DXLab Launcher Enhancement Requests

 

Number Description Version implemented
1 terminate after starting applications to prevent inadvertently starting the application twice 1.0.1
2 permit starting applications individually from the Configuration window 1.0.1
3 ability to start additional applications 1.0.3
4 ability to minimize all DXLab application windows with a single mouse click 1.1.1
5 ability to restore all DXLab application windows with a single mouse click 1.1.1
6 ability to minimize or restore individual DXLab application windows with a single mouse click 1.1.1
7 ability to view the state of all DXLab applications 1.1.1
8 ability to save a DXLab application's Windows Registry settings to a specified file 1.1.1
9 ability to restore a DXLab application's Windows Registry settings from a specified file 1.1.1
10 online documentation 1.1.2
11 direct application windows to appear on the primary monitor 1.1.4
16 ability to minimize the Launcher 1.1.5
19 ability to display the version of each installed application 1.1.6
18 option to automatically minimize after starting all applications and automatically terminate after stopping all applications 1.1.7
19 option to automatically start the specified configuration on Launcher startup 1.1.7
20 Configuration window should display Launcher version 1.1.7
21 increase the number of non-DXLab applications that can be started from 2 to 4 1.1.8
22 provide the option to log debugging information 1.2.1
23 if a DDE connection drops out, attempt to reconnect 1.2.2
15 ability to delete an application's registry settings 1.2.3
24 display current available versions of each application, highlight versions that are newer than those currently installed, and provide one-click access to a site from which new versions can be downloaded 1.2.3
25 add the Launcher to the set of DXLab applications 1.2.3
26 The New? function should  ignore any application for which a pathname is not specified 1.2.4
27 If the "AutoStart", "Minimize after Start" and "Check for New on Start" settings are all selected and a new release is available, the Configuration window will be displayed with a caption indicating that new releases are available 1.2.4
28 provide a dual monitor option so that Launcher window's will remember their positions on the secondary monitor between session 1.2.4
29 The Launcher's program path and version on the Configuration window should be determined from the running instance of the Launcher, rather than specified by the user 1.2.5
31 the Minimize button should direct an application to minimize its secondary windows its its Main window is already minimized 1.2.5
32 compress the Launcher's window 1.2.5
34 enable the definition and management of workspaces -- folders that contain the registry settings of all specified DXLab applications 1.2.9
35 if the Windows Scripting Host is not installed, inform the user and terminate 1.2.9
38 display "updates available" and "starting all applications" messages within the Main window rather than in its title bar 1.2.9
39 provide a "start minimized" option for non-DXLab applications 1.2.9
42 if a running DXLab application doesn't acknowledge a directive to terminate, retry the directive every 5 seconds until the application acknowledges the directive, or a minute elapses 1.3.0
43 provide the option to specify the pathname of the log to be opened by DXKeeper on startup 1.3.1
44 provide the option to specify the browser used to display online documentation 1.3.2
30 CTRL-Terminate should shutdown all applications whether or not they are enabled on the Config window. 1.3.3
45 provide the ability to terminate non-DXLab applications 1.3.3
46 check www.dxlabsuite.com for available release information 1.3.4
47 provide the ability to download development updates and upgrade installed applications 1.3.5
48 provide the ability to download and install full releases 1.3.7
49 use a Folder Browser rather than a File Save dialog to select the installation folder 1.3.8
50 determine destination installation folder from Program Path setting 1.3.9
51 if after installing a full release, offer to update it if an upgrade is available 1.4.0
52 make status window an installation wizard 1.4.1
53 if available release is lower than the installed release, permit the user to replace the installed release (support release retraction) 1.4.1
54 relocate installation window to upper right corner of screen to minimize interference with Setup 1.4.3
55 added brief descriptions of country maps and audio announcements 1.4.3
56 automatically upgrades a DXLab app after installing it 1.4.3
57 automatically enables a DXLab app after installing it 1.4.3
58 if a DXLab app named AppName to be installed has nothing specified in its Program Path, and if

