Tag: Ini file

Can a submenu be shared on different PCs or by different users?

Yes. Shared menus allow to manage favorites in a setting file that can be shared by different users or used by the same user on different computers. The Shared menu settings file can be saved on a network drive or a shared folder (like Dropbox) and used on different PCs. Add a Shared menu from the Add Favorite dialog box. In the Shared Menu tab, select the type of usage of this shared menu:

Notes:

  • A Shared menu can contain any type of favorites, except other Shared menus.
  • Shortcuts associated to favorites in Shared menu are saved in the Shared menu itself. However, if the same shortcut is used in more than one favorite in different files, only one of these favorite shortcuts will be active.
  • If favorites in a Shared menu are saved on a cloud drive folder (like DropBox), you can use user variables (like {Dropbox}) if the cloud drive root directory is not at same locations on the various systems of the shared menu users.
  • Even if QAP provides protection against synchronization conflicts (when users are editing a menu at the same time), syncing issues may (rarely) occur for users working on cloud synchronization platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive that cannot accomplish full real-time syncing.
  • Users sharing menu on cloud shared drives working in different time zones should use QAP v9.0.6 (or more recent) that support sharing in different time zones.
  • Users sharing menus on network drives do not face sync or time zone issues because the shared menu file time stamp is read from the file itself.
  • Each time a Shared menu is modified and saved, a daily backup of the settings file is created with a suffix including the date of the backup, for example FileName-backup-20180812.ini; the five last backup files are kept and the older ones are deleted; backups are saved in the same folder where is kept the Shared menu file unless a backup folder is set by entering the value BackupFolder= (for example, BackupFolder=X:\SharedMenu\Backups) under the [Global] section of the Shared menu file.

 

7) Sharing and Collaboration ,

What is the content of a shared menus settings file (for advanced users)?

Each shared menu settings file is saved in a separate .ini files stored on a shared drive or folder. User can add a shared menu using the Add Favorite command. The info about the added shared menu is stored in the user’s QuickAccessPopup.ini file in a line like this:

Favorite1=External|HR Menu|> HR Menu|C:IconsJLicons.dll,42||C:SharedMenusHR_Menu.ini||||||||0||||||

Anatomy of a shared menu settings file

Users having access to the shared menu ini file on a network drive or shared folder (Dropbox, etc.) can manage the shared menu in a text editor. They can also be generated from an external data source. If you edit or generate a settings file, make sure its content is fully compliant with the QAP structure because little or no validation is done when QAP loads a settings file. QAP assumes that the settings file contains valid data as if it was saved by QAP itself.

The shared menu settings file is composed of three sections:

  • [Global]: information about the shared menu
  • [Favorites]: the list of favorites shared in this menu
  • [Favorites-backup]: a backup of the favorites as they were before the last time the shared menu was saved

Here is an example of a shared menu. Its content is detailed below.

[Global]
MenuName=HR Resources Menu
WriteAccessUsers=Mary,Jean
WriteAccessMessage=Please contact Mary at HR for suggestions about the HR shared menu.
MenuReservedBy=
MenuType=3
LastModified=20191004093906
BackupFolder=X:\SharedMenus\Backups
[Favorites-backup]
Favorite1=...
Favorite2=...
Favorite3=Z
[Favorites]
Favorite1=...
Favorite2=...
Favorite3=...
Favorite4=Z

[Favorites] section

The shared favorites are listed in the [Favorites] section in the order they are saved and loaded by QAP. The details of the favorites structure is the same as for the user’s QuickAccessPopup.ini file. You can find more info about the favorites in a settings file here: What is the structure of QAP settings (ini) file?

[Global] section

The content of the [Global] section depends on the type of shared menu. The four first values are common to all types of shared menus:

MenuType=

  1. Personal (default)
  2. Collaborative
  3. Centralized

MenuName=
The shared menu name is shown in various dialog boxes and used as default name when user adds the shared menu from the Shared Menus Catalogue.

LastModified=
The last modified date-time is used to detect if a shared menu file was modified by another user since the QAP menu was loaded. This prevents the user to edit the menu based on an older version of its content.

When saved on a network drive, the last modification date-time of the shared menu ini file is taken from the file system and is independent from various user’s clocks or time zones. Of course, the date-time being written to the file right after its modification, the real file’s date-time can be a few milliseconds after the value saved in the file but this will not impact the conflict protection.

But if the shared menu file is saved on a cloud drive, the last modification date-time of the shared menu ini file is taken from the PC’s clock in the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). These PCs clock should be kept as sync as much as possible.

