Alias Run Box (ARB) v4.0

Written by Alex Peters, 13/6/2005

What?

The Alias Run Box functions similarly to your standard Windows Run box, except that it also allows you to execute PowerPro commands (like PowerPro's command line) and to execute one-word aliases that you define, with parameters passable to these aliases.

Aliases may exist as labels within the ARB script and/or as external scripts matching a user-specified wildcard. For those not interested in backward compatibility with internal aliases a lighter, 'external-only' edition without that facility is included.

Requirements

This script uses features found only in PowerPro versions 4.1 and above.

Installation

Instructions vary depending on whether you are upgrading from a previous ARB version or performing a fresh install.

Upgrading from earlier versions

1. Open your existing ARB.PowerPro script (assuming that you haven't renamed the script) and copy all of your aliases into a new, temporary file; that is, every line following and including the first line that starts with an @ sign.

2. Replace your copy of ARB.PowerPro with the copy from this archive.

3. Add your own aliases to the bottom of the new copy.

4. Optionally modify the CACHE_PATH (formerly AliasCachePath) and HISTORY_PATH (formerly CmdHistoryPath) variables to point to your desired locations again if you initially changed them.

5. Extract the ARB_Aliases folder into your PowerPro Scripts folder. If you wish to rename it, ensure that you update the EXT_PREFIX variable in the script accordingly.

6. Remove any PowerPro configuration references to .ARB("Rebuild") or .ARB("Refresh") as this task is now performed automatically.

Fresh install

1. Extract ARB.PowerPro (or ARB_External.PowerPro if you don't want to define any aliases within the ARB script itself) into your PowerPro Scripts folder, e.g.:

   C:\Program Files\PowerPro\Scripts\ARB.PowerPro
   

2. Optionally rename the script if you wish. If you choose to extract the 'external-only' edition, you may want to rename it to simply ARB.PowerPro.

3. Optionally modify the HISTORY_PATH variable to point to your desired location. The file referenced by this path will hold the command history.

4. If you extracted the 'hybrid' version of ARB (which also supports alias definitions internal to the script itself), optionally modify the CACHE_PATH variable to point to your desired location. The file referenced by this path will hold internal alias cache data.

5. Extract the ARB_Aliases folder into your PowerPro Scripts folder. If you wish to rename it, ensure that you update the EXT_PREFIX variable in the script accordingly.

Invoking

Set up a hotkey or bar button to execute the following command, assuming that you have named the script ARB.PowerPro:

.ARB

This will open ARB's input box.

Usage

Invoke ARB's input box in the way that you have programmed (e.g. hotkey, bar button, mouse click, etc.).

• Enter the location of a program, folder, document or Internet resource to have that item opened.

• Enter a PowerPro command to have it executed.

• Enter the name of an alias that you have defined and optionally follow it with a space and parameters to execute this alias. After entering a few letters, any potential matches will appear beneath the text field. Pressing Tab will alternate through these choices.

You can create more complex aliases in the ARB_Aliases folder of your PowerPro Scripts folder. Aliases can accept arguments via arg(1). Refer to the existing alias definitions in this folder for a better idea of how new ones are written.

The 'hybrid' version of ARB may also contain 'internal' aliases, found by opening the script in a text editor and moving to the bottom of the file. An internal alias is defined by preceding its name with an @ sign, and then every PowerPro command that follows it will be executed until a Quit instruction is reached. Examples of internal aliases are not provided as use of external aliases is more highly recommended.

Support

Questions and comments regarding this script can be posted to the PowerPro Yahoo! Group:

• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/power-pro/

Bug reports and feature requests can be submitted on GitHub, where the code for this script is hosted:

• https://github.com/Lx/powerpro-ARB/issues

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Ravi, Sean and Luciano Espirito Santo for coming up with the original idea and implementations.

Version history

v4.0 (13/6/2005)

• Externally defined aliases are supported; see the EXT_PREFIX variable in the script.
• New internal aliases are automatically recognised, making the use of .ARB("Rebuild") and .ARB("Refresh") unnecessary.
• The ARB box's initial value defaults to its last used command string, removing the need for a DefaultCmd configuration variable.
• Aliases ARB_Add, ARB_Remove and ARB_Edit are no longer provided; using external aliases is now preferred.
• All other previously internal aliases are now provided as external ones.

v3.2 (10/10/2004)

• The ARB_Add, ARB_Remove and Eval aliases no longer require Standard Configuration to be enforced in order to work properly
• The DefaultCmd variable has been introduced near the top of the script to aid customising the default entry in ARB's input box
• The ARB_Rebuild and ARB_Edit aliases now execute without error
• The Eval alias will now output to a message box if invoked with Shift+Enter

v3.1 (5/10/2004)

• The script no longer conforms to Standard Configuration and should now function without modification on any PowerPro v4.1 configuration (currently with exception to the ARB_Add, ARB_Remove and Eval aliases, which require Standard Configuration for the moment)
• ARB_Add now adds a commented separator to newly created aliases
• ARB now accepts any parameter besides "Rebuild" to load the alias cache and command history into memory

v3.0 (22/5/2004)

• Script:
  • Modified to conform to standard configuration
  • Renamed included Add, Rebuild, Remove and Edit aliases to ARB_Add, ARB_Rebuild, ARB_Remove and ARB_Edit respectively, as per David Troesch's request
  • Renamed included Acronym alias to Acro for ease of typing
  • Added G, Go and Eval aliases -- comments on their usage are included within their definitions
• Documentation:
  • Added revised plugin information to Requirements section

v2.0 (8/5/2004)

• Script:
  • Complete rewrite
  • Added Remove alias, as per David Troesch's request
  • Global variables are no longer created or modified
  • ARB now responds to "Rebuild" as a parameter instead of "Refresh" -- this is intended to cause less confusion as to what is performed

###v1.1 (6/5/2004)

• Script:
  • Added Add alias, as per David Troesch's request
• Documentation:
  • Added Upgrading section

v1.0 (6/5/2004)

• Initial release