 C:\Program Files\DXLab Suite 

is an existing folder, then propose to install the app in 

C:\Program Files\DXLab Suite\AppName

1.4.4
59 install the LotW database with DXView 1.4.4
60 enable the Launcher to upgrade itself 1.4.5
61 default the "check for New on startup" option to "enabled" 1.4.5
62 on the Main window, identified uninstalled apps with black LEDs; clicking on an uninstalled app's button offers to install that app 1.4.5
63 allow an installed DXLab application to be "restored" from a previous or current version 1.4.5
64 enable the Launcher to upgrade itself 1.4.5
65 during installation and upgrading, detect and report downloaded zip files smaller than 10 kbytes 1.4.6
66 when being run for the first time, choose a download site at random 1.4.7
67 if a program error occurs during installation, notify the user via the Install Status window 1.4.8
68 change the mouse cursor to an hourglass during install operations 1.4.9
69 display file transfer byte counts in the Installation Status window 1.4.9
70 provide an Upgrade Status window that displays file transfer byte count and permits Abort during upgrades 1.4.9
71 display error messages and the upgrade completion message in the Upgrade Status window  1.5.0
72 provide icons for the Install Status and Upgrade Status windows 1.5.0
73 on startup, any empty Program Path textboxes for installed DXLab applications are initialized to the installed application's pathname 1.5.1
13 add start buttons for non-DXLab applications 1.5.4
84 display the name of the most-recently activated Workspace between square brackets in the Config window's title bar 1.5.8
88 increase the launch and terminate timeouts from 1 minute to 3 minutes 1.5.9
90 update the version number of non-DXLab applications at startup 1.6.2
75 provide the ability to install or upgrade applications from a specified local folder 1.6.3
76 if "auto start" and "check for new on startup" are both enabled, and new releases are available, display a window for 10 seconds that lets the user
  • immediately initiate the auto-start
  • cancel the auto-start and display the Config window
  • cancel the auto-start and start DXView