In both cases (network or cloud drive), the time is stored in the “yyyymmddhh24miss” format with the addition of the “UTC” when suffix when saved on a cloud drive (more info about date-time format in AHK documentation).

The file modification date-time in the ini file is updated only when changes are done to the content itself (shared favorites), not for actions modifying the file’s date-time without real modifications in the content. This value must be updated if the content of the shared menu file is changed outside QAP by an administrator using a text editor or by an automatic process.

MenuReservedBy=
This value is used to track current editing of a shared menu. If this value is empty, the menu is not currently reserved. When the menu is edited, it is flagged as reserved by setting the value to the Windows logon name and computer name of the user currently editing the shared menu (you can find the current user’s logon name in the QAP About dialog box).

The shared menu is released and the value of MenuReservedBy is erased when the user who reserved the menu saves or cancels the changes to the Shared menu, or quits QAP. This value can be erased manually by an administrator if, for any reason, a file is locked by a user who could not access the file using QAP.

This value is critical to collaborative shared menus where the risk of simultaneous editing is more likely to occur. But it is also used to alert a personal shared menu user if the menu was left unsaved on another PC and to alert administrator of a centralized menu if another administrator is currently editing the menu.

The last two values are specific to Centralized shared menus:

WriteAccessUsers=
Only users listed in this value can edit a centralized shared menu. Enter one or multiple Windows logon names, separated by comma. Note: of course, any user having write-access to the shared menu settings file itself could edit it using a text editor.

WriteAccessMessage=
This is the message displayed to user having only read-only access to a centralized menu when they try to edit the menu with QAP. It can be used to direct the user to the menu administrator.

BackupFolder=
Each time a Shared menu is modified and saved, a daily backup of the settings file is created with a suffix including the date of the backup, for example FileName-backup-20180812.ini; the five last backup files are kept and the older ones are deleted; backups are saved in the same folder where is kept the Shared menu file unless a backup folder is set by entering the value BackupFolder.

Personal shared menu example

[Global]
MenuType=1
MenuName=My Personal Menu
LastModified=20191004224941

Collaborative shared menu example

for a menu saved on a network drive

[Global]
MenuType=2
MenuName=Team Shared Menu
MenuReservedBy=
LastModified=20191004224941

for a menu saved on a cloud drive

[Global]
MenuType=2
MenuName=Team Shared Menu
MenuReservedBy=
LastModified=20191005024941UTC

Centralized shared menu example

[Global]
MenuType=3
MenuName=HR Toolkit Menu
WriteAccessUsers=Peter,Paul,Mary
WriteAccessMessage=Please forward suggestions to Peter, Paul or Mary.
MenuReservedBy=
LastModified=20191004224941
7) Sharing and Collaboration ,

Can I backup, import or export my favorites and options?

(2023-08-29 – this page has been updated to v11.6.2.3 )

First, about backups, QAP is automatically copying daily backups of your main settings file (QuickAccessPopup.ini) and keep the backups for the last 5 days in the backup folder selected in the Options, General tab. You can retrieve a backup file by putting aside the current QuickAccessPopup.ini file and rename the backup file from QuickAccessPopup-backup-YYMMDD.ini to QuickAccessPopup.ini.

If you need more flexibility, the QAP features Export Options and Favorites, Import Options and Import Favorites can be uses for two reasons:

  • exchange settings (favorites and options) between different PCs or different users;
  • create a backup of your favorites and global options in a file that you can save where you want.

To open the Import and Export dialog boxes, select one of the entries in the File menu in the Customize window menu bar. You can also add these features to your QAP menu by adding a QAP Feature found under the QAP Management section.

Exporting Options and Favorites

  1. Choose the Destination file that will be created (if it does not exist) to store your exported data. The last destination file is remembered and displayed as default file. The path can include the %A_NowUTC% and %A_NowUTC% variables, environment variables, QAP user variables and placeholders. For example, the file name my-export-%A_Now%.ini would be converted to my-export-20230829112529.ini.
  2. Choose the settings category to export: global options, hotkeys, alternative menu hotkeys and modifiers, themes and favorites.
  3. Click the Export button.
  4. You will be alerted if settings exist in the destination file and asked if you want to overwrite them or not. For favorites, you will be asked if you wish to overwrite or append the imported favorites. A report will summarize the completed actions.

Importing Options

  1. Choose the Source file containing the data to import. The last source file is remembered and displayed as default file. The path can include environment variables, QAP user variables and placeholders.
  2. Choose the settings category to import: global options, hotkeys, alternative menu hotkeys and modifiers, and themes.
  3. Click the Import button.
  4. You will be asked if you want to overwrite existing settings or not. A report will summarize the completed actions.

