Launchy - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Launchy is a free open source

Open source

The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...

application launcher

Comparison of application launchers

- Windows :- Linux :- Mac OS X :Although arguable, some consider desktop search tools to be application launchers as well, given their ability to quickly find and launch indexed applications. Such desktop search tools able to launch applications as well include Spotlight or Google Desktop...

for Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

, Mac OS X

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

and GNU/Linux

Linux

Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

. It indexes shortcuts in the start menu

Start menu

The Start Menu and Start Button are user interface elements used in the later versions of the Microsoft Windows operating systems and in some X window managers...

, and files in specific folders to allow quicker access to programs without opening the start menu itself, or browsing to the relevant folder.

Program usage

Launchy automatically loads itself on boot and waits for the user to call it by pressing Alt + Space or a custom user hotkey. The user then starts typing the name of the program or file they wish to launch. Launchy automatically searches its list of programs for the closest match as the user types. When it finds the desired program, the user hits enter and it is automatically launched.

Launchy also has the option to add folders and file formats to its catalog for indexing. This makes it useful for launching almost anything on a computer, including internet, music, videos, and games. Launchy also can run Google, Wikipedia, MSN, and Yahoo searches, bringing the results up in the default browser

Web browser

A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...

. It also launches bookmarks as required. Launchy also supports plug-ins, adding to its versatility.

Platform

Launchy was originally written in C# (ver. 0.5) but the subsequent release (0.6) was in C++

C++

C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...

. The latest release (2.0) has been completely re-written using Qt

Qt (toolkit)

Qt is a cross-platform application framework that is widely used for developing application software with a graphical user interface , and also used for developing non-GUI programs such as command-line tools and consoles for servers...

. This has resulted in incompatibility between this version and older skins and plugins.

Controly Plugin (controly.dll)

Index Control Panel Applications: This plugin finds the control panel
applications in your system and lists them in Launchy.

Update (10/08): The Controly plugin is no longer included in Launchy.

Update (06/09): This devfuel.com article describes a workaround using shortcuts.

Update (09/10): As of version 2.5, the Controly plugin has returned.

Weby Plugin (weby.dll)

Perform Web Searches: Launchy now supports the following search keywords:
google, msn, yahoo, live, weather, amazon, Wikipedia, dictionary, thesaurus,
imdb, netflix, and msdn websearch. Type in any of these keywords, hit tab,
type in your search query, and hit enter.

Launch Webpages: Type in the url such as ‘www.launchy.net’ or
‘http://www.launchy.net/’ and hit enter.

Foxy Plugin (foxy.dll)

N.B. Seems to no longer exist. Launchy documentation file Readme.pdf apparently hasn't been updated for a while as the first line of the document shows "Launchy 2.1 Beta".

Bookmarks: The Foxy plugin will automatically load your Firefox bookmarks
into the database. Just search for them as you would applications.

Quick searches: Launchy loads Firefox quick searches and will index the
keyword into the database. Use it like you would a web search.

Calcy Plugin (calcy.dll)

Calculate: Type in some math.. Launchy will figure out what you want to do.
Note: This calculator is limited to +,/,-,* and parenthesis.

Community Plugins

Ampy controls Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...

, iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

, or foobar2000
Foobar2000
foobar2000 is a freeware audio player for Windows developed by Peter Pawlowski, a former freelance contractor for Nullsoft. It is known for its highly modular design and extensive SDK which allows third-party developers to do such things as completely replace the interface...

.
gCal Plugin posts events to Google Calendar.
iTuny controls iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

.
Killy terminates tasks by name.
Launchy# allows loading of plugins written in a .NET language.
MathyResurrected adds additional mathematical capabilities.
PuTTY Launchy Plugin launches saved PuTTY
PuTTY
PuTTY is a free and open source terminal emulator application which can act as a client for the SSH, Telnet, rlogin, and raw TCP computing protocols and as a serial console client...

sessions.
PyLaunchy allows loading of plugins written in a the Python programming language
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...

.

Plugin development

Launchy 2 has a C++ API for developing extension plugins. Plugins can be developed in order to add new types of objects to the catalog, rather than just shortcut files.

Bindings for other programming languages are provided as extension plug-ins, developed by the community:

PyLaunchy allows developing Launchy plugins with the Python programming language
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...

.
Launchy# allows developing Launchy plugins using any .NET language.

Bugs and problems

Launchy 2.0 was considered to be notorious for slowing down the computer because of the catalog refresh function claiming 100% CPU usage every 5–10 minutes.

2007

SourceForge.Net Community Choice Awards, Honorable Mention: Best New Project
PC World 15 Best Downloads of the Year: Powertools
CNet Download.Com Top Ten Downloads of the Year