If the autostart is not cancelled within 10 seconds, its executed

1.6.3
82 only display "new updates are available" if updates for installed applications are available 1.6.3
86 refuse to install a DXLab application into a folder that into which another DXLab application has already been installed 1.6.3
89 refuse to allow PropView to be installed at too deep a folder depth 1.6.3
90 report the availability of new database versions using information placed in the Windows Registry by DXView 1.6.3
91 provide the ability to direct DXView to display its Config window's Databases tab (requires DXView 3.1.5 or later) 1.6.4
92 report the availability of new database versions using information in files in DXView's Databases folder 1.6.5
94 change default installation folder to c:\dxlab\ 1.6.8
95 eliminate unused LotW.txt file 1.6.8
96 when installing an application whose Program Path is not specified on the Config window, determine the Program Path from the Launcher's Program Path  1.6.8
97 replace the "check for New on startup" option with "check for New each day 1.6.8
99 provide a "Terminate On Shutdown" option 1.7.0
78 clicking an application's LED is equivalent to clicking its control button 1.7.2
100 provide the option to display the Workspaces window on startup 1.7.3
40 expand from 4 to 8 the number of non-DXLab applications that can be started after starting DXLab applications 1.7.4
87 provide the ability to start up to 8 non-DXLab applications before starting DXLab applications, with the option to delay starting subsequent applications for a specified duration 1.7.4
101 enable the Workspaces window to be minimized and restored 1.7.5
17 when restoring a Workspace or loading the Launcher's Windows Registry settings from a file, immediately update the Launcher's settings from the Windows Registry 1.7.6
103 when application or database updates are not available, displays the name of the most recently activated Workspace on the Main window; clicking this most recently activated Workspace name will display the Workspace window 1.8.0
104 include the Translation database status in the Databases window 1.8.0
105 on the Config window's "DXLab Apps" tab, double-clicking an Installed or Available version number displays the Release Notes for that version (if available) 1.8.4
106 on the Databases window, double-clicking an Installed or Available DXCC database version number displays the Change Notes for that version (if available 1.8.4
107 clicking the Config window's New? button should select the DXLab Apps tab 1.8.5
108 if the user attempts to Activate or Update a Workspace with one or more DXLab applications running, display the applications that must be terminated before this operation can be invoked 1.8.7
109 inform the user if the Launcher is configured to use the internet but cannot access the internet 1.8.8
110 When clicked the Main window's Start button becomes an Abort button that if clicked terminates the application startup process 1.8.8
112 allow batch files to be selected when choosing a program path 1.8.9
116 provide a Help button on the Workspaces window 1.9.0
117 replace the KY1V distribution site with the x10 distribution site 1.9.5
118 remove the "local folder" capability 1.9.5
119 accept a command line argument that specifies the name of a Workspace to be activated on startup 1.9.5
120 replace x10 distribution site with Ambersoft 1.9.7
121 provide the ability to specify the pathname of the Current Workspace Folder 1.9.9
122 provide the ability to restore a single application's settings from a selected Workspace 2.0.0
123 with "use multiple monitors" enabled, relocates to the primary monitor any window that isn't being displayed on a monitor 2.0.1
124 work around Microsoft OS version reporting defect so that Windows 10 is properly reported in errorlog.txt file startup headers 2.0.1
111 after upgrading DXView or WinWarbler, install the latest DXCC.txt file in the application's Databases folder 2.0.4
125 CTRL-clicking the Main window's Config button displays the Workspaces window 2.0.5
126 improve the button and frame captions on the Workspaces window 2.0.6
127 provide a means to specify and relocate a DXLab Data Folder 2.0.8
128 remove the means to specify and relocate a DXLab Data Folder 2.0.9
129 when run for the first time on a computer, display the Launcher License for the user's acceptance 2.1.0
130 if an existing SCom32x.ocx file cannot be deleted during an upgrade, instruct the user to terminate Commander, DXView, SpotCollector, and WinWarbler, and then retry the upgrade 2.1.1
131 provide the ability to save a single application's settings to a selected Workspace 2.1.1
132 inform the user when a new version of the GridDXCC database is available 2.1.6
133 inform the user when a new version of the RDA database is available 2.1.6
134 eliminate Windows UAC prompts when loading settings from a workspace 2.1.8
135 replaces the existing ability to terminate "Apps Started Before DXLab Apps" and "Apps Started After DXLab Apps" with a mechanism that no longer  requires the specification of each application's "Main window caption"; the "Show Paths" and "Show Captions" buttons on the Configuration window's "Apps Started Before DXLab Apps" and "Apps Started After DXLab Apps" tabs are no longer needed, and have been removed 2.1.9
136 provides Terminate buttons for Apps Started Before DXLab Apps and Apps Started After DXLab Apps 2.2.0
137 a Command Line  with arguments can be specified for Apps Started Before DXLab Apps and Apps Started After DXLab Apps 2.2.1
138 can terminate Apps Started Before DXLab Apps and Apps Started After DXLab Apps "forcefully" 2.2.1
139 the Main window's Terminate button terminates enabled Apps Started After DXLab Apps  first, followed by DXLab Apps, followed by Apps Started Before DXLab Apps 2.2.1
140 change "Action" to "Actions"  on the Configuration window's "Apps Started Before DXLab Apps" and "Apps Started After DXLab Apps" tab 2.2.2
141 enable Apps Started Before DXLab Apps and Apps Started After DXLab Apps to be terminated in one of 3 ways:

Close: by sending a Close message to the running app with a specified Main Window Caption

Kill: by using the Windows Taskkill command

ForceKill: by using the Windows Taskkill command with its Force option enabled
2.2.4
142 provide a "None" termination method for non-DXLab applications 2.2.5
143 prevents Windows UAC confirmations when loading settings from a Workspace 2.2.8
144 provide a "Kill Single" termination method for non-DXLab applications that invokes the TaskKill command without /t and /f parameters 2.3.0
33 provide an operation that saves all application registry settings to their files, and then copy all of these registry files, the current log, the current log configuration file, the current spot database, the current sub-band definition file, the current radios.txt file, and the current solar history to a specified folder

provide an operation that restores the above information from a specified folder

41 provide the ability to specify the initial folder for non-DXLab applications
77 check for a command line argument whose presence means "start all enabled applications"
79 provide the option to update Pathfinder's search library
81 automatically delete old versions after upgrades, maintaining a user-specified number of versions
85 detect and report situation where user has specified a pathname containing an invalid drive specifier (currently yields program error 52 in module  Install.InstallFullRelease, InstallState = -1: Bad file name or number)
98 provide the ability to configure all DXLab applications to enable the use of multiple monitors
113 provide the option to ignore Window locations when restoring a Workspace
114 provide "Backup everything" and "Recover everything" functions that save and restore settings and data files
115 display an approximation of each application's file size so the user can monitor progress when upgrading
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

 

If you have questions or suggestions, please post them on the DXLab Discussion Group.