Importing Favorites

Favorites can be imported in the Add Multiple Favorites dialog box available under Edit, Add Multiple Favorites. This dialog box offers many source options. To import favorites from a QAP settings file, select QAP Settings File (tree view). You can also access this dialog box with this option selected by choosig the menu File, Import Favorites. More info on adding multiple favorites, see: Can I add multiple favorites in one click?

Tips

  • To import settings, the source file content must comply with QuickAccessPopup.ini structure. More info about ini file anatomy here: What is the structure of QAP settings (ini) file?.
  • Note: before QAP v10.3.2, the import/export features had an undocumented size limitation. This was an issue if the size of the [Favorites] section of you settings file was larger than 65,532 characters. This is why, for safety, it is mandatory to update QAP to v10.3.2 (or more recent) before using the Export command.
9) Settings File (.ini) , ,

Can I move my configuration from one PC to another?

Yes. First install QAP on the new PC and copy/replace the newly created quickaccesspopup.ini file with the one copied from your previous PC. The quickaccesspopup.ini file can be found in the QAP working directory.

All your favorites, hotkeys and preferences from the Options will be preserved. Of course, only favorite folders, documents or applications with the same location on the new PC or having portable locations will work. Also, most Special folders favorites will work as-is on the new PC. For Special folder favorites that do not work, delete them and add them again using the Add Favorite button.

However, if you are moving from a portable installation to an “easy setup” installation (or vice-versa), you should read this: Can I change from/to “easy setup” and “portable installation” without loosing my favorites?

 

9) Settings File (.ini) , , ,

Can I change from/to “easy setup” and “portable installation” without loosing my favorites?

You can switch from Portable to Easy setup installation or vice-versa without loosing your favorites. But it is recommended to follow this short procedure.

1 a) Switching from Portable to Easy Setup installation

  1. Copy your latest settings file from your current QAP working directory to your Desktop (or any other location of your choice). Your working directory is where your portable QAP is installed.
  2. Reinstall QAP following Easy Setup wizard steps.
  3. At the end of the installation procedure, QAP is launched with the default configuration for an Easy Setup installation. Continue with steps under 2) Importing the favorites from your previous installation below.

1 b) Switching from Easy Setup to Portable installation

  1. Copy your latest settings file from your current QAP working directory to your Desktop (or any other location of your choice). For QAP before v10, your working directory is under the User directory (for example, C:\Users\Jean\AppData\Roaming\Quick Access Popup). For QAP v10 (or more recent), the working directory is shown in the Options, General tab under Settings Folder.
  2. Unzip the QAP portable ZIP file in a new (empty) folder following these instructions. Do not install it in a system-protected folders like those under C:\Program Files or C:\. This could prevent QAP from saving your configuration.
  3. Launch QAP from this folder (choose the QuickAccessPopup-32-bit.exe or QuickAccessPopup-64-bit.exe version depending on your system).
  4. QAP is launched with default configuration for a Portable installation. Continue with steps under 2) Importing the favorites from your previous installation below.

2) Importing the favorites from your previous installation

  1. In the Customize window, remove all the favorites in the new file (select all favorites and click the Remove button). These favorites will be replaced with the favorites from your backup in the next step.
  2. Using For QAP v11.1 or more recent, open the Favorites, Add Multiple Favorites, select the source QAP Settings File (tree view) and click Continue.
  3. In the Add Multiple Favorites dialog box, keep the Main menu as destination menu and click the Browse button to select the backup of your previous settings file on your Desktop.
  4. Click the Select All checkbox to select all favorites and click the Add button to import the selected favorites and submenus in the your new Main menu.

Differences between Easy Setup and Portable settings

There are very little differences in the way QAP works whatever you select the Setup mode or the Portable mode. In general, setting up QAP in Setup mode is simpler and answers most needs. The Portable mode give user more control and allows to use QAP on a machine having to copy files on it or change the hosts system configuration.

The QAP files are installed…

  • Setup mode: … using the setup program who is copying the QAP files under the C:\Programs File\Quick Access Popup\ folder, the QAP icons files in C:\ProgramData\JeanLalonde\JLicons.dll and the setting and database files in C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Quick Access Popup\ (for QAP pre-v10) or in My Documents\Quick Access Popup (for QAP v10).
  • Portable mode: … by the user who is unzipping the QAP zip file to the folder of his choice, including the icons, settings and database files.

When QAP is running…

  • Setup mode: … its working directory is C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Quick Access Popup\ (for QAP pre-v10) or in My Documents\Quick Access Popup (for QAP v10). Temporary files are saved under this folder unless user selected another folder in Options.
  • Portable mode: … its working directory is the folder where QAP is running. Temporary files are saved under this folder unless user selected another folder in Options.

