CLaunch - application launcher

[webfork]

CLaunch is what looks to be a fairly basic launcher program, but under the hood it has a remarkable amount of tools and functionality. That may have something to do with the fact that it's been in development since the 90s. The developer is Japanese and I'm still figuring out the interface and some of the features (I'm not clear on what "Limited Mode" means). This initial post is just going to scratch the surface.

The program includes a basic menu, skins, customizability, and direct mention and support for portability. You can add files, folders, programs, and web links.







Features

• The program includes a stunning set of available hotkey / mouse triggers, including double-click on the desktop, cursor movement to the screen edges or standard hotkeys. If the program did nothing else but what's described here, it would still have been posted.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Can be operated entirely by keyboard
• The launcher by default tries to stay out of your way, but you can "pin" the program and drag-and-drop objects to be executed (e.g. launch a text file with Notepad++ or Notepad3 or any number of other editors)
• Items are grouped by renamable pages, which can be cycled through via the mouse wheel

Pros:

• Very drag-and-drop friendly, easy add, edit, rearrange, execute, etc.
• The hotkey launch functionality alone is worth a look

Steps: Download the installation and extract using a ZIP program like 7-zip. Execute CLaunch.exe

Status: Portable, writes to local Data folder. (Version tested: 3.29)

Portability notes:

• Arguments - Many programs here on the site use launch arguments (e.g. "program.exe -portable") so thought I'd point out that this can be done after adding a program to the menu. Right-click and select Properties. Then enter any extra commands in the "Parameters" field. I consider functionality like this mandatory for any launcher program, despite the fact that there are workarounds.
• Relative paths - By default it uses static paths (i.e. c:\temp\program\new.exe and not ..\program\new.exe). Here's how you modify it to use relative:
  
  
  
  
• Settings note - because it names the data folder after the local user (if your username is "User123", the folder is named "User123") I am uncertain of automatic portability between computers. Also untested.

Website: https://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA01835 ... aunch.html

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Thanks to various comments in this Ghacks article for pointing it out to me.

[Midas]

Cool. Totally must try it.

[pikachunet]

This program is good, but not famous.

With the release of version 4.00, sub-menu and button search function are provided.

[Midas]

release of version 4.00

Full changelog (and download links) at hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA018351/en/history_cl.html.

Usually, I don't write down negative experiences I may have with programs posted to TPFC.

FTR, then, I did try CLaunch once and did it again just now -- because any remembrance of it had completely slipped my feeble mind...

CLaunch has loads of customization options alright. It's just overly complicated to setup for my simple preferences, mostly due to some hard to grasp settings and a few hard-coded ones making it difficult (in fact, impossible) for me to get it right.

A single example: while CLaunch allows using an alternative tray icon, it doesn't work with standard ICO files, only with ICL format icon libraries -- I do have a couple of them laying around, but none with a suitable replacement.

They say an image is worth a thousand words, so here's one from the toolbar launcher I use atm, Appetizer (with which I also have plenty gripes, most outstandingly the fact that it's been abandoned):



This is my best result with CLaunch:

[pikachunet]

I have tested numerous launcher programs.

The criteria for selecting a program differ depending on the user's preference.

My idea of the advantage of Claunch.

1.100% Freeware.

2.It's a GUI program, but you can run each item through a shortcut key or Hot key without using the mouse.

3.Available as auto-hidden, such as a task bar.




4.After setting, if you register a folder, a menu will open instead of Explorer.

If a shortcut icon is collected, there is no need to register it on the launcher screen by dragging and dropping.

In case of many files, it can be displayed in the column menu method.

It can be used as a function to open a video or document file without opening the explorer.

This is a very important feature for me.

Very few launcher programs support this feature.(What i know FLB,TLB,7stack,rocketdock stacklet addon..)

5.Ability to copy or move files on the desktop to a folder without opening an explorer.

[webfork]

Update: CLaunch now at 4.04 ... update came out a little less than a year ago: https://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA01835 ... ry_cl.html