Customizing User Menu

The User Menu allows you to execute external programs or open documents. The User Menu is a list of individual commands ("items") that you define. Each item contains an item name and the command to execute. You can also specify an icon, additional arguments, the initial directory, and execution flags.

You can use additional arguments to specify command-line arguments that are passed to the application each time you start it. For example, you can use $(FullName) to pass the filenames of selected files (one User Menu command is executed for each selected file). See the List of Variables below for details.

To add a new command to the User Menu:

1. In the Options menu, select Configuration..., and then choose the User Menu dialog box.
2. In Menu Contents, select the last empty row.
3. Type the name of the new item.
4. Press the Enter key.
5. In the Command box, type the path and filename of the file you want to execute.
6. Choose the OK button.

Advanced Features

The User Menu supports utilities for comparing or merging files and directories. You can use special variables in the Arguments box (see the List of Variables below for details) to pass two files or two directories to the compare/merge utility. For example, enter "$(FileOrDirToCompareLeft)" "$(FileOrDirToCompareRight)" in the Arguments box to use the two full names of the two files or directories specified in the panels as arguments for the compare/merge utility (specify its .exe file in the Command box). See the following list to learn how to specify them directly in the panels for the compare/merge utility:

1. select both files or directories in one panel,
2. select first file or directory in left panel and then select second file or directory in right panel,
3. select first file or directory and then focus the second file or directory in one panel,
4. select first file or directory in left panel and then focus second file or directory in right panel (and vice versa),
5. if you have files or directories with the same name in both panels, focus first file or directory in one panel and second file or directory with the same name is taken from the opposite panel.

The list of selected files and directories can be used in command arguments in the User Menu. In this case, only one User Menu command is executed for all selected files and directories. See the $(ListOfSelectedNames) and $(ListOfSelectedFullNames) variables in the list below.

List of Variables

All variables are available from the context menus on the buttons on the right side of the Command, Arguments, and Initial directory boxes.

The User Menu command is executed for each selected file and directory or for the focused file or directory (if there is no selection). The file or directory for which the User Menu command is executed is called the current file or directory in the following table. Exception: if you use variables for compare/merge utilities or lists of selected files and directories, only one User Menu command is executed for all selected files and directories.

Command Line Length Limits

The maximum length of a command with arguments depends on the Windows version and on whether you are executing the command through the shell (see the Execute through shell check box in User Menu dialog box).

Maximum length of a command with arguments when executing through the system command shell (more precisely, by using a batch file):

Maximum length of a command with arguments when executing directly (not through the system command shell):

Remarks

When User Menu Bar is visible, you can add a new User Menu item through a drag & drop operation. Simply drag the application or document to the User Menu Bar.

See also

Using User Menu
User Menu dialog box
User Menu Bar