The QAP is uninstalled and its files are removed…

  • Setup mode: … using the standard uninstall command in Windows Control Panel or in Quick Access Popup menu under Start menu; this command remove all files under Programs but keep the settings files in its working directory.
  • Portable mode: … by the user who must manually delete the folder created to run QAP, taking care of keeping a copy of the settings file quickaccesspopup.ini if necessary.

The QAP shortcut in the Startup folder…

  • Setup mode: … is created automatically for you if you use for pre-v10 (QAP v10 or more recent uses an entry in the Windows registry to run QAP at startup).
  • Portable mode: … must be created by the user by selecting the checkbox in Options.
  • See: What are the QAP global options?

The QAP entries in the Windows Explorer context menu…

The Check for update command…

The Usage Monitoring module (starting in v9.2)…

  • Setup mode: … is set ON by default.
  • Portable mode: … is set OFF by default and can be enabled in Options.
9) Settings File (.ini) , , ,

Can I set the QAP settings file location from the command line or a file shortcut?

You can set the settings file location from command-line using the parameter “/Settings:”, for example:

"C:\Program Files\Quick Access Popup\QuickAccessPopup.exe" "/Settings:C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Quick Access Popup\My Settings.ini"

Use separate double-quotes for application file and for parameter if the location includes one or more spaces.

If you create a file shortcut (.lnk file) for QAP, insert the command in the Target field.

The Settings file location can include environment variable (like %userprofile%) and supports relative paths based on the QAP working directory. See Can I use system environment variables in favorite paths? and Can I use relative paths in favorite settings?

Note 1: If you only need to change the QAP settings file temporarily, see: Can I load QAP with an alternative settings file?

Note 2: Changing the QAP settings file location does not change the QAP Settings Folder (aka Working Directory). Other settings files (like QAP_Frequent.DB) will still be read or updated in the active Settings folder. See how to change the Settings Folder if you want this change to be persistent for your future use of QAP.

9) Settings File (.ini) , , ,

Can I load QAP with an alternative settings file?

Yes, you can load an alternative settings (.ini) file. However, this should be done only for specific or temporary needs. Starting with QAP v11.0.6, you have to enable the option Show or not the advanced Settings file menu items under the “File” menu under Advanced Menu Options to see the File, Switch Settings file menu in the menu bar. In the dialog box, choose the alternative file and confirm that you want to reload QAP with these new settings. When the new settings file is loaded, the Edit QuickAccessPopup.ini entry in the system menu is changed with the name of the alternative file.

If you wish to revert to the default settings file QuickAccessPopup.ini, in the menu bar, select File, Switch to default settings file.

If you prefer to control QAP startup with your own Windows file shortcut (.lnk file), see: Can I set the QAP settings file location from the command line or file shortcut?

If you installed QAP in Portable mode (with the .ZIP file) and enabled the Run at Startup option, the alternative settings file name is saved in the Startup shortcut used to launch QAP at Windows startup. When you reload Windows, QAP is loaded with the alternative settings. However, if you load QAP using the Start menu or command line, the default settings file QuickAccessPopup.ini is loaded.

If you installed QAP in Easy Setup mode (with the .EXE file), QAP is always launched with the default settings file.

Note: Loading an alternative QAP settings file location does not change the QAP Settings Folder (aka Working Directory). Other settings files (like QAP_Frequent.DB) will still be read or updated in the active Settings folder. See how to change the Settings Folder if you want this change to be persistent for your future use of QAP.

9) Settings File (.ini) ,

How can I edit the file QuickAccessPopup.ini?

Normally, the QAP settings can be modified using the QAP Settings and Options windows and you don’t need to edit the .ini file containing your favorites and your preferred configuration.

For some specific operation, you may need to edit this file named QuickAccessPopup.ini that can be found in the QAP working directory. You can open this file using any text editor. But the easiest way to open the settings file is to use select the File, Edit QuickAccessPopup.ini in the QAP menu bar.

The file will be open in your default text editor for ini files (Notepad if you did not change it in Windows).

For more information about the settings file, see What is the structure of QAP settings (ini) file? and What are the values in the QAP settings (ini) file?.

 

9) Settings File (.ini) ,

What is the structure of QAP settings (ini) file?

The following information is for advanced users who need to change the QAP settings by editing the QuickAccessPopup.ini file saved in the QAP working directory. See also How can I edit the file QuickAccessPopup.ini?

The ini file format described in this page also applies to shared menus, exported settings file and to import settings files. See also What are the values in the QAP settings (ini) file? for detailed reference info.

