntPtr)(-1);
}
}
return CallNextHookEx(_hookID, nCode, wParam, lParam);
}
Transparent Window
The second part to consider in the tool is a transparent window containing a matrix of buttons.To make a transparent window in WPF is very simple. Below is the XAML code. Make AllowsTransparency = true and Background='Transparent".
<Window x:Class="ZWheel.Window1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="Window1" Height="180" Width="180" WindowStyle="None"
AllowsTransparency="True"
Background="Transparent" Visibility="Hidden"
Icon="/ZWheel;component/ZWheel.ico" Topmost="False" ShowInTaskbar="False">
Get Icons from Filename
The following code is used to get the icons from the file name:
[DllImport("Shell32.dll")]
public extern static int ExtractIconEx(string libName, int iconIndex,
IntPtr[] largeIcon, IntPtr[] smallIcon, int nIcons);
public static Icon GetIconFromPath(string filePath)
{
int numIcons = 10;
IntPtr[] largeIcon = new IntPtr[numIcons];
IntPtr[] smallIcon = new IntPtr[numIcons];
Icon smallIco = null;
try
{
if (Directory.Exists(filePath) == true)
{
ExtractIconEx("shell32.dll", 0, largeIcon, smallIcon, numIcons);
smallIco = System.Drawing.Icon.FromHandle(smallIcon[4]);
}
else
{
ExtractIconEx(filePath, 0, largeIcon, smallIcon, numIcons);
smallIco = System.Drawing.Icon.FromHandle(smallIcon[0]);
}
}
catch (Exception)
{ }
return (smallIco);
}
Put the Icon in the Button
To put the icon on the button, declare each button with an image as below. Get the System.Drawing.icon for the file using the above code. Create a bitmap from the icon and assign the image.Source property as shown in the code below:
<Button Name="P1_Btn00" Grid.Column="0" Grid.Row="0" Click="Btn_Click">
<Image Name="IC_Btn00" Stretch="None" />
</Button>
btnIcon = GetIcon.GetIconFromPath(btnInfo.Path);
Bitmap bmp = btnIcon.ToBitmap();
MemoryStream strm = new MemoryStream();
bmp.Save(strm, System.Drawing.Imaging.ImageFormat.Png);
strm.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);
PngBitmapDecoder pbd = new PngBitmapDecoder
(strm, BitmapCreateOptions.None, BitmapCacheOption.Default);
btnImage.Source = pbd.Frames[0];
Improvements
I know there is nothing much in the code. I put it just to get some comments on the tool for its improvement. I would also like some ideas to use it in Notebook.
History
- 22nd December, 2008: Initial post
- 29th December, 2008: Updated with new EXE version (1.0.0.2)
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 | Drag and drop
oned2 | 9:55 31 Dec '08 |
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It would be cool if the app allowed drag-n-drop of files to create new shortcuts...
Overall, cool idea. I like the simplicity of the app.
modified on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 3:53 PM
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Yes its already implimented in the new version. I have send the mail for update. But may be due to New year its taking some time. Just download the 1.0.0.2 version when its available. It has drag and drop between buttons, and also from explorer to buttons.
I will notify when its available.
Regards
Anil
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Hi
Please check the new version. Its having the Drag and Drop option.
Regards
Anil
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| Version 1.0.0.1 Release
_anil_ | 22:13 23 Dec '08 |
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1. The new version will launch the application with double click on the Tray icon.(For non wheel mouse)
2. Right click on the buttons will move between pages.( For non wheel mouse )
3. Option to start application during startup.
Regards
Anil
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| [Message Deleted]
georgejh | 3:04 23 Dec '08 |
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I have developed it for my use and for learning WPF. Its some thing similar to your application but very simple one than yours.
If Microsoft had patent for notpad it doesn't mean that we are not allow to develop out editor. 
Regards
Anil
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Search for shortcut in download.com and you will find 100 of application with this idea... 
Regards
Anil
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| [Message Deleted]
georgejh | 4:13 23 Dec '08 |
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Yes I will test the vdesk if you give me and if I feel that is good enough for people to use.
But I will not remove the article from here.  you can try other way.
Why I don't want to remove is, people don't like to use MSword for the things they can do in notepad. That is why notepad is there from starting of Windows. Your application has lots of functionality, but one don't need all always.
Regards
Anil
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Hi Georgi,
I'm not into to defending original article, but to make your claim valid you should provide some proof/link to copyright material and valid patent information. Other than that you provide just a link to some horrible web site that give no clear idea what is your application about. What is making me dought that you are saying that applivcation is under development for 10 years and for that period of time you failed to produce something that is well known and usefull. There are hundreds of application launcers in there and most of them compete with each other by means of usability to user, not a claim they are unique copyrighted idea. Copyrighting bycicle is a dead end.
Show me how cool you app comparing to others, prove that it will make my user experience better and I will buy it. If you can not do than, you point is just an attempt to gain advantage over somebody else hard work.
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| Vote 3
johannesnestler | 23:29 22 Dec '08 |
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1. SourceCode doesn't work. Icon is missing (you use it on the window), no prob - I removed the line. But I don't know what a SettingData object or a Setting-Window is, can't find a reference or a type definition. So it was impossible to compile or run your source. Another question: why did you open the NotifyIcon ContextMenü for "yourself" and didn't use notifyIcon.ContextMenu = ?
-> Please provide a Project containing all references and resources.
2. Article is very poor. You do not mention how to use your app - or anything about the code except the obvious. (Your article isn't about mouse-hooks i think...)
3. Application: I'd provide a way to open the menu without the Mouse-Wheel Click. I agree most people have Wheel-Mouse, but not all!
So a additional ContextMenu entry on the NotifyIcon wouldn't be a bad idea.
If I open the Settings window the first time - it appears in the background. What the hell have you done here?
Another problem when I close the settings window: The mouse cursor and the window freezes for some seconds. I think it's a problem with your hooking!
Don't understand me wrong. I like your idea for this application. I think it's useful and somehow it works. But given the mentioned problems I can only vote 3. Anyway - Thank you for sharing - and with a little more work this can be a realy cool app I will use!
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Thank you very much for your comments.
I will upload the whole code.
I know there are bugs, cause I did it on WPF and which I am just learning.
I develop the application in 4 hours and wrote the article in 15 min. I will update the new version soon, and also will improve the article.
Regards
Anil
modified on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 8:47 AM
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Please try the new version. I have given the whole source code also. 
Regards
Anil
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Last Updated 5 Jan 2009 |
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