Standalone Stack 2

[scissorhands7]

This is exactly the kind of thing I need! Quick question, though... the Grid opens above where the mouse is clicked instead of in a fixed place beside the linked icon/text/whatever. I thought the "Force Open Position" options would let me fix that, but they don't seem to be doing anything at all. Any way I can make this work how I'd like it to? Thanks.

No you want to change the options in "OPEN OFFSET" which is right above the force position. Change your x and y values as you need.

[Orca239]

Ah thanks, and actually the Force Open Position settings started working once I restarted... oops. =P

Also, this has probably been addressed before, but I couldn't find it with a search. Is there anything on the quality of the icons rendered in the Grid? They're all very jagged, and the originals are definitely not. Thanks.

[scissorhands7]

Ah thanks, and actually the Force Open Position settings started working once I restarted... oops. =P

Also, this has probably been addressed before, but I couldn't find it with a search. Is there anything on the quality of the icons rendered in the Grid? They're all very jagged, and the originals are definitely not. Thanks.

Check in the documented thread of the stacks problems Under the stacks.lib problems it is listed as having blurry icons. Hopefully this will be fixed when Matonga ports stacks.lib to C++

There are 2 things:

1. Standalonestack 2

2. Stacks Docklet 2

Both use stacks.lib

Matonga writes stacks.lib and Stacks Docklet 2

ChristianS writes Standalonestack 2. This is why Standalonestack2 is more advanced, because Christian S has more recently updated standalonestack2 and it has been a while since Matonga has released an update on Stacks Docklet 2, or stacks.lib

[okumam]

When using the "keep in memory" option, if you go drill down to a folder and launch something, then call up the stack again later on, the stack will start from the last used folder, not from the initial folder. For repeated use, I have to go back all the time, unless I coincidentally need the same folder again.

In more detail I set my start menu folder as my stack folder. This way I have my own little start menu popping up and showing my Programs folder whenever I run a keyboard shortcut and launch the stack. When I do launch it, i general select a folder (let's say games) then launch whatever program I needed. The next time I need to launch something (let's say excel in the office folder), the stack comes up in the Games folder which was last used, instead of the Programs folder, which is the original setting. Everytime I launch the stack, I need to go back to the Programs folder, then drill back down to whatever I am after.

Is there a switch to have the stack show the original folder it is set to whenever it is launched?

Great program, have been using it since the original version.

[kludger]

Little enhancement for this brilliant app: if you install AltDrag: http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/ you can alt+drag the stack around. It works best on grid view and if you set the stack to stay open on lost focus;)

Then, if you set the background to fully transparent you can have this sort of nonsense:

[scissorhands7]

Little enhancement for this brilliant app: if you install AltDrag: http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/ you can alt+drag the stack around. It works best on grid view and if you set the stack to stay open on lost focus;)

Then, if you set the background to fully transparent you can have this sort of nonsense:

How's that an enhancement?

[BurntAsafoetida]

There is a program called "Fences". Lol

[frankell]

great application Christian !

I need a tip for letting work the StandaloneStack2

since the first release I just cannot create a "new Stack" as I haven't any box where to write the path (XP SP.2 HP Pavilion ze2000)

At the moment I'm sticking + I'm reasonable happy with version 1.0 !!

[kludger]

great application Christian !

I need a tip for letting work the StandaloneStack2

since the first release I just cannot create a "new Stack" as I haven't any box where to write the path (XP SP.2 HP Pavilion ze2000)

At the moment I'm sticking + I'm reasonable happy with version 1.0 !!

Frankell - sorry if I'm stating the obvious - did you click on the 'browse' button to locate the folder you want to stack?

Oh, and here's a Start Menu replacement stack:

With AltDrag, if you Alt + middle click on a stack it centres on the screen

Edited January 2, 2010 by kludger

[frankell]

... you made my day ! many thanks for the feedback Kludger !

[sgtevmckay]

The following is a serious proposal

Greetings

A few of you will recognize that I am a representative of the Rainmeter software and community, but I also represent and support Circle Dock.

I come with a proposal, and will connect the right people together upon request!!!

We are currently utilizing the Standalone Stack version 1 in Circle Dock and have managed to integrate it into the core software.

It has been put upon me to see about the usage of Standalone Stack 2.

Unfortunately we have apparently hit a wall, and this is apparently based in the new coding developments in Stack 2.

I would like to retain permission to utilize Standalone Stack 2 in Circle Dock, but this would require a collaboration in order to obtain Stack 2 in a format that can be utilized properly by Circle Dock.

It is also my hope that this collaboration could help Stack 2.

Please understand that I am no programmer...so I left to baffle with BS, as I have no brilliant in-site as to what all this would require....

The following is from the current Circle Dock Wizard/programmer:

Sarge,

I've taken a close look at Standalone-Stack-2 and I believe you can reasonably suppose that I'm adding support for this as a replacement for the earlier version.