Regular users should not be required to edit these files except in rare situations described in the FAQ or in the Support page.

[Global] Section

This section contains settings managed in the Options dialog box or managed internally by QAP.

[Global]
LanguageCode=EN
NavigateOrLaunchHotkeyMouse=MButton
NavigateOrLaunchHotkeyKeyboard=#w
PowerHotkeyMouseDefault=+MButton
PowerHotkeyKeyboardDefault=+#A
Check4Update=1
DisplayIcons=1
DisplayMenuShortcuts=0
IconSize=32
...

See the description of these QuickAccessPopup.ini variables.

See also the special [Global] values for Shared menus below.

[Favorites] Section

This section contains the favorites found in your QAP menu. It starts with the first item in your main menu (“Favorite1=…”) and ends with a line with a favorite of type “Z” (“Favorite7=Z” in the following example). When a submenu is added to your menu, it starts with a line of type “Menu” and ends with a line of type “Z” (“Favorite5=Z” below) and it continues with the content of the previous menu. Submenus can be nested at will. FavoriteN numbers must be consecutive. Menu loading stops at first missing N.

For example:

[Favorites]
Favorite1=Folder|Name of folder in main menu|...
Favorite2=Document|Name of document in main menu|...
Favorite3=Menu|Submenu name|...
Favorite4=Folder|Name of folder in submenu|...
Favorite5=Z
Favorite6=Folder|Name of next folder in main menu|...
Favorite7=Z

Format of each line:

[Favorites]
FavoriteN=FavoriteType|FavoriteName|FavoriteLocation|FavoriteIconResource|FavoriteArguments|FavoriteAppWorkingDir|FavoriteWindowPosition|FavoriteLaunchWith|FavoriteLoginName|FavoritePassword|FavoriteGroupSettings

FavoriteN= where N is a number starting at 1. One favorite line contains infos delimited by | (pipe), real pipes in values being replaced with the sequence “Сþ€” in ini file for all values except fields 1, 7 and 8.

Favorite fields order and names:
1 FavoriteType
2 FavoriteName
3 FavoriteLocation
4 FavoriteIconResource
5 FavoriteArguments
6 FavoriteAppWorkingDir*
7 FavoriteWindowPosition (Boolean,MinMax,Left,Top,Width,Height,Delay,RestoreSide/Monitor (comma delimited)
8 FavoriteLaunchWith
9 FavoriteLoginName
10 FavoritePassword
11 FavoriteGroupSettings
…

 

* 6 FavoriteAppWorkingDir: for “TC Hotlist”, target path

Example

[Favorites]
Favorite1=Folder|Windows|C:Windows|C:WindowsSystem32shell32.dll,298|||||||
Favorite2=Document|My Notes|C:Docsnotes.txt||||||||

[Favorites-backup] section

Each time the favorites are saved using QAP, a [Favorites-backup] section is created with the current content of the [Favorites] section. Be careful to edit the current [Favorites] section and not its backup.

Themes settings

[Gui-Grey] and other sections starting with “Gui-” are theme descriptions. More info on themes in this page: Quick Access Popup Color Themes.

[AlternativeMenuHotkeys] section

This section contains the hotkey (shortcuts) settings managed in the Alternative Menu Hotkeys tab of the Options dialog box.

[AlternativeMenuModifiers] section

This section contains the modifiers that can be used in the QAP menu to call Alterative menu features, set in the Alternative Menu Hotkeys tab of the Options dialog box.

[LocationHotkeys] section (deprecated after v8.7.1.1)

Up to version v8.7.1.1, this section contained the favorites hotkey (shortcuts) settings managed in Change hotkey dialog box. You can open this dialog box in the Shortcut section of the Menu Options tab in the Add/Edit Favorite dialog box or in the the Manage Hotkeys dialog box.

From v8.7.1.93, shortcuts are saved in the [Favorites] section as parameter #20 (see object model).

Import and Export ini files

The files created when your export settings comply to the format described in this page. Files imported must also comply with this format. However, they could include any or all of these settings sections: Favorites, Hotkeys, Alternative menu hotkeys, Alternative menu modifiers, Global settings and Themes. More info on import/export commands here: Can I backup, import or export my favorites and settings?

Shared menus

Shared menu are saved in ini files complying to the format described in this page. But they contain only a [Favorites] section as described earlier and a special [Global] section with shared menu specific variables. More information about shared menu settings file: What is the content of a shared menus settings file (for advanced users)?

9) Settings File (.ini) , , ,

What are the values in the QAP settings (ini) file?

