VLink help - the main window

The main windowHelpQuickSwitch barRun linksMiniLink

Right click menu associated with this screen:

The main menuLink managementWindows commandsUsing filesetsTask/EventSort the main listReverse the current sort orderSort the list by file extensionSort the list by item file pathsSort the list by item file namesSort the list by item namesLog off WindowsRestart WindowsShut down WindowsSwitch filesetsSwitch filesetsCentre the main window on your screenInvert selectionSelect noneSelect allConfigure VLinkOpen this documentCreate a multirun item from existing items on the listSave the current list to fileReload the current list from fileOpen the containing directory of a linkDrop/Launch/MinimizeRun/MinimizeDrop/Launch/ExitDrop/LaunchRun/ExitSave the current fileset to another locationImport links from another filesetDelete the current filesetCreate a new filesetClear the main listPaste itemsCopy itemsCut itemsEdit itemsDelete itemsAdd itemMove items

(1) These menu buttons are only available in move mode, after having clicked the 'General/Move' button.

Click on the item on the images above that you would like further infomation on.

 

Running links
Click on any entry in the main list to run that link. Unless you have disabled the option, you can hold down the control key on your keyboard, then select multiple links on the main list. Once you release the control key, and provided at least two links are selected, all of the selected links will be launched. Note that with the link shown, pressing the '1' key on the keyboard would also run this link.

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Changing filesets
The QuickSwitch bar, shown at the top of the main window above, is used to quickly navigate between different filesets. Left clicking on a tab on this bar will activate that fileset, changing the main list to that of the now-active fileset. Right clicking on the bar will bring up the fileset manager, where you can organize the links of multiple filesets. In the main window, the spacebar key can be used to cycle to the next fileset, and the backspace key will move to the previous fileset. Note that you can also drag external files onto the QuickSwitch bar to have VLink create a link to the file in the appropriate fileset.

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Open Directory
This is another mode that VLink can be in, shown by the title bar's caption. Turned on, this mode will open the selected link's containing directory in an explorer window. For example, clicking on a link with the file path 'C:\myprogram\myprogram.exe' would launch the directory 'c:\ myprogram'. If the link's path was itself a directory, the containing directory of that directory would be opened. So, if a link path was 'C:\myprogram\', the directory 'c:\' would be launched. See also: one-time modes.

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Refresh list
Clicking on this will reload the current main list from its corresponding files on disk.

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Save list
This will save the current list to files on disk. Note that this is done automatically and frequently by VLink, and you will not usually need to use this command yourself.

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Create multirun
This adds a 'Create' button to VLink's lower status area, and is used to create a multiple run item from items already on your main list. You will be able to select multiple items from the main list by clicking on them and holding down the shift and/or ctrl keys. Once you are happy with your selection, click Create, enter a name for your new item in the add dialog, and click ok.

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Centralise main window
This will simply centre the main window on your screen.

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Help
This opens the relevant help file for the currently active window/dialog.

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Select all
Used in general management mode, this selects all the links on the main list.

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Select none
Used in general management/move mode, this deselects all of the selected (if any) links on the main list.

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Invert selection
Used in general management mode, this selects all the links that weren't selected on the main list, and deselects all the links that were selected.

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MiniLink
Clicking on this icon toggles between MiniLink and standard display modes. The MiniLink window occupies less screen space, but gives slightly slower access to links, and fewer menu options. You can switch to MiniLink and back using Ctrl+I.

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Drag and drop
You can drag files from Windows onto VLink, to have VLink create a link to the dragged file. If you drag a file over the main list, a link to it will be inserted at the place where you release the mouse button that you used to drag the file. If you drag a file onto a QuickSwitch tab, a link will be added to the fileset that you have dragged over. Dropping a file on any other part of the main window will add a link at the end of the main list of the current fileset. See Remove drag/drop extensions in general options for an option related to drag and drop.

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Move items
Click on this button or press Ctrl+M or Ctrl+G to put VLink into its main in-place link manager mode. In this mode, you will be presented with the additional controls on the main window, shown below.

Move items up and down

You can select multiple items at once, using combinations of control and shift, and drag them to a different place in the list, or you can use the 'U' and 'D' buttons to move the selected items up or down in the list by the number specified in the text box in the centre.

With multiple items selected, you can also press the delete key on your keyboard to delete the selected links. You can also cut, copy and paste items on the list, and between filesets, using Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, respectively.

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Management

Add item
Selecting this will open the add link dialog box, and cancel any previously active management modes. You can also do this by pressing the Insert key on your keyboard, or clicking anywhere in the gray area of the window shown with the middle button of your mouse, if your mouse has three buttons.

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Edit item
Clicking this button, or pressing F2 on your keyboard, will put VLink into edit mode, shown by a label in the lower status area reading EDIT. In this mode, clicking on a link will open it in the add/edit dialog box, and you will be able to change the link before clicking OK to save your changes. Closing the edit window without clicking OK will leave VLink in edit mode.

