* [Closed] Better options for adding plugins to Tools menu

[jelv]

At the moment you can add plugins to the tools menu and you can sometimes quickly open the plugin by keying Alt+T and the first letter of the plugin name.

Issues:

• You can't use the keyboard selection if the plugin name begins with some of the letters assigned to other options on the menu (e.g. A, G or N).
• There is no direct control of the order of the plugins on the menu. As each one is added it goes to the bottom of the list. You may have to take them all off and re-add them one by one to get the desired order.
• If you have managed to get them in to order you like and a plugin is replaced by a new version (e.g. with the version in the name), you may have to go through the whole procedure again to get them in the the desired order.

Proposal:
On the plugins dialog, under the tick box Add to Tools Menu there is another box which accepts a single character. If it is entered, on the tools menu the name of the plugin is prefixed on the menu with the character and that acts as the accelerator key. The plugins on the menu are sorted in the order of these characters. Plugins without the character would follow in the same way as they do at present.

This would give the user complete control of the order of the plugins on the menu.

Notes. The implementation could restrict the character to be a numeric which would allow up to 10 plugins to be added and ensure that they were not the same as any other options on the tools menu. Probably also to ensure that the numbers added were unique.

It may be desirable to show that the number is not part of the name and by delineating it in some way. E.g.

[1] Ancestral Sources
[2] Search and Replace
[3] Export Gedcom File

[ColeValleyGirl]

See Facilities to Group Filter and Search Installed Plugins

[ColeValleyGirl]

John, can you clarify how your proposal differs substantially from the existing wish list item, enough to raise a new item?

David, I think a customizable toolbar for plugins isn't covered by the existing wish list item. Do you want to start a standalone topic to discuss it?

[jelv]

I can't see how the suggestions in the existing wish list item make it quicker to select items from the tools menu when there are not that many on the menu. Yes, when you have a lot of plugins it makes it easier to find them, but how many ordinary users will have so many plugins that that is an issue?

The two main issues I see are:

1. Alt T, x doesn't work if the plugin begins with the same letter as one of the options already on the menu or there are two plugins beginning with the same name. Two of the plugins I have pinned to the menu are Ancestral Sources Data Entry and Ancestry Synchronization which fail on both counts.
2. Updating a plugin, adding/deleting can upset the accustomed order.

My suggestion is simpler addresses both issues and needs very little modification of the existing interfaces and therefore may be more likely to be implemented.

[ColeValleyGirl]

Would Custom Icon bar/tool bar (23197) address the problem -- or separating out a Plugins menu item?

Re plugins starting with the same letter, are you aware that repeatedly typing the letter cycles through them? e.g. ALT-T-C-C-C if you've got multiple pinned plugins starting with C. (Doesn't help for plugins that start with a 'reserved' letter -- we'd need the separate menu to solve that).

I agree the ordering is inflexible. Personally, I'd prefer alphanumeric ordering for predictability, rather than anything more complex. (With only a few pinned plugins, which is the use case you're aiming at, this shouldn't be too onerous for users).

I particularly wouldn't like the name on the menu not to match the plugin name -- that way lies confusion. I appreciate you've suggested annotating the marker/number but it looks really ugly.

An aside; Windows menu design guidelines don't forbid starting menu items with a number, but I believe it's discouraged, as it can clash with design that allocates numeric keyboard shortcuts to recently used programs. One level down? maybe not a problem... but I wouldn't implement it

[jbrooks]

I do not have that extra box in FH 7.0.23. I added AS through the tools menu and it is not listed in the window whereas backup plugin is.

[tatewise]

Sorry, I don't understand what extra box you are talking about.
If you mean the Add to Tools Menu tick box, you must click the More>> button to open the side panel to see it.

You cannot add AS itself to any menu because it is a separate companion Windows program.
Perhaps you mean the Ancestral Sources Data Entry plugin?
That can be added to the Tools menu just like any other plugin.

Some screenshots might help us understand your issues.

[Vyger]

Relative newby so please put down the shotgun

I can see add to Tools and even Add to Toolbar like any item becoming a problem when taken to extremes. The Plugins I have used are generally periodical and yes the sort order is not ideal when there are many.

However would this not be better served with a simple Favourites Selection with an Add / Remove option on the Plugins listing?

If that were a case users could easily manage the Plugins important to their workflow at that time.

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[ColeValleyGirl]

Vyger wish list item 584 that i referenced earlierbwould support a Favourites group for example.

[Vyger]

I know and whilst the term "Favourite" is not expressly used the filtering is the essence of this thread and a matter for CP.

[Vyger]

Closed duplicate wish of
Facilities to Group Filter and Search Installed Plugins

and spin off Wish item below created

Custom Icon bar/tool bar