Normally, the QAP settings can be modified using the QAP Customize and Options windows and you don’t need to edit the .ini file containing your favorites and your preferred configuration. But if, for some specific operation, you need to edit this file named QuickAccessPopup.ini, see How can I edit the file QuickAccessPopup.ini? in the FAQ. See also What is the structure of QAP settings (ini) file? for an explanation of the settings files organization.

The following list describe all variables found in the QuickAccessPopup.ini file with a reference to the FAQ page about the related feature.

This info is reserved to QAP advanced users who know what they do and do it at their own risk. QAP does not always validate the info entered directly in the settings file before using it, which could lead to unpredictable results. Handle with care…
 

NameDefaultDescriptionLien
ActiveFileManager1File manager used when opening a folder in a new window
1: WindowsExplorer
2: DirectoryOpus
3: TotalCommander
4: QAPconnect (about 50 other file managers)		Help
AddAutoAtTop1 (true)Add new favorite at the top (if true) or bottom (if false) when adding with commands "Add This Folder", "Add This Folder Express" or with QAP Explorer Context menus.Help
AddCloseToDynamicMenus1 (true)Add a close menu allowing to dismiss the QAP menu. This menu entry can be turned off if user prefer to dismiss the menu by click elsewhere (but this is known as not working 100% of times)Help
AlternativeHotkeyKeyboard+#WKeyboard hotkey to open the QAP Alternative menu ("+" stands for Shift and "#" for Windows)Help
AlternativeHotkeyMouse+MButtonMouse button to open the QAP Alternative menu ("+" stands for Shift and "MButton" for middle mouse button)Help
AlternativeTrayIcon(none)File path of an image to use as a replacement for standard QAP icon in the Notification zoneHelp
AvailableThemesWindows|Grey|Light Blue|Light Green|Light Red|YellowList of themes described in this settings fileHelp
BackupFolder(working directory)Location of the backups of quickaccesspopup.ini file (also supported in Shared menus with QAP v10+)Help
ChangeFolderInDialog0 (false)Allow QAP to change folder in file dialog boxesHelp
ChangeFolderInDialogAlertRead0 (false)Confirm that user read the info about risk of trying to change folder in a "non-file" dialog boxHelp
Check4Update0 (false, for portable) / 1 (true, for setup)Allow QAP to check on QAP website if a new version is availableHelp
DefaultMenuBuilt0 (false)Informs QAP that the default menu "My QAP Esssentials" and "My Special Folders" were built (normally at first QAP execution)Help
DiagMode0 (false)Enable diagnostic mode for debugging purpose (collecting data in the file QuickAccessPopup-DIAG.txt while executing specific functions)
DirectoryOpusNewTabOrWindow(none)Parameter sent to Directory Opus when opening a folder in a new window or tab ("NEW" or "NEWTAB")Help
DirectoryOpusPath(none)Path to the executable file of the file manager Directory OpusHelp
DirectoryOpusUseTabs1 (true)Instructs QAP to open folders in a new tab (if true) or in a new instance of Directory Opus (if false)Help
DisplayIcons1 (true)Instructs QAP to display menu iconsHelp
DisplayMenuShortcuts0 (false)Instructs QAP to display menu shortcuts (numbers or letters allowing to select menu item by hitting its number or letter)Help
DisplayTrayTip1 (true)Instructs QAP to display the popup in the Notification zone when menu is ready after startupHelp
DynamicMenusRefreshRate10000Number of milliseconds between background refresh of dynamic menus (not used at this time)Help
ExclusionMouseList(none)List of applications or windows where the QAP main menu mouse trigger will be ignored; part of the window title or window class name, separated by vertical bar (|); if prefixed by "*", the exclusion also apply to app's dialog boxesHelp
ExplorerContextMenus1Indicate if Explorer context menu were enabled by setup program or by QAP in Options, or disabled in QAP Options. Chaging this value in setings file have no effect and should be avoided.Help
ExternalMenusCataloguePath(none)Path to the catalogue root on a shared driveHelp
ExternalMenusCataloguePathReadOnly0 (false)When set to "1" prevent user from enabling/disabling the catalogue or changing its path in the Options dialog boxHelp
HotkeyReminders3Display hotkey reminders in menu in short or long format
1: Do not display
2: Display abbreviated names
3: Display full names		Help
IconSize32Size of icons in QAP menu, in pixelsHelp
IconsManageRows(none)Number of rows to display in the Manage Icons windowHelp
LanguageCodeENCode of the active language ("FR", "PT-BR", etc.)Help
LastExportFile(none)File of the last Export settings action, proposed as default for next exportHelp
LastExportFolder(working directory)Folder used for the last Export settings actionHelp
LastImportFolder(working directory)Folder used for the last Import settings actionHelp
LastModified(none)(Used in shared menus settings file only) Last file modification date-time of the shared menu ini file, taken from the file system and is be independent from various user's clocks or time zones. It is stored in the "yyyymmddhh24miss" format. Used to detect if a shared menu file was modified by another user since QAP was loaded.Help
