MultiLaunchBox - Application Launching and Key Broadcasting for the mac.

[Norrin]

Keyclone has inspired me to create an Application Launching and Key Broadcasting software for the mac.

http://www.fivemasted.com/MultiLaunchBox.aspx

A few features.

• Easy to configure application groups.
• Set size and position of application windows
• Launch complete application group or single application at a time.
• Full Key Broadcasting support with WhiteList and BlackList key filtering.
• Hot key toggles for Key Broadcasting as well as toggling the Key Filters on and off.

[edit]
Also wanted to let everyone know. The Demo is not locked down on a 'Day' basis. It only allows for the adding of 3 apps to an app group. And the Key Broadcasting only last for 45 minutes.
Wanted to make sure people knew that the Key Broadcasting stopping to work after 45 minutes is an intended feature (as it were).


Please let me know what you think.


I do hope you enjoy it,
Shane -Norrin- Cleavelin

[lacitpo]

Seems like a decent application. I downloaded the trial and tested the window arrangement stuff. Still same problem of not allowing arbitrary dimensions but nice that it will lay the windows out for you.

I'm still using plexer as my primary tool but we'll see where things stand in a few months.

[Norrin]

Yeah I am looking into removing the window frame much like the way KeyClone does it. So far though I am not yet successful.
You can resize and position, though you are still constrained to how mac does the resizing.

I used Plexer since the day he release it. Very fine app. I wanted the App positioning and resizing though, which is what motivated me to create my own. That and I am looking into multi computers support, especially Mac to PC for the next major version.

[Jayne]

Dang this is exactly what I want in Plexer. Will give him some time and see if it gets updated tho...

[Norrin]

Thanks.

Yeah I think Plexer will be following. He has been talking about adding similar features.
I don't know the creator of Plexer personally, but he seems very dedicated to his product.

[Norrin]

I just realized my documentation sucks. Actually there isn't any.
I work on that.

Anyway I wanted to share a few things that might help out.

HotKeys:

SHIFT+Left Arrow
To toggle the Key Broadcasting

SHIFT+Right Arrow
To Toggle the Key Filtering. Not sure if anyone even cares about this. I like it though.

Would you guys want an easy way to configure these hotkeys to what you want? I was thinking of adding a configuration screen to set these but not sure if anyone even really cares.


Saving app window size and position:

Add WOW (or what ever game your playing) to the app group.

Launch the game (from MLB or from file system).

Resize the application to your desired size. (I am not sure exactly how to turn off the aspect ration resizing that WOW on mac does. I am looking into that).

Move the window to where you want it to open at.

In MLB on the Application grid right click to bring the Popup menu up and select Set Dimensions. This will save the size and location for launching later on.

Next time you launch the Application from MLB it will also resize and move it.


Hope that helps a little.

I will be creating a video tutorial things for the website shortly. However I have wasted about a month of my current RAF time, so I am going to be taking a little break and getting my first team to 60

Thanks,
Norrin

[Norrin]

In my haste to get the initial app out, I do believe I made the Trial broadcast period 20 seconds, not 45 minutes. Goto to love debug code.

Anyway, I figured 45 minutes probably wasn't enough time to probably evaluate it so I bumped it up to 2 hours.

You can get the lastest demo at http://www.fivemasted.com/MultiLaunchBox.aspx.


Also, next version will have Mac to Mac broadcasting. Its something I really could use.

Thanks

[ViralInfection]

Hi,

I've been using MLB for the last day or two and I like the trial. It's snappy. I'll even report a bug (when you add applications if you CMD+Click the applications you can overload the limit of 3 applications at once).

Will you be adding anything for supporting layouts? I know the whole Mac/Osx WoW resizing stuff is pretty much a hell-hole, but I'd thought I'd ask.

I'd really like to be able to switch my Master & Slave(s), and have the applications switch size and space.

Thanks,
- V

[Norrin]

Hey Viral, glad you like it.

It does support layouts currently, but you are still restricted to aspect ratio.

To use this follow these easy steps.

1. Launch MLB.
2. Add some WOW accounts.
3. Launch the WOW's (this doesnt need to be done via MLB yet).
4. Resize and position the accounts where you like them.
5. On MLB right click the WOW account in the table and select Set Dimensions.

Then next time you launch from MLB it will remember your window sizes and positions.

I just re-read your original post, Viral, and to answer your actual question, currently it does not switch positions based on the Master/Slave relationship. I am looking into how to do that. Well actually I am looking into how to make it happen quickly. Also how do I give the user the ability to configure it. That maybe the major feature for version 2.

As far as the Trial bug, nice catch. But I think I am removing the Trial all together with the next version, which is ready to go now actually. The next version supports multiple computers. I have been testing the last two weeks and I think I very happy it. So look for that very soon.

Thanks again.

[Norrin]

Hello Everyone,

MLB has been updated and new version is available to download.
You can find it at http://www.fivemsted.com/Mulitlaunchbox.aspx

I have removed the trial for this version. The trial version wasn't really hiding or hindering any real functionality anyway. And what it was limiting, was easy to circumvent. So I just removed it all together.

Even though this is one of my main source on income, I really made for myself. And sharing is always a good thing right.

New Feature.
I have added Bonjour (Network) support. You can now use MLB on multiple computers and the keystrokes will shared between the two. Much like KeyClone.

Its very simple to use.

Just start MLB on the two computers.

That's it. If they are on the same network they will auto connect to one another.

Just make sure both MLB's have broadcasting enabled. Also, the Key are filtered using the KeyFilter list from the MLB that is active.

I would really like know what you guys think. I have been now for two weeks to multibox my friends mac pro (mine died the day I finished the network code) and my MacBook Pro. Other then being really surprised that my Macbook Pro can run two accounts, it has been working very smoothly for me.