However, there is a problem in that it's using the INI file format which does not support Unicode at all (in spite of what Microsoft might say on the subject!) and that format only supports files less than 64KB in size (or about 30 stack definitions). What I'd like him to do is support XML files and in particular the simple XML implementation CD uses. If he's agreeable, I can let him have a DLL which he can call (using its COM interface) which will do all the work for him!

From Circle Dock's perspective, Unicode support is a must-have, so that the program appeals to as wide an audience as possible.

The other problem is that its settings file is created and maintained in its own folder and this will cause UAC problems if that folder is on the System drive - but that one I can work around.

Let me know!

Mark

UPDATE

The following request also came from The Circle Dock programmer as I am writing this request:

Oh yeah, almost forgot. StandaloneStack v1 had a command line option which prevent it from occupying a space on the Taskbar ("/notaskbar") but that option is missing in v2.x. I'd like it back!

Mark

ChristianS: If you are interested, let me know, and I will place you in contact with Markham. Or either one of us can be found at the Circle Dock forums at Donationcoder.com

I am hoping for a wonderful collaboration

Please let either one of us know

With greatest respect

SGT. E. V. McKay

[tbhuang2]

Hello, I am writing here because I was redirected from Matonga's Stacks Docklet 2.0 thread by scissorhands7 to discuss my issues with Standalonestack2.

These are just some aspects which I don't like about Standalone2 stack, which are not issues with Matonga's original Stacks Docklet 2.0:

-As Orca239 has said earlier, the stack opens based on the mouse's position relative to the spot of the stack icon when it was clicked. In Matonga's, it opens centered from the icon, no matter which part of the icon was clicked on. I know about the "Force open position" setting, but Matonga's is still better as it always centers on the icon, even with RocketDock's "Zoom: Bubble" mouse hover effect, which displaces each icon slightly.

-The sorting of stack contents is not good. Matonga's sorts just like windows default. It first sorts folders by name then sorts the remaining files by name regardless of file type. Standalonestack's sorting is kind of dysfunctional, because it seems to think any folder with a period in it is a file. For example, I have a folder named Last.fm and it doesn't sort it with folders, it sorts it with the files. This is very troublesome.

What I do like about Standalone stack relative to Matonga's:

-I REALLY love the option to disable "Keep in memory when stack is closed (Faster but the file list is not reloaded)". Right now, Matonga's stacks will never update the stack's contents until the next time RocketDock or ObjectDock is restarted. If this simple change could be made to Matonga's original Stacks Docklet 2.0, that would be perfect I think.

If the first 2 issues can be solved, I can confidently switch to Standalonestack2. But right now the file sorting is unacceptable, and the opening positioning is just not as good as Matonga's.

[scissorhands7]

Hello, I am writing here because I was redirected from Matonga's Stacks Docklet 2.0 thread by scissorhands7 to discuss my issues with Standalonestack2.

Standalonestack's sorting is kind of dysfunctional, because it seems to think any folder with a period in it is a file. For example, I have a folder named Last.fm and it doesn't sort it with folders, it sorts it with the files. This is very troublesome.

Can you provide a screenshot of this. This behavior does not happen for me.

Edited January 13, 2010 by scissorhands7

[tbhuang2]

Can you provide a screenshot of this. This behavior does not happen for me.

I sure can. In a folder which is full of nothing but sub-folders, I put 2 files: test.txt and foobar2000 1.0.exe. Attached are screenshots of the folder sorted by:

1) Name, ascending.

As expected, everything is sorted alphabetically but I don't want the files to be mixed together with the folders.

2) Type, descending. This is where it gets interesting.

As can be seen, after the folder "Windows Themes" the following items are Brother 2.01 (folder), foobar2000 1.0.exe (file), Last.fm (folder), and finally test.txt (file). This suggests that anything (folder or file) with a period suffix is processed as a file type.

I don't know how you achieved that result in your screenshot but that is definitely what I want.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Tim

[scissorhands7]

I sure can. In a folder which is full of nothing but sub-folders, I put 2 files: test.txt and foobar2000 1.0.exe. Attached are screenshots of the folder sorted by:

1) Name, ascending.

As expected, everything is sorted alphabetically but I don't want the files to be mixed together with the folders.

2) Type, descending. This is where it gets interesting.

As can be seen, after the folder "Windows Themes" the following items are Brother 2.01 (folder), foobar2000 1.0.exe (file), Last.fm (folder), and finally test.txt (file). This suggests that anything (folder or file) with a period suffix is processed as a file type.

I don't know how you achieved that result in your screenshot but that is definitely what I want.

Are you positive that you have the latest standalone stack version? An update was recently given, try downloading it again and redoing your stacks. I cannot reproduce the error on my machine.

[tbhuang2]

Are you positive that you have the latest standalone stack version? An update was recently given, try downloading it again and redoing your stacks. I cannot reproduce the error on my machine.

If the latest version is 2.0.7 as indicated in the first post, then I am positive I am using the latest version. In fact I redownloaded it just to make the screenshots I just made...