LastVersionUsedAlpha0.0Last alpha version used (for internal use)
LastVersionUsedBeta0.0Last beta version used (for internal use)
LastVersionUsedProd0.0Last version used (for internal use)
LatestVersionSkipped0.0Last version skipped using the Check for update command (for internal use)
LatestVersionSkippedBeta0.0Last beta version skipped using the Check for update command (for internal use)
LeftControlDoublePressed0 (false)Open the QAP main menu by pressing the Left Control key twice within 400 ms (if 1)Help
MenuName(none)(Used in shared menus settings file only) Name of a shared menu shown in various dialog boxes and used as default name when user adds the shared menu from the Shared Menus CatalogueHelp
MenuReservedBy(none)(Used in shared menus settings file only) Windows logon name and computer name of the user currently editing the shared menu, menu is not reserved if emptyHelp
MenuType1(Used in shared menus settings file only) Type of shared menu: 1 (Personal), 2 (Collaborative) or 3 (Centralized)Help
NavigateOrLaunchHotkeyKeyboard#WKeyboard shortcut showing the QAP main menuHelp
NavigateOrLaunchHotkeyMouseMButtonMouse button/keyboard combination showing the QAP main menuHelp
NbLastActions10Maximum number of items in the Repeat Last Actions menuHelp
NbLiveFolderItemsMax500Maximum number of items in a menu (including submenus) for a Live Folder favoriteHelp
OpenMenuOnTaskbar1 (true)Allow the popup menu mouse hotkey to open the QAP menu when clicked over the Windows taskbarHelp
PopupFixPosition20,20Coordinate where the QAP popup menu is shown (x, y) when the PopupMenuPosition is set to "At fix position" (3) or as close as possible to it; x can be greater than the first screen limit to display the menu on a second screenHelp
PopupMenuPosition1Display the popup menu near the mouse position (1), at top-left of the active window (2) or at a fix positionHelp
QAPconnectFileManager(none)Name of the selected external file manager as it appears between square brackets in the QAPconnect.ini fileHelp
QAPconnectNewTabOrWindow(none)Instructs QAP to open folders in a new tab (if true) or in a new instance of the file manager selected in the QAPconnect list (if false)Help
QAPconnectPath(none)Path to the executable file of the file manager selected in the QAPconnect listHelp
RecentFoldersMax10Number of items to show in the Recent Folders menuHelp
RememberSettingsPosition1 (true)Remember the QAP Settings position when QAP is closed open the Settings at this location at next launchHelp
RightControlDoublePressed0 (false)Open the QAP main menu by pressing the Right Control key twice within 400 ms (if 1)Help
RunAsAdminfalseLaunch QAP with administrative privileges (from v8.7.1)Help
SearchWithStats0 (false)Select if the favorites list and search result list display additional columns with last modification date, creation date and, if the database is enabled, last usage date and usage frequency.Help
SettingsPosition-1 (center at minimal size)Position where Settings window will be displayed if RememberSettingsPosition option is 1 (true); X,Y,W,H (left, top, width and height)Help
Startups1Number of startups since the ini file was created (for internal use)
SwitchSettingsFolder(working directory)Folder of the last switched settings file, used as default for next switch actionHelp
ThemeWindowsCurrent theme used for Settings, various dialog boxes and popup menu colors, one of the themes in AvailableThemesHelp
TotalCommanderNewTabOrWindow(none)Parameter sent to Total Commander when opening a folder in a new window or tab ("/O /T" or "/N")Help
TotalCommanderPath(none)Path to the executable file of the file manager Total CommanderHelp
TotalCommanderUseTabs1 (true)Instructs QAP to open folders in a new tab (if true) or in a new instance of Total Commander (if false)Help
TotalCommanderWinCmd(none)Location of the wincmd.ini file whre are read the Total Commander hotlistHelp
UnderstandChangeFoldersInDialogRisk0 (false)Flag that uer read and accepted the caution note about trying to change forler in a non-file dialog boxHelp
UseClassicButtons0 (false)Display old back and white buttons in Settings windowHelp
UserBanner(none)Optional text added to the app name in the Settings window header, no validation of lenght, keep it short
WaitDelayInDialogBox100delay in milliseconds when changing folder in dialog box to help with an intermittent issue in in some apps like FirefoxHelp
WaitDelayInSnippet40|80|180Duration in milliseconds of three delays inserted while pasting text snippets (from v8.7.1.94)Help
WriteAccessMessage(none)(Used in shared menus settings file only) Message displayed to user having only read-only access to a centralized menu when they try to edit the menu. It can be used to direct the user to the menu administrator.
WriteAccessUsers(none)(Used in shared menus settings file only) Users who can edit a centralized shared menu, one or multiple Windows logon names, separated by coma or semi-colonHelp
SearchFromMain1 (true)When searching, scan favorites starting from Main menu (if false, searching starts from the menu currently displayed in the "Customize" window)
SearchWithLocale1 (true)When searching favorites in the "Customize" window, use the locale settings (e.g. making "�" considered as "e")

