PMW (Process Manager for Windows)

Submit portable freeware that you find here. It helps if you include information like description, extraction instruction, Unicode support, whether it writes to the registry, and so on.

Should we ban arifali_007, because he writes too long ;)

Yes; No doubt about it , immediataly
1
17%
May be, we should give him more chance to improve
5
83%
 
Total votes: 6

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arifali_007
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PMW (Process Manager for Windows)

#1 Post by arifali_007 »

-Takes less than 1 MB memory.
-Its free and open source
-Kill: Many applications take time in closing,and every time going to task manager is a long work flow so just right click in the taskbar and Kill( at your own risk) .
-Priority: To change the priority of application to make it run faster/slower than others.
-Always on top: to keep ANY application on top of all other application.
-Hide me: Hide a application(window) for time being, make it visible again whenever you want, using unhide option (available via system tray).[windows 2000/Windows XP/Windows server 2003 only].
Say you somebody comes to your desk, you don't wanna close the application but just wanna hide it for sometime.
-Hide Other: This one is interesting, when you right click on any
application and say "Hide others", it will hide all other application exception the current one. [windows 2000/Windows XP/Windows server 2003 only]. Say you have many windows open, somebody comes to your desk and wanna have some discussion with you regarding one of those opened aplication. so just right click on the window you are gonna use and say "Hide others", later on unhide them all again whenever you want it using unhide option (available via system tray).
-Hide All:This option can be accessible via system tray, right click
on PMW icon in tray and say "Hide All".
-UnHide All: This option can be accessible via system tray, right clck on PMW icon in tray and say "UnHide All".
-Unhide( one application):This option can be accessible via system tray, right clck on PMW icon, rollover your mouse to "Unhide" menu and submenu pops up with list of all windows made hidden using PMW, click whichever you want to make visible.
-Minimize to system tray: Minimize any application to system tray.
-Transparency: Change the transparency of any application
-Hide PMW's tray icon: Right click PMW's tray icon and click "Hide Me" this will hide PMW's icon from system tray for this session , but PMW will still keep running. [windows 2000/Windows XP/Windows server 2003 only]
Note 1: To permanently hide PMW's icon uncheck the prefrences option "Add PMW icon in tray on startup", so now on everytime you restart/login PMW will be running but without icon in Tray.
Note 2: To get PMW icon back in Tray anytime, relaunch PMW
-Preferences: Well not everyone will interested in using all the menu. preferences let you set which menu's you want to see.
-New Installer/Unistaller (clean and fast): I have a got new NSIS installer, which is very lightweight, clean and fast.
For geeks i have also released EXE version who do not wanna install
wanna run PMW when they want.


Image Image
Image Image


I tried to shorten the post but could not it because of being emotionally attached to PMW ; ). If you do not want such long post when i release next version follow me on twitter

If you like PMW, please spread among your friend and do leave your comment on my blog, that would encourage me to keep upgrading this tiny beast.

Enough...Enough ... Enough .... now let me Download PMW
If anyone can capture demo, using any screen recording software like CamStudio that would be huge support.

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m^(2)
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#2 Post by m^(2) »

My PowerPro does it all and more in a more comfortable way.
Except for transparency. Maybe it can do this too, but if it was standard, I would delete this crap.

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arifali_007
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#3 Post by arifali_007 »

m^(2) wrote:My PowerPro does it all and more in a more comfortable way.
Except for transparency. Maybe it can do this too, but if it was standard, I would delete this crap.
Thanks for introducing me to PowerPRo, checked PowerPro also

-Power Pro is much more rich and bigger than my tiny PMW. that takes around 4 MB+ .... while PMW takes around 1 MB.

- Yeah you pointed it correctly PowerPro doesn't offer Transparency

-PowerPro has "End" option which is not equivalent to PMW's "KILL". Kill is "End Process" while "End" is End Task.

- I could not find Hide Me, Hide Others, Hide All option in PowerPro. Am I not able to discover them or they aren't there.

- You need to keep right mouse button pressed for some time to get PowerProMenu, while for PMW you just right click you you get it.

- When i try options like Always on top, Tray Min or End, I get error "Can't find window to change", Am I doing something wrong? I guess PowerPro , since power pro is not using windows's default system menu, it's not getting the handle of Window to whom he should post the Always on top signal/msg.

