If you follow me on twitter then you probably know that I like Anime. If you don't follow me, you should, then to let you know. I like Anime.  Recently, a friend in #alt.net channel on freenode.  Was helping me with a script to do some specific renaming to strip out extra crap from anime I download.

Anyway, I have a network share on my anime folder so I can access it from anywhere on my network and watch.  Well last night without thinking I just opened up PowerShell CD'd to the network share and ran the script, since I have full control set on the share.  After the shows were renamed I closed it and went about finishing Bamboo Blade.

Later I realized I browsed a network share in PowerShell.  That is SOOOOO freaking cool that you can do that.  Here is an image proving it:

Basically, I am starting in my "My Documents" folder on my computer and CD'ing to the remote computer and it works.  Then I do a pwd for the path, and viola it works.

This is cool to me and might allow some cool scripts to be run for copying local files to remote servers with a simple click.

When I get the script a little more refined I'll go ahead and post it up with a blog post.

Here is a silverlight video of it in action. 

[silverlight:PowerShell_BrowseNetworkShare.wmv]

For a long time I have been against launchers like Launchy not because I thought they were bad, but because I thought they were useless.  Anyway I decided on day that I would give it a shot.  After figuring out how to use it and using it for a couple of months now I can honestly say.  I like it.  I also miss it when I am on another computer without it.  It has become and main part of how I use the computer without me realizing it.  When I had to redo my computer I didn't have Launchy installed and constantly kept hitting the buttons to use it.  I also realized how much time I save using it.  It is definitely a tool that increases productivity.

So, since I was wrong and I admit it I will do a walk through on setting it up and configuring it for you to use.  Please, download the app and give it a shot it really is a good product.  Best of all it is free.

Install Steps (most are just visual with my config options please read what is typed)

Visit http://www.launchy.net

 

When going to download area you will be forwarded to SourceForge to finish the download.

 

Next is the Install it is just a typical next next next install please these are the screens for it.

 

Now we are done so lets configure and use it.

 

Configure

I am just going to show a couple of screenshots and am going to explain basically what they are and what to do.  I'll let you explore the rest.

At this point Launchy should be running.  To use launch all you need to do is:

ALT + SPACE

That will bring up something like this: (could be different as there are different skins)

At this point just right click with your mouse and choose options.

A new window should appear and looking like this:

Basically to configure this to launch you applications in the directories area you need to add all the directories you have have applications you want to use.  I personally do:

• C:\Program Files\
• C:\Documents and Settings\Buddy\My Documents\Programs
• C:\Windows\System32\

Once you are done with that you should go back and on each direcotry you have chosen go to the left and choose file types you want to launch in each.  I usually chose for each.

• *.exe
• *.lnk
• *.pdf

Once you have those done hit the Rescan Catalog button and it will scan all the folders and sub-folders making an index of you applications to launch.  After that just hit ok and you are good to start using Launchy.

Once you get done go ahead and to ALT + SPACE and start typing the application name.  It should look like.

 

If you decide to download and install it please leave a comment with what you think.