![]() ![]() I then drop the file onto one of the application icons (Figure 6.11). Whenever I have a file that I want to open in a certain application, I simply press the keys to activate the menu, and it pops up directly under the cursor. For example, I've created a menu that contains my favorite drag-and-drop applications and all currently running applications, and assigned a keyboard combination to that menu. However, MaxMenus is especially impressive in this capacity because of the ability to drag files onto application icons in menus, and the ability to create menus that contain both frequently used applications and currently running applications. Snard also comes in a menu bar version everything you can do using Snard in the Dock, as I described earlier, you can do from the menu bar. I've already mentioned a few of the best, Snard (earlier in this chapter) and MaxMenus (in Chapter 5). If you're the type who likes to access things through menus, there are plenty of menu-based utilities to access files, folders, and applications. I've divided this discussion into two groups of utilities: file access and launching utilities that are very different from the Dock, and utilities that are Dock-like in their solutions. So instead I'm going to talk about third-party software that do Dock-type things exceptionally well. I use the word in quotes because nothing is going to do everything the Dock can do and chances are you aren't unhappy with everything about it. With that in mind, let's look at some "alternatives" to the Dock. ![]() Putting such diverse functionality in one place, and keeping it easy to use, means that it isn't going to be as comprehensive at anything as some people would like. It launches, it switches, it stores, it controls, it slices, it dices. Part of the problem is that it's really a jack-of-all-trades. Many of these complaints revolve around its inflexibility: you can't move it to a second monitor, you're locked into a single view, and so on-everyone has a complaint or two about the Dock. I already mentioned one-it can't hold a lot of items without becoming overcrowded-but there are others as well. Still, I think they’ll be getting my money shortly.Despite its functionality and ease of use, there are some common complaints heard about the Dock. A utility like this is meant to be used heavily, and an unregistered copy of LB starts putting up a nag screen well before you can give it a proper workout. I think Objective Development should loosen the restrictions on the “try before you buy” download of LaunchBar. Maybe there’s some setting I can adjust to change that behavior. Instead of immediately fading to the background after running the script-as QuickSilver does-LaunchBar remains in the foreground, and I have to dismiss it by pressing the Escape key. While writing this post, for example, I’ve called on LaunchBar several time to run my furl.scpt script that grabs the URL of the current Safari page and puts it on the Clipboard. One thing I’ve noticed about LaunchBar that bothers me is that it doesn’t necessarily go away after running an AppleScript. Since these triggers are simply AppleScript launchers, I can use FastScripts or just FastScripts Lite instead of QS. ![]() Although I’ve defined a half-dozen or so triggers in QS, the only ones I use regularly are those that play/pause iTunes and Pandora and change the star ratings of the current iTunes track. LaunchBar’s lack of triggers (hotkeys for actions) is a worry, but it may not be a showstopper. So far, it’s been more stable, too, but that may not be a fair assessment although I’ve been having more problems with QS since upgrading to Leopard, QS has often gone weeks without crashing or requiring a restart. It also seems to use less memory than QS. Where QS often takes its own sweet time responding to my keystrokes, LB has always popped up right away. But after this famous downer of an interview with Nicholas Jitkoff (Alcor), I decided I needed to get familiar with LaunchBar. I’m sure I’d heard of LaunchBar, but-unlike the Dock alternative, DragThing, and the Finder alternative, PathFinder-I’d never downloaded and tried it out. I’ve been using QuickSilver since Merlin Mann started posting about it, and I’d never really considered any alternative. Next post Previous post LaunchBar over Quicksilver? ![]()
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