Quickly adding and organizing programs to My Programs

GenesisFactor · 2006-06-30, 02:56

I don't know if this has been discussed, but when i searched for it earlier, i didn't find it except in the Manual, which i probably should have read first :lol: . Its my fourth post, sue me. No really, please don't. Anyways, my Tip:

Known to work if...

version 0.2 RC4
MP is not on always on top

1) Create a new folder whereever you desire. This will be your defualt directory. I put mine in the media portal directory and called it "Programs". I will call this main folder Programs from here on out.

2) Create a new folder in Programs. Name it whatever you deem fit. This subfolder will be your first organizing folder. Mine was Microsoft Office. Can you guess what programs go in there?

3) Go to the folder that holds the .exe file of your desired program. For me, it was "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11".

4) This is where this tip gets handy. If you have multiple exe.s in the same folder that you want to copy, you just highlight them all at the same time (using the ctrl key for indiviual additions, the shift for a group, as you normally would) and then right click and copy

5) Go to the subfolder [Microsoft Office] and right click. In the alternative menu, there ill be an option called "Paste Shortcuts". Click it. Go on, you can do it, click it. It will paste a shortcut of the .exes that you just cppied.

6) Rename the shortcut to something better than "Shortcut to ...." That's just annoying to read. Mine were Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook.

7) This concludes making the sub folder. Repeat the creation of a subfolder as much as you wish. To go tip 8 when you're done, but it doesn't matter because due to the nature of this set up, MP will AUTOMATICALLY add in the subfolders as you add them

8 ) Open Media Portal Configuration by your favorite means (F2, open MP then go to Options>Confurations..., opening it in explorer)

9) Go into plugins and right click My Programs. In the Alternate Menu, you'll see Configuration. Click it.

10) You'll see "myPrograms" in a text box. Highlight it and and click, on the toolbar, "Add Child". A drop down iwll open. Select Directory-Browse (around here, if you're good, you'll see where this is going)

11) Title the New Item "Programs" or whatever you wish. To me, Programs made the most sense. Other people may have better sense. Whatever sense you may have, it is important to title it FIRST before configuring it because, atleast on my computer, it seems to reset the settings to the last saved setting.

12) On the start up directory line, either enter in the path to the Programs folder manually or click the folder icon and browse to it.

13) In file extensions, type in ".lnk". Shortcuts have that extension. Things like Image Directories and what not, i still haven't figured out myself, so you can play with that.

14) X out the box, click okay in the Configuration Window, and start/restart MP.

15) Navigate to yrou My Progrmas, just to see if it worked. What you will see, and i can't help this, is another button that says Programs. Click that and you'll get your orgranized folders. In each organized folder, it will have the shortcuts listed with the names you gave it. Opening them will open the program. if it does that, you're golden at this point. No messing configurating for each path, or folder, just add and replace at whim. Enjoy!

8) #4

CHACAL · 2006-08-31, 18:00

wow, fantastic. This could be the best feature yet. I can truely replace my desktop environment with MP.

Thank you for the perfect instructions. I doubt i could ever have figured it out like you have described. I also could not find the type of explanation i was looking for.

You could make a small addition to step 13 though. Like how program/file/folder shortcuts have a .lnk extension, i found that if I add .url to the file extensions field, and perhaps create a "Favourites" folder in my default Programs folder, I can add all my Favourite web sites.

Although, thinking out loud, i could probably repeat your steps about, create a new child and reference my existing favourites folder, with .url in the extensions field... no need to copy whats already there.

Thanks again, i'm glad you took the time to explain how to make this work.

2006-06-30, 02:56	#1 (permalink)
GenesisFactor Portal Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Quickly adding and organizing programs to My Programs I don't know if this has been discussed, but when i searched for it earlier, i didn't find it except in the Manual, which i probably should have read first :lol: . Its my fourth post, sue me. No really, please don't. Anyways, my Tip: Known to work if... version 0.2 RC4 MP is not on always on top 1) Create a new folder whereever you desire. This will be your defualt directory. I put mine in the media portal directory and called it "Programs". I will call this main folder Programs from here on out. 2) Create a new folder in Programs. Name it whatever you deem fit. This subfolder will be your first organizing folder. Mine was Microsoft Office. Can you guess what programs go in there? 3) Go to the folder that holds the .exe file of your desired program. For me, it was "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11". 4) This is where this tip gets handy. If you have multiple exe.s in the same folder that you want to copy, you just highlight them all at the same time (using the ctrl key for indiviual additions, the shift for a group, as you normally would) and then right click and copy 5) Go to the subfolder [Microsoft Office] and right click. In the alternative menu, there ill be an option called "Paste Shortcuts". Click it. Go on, you can do it, click it. It will paste a shortcut of the .exes that you just cppied. 6) Rename the shortcut to something better than "Shortcut to ...." That's just annoying to read. Mine were Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook. 7) This concludes making the sub folder. Repeat the creation of a subfolder as much as you wish. To go tip 8 when you're done, but it doesn't matter because due to the nature of this set up, MP will AUTOMATICALLY add in the subfolders as you add them 8 ) Open Media Portal Configuration by your favorite means (F2, open MP then go to Options>Confurations..., opening it in explorer) 9) Go into plugins and right click My Programs. In the Alternate Menu, you'll see Configuration. Click it. 10) You'll see "myPrograms" in a text box. Highlight it and and click, on the toolbar, "Add Child". A drop down iwll open. Select Directory-Browse (around here, if you're good, you'll see where this is going) 11) Title the New Item "Programs" or whatever you wish. To me, Programs made the most sense. Other people may have better sense. Whatever sense you may have, it is important to title it FIRST before configuring it because, atleast on my computer, it seems to reset the settings to the last saved setting. 12) On the start up directory line, either enter in the path to the Programs folder manually or click the folder icon and browse to it. 13) In file extensions, type in ".lnk". Shortcuts have that extension. Things like Image Directories and what not, i still haven't figured out myself, so you can play with that. 14) X out the box, click okay in the Configuration Window, and start/restart MP. 15) Navigate to yrou My Progrmas, just to see if it worked. What you will see, and i can't help this, is another button that says Programs. Click that and you'll get your orgranized folders. In each organized folder, it will have the shortcuts listed with the names you gave it. Opening them will open the program. if it does that, you're golden at this point. No messing configurating for each path, or folder, just add and replace at whim. Enjoy! 8) #4 __________________ MP Version: 0.2 RC4 Skin: MCE Computer: ThinkPad R51 Windows Version: XP Pro SP2 CPU Type: 1.5ghz P M Centrino Chipset. Memory: 1.25Gb PC-2700 Video Card: Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME TV Card: Avermedia UltraTV USB 300

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2006-08-31, 18:00	#2 (permalink)
CHACAL Portal Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Melbourne Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	wow, fantastic. This could be the best feature yet. I can truely replace my desktop environment with MP. Thank you for the perfect instructions. I doubt i could ever have figured it out like you have described. I also could not find the type of explanation i was looking for. You could make a small addition to step 13 though. Like how program/file/folder shortcuts have a .lnk extension, i found that if I add .url to the file extensions field, and perhaps create a "Favourites" folder in my default Programs folder, I can add all my Favourite web sites. Although, thinking out loud, i could probably repeat your steps about, create a new child and reference my existing favourites folder, with .url in the extensions field... no need to copy whats already there. Thanks again, i'm glad you took the time to explain how to make this work.