[Tips] Create a group to switch to a recurring task requiring multiple windows

At work or at home we all do some recurring tasks that require to open related folders, files, applications or web pages. QAP can help you switch your computer to make you up and running for the new task in a second.

I’ll demonstrate it using a simple example: reviewing your family budget (and if you just don’t have a budget, transpose it to anything you prefer to doing your budget!). To review your budget , you may need to open your personal finance software, to login to your bank website and to open some files in a folder.

New! Discover at the end of this tip how Group member options introduced with QAP v11.5.1 can make your group more powerful and flexible.

Here is an example of a screen with these three windows: the Budget folder, the Quicken app and the Bank of Switzerland website (why not!).

To open these windows in one step, first create the group by clicking the Add button and select the Group favorite type.

Enter the group name My Budget. If you wish to clean your desktop and close existing Windows Explorer windows before opening your group, select the option Replace existing windows. This will not close other applications windows but will at least close the Explorer windows. Click Add.

Back to the Settings window, enter in the My Budget group by double-clicking on it or by selecting it in the Menu or group to edit drop down list at the top.

Now, create the three favorites for your folder, your finance app and your bank website. See these FAQ pages for help doing it:

• How do I add a favorite to my menu?
• How do I add an application or script to my menu?
• How do I add favorite link (URL) to my menu?

Finally, click Save & Close to save your Settings. Popup the QAP menu and notice the number “3” beside the My Budget group name. This number indicates the number of favorites in your group. Click it to open your three windows in a snap.

If you want to explore some related QAP options:

• for Folder favorites, you can open the Window Options tab to set where the Windows Explorer window will be positioned on your screen. If you have various folders in your group, you can put them side-by-dise using this technique.

  

• If you experience issues when launching your group, you could set a delay between each favorite launch. Go to the Advanced Settings tab of the group and enter a delay (half-second in this example).

  

New with v11.5.1: Group member options

Starting with QAP v11.5.1, each group member can have its own launching options.

• Launch and wait: In addition to the group’s global delay in the group’s Advanced Settings, you can set an additional delay (in milliseconds) for each member, depending on the time they need to launch. This option for group member of any type.
• Options for member of type Application:
  • Wait until the program finishes: if this option is enabled, the next member in the group will not be launched (or open) before this program or script ends;
  • Stop in case of error: if this program (or script) ends by returning an exit code (aka “error code” or “error level”) other than zero (zero meaning “no error”), the remaining member of the group will not be launched or open if this option is enabled;
  • Launch minimized: enable this option to open the window of this program minimized (for folders, see the Windows Options tab of favorite folders).