Global shortcut to bring up fman

[grandfso]

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Hello, I would like to request a possibility to bring fman to front, with a global hotkey,

This was already briefly covered by issue #144 but the OP's focus was on being able to minimise fman to system tray (any OS). This is nice to have, but then requires a user to use mice, to click fman out of the system tray. The OP in above issue mentioned Global Shortcut to bring it up, but I don't think this requirement was captured (and I don't believe it these two functionalities need to be merged).

So here is my case: have a global shortcut to 'bring up' from tray OR 'un-minimise' from taskbar.

I already use "alt+space" to bring up my keystroke launcher (autostarts) I will hit "alt+r" to bring up resoph notes (which is synced notepad and is awesome, also autostarts)

I would love to be able to press alt+f (configurable?) to bring up fman from wherever it is.

Since the fman seems to be aimed at 'keyboard users', the global shortcut will significantly boost convenience.

cheers, grand

[Chaiavi]

If fman is here to be a usable tool then I think this feature is very very relevant as I want to use a quick keyboard global key to bring it up and start using it on the spot

Please upvote.

[raguay]

Just use a Keyboard Maestro, Alfred, or BetterTouchTool hotkey to bring fman to the front or launch it. Much better since it will launch a copy if one isn't already loaded. If you need help making one from these programs, let me know and I can show you how.

On Tue, Nov 27, 2018 at 7:31 PM Avi Hayun [email protected] wrote:

If fman is here to be a usable tool then I think this feature is very very relevant as I want to use a quick keyboard global key to bring it up and start using it on the spot

Please upvote.

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[kek91]

Not much help but here's a temporary workaround if you're using Windows and willing to install AutoHotKey. Create an ahk script and type the following:

#SingleInstance force

#e::
run %localappdata%\fman\Versions\0.1.10\fman.exe
return

(Change path to correct executable). This will map the default Explorer keybind (Win + E) to fman.

I'm not sure why I pointed to the executable file under version subdirectory instead of the main fman.exe, but I guess it got something to do with getting single instance working correctly. Not on Windows anymore so I can't test it out, but I guess I made it that way for a reason :)

For most of the popular Linux desktop environments you can just add a new keybind entry in keyboard/keybinding settings and map it to the terminal command fman, although this will open a new instance every time you launch it.

[Chaiavi]

@raguay Thanks, but your suggestions are for Mac and I have a windows machine, I do appreciate your offer - thanks again.

@kek91 Installed AHK, and created your script, but it starts a new fman instance each time and it is important for me to have the same instance opened using a hotkey - thanks though.

I might find a 3rd party solution, but I still think it an important feature to have fMan minimized to taskbar (optional) and having a global key to make it appear - this will make my windows more keyboard like and useful.

[grandfso]

I use keystroke launcher and window switcher, but this is not the same as having a global shortcut to an app. Pressing ALT+F takes less time than pressing your keystroke launcher global shortcut then typing the name and confirming with enter.

Also, running dedicated 3rd party keysniffing application seems to be subomptimal. I don't appreciate the idea that it one day may go rouge and/or get exploited (note: I don't really know how the shortcut binding apps that you mentioned work, e.g. whether they really sniff the keys or register some hotkeys in the OS, but this is enough of a scare for me to stay away from them).

[raguay]

The 3rd party program run the hotkey the exact same way the application would. The difference is that they can run the fman instance if it isn't already running. That is why I opt for that solution. I usually turn off application hotkey for bringing their app to the front and use the 3rd party program instead. Much easier.

[raphaeldore]

@Chaiavi Here is the autohotkey script I use to bring up fman:

; If fman is the currently active window, then we minimize fman.
; If fman is opened, but not focused, then we activate it.
; If fman is not opened, then we launch fman.
; Activate using: WINDOWS_KEY + E (replaces explorer shortcut)
#e::
if WinActive("ahk_exe fman.exe")
    WinMinimize, ahk_exe fman.exe
else if WinExist("ahk_exe fman.exe")
    WinActivate, ahk_exe fman.exe
else
    Run, %localappdata%\fman\fman.exe

[Chaiavi]

@raphaeldore THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Yes, this works perfectly!

@mherrmann Please consider adding this AHK script somewhere to the online docs.

@raguay you convinced me, I will use AHK scripts like @raphaeldore put above and will shut down internal global keys.

I still think that a file manager like fman should have a global key as it will make working with it much easier, but I think that a smarter approach will be using a AHK script (But I admit it is not as accessible to the average user as an internal fman global key).

Thank you everyone, I feel smarter now (and that is very good :-) )

[gitAlwin]

As an additional workaround for people using gnome (I assume it is a gnome feature. I'm using a vanilla Ubuntu 20.04 distribution and it works for me) I want to add the following suggestion.

When you pin fman to the favourites on the dash / dock you can give focus to fman using the short-key cmd + num, where num equals 1 when fman is the first favourite application pinned to the dash / dock. You can then lose focus to fman (hide fman to the dash / dock) by additionally pressing shift, thus cmd + shift + num, or simply by giving focus to another window. A benefit is that when you press cmd + num when fman is not running yet, it will launch an instance.

I usually have one instance of fman running on each virtual desktop and this method always gives focus to the instance of fman that lives on the virtual desktop you're currently in.

It is perhaps not a very elegant workaround and it would be better if the same combination of keys would toggle fman into and out of focus, but for many people this disadvantage might be a minor detail and not weigh up to the advantage that no external program, script or change to some configuration file is required. You only have to have fman pinned the dash / dock as a favourite program and then it 'just works'.

[BlueInt32]

On vanilla windows 10, once the program is pinned to one of the first taskbar slots (e.g. the 2nd one), you can press Win+2 to bring it up or down. It will behave just as you described.