- Power requires a loooot time for user to learn, usability is not that good, because it offer too many functionality, it's not simple, one need to spend time to learn it. It's a good utility for nerds.

- PowerPro and Process Explorer belongs a different category all together they are 10 year old, while PMW is a baby, lesser than 1 year.
Last edited by arifali_007 on Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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joby_toss
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#4 Post by joby_toss »

m^(2) wrote:My PowerPro does it all and more in a more comfortable way.
Mine too! :)
m^(2) wrote:Except for transparency. Maybe it can do this too...
Of course it can ... PowerPro can do anything! And I'm not just saying that! :)

As for PMW: nice effort, but how is this portable since it creates "%AppData%\Process Manager" folder and stores its settings there ?

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m^(2)
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#5 Post by m^(2) »

arifali_007 wrote:
m^(2) wrote:My PowerPro does it all and more in a more comfortable way.
Except for transparency. Maybe it can do this too, but if it was standard, I would delete this crap.
Thanks for introducing me to PowerPRo, checked PowerPro also

-Power Pro is much more rich and bigger than my tiny PMW. that takes
aronud 4 MB+ ....
You must be joking...2236 KB here. But even 4+ isn't that much nowadays as long as the + isn't huge. ;)
arifali_007 wrote:-PowerPro has "End" option which is not equivalent to KILL.
Kill is "End Process" while "End" is End Task.
It also offers "Closeforce", which is killing. Likely not in the default profile, but PowerPro is extremely configurable. In my case it's assigned to RClick on the close button.
arifali_007 wrote:- Power requires quite time for user to learn, usability is not that good,
because it offer too many functionality, it's not simple, one need to
spend time to learn it. It's a good utility for nerds.
Indeed, it takes quite a lot of time to get through configuration and much more to master. Actually I didn't get that far.

I don't want to turn you down, but you have a lot of work to even get close in power to PowerPro. Your tool is way better when it comes to ease of configuration, but (compared to PPro) there are hardly any settings. ;)

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arifali_007
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#6 Post by arifali_007 »

joby_toss wrote: As for PMW: nice effort, but how is this portable since it creates "%AppData%\Process Manager" folder and stores its settings there ?
That's a standard for many apps, though it makes it non portable for hose geeks, who uses the EXE, but that's still good option for normal user who uses installer...

but that's a good point made I will keep that in mind in future,if user is not running from installed location of PMW ( C:\program files\process manager for windows 1.6.192 ) , I will save the preferences in current directory.

and if there is any registery entry, which means it's a installed version, I will create it in %AppData%.

Thanks for suggesting me a new enhancement
-Arif

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m^(2)
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#7 Post by m^(2) »

arifali_007 wrote:
joby_toss wrote: As for PMW: nice effort, but how is this portable since it creates "%AppData%\Process Manager" folder and stores its settings there ?
That's a standard for many apps, though it makes it non portable for hose geeks, who uses the EXE, but that's still good option for normal user who uses installer...

but that's a good point made I will keep that in mind in future,if user is not running from installed location of PMW ( C:\program files\process manager for windows 1.6.192 ) , I will save the preferences in current directory.

and if there is any registery entry, which means it's a installed version, I will create it in %AppData%.

Thanks for suggesting me a new enhancement
-Arif
I suggest an ini setting like "UseIniInCurrentDir". Maybe with installer option to set it by default?
It's more generic, people install software in different places...

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arifali_007
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#8 Post by arifali_007 »

m^(2) wrote: It also offers "Closeforce", which is killing. Likely not in the default profile, but PowerPro is extremely configurable. In my case it's assigned to RClick on the close button.
Ok I dint know that ... I am still exploring that ...
m^(2) wrote: Indeed, it takes quite a lot of time to get through configuration and much more to master. Actually I didn't get that far.

I don't want to turn you down, but you have a lot of work to even get close in power to PowerPro. Your tool is way better when it comes to ease of configuration, but (compared to PPro) there are hardly any settings. ;)
That's exactly what even i think and I mentioned in my previous reply ( I updated my first reply your post later) that
- PowerPro and Process Explorer belongs a different category all together they are 10 year old, while PMW is a baby, lesser than 1 year.