9) Settings File (.ini) ,

Why converting the settings file to Unicode?

From its beginning, Quick Access Popup is built with an Unicode architecture. This allows QAP to handle any type of characters and to be translated to any language.

However, last summer, thanks to a bug report from a Turkish user, I realized that the QuickAccessPopup.ini settings file was created using the ANSI encoding instead of Unicode. In his example, he found that a favorite folder including an “i without dot” like “D:\Yazılar\” was saved to the settings file as “D:\Yazilar\” with a dot on the “i”. The favorite was working well just after he created it. But as soon as the favorite was saved to settings and reloaded, the “ı” was converted to an “i” with a dot, making his favorite unusable.

“What makes Unicode so beneficial? Arguably that it, in essence, enables any character, letter or symbol to be represented using one single standard.”

To know more about Unicode, read this very good post: Unicode 101: An Introduction to the Unicode Standard. For a more technical reference, see this Wikipedia page.

QAP users are coming from everywhere around the world and Unicode encoding offers better support for international languages. This is why, starting with QAP v8.6, at startup, QAP prompts users of previous versions to convert the QuickAccessPopup.ini file to Unicode. This dialog box will be shown to the user only one time, and only if the QAP settings file is encoded with ANSI.

User can click:

  • Yes convert to Unicode to do the conversion;
  • No keep ANSI to keep its actual file encoding (a flag is added to the settings file to remember not to prompt the user again with this dialog box);
  • Ask me next time to prompt the user again at next QAP launch.

The only reason for choosing No would be if you encounter an issue after the conversion. From my tests, errors would occur only if you did some unusual manipulations of your settings file (see the note below). For the majority of users, the conversion should be done seamlessly.

If, after the Unicode conversion, you wish or need to return to the ANSI format, here is how to revert the conversion and return to the previous version:

  1. Make sure QAP is closed
  2. Go to the QAP working directory.
  3. Delete or rename the converted QuickAccessPopup.ini file.
  4. Rename QuickAccessPopup.ini-ANSI-BK to QuickAccessPopup.ini.
  5. Restart QAP and select No keep ANSI encoding.

Note: If your settings file was saved at some point using the UTF-8 No BOM encoding, this could cause issues (because this type of encoding cannot be distinguished from the ANSI encoding). But in normal use, Windows settings files (.ini) are always saved as ANSI or Unicode UTF-16 (Big Endian).

9) Settings File (.ini) ,

QAP stops loading with an error message. What happened?

If you use QAP v11.5.3 or more recent, you could see this message alerting you that the last time your favorites were saved, QAP was interrupted before completing its task. When this happens, QAP loads your previous settings and your recent changes are lost. To avoid this error in the future, make sure QAP completes its saving before turning off your computer.

You could also see this error message.

Two reasons can explain this error message:

1) something wrong happened interrupting QAP while it was saving your settings and QAP could not react to fix it;

or 2) you edited the settings file manually and did not respect the structure of the settings file (see What is the structure of QAP settings (ini) file?)

The easiest way to solve this issue is to restore your latest settings backup. You can do it by renaming your current QuickAccessPopup.ini to QuickAccessPopup-broken.ini and renaming your latest backup to QuickAccessPopup.ini.

  1. Open the QAP working directory in your file manager. In the Customize window, select File, Open QAP working directory (pre-v10 users, see What’s the QAP working directory?).
  2. Close QAP before renaming the settings file: select File, Exit Quick Access Popup.
  3. Rename QuickAccessPopup.ini to QuickAccessPopup-broken.ini.
  4. Find your latest backup file and copy it in your QAP working directory. Your backup files are saved in the Main settings file backup folder set in Options, General tab.
  5. Rename this file from something like QuickAccessPopup-backup-20210219.ini (the last part of the file name is the backup date in “YYYYMMDD” format) to QuickAccessPopup.ini.
  6. Restart QAP.
B) Issues ,