MiniLauncher is a simple tool whose sole purpose in life is to launch applications. It is primarily intended to launch applications in the Virtual User testing environment under System 6.0.x, but it can be used for anything you like - at your own risk.
How to use MiniLauncher:
Put MiniLauncher in a folder that contains the applications you wish to launch OR in a folder above the applications you would like to launch (higher up in the hierarchy). Double click on the MiniLauncher icon. Type (or have VU type using the LaunchApp task included in Launch.vu in this folder or, better yet, the LaunchTwitch task in the Controls.lib VU library) the name of an application and press Return or Enter, or click in the Launch button. If the application is found it will launch, otherwise it will display a dialog indicating that the MiniLauncher could not find the application. When you quit the application, MiniLauncher’s main dialog will appear ready for the next application name. This allows chaining of VU scripts for testing multiple applications in the 6.0.x world.
MiniLauncher also allows for the launching of applications via documents (however, it WILL NOT launch 7.0 Alias ‘documents’). In other words, you can type the name of a document instead of an application and MiniLauncher will locate the document and launch the appropriate application. The application should open the document as if the user had double-clicked on the document icon in the Finder. Launching applications via documents is very useful for by-passing startup splash-screens that disable VU. Simply create a dummy document and launch the application by ‘launching’ the document.
To launch an application via a document, select the ‘Options’ button in the main dialog to open the dialog shown in Figure 1. Select the ‘Open Document’ radio button and click OK.
Figure 1
MiniLauncher also allows the user to select the default directory. Setting the default directory to the application’s directory will instruct Standard File to show the application’s directory when a Standard File dialog is displayed. This option is not available when launching an application via a document because the application will set the document’s directory as the default.
There is also a ‘Show Search Status’ check box available in the Options dialog in Figure 1. If this is set, MiniLauncher’s main dialog will display status messages while searching for a document or an application.
If MiniLauncher is running under MultiFinder, these options only have to be set the first time MiniLauncher is run. After an application launched by MiniLauncher quits, MiniLauncher will display its main dialog again, and the options will remain intact. However, if MiniLauncher is being run under single Finder, these options must be set every time MiniLauncher is run. The default settings are shown in Figure 1. If those settings are the desired ones, the options never need to be set. If you are using MiniLauncher from a script, use the LaunchTwitch task from the Controls.lib VU library to set the options every time it is used. That way, your script does not depend on the target being in single Finder or MultiFinder.
What’s in a name?
MiniLauncher will launch the first application or document that matches the string entered by the user. Matching is performed letter by letter for the length of the entered string, so it is not necessary to type the complete name. Use enough characters to uniquely identify the application or document to be launched, but omit version numbers, etc. In case you were wondering, MiniLauncher is NOT case sensitive.
Where does MiniLauncher search?
MiniLauncher only searches below itself in the folder hierarchy. That is, the application you wish to launch must be contained in the same folder as MiniLauncher, or in a folder that is in the MiniLauncher folder. Got it?
How do I stop it?
Either click on the Quit button, select ‘Quit’ from the File menu, or use Command-Q.
Does it work under MF and SF?
Yes.
How much memory does MiniLauncher need?
SIAC’s version of MiniLauncher is configured to use a 80k partition (because of the color picture in the About box). The developer’s version of MiniLauncher will use about a 25k partition.