Come to think of it, I don't even want my files/folders to be sorted by file type. I don't want "Zoo.mp3" to come before "Abc.zip". As I stated before, I want it to use the standard Windows sorting method: sort folders alphabetically, then sort files alphabetically regardless of file type. I would expect the sorting by name to do this, but Standalonestack treats files and folders equally. Scissorhands7, somehow your configuration does what I want by default.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Tim

[scissorhands7]

If the latest version is 2.0.7 as indicated in the first post, then I am positive I am using the latest version. In fact I redownloaded it just to make the screenshots I just made...

Come to think of it, I don't even want my files/folders to be sorted by file type. I don't want "Zoo.mp3" to come before "Abc.zip". As I stated before, I want it to use the standard Windows sorting method: sort folders alphabetically, then sort files alphabetically regardless of file type. I would expect the sorting by name to do this, but Standalonestack treats files and folders equally. Scissorhands7, somehow your configuration does what I want by default.

Pretty sure I have this figured out.

--Naming Bug--

In Vista and Windows 7 naming works perfectly folders first, files second. However in XP the objects are not sorted folders first then files second but instead just alphabetically all together.

Just tried it on my XP machine and got your problem by default. However on a Vista machine had the previous screenshot by default.

--Temporary Fix--

Upgrade your OS to Windows 7 or Vista (windows 7 if you can)

[tbhuang2]

Pretty sure I have this figured out.

--Temporary Fix--

Upgrade your OS to Windows 7 or Vista (windows 7 if you can)

Ruh-roh. I'm using Windows 7

[scissorhands7]

Ruh-roh. I'm using Windows 7

Nevermind, I reproduced it on Vista, it turns out that the New Folder was alphabetically before New Text Document.

That's why my screenshot looked like that.

Welp that's a naming bug that can be solved. I'll add it to the list.

[dahud]

Thank you so much for this great little extension to the Windows experience.

There is one little problem I have with it, though.

When I try to launch Paint.NET (and ONLY Paint.NET) through a stack, it gives me the following error message:

C:\Stacks\Editors\PaintDotNet.lnk

The specified path does not exist.

Check the path, and then try again.

This is patently untrue, as it definitely does exist. I emphasize, this is peculiar to Paint.NET, and no other program does this that I can find.

I am currently getting around this with a batch script in the stack, and it works.

Windows 7 64-bit.

Thank you for your time and talent.

[okumam]

When using the "keep in memory" option, if you drill down to a folder and launch something, then call up the stack again later on, the stack will start from the last used folder, not from the initial folder. For repeated use, I have to go back all the time, unless I coincidentally need the same folder again.

In more detail, I set my start menu folder as my stack folder. This way I have my own little start menu popping up and showing my Programs folder whenever I run a keyboard shortcut and launch the stack. When I do launch it, i generally select a folder (let's say games) then launch whatever program I needed. The next time I need to launch something (let's say excel in the office folder), the stack comes up in the Games folder which was last used, instead of the Programs folder, which is the original setting. Everytime I launch the stack, I need to go back up to the Programs folder, then drill back down to whatever I am after.

Is there a switch to have the stack show the original folder it is set to whenever it is launched?

Great program, have been using it since the original version.

Any thoughts on this? It's a pain having to drill back up before drilling down the hierarchy.

[scissorhands7]

Any thoughts on this? It's a pain having to drill back up before drilling down the hierarchy.

Don't keep the stack in memory. Uncheck the option.

[okumam]

Don't keep the stack in memory. Uncheck the option.

Well, that completely defeats the purpose of keeping it in memory. I suppose I could stop using the program altogether too, that would certainly solve the trouble with drilling back up as well as all other issues, but it is not a good solution is it?

I'm hoping a switch can be added where the stack can go back to the default folder when it is launched.

[over21]

The program is simply magnificent, but I'm having a major issue with it.

Absolutely no settings work for the user folder (the %USERPROFILE% folder). It only shows as the original grid/up/48 pixel icons. The icons are always the default ones, even if I disable them in the program (I could only get it to work by deleting everything from the images folder). In the program I've set Crl+click to open in the stock window and click to open in explorer, it's the other way around. I have the latest 2.0.7 and I'm running Vista.

I've tried to replace the 'path' and 'guid' values with %USERPROFILE% but it still didn't work. The default options are grid/down/36px, and I've tried to override them and I used completely different--even crazy--values, but it still didn't work.

With other folders (like documents, music, photos, etc) it works perfectly; down/36px icons, Ctrl+click, and everything works.

EDIT: solved by create another stack for %USERPROFILE%. Apparently, only the 1st stock in the list works with the original values.

Edited March 20, 2010 by over21

[luckycharms]

Hi there,

I'm running standalonestack 2 on windows 7 x64. It works well for the most part, but there are a couple bugs I was hoping someone could help me address.

First, no matter what direction i have set for the fan, it always opens upwards. Do others have this problem too? Any way to fix the problem?

Second, sometimes icons are missing (see the attached image - the Shrewsoft icon isn't recognized for some reason). I've set and unset the custom icons setting, among other things. But nothing seems to help. Any ideas?

thanks! It'd be nice if this app was continually updated!

alex