.9.7 Released

.9.7 is out! Spread the news to all your favorite news sites!

Many thanks to all of the beta testers for making this the most stable release of StrokeIt.

StrokeIt now comes in two versions: Home and Pro. Home is the version you've known and loved for years, while Pro has some extra features that will appeal to business and power users. The Pro version costs only $10.

Exclusive Pro Features:
- Lua Scripting Engine for creating powerful but simple scripts and macros
- Mouse control plugin for controlling the mouse cursor
- Support for mice with 4 and 5 buttons

Fixes (all versions):
- Fixed all known crashes
- Fix crash on "Internet - Open Website" when default viewer is setup incorrectly
- Fix sending single alphabetic keys using 'hotkeys'
- Fixed crash when right clicking in 'empty space' command editor window
- Fixed: Problems defining "Modifier only" hotkeys
- Fixed: The Run Browser/Email commands now properly detect the default program on Vista/Win7

Changes (all versions):
- The Run command will only run programs and will not open files or folders. You can still run the associated program and pass it a command line to open the file or folder.
- 'Minimize' command uses a new, safer, method of minimizing windows.
- Plugins and Language files can now be loaded from user profile
- Added support for newest Google Chrome

Enjoy,

-- Jeff



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2010 06:13PM by jeff.

Congratulations! You did a real good job! Thanks, Jeff.

Fantastic job Jeff! imho the "Pro" version is worth a major release not only 0.01 :).

Hi everybody,

Great stability in new version (0.9.7) under Win7. However, the change about -to open a folder- via "run command" really bugged me. Could anyone describe me an alternative way to open a folder with gesture..

Thanks a lot..

If you're using windows explorer then a Run command with "%WINDIR%\explorer.exe" as File and with the folder path as the argument should do it. If you are using some file manager then replace "%WINDIR%\explorer.exe" accordingly.

Thank you very much for quick reply. It works.

Just purchased. Not sure if I need pro but I've been using StrokeIt for.. well forever (when did it start?).. so it's good value.

The process is a bit odd though. Went through the paypal business but I'm not really sure what happens next. I downloaded the pro-trial. Do I install that and get a key sometime soon?

When I purchased it, I had to send received info about purchase to Jeff who replied with my login and password to the site where I could download the install of pro version. But that was before paypal, the procedure may have changed since then.

Still nothing. Must be manual. Might want to get that fixed at some stage (some instructions or info to let people know what's going on).

Did you send your receipt/purchase info to Jeff?

For me, it's the best New Year gift !

Thanks a lot...

gemisigo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did you send your receipt/purchase info to Jeff?


No. It's supposed to occur automatically apparently. Jeff is looking into it. For some reason I just didn't get the auto-email. I use a gmail account with my Paypal so it should be pretty solid (didn't end up in spam folder). Not quite sure what happened.

Jeff will pass on a copy of the auto email I should have received.

Thanks, Jeff!
I want to know how to run a .vbs file.

Oh, I See!
Command: Run - Run Program
File: %WINDIR%\explorer.exe
Arguments: D:\abc.vbs

Forgive the interruption of this announcement, but I am having a hard time seeing what the enhanced version gives me. LUA scripting sounds nice, but can someone give some real world examples? The same goes for the mouse plugin. Give me the sales pitch! :)

The regular Strokeit seems to serve me very well, but I have a feeling that once I really see what I am missing, I will find a use for the new features.

TIA

According to your "user experience level" :) you may or may not find the enhanced version a must-have. Previously, StrokeIt was a Swiss army knife. Integrating Lua turned it into some sort of a toolbox.

You can now achieve things that could be done in the past only by creating plugins. e.g. you can call exported .dll functions. e.g you can call GetText from user32.dll to copy the contents of some windows controls that you cannot select (buttons/comboboxes/etc.). That is a very powerful feature but if you are not a "power-user", there is not much use of it for you.

You can create position/area-aware actions with Lua. That's something that looks useful at first glance but I have some doubts it performs well in practice. Now, I might prove wrong just as well. Time will tell.
EDIT: I retract that :) CAD applications certainly profit from being able to reuse simple gestures.

Another use of it (this one will be more common, I think) that you can easily manipulate (find/replace/process) text without having a complex text editor at disposal. Currently I'm trying to create a script that I can use to refactor SQL code without an SQL editor, in a single Notepad, if necessary.

You can store passwords and paste them with a single stroke, so you won't have to remember them anymore. This could be done already by sending keystrokes but using Lua is a bit (just a little bit) more secure since most keyloggers will fail to get your password. Not that you should use a computer with any of those naughty bastards being present :) And remember, storing passwords in a file is not a sound practice.

Some users use Lua Code to open/close the cd tray :)

As for the mouse plugin, you can use it to create actions that require your cursor to be at the starting (or some specific) point of the gesture (e.g. copy link address in a browser, or invoke the save dialog and enter a path with a single stroke, etc.).

As you can see, enhanced version is a tool that's required by 'enhanced' tasks. You might not ever need it. But if you ask, is it worth it's price, I must tell, it definitely is. You can never know... It might turn out to be life saver :)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2010 05:03PM by gemisigo.

Ok . I am prejudiced.

But here are five Lua - Scripts :

http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/forum/read.php?5,54592
http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/forum/read.php?5,54692
http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/forum/read.php?5,54685

Ok in short you could do EVERYTHING that WINAPI can do.
[url=http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/wiki/index.php?title=Help:FAQ#What_is_the_WinAPI.3F]WINAPI[/url]
[url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383749%28VS.85%29.aspx]MSDN[/url]

This means you could manipulate everything in windows when you know
the magic numbers and functions. (OK knowledge how it works :P)

With mouse plugin you access to start and end point of a gesture you could do drag and drop, click links etc.

Ok if this not convinced you I am the wrong Moderator.

I forget you could now use your fourth and fifth button of your mouse.

Greetings
Leo

Edit : Nice text gemisigo :) Would be nice if you post your scripts [url=http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/forum/list.php?5]here.[/url]:P Thanks



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2010 05:15PM by Leo.

Happiness restored, thank you Geoff. I know it's been a lot of work to get StrokeIt working in all its glory on Vista/Win7, but it has definitely been worth it. Those 'wilderness years' struggling with a buggy StrokeIt are now a distant memory.

You're a star!

Thanks Leo and gemisigo. You have given me good food for thought. I class myself as a power user, so now to cogitate on how to make use of this new found power.

Thanks again.

Yay! Strokeit is the best

I will, Leo, as soon as it's finished. Or at least partially working. It is not yet ready to be "published" :)