Changes in v3.2.1 - Test 12

Download acv321-t12.zip

Fix: More tweaks to the Tooltip popup hotkey code

v2.9.6 - Test 12

Download rmv296-t12.zip

New: Numerous tweaks to the Scripting interface

NOTES: These changes are meant to logically group the script controls together and the available screen space is more efficiently used.

The older renaming options, that haven't been updated in years, has officially been deprecated. The Scripting interface has improved enough that I'm comfortable having it be the official method for setting options.

v2.9.6 - Test 11

Download rmv296-t11.zip

Fix: Directories names now treated at having no file extension for the renaming Steps, even when a dot is present


NOTES: This is a workaround for the renaming options so that it mimics the way that Explorer fakes folder names. In a command prompt, folder names with dots are still treated as having an extension -- as was in DOS. The same is still true for some Windows search functions.

Changes in v3.2.1 - Test 11

Download acv321-t11.zip

Fix: Tweaks to the Tooltip Popup hotkeys

NOTES: These tweaks are to fix problems when CTRL or Shift is held while activating the Next/Previous popup keystrokes. This should fix problems that occur when the event is inadvertently activated multiple times.

Changes in v3.2.1 - Test 10

[download replaced by above version]

Fix: Sound plays event after option disabled
Fix: Sound not played if clip is the exact same as the last


NOTE: As a workaround for Windows sending notification twice for a new clip, I've added a check to make sure the clip is not the same as the last for playing the sound. This does mean, however, that if you copy a clip twice, you will not hear the sound the second time.

Changes in v3.2.1 - Test 9

[download replaced by above version]

New: Sound options no longer require a registry write and are portable

Fix: UAC Admin detection added since ArsClip cannot paste directly into these programs

Formatting Meta-Variables

Each Meta-Variable (described above) can be altered in appearance. Highlighting One of the most often used formatting options is the convert date option. The Quick Insert popup menu contains a few common formatting options that can be used as examples. The formatting options used in these examples are very similar to the settings used by Windows in the Regional Settings for displaying dates and times. There are some differences, but the list shows all the options that can be used for formatting a date:

y = Year using 2 digits
yy = Year using 2 digits
yyyy = Year using 4 digits
m = Month with no leading 0's
mm = Month using 2 digits
mmm = Month using ShortDayName
mmmm = Month using LongDayName
d = Day with no leading 0's
dd = Day using 2 digits
ddd = Day using ShortDayName
dddd = Day using LongDayName
ddddd = Day using ShortDateFormat
dddddd = Day using LongDateFormat

c = Shortcut for ShortDateFormat and LongTimeFormat
h = Hour with no leading 0's
hh = Hour using 2 digits
n = Minutes without leading 0's
nn = Minutes as 2 digits
s = Seconds with no-leading 0's
ss = Seconds using digits
z = Milliseconds with no-leading 0's
zzz = Milliseconds using 3 digits
t = ShortTimeFormat
tt = LongTimeFormat

am/pm = Uses 12 hours clock for the preceding h or hh
a/p = Uses 12 hours clock for the preceding h or hh
ampm = Uses the 12-hour clock for the preceding h or hh

Quotes or Double Quotes are used as literals.

A Sound Argument

One of my favorite features in ArsClip is the ability to play a sound when a clip is placed on the clipboard. Copying a clip in Windows, otherwise, has no cue at all to let you know it triggered correctly. There are times, like when trying to cop web content, were the highlight is removed and nothing is actually copied.

The way AC implemented sound is to use the Windows built-in application events that are now tied to a Theme in newer versions of Windows. What I don't like about this method is that it requires a write to the registry - which isn't portable. I'll end up re-writing this to not require a registry edit for the sake of portability. This older routine relied on using the Control Panel for the interface to set sound, without any meaningful way to link the two. Under [Configuration>Misc], there was a blurb about this, but that's just a terrible way to do things.

For the current Public Beta upload, I've created a new configuration category for Sound. This new settings page emulates the Control Panel by including a Browse and a Test button. Also, the "chimes" sound is used by default when enabled. Changing the Theme can undo this setting, so this is another reason to re-write the sound routine, beside portability.

What I haven't thought of are clipboard events that may be improved if a sound is played. The 'New Clip' event was obvious, but any event that may go unnoticed could be a candidate. 'New Clip' also may be a bad name, placing anything on the clipboard does create a new clip - even if it's the same as the old clip. ArsClip, however, may not copy a clip for several reasons. Clips that are already on the popup are ignored, non-text clips that are too large are ignored, and monitoring can be disabled both globally or for the specific program. Any feedback on this topic is more than welcome.

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This will be the last of new features for the version 3.2.1 of ArsClip. The only new public beta versions will be for fixing bugs, but if none are found, an official release is near.

Changes in 3.2.1 - Test 8

[download replaced by above version]

New: Added Flush Clips button for Popup Clips in the Edit History window
New: Created a new category [Clipboard>Sound]

Fix: Registry settings removed when sound option is disabled
Fix: Default sound used when sound option enabled

Variable Formatting

In Rename Master, a few things always bugged me. One specific problem was showing that meta-variables were special in a textbox. When you click one, the program would automatically highlight it. If you right-clicked, you'd be shown the standard copy/paste menu with a special Format Variable option added.

This routine was the best I could think of to show visual cues. It didn't work well. First, some formatted meta-variables were not correctly detected and highlighted. Next, clicking on "Insert" in the Format Window replaced the text, but didn't highlight it again and close itself. Unlike the Insert Meta-Variables Window, there's no reason to remain open after the selected variable is replaced.

To fix these problems in the current Public Beta upload, I've corrected the highlight routine to be work as expected. Next, a mini-popup is automatically shown when a meta-variable is click, directly under the textbox. It's small enough to not be invasive and can be dismissed easily. Last, I fixed the Format Window to replace the variable as expect and close. The workflow now seems to be intuitive and graceful.

This is a small step in the right direction. What I'd eventually like to do is replace the plain textbox with a text and pictures, so a meta-variables could be represented graphically. This would make reading, showing visual cues, and editing much easier.