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Cut, Copy & Paste
Use these menu buttons while in move mode to make use of VLink's internal clipboard, and move links between filesets, or just copy one or more links. You can also double click on an item to make a copy of it.
When not in move move, the copy button will put VLink in single item copy mode, in which the item that you click on with be copied to the end of the current main list.

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Delete links
As with copy, this mode works differently depending on whether or not you are currently in VLink's General Manager mode. If you are in this mode, clicking delete (or pressing the Delete key on your keyboard) will delete all of the selected links, asking for confirmation depending on how your general options are configured. If you are not in General/Move manager, delete will enter single-item delete mode (shown by a DELETE label in VLink's lower status area), in which an item that you click on after entering this mode will be deleted. Delete links will never delete the actual file that was linked to.

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Clearing the list
Click on Clear list to have all of your links in the current fileset deleted. You will be asked to confirm your decision before VLink actually deletes any links.

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Options
Click on this menu button to open the general options dialog, or press F12. Right clicking on the tab labeled 'Example' in the image shown would open the fileset manager. Clicking on the word 'VLink' in the title bar (the white text) with the middle mouse button will also open the general options dialog.

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File sets

Making use of multiple filesets in VLink means that you can organize your links into different categories. See the fileset manager help for more details on management of multiple filesets and additional options.

Switch fileset
The Switch submenu maintains a list of all the directories in VLink's base directory that contain the files link.vxl and name.vxl, and form a fileset. A tick next to one of these names indicates the currently active fileset ('Example' in the picture at the top). Clicking on a different fileset name will switch to that fileset. From the main list, you can cycle forward through your filesets using the space bar, and backwards using the backspace key.

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New fileset
Click on this, or press Shift+Insert to have VLink create a new, empty fileset named as 'NewFileSet' plus the first unused number. See fileset manager help for more details on creating and naming filesets.

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Delete fileset
Clicking on this menu button or using its shortcut key Shift+Delete will delete the currently active fileset, unless the active fileset is VLink's base fileset (depicted in the example as 'VLink2.3'), in which case it will clear the current list. In both cases, you will first be asked to confirm your choice, provided you have not changed your options.

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Import
This will import an existing fileset's links into the current fileset. Once you have selected a fileset to import, you will have the option to either append the new links to the end of your list, or overwrite your existing list.

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Export
Clicking this will export your current fileset to another location of your choice. In this way, you can copy an entire fileset or save a backup copy.

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QuickSwitch bar
This tab control provides a faster method of accessing filesets and the links they contain. As shown in the image at the top of this page, each fileset has a tab, named from the name of that fileset's directory. To access the links in a fileset without switching to it, right click on the relevant tab. If you right click on the tab of the currently active fileset, the fileset manager will be displayed. You can switch this bar on and off in the fileset manager options dialog.

Task/Event
These modes provide a way of automating some actions after an event has occurred, for example closing VLink after you have run a link. Only one task/event mode can be active at once. Turning on one mode after another will disable the previous mode. However, they can be linked with non task/event modes such as Open directory. You can have VLink remember which task/event mode was last in use after it closes in general options.

Run/Exit
This mode of Task/Event will exit VLink after a link (or multiple links) have been executed. This is most useful when running full screen software such as games from which you will not need to use VLink for some time, and you wish to give the maximum amount of available resources. It can be toggled on and off using F3. Note that if you use the Shutdown Windows on exit option, it may be wise to also use the 'Except on mode' option, otherwise Windows will be shutdown after VLink exits.

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Drop/Launch
This mode will run files that have just been dropped onto the main list from outside Windows (for example using drag and drop from Windows Explorer).

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Drop/Launch/Exit
This will do the same as Drop/Launch, but will exit VLink once the files have been launched.

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Run/Minimize
With this mode on, VLink will minimize itself after running a link.

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Drop/Launch/Minimize
This mode will launch the file that has just been dropped onto the main list, then minimize VLink.

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Sorting the main list
You can sort VLink's main list in a variety of ways, and have VLink remember and enforce a sort mode when new links are added, or existing links are edited etc. See general options for more on the configuration of VLink.

Link name
The list is sorted is ascending alphabetical order of link name.

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File name
Items on the main list are sorted in ascending alphabetical order of their file name.

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File path
The list is sorted is ascending alphabetical order of the file path associated with the link (that is, the full directory path, such as 'C:\myprograms\programfolder\').

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File type
Items on the main list are sorted in ascending alphabetical order of their file extension.

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Reverse
This can be used alongside any of the previous sorting methods, and will simply reverse the order.

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Windows
Shut down commands in Windows can be executed directly from VLink's menu or by using the relevant shortcut keys.

Shutdown
Exit Windows and prepare your computer to be switched off.

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Restart
Shut down Windows and then start it up again. VLink will no longer be running when Windows starts up.

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Log off
Sign off your account in Windows and exit to the Log in screen.

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