PMW is small and simple utility.yo usaid it right there are hardly any setting ;) when compared to PPro.

I will take leave now guys, it's 4:30 AM for me, will reply to your posts later.
Thanks once again for introducing me to PPro, I guess I can borrow few of the ideas from here. Do let me know if you guys have feature request for PMW.

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#9 Post by justsky »

I feel moved to say something here. While I don't think this app belongs here since it requires the installation of Visual C++, the treatment seems a bit rough. He has been civil and polite even when his work is called crap and he is trying to adjust and learn. It is clear that he does not quite get "portable" yet.

It must be said, though, that he seems to be a class act. He is running an open source project basically by himself and asks only that, if they can, people donate money to feed hungry children. This is uncommon even for sourceforge. He is right about PowerPro. It is a much more mature app and while the point was not pressed, PowerPro is free. It is not open source and they keep the donations.

A poll to ban him? That's an embarrassment.

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Queue
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#10 Post by Queue »

justsky wrote:A poll to ban him? That's an embarrassment.
He actually made that poll himself. =D

You're headed in the right direction though arifali, get the settings portable and I'd be happy to set up the Portable Freeware entry.

Another option for implementing portability (instead of checking for registry entries) is to check if there is a settings INI file in the same folder as the EXE and run portably if there is. You can then just include an empty INI file in the ZIP download. It also lets a portable version run properly on a system that has it already installed.

Make sure you have proper error handling in case the user can't write to the INI file (like if running off a CD, or if the suer wants to set the INI file read-only). Some of the best portable programs choke (and crash, or won't close) if they can't write to the configuration file.

Queue

justsky
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#11 Post by justsky »

I don't know what =D means, probably duh. I'm glad for the education in spite of the emarrassment shifting to me. I thought a poll would stay at the top of the thread. I didn't know it's part of the post.

Queue you did not mention C++, just settings. Am I also mistaken about that. His readme called for it and it would seem to be a deal breaker.

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Queue
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#12 Post by Queue »

=D is a huge grinning smiley face. I just use = instead of : for eyes! :D

C++ runtimes are normal requirements for programs, portable or not, and are not a deal-breaker for portability.

Queue

justsky
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#13 Post by justsky »

Not to belabor the subject but I want to learn. His readme called for a download from microsoft and installation in the OS. I don't ever remember having to do that so is the runtime usually part of the program download. If it is not included with the program how can that program be called portable?

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#14 Post by m^(2) »

justsky wrote:Not to belabor the subject but I want to learn. His readme called for a download from microsoft and installation in the OS. I don't ever remember having to do that so is the runtime usually part of the program download. If it is not included with the program how can that program be called portable?
It's a very slight problem. Download them and put int the apps folder. It will work. Actually you need only MSVCRT80.dll and MSVCP80.dll. I guess that such information should be included in the readme.
Queue wrote:Another option for implementing portability (instead of checking for registry entries) is to check if there is a settings INI file in the same folder as the EXE and run portably if there is. You can then just include an empty INI file in the ZIP download. It also lets a portable version run properly on a system that has it already installed.
Additional .ini entry is more extendable option, i.e. at one point you can add registry entries pointing to the file (and i.e. make all users have the same config) and store just binary flags in .ini like:
1 - don't default to appdata, but to app dir.
2 - ignore registry entries
3 - default to app dir and ignore registry

Slightly more complicated, but gives some more room for future upgrades. :)
But obviously just searching for the ini in own directory is a perfectly viable option too.

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#15 Post by Queue »

Because you may not need (because you already have) that particular C++ runtime. He's listing it in the readme just in case you don't.

Like 99% of the software you have (portable or not) relies on Microsoft or Borland's runtimes, and it's quite likely that you already have most, if not all, of the major C++, VB and Delphi runtimes. Most of them come with Windows, and the runtime downloads tend to be available for people with older OSes to download.

I'm kind've over-simplifying here. Programs built with a given version of a development environment (Visual C++ 6.0 for example) rely on a certain set of runtime libraries (DLLs) for most of their common functionality, like drawing a window, buttons, edit boxes, etc. Optionally, someone can compile these functions into their executable, but it makes it much larger. When these runtimes are (basically) guaranteed to be on every Windows computer, it saves a lot of space to let the program rely on external DLLs.

Queue

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