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seriously need an apps launcher

S

Sandy Santra

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 1, 2008
350
73
Brooklyn
Hey, gang, I need an apps launcher! I have over 100 apps in my Dock, so I need some program that will allow me to set up a different hot-key combination for each and every of a dozen or so apps.

I've tried everything tonight: Quicksilver, GSB, Butler, and a bunch of other really crappy designed overpriced software. I've gone the Automator route, too, of setting up a service for each shortcut I need; but then they don't work. (And now I can't even get rid of the service entries; the "-" deletion button is greyed out!)

Really, I just need some SIMPLE app with TWO columns: (1) name of app, (2) short-cut key. So that say I can assign Control-Command-T to launch Things. And I need this app to launch on boot and run in the background.

Can anyone help out? I can't believe my Mac is so wonderful and yet I can't find something SO simple to help me keyboard-if-fy my launching of apps. Hunting and pecking for them in my mile-long dock is insane.

Any help you can give me will make me eternally grateful. I've been up 4 hours trying to find something decent for Snow Leopard, and there seems to be nothing.

Thanks!
 
You've tried just launching things from Spotlight, right?
 

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I seriously doubt you regularly launch 100 different apps. There's no need to keep them all on your Dock. The idea is to keep the most frequently used apps on the Dock, not every one you have installed. You're making it FAR more difficult than it needs to be.
 
GGJstudios said:
I seriously doubt you regularly launch 100 different apps. There's no need to keep them all on your Dock. The idea is to keep the most frequently used apps on the Dock, not every one you have installed. You're making it FAR more difficult than it needs to be.
Click to expand...
i hear windows has a pretty good app launcher (i.e. start menu). :rolleyes:

never thought of this before though, and have never come across one :(
 
BetterTouchTool

There's a program called Better Touch Tools and it lets you set gestures and keyboard shortcuts to launch applications.
 
http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html

I know this isn't exactly what you're asking for, but this app is amazing. Set a keyboard shortcut to open it (I use CTRL + space) and then start typing the name of an app, when it comes up, hit enter and it'll launch. You can also do a bunch of other stuff with it like do a google search by typing 'goo' and then the search criteria, you can use it to launch a bookmarked webpage or recently visited link. It's brilliant and I highly recommend it.

As some others have said already, why do you have everything in your dock? I have about five apps pinned to the dock and the rest are in my applications folder.
 
I also think LaunchBar is amazing. I rarely ever use my Dock. LaunchBar is not just a great app launcher, but can do so much more. I'd definitely recommend downloading the trial and see what you think.
 
Quicksilver (its more than an app launcher but its good) and Alfred.

I personally use quicksilver.
 
Sandy Santra said:
Really, I just need some SIMPLE app with TWO columns: (1) name of app, (2) short-cut key. So that say I can assign Control-Command-T to launch Things. And I need this app to launch on boot and run in the background.
Click to expand...

Quicksilver does this, but it's not as simple as the app you're describing. Quicksilver calls it triggers. How you do it is you open up the preferences thing, click on "Triggers" on the top of the window. Click on the + at the bottom of the window, and click "Hotkey" when it comes up. Start typing the name of your app, and when it comes up, press enter on your keyboard. You'll see a column thing, with your triggers on it. One column is called trigger. Double click it and then press the keyboard shortcut you want. You can change it and turn it on or off if you want to.

Hope this helps
 
I'm not after GUI. I'm after complete keyboard control. After that, of course, world domination.

But right now, a launcher with fully assignable keyboard shortcuts linked to specific apps—even a mere 20—will do.

I thank you for your recommendations so far and pray that you will continue helping me tilt toward windmills.
 
Have you tried Keyboard Maestro? Maybe that is more what you are looking for. I personally don't use it, but I know many love it. John Gruber was just singing its praises recently.
 
juliainor said:
Have you tried Keyboard Maestro? Maybe that is more what you are looking for. I personally don't use it, but I know many love it. John Gruber was just singing its praises recently.
Click to expand...

I am surprised, "The Dragthing" hasn't been mentioned yet!

This software is all, you make it to!

It has a GUI, designed, as you want it, where you want it.
It can be a complete substitute to the Apple Dock.
It runs in the back ground.
It runs from startup.
It has never crashed on me, since I bought a license in 2008.

It has strong support with forum and email support.

It allows, to assign shortcuts to any app, you drag into the dragthing.

It can be modified with countless layers of apps, can be organized after topics, etc.
It's UI can be modified with endless themes, designs, colors, opacity, animation behavior and whatnot.

I only use the Apple Dock as a task and status bar, to see, which app is running at the moment (left side) and which windows are minimized at the moment (right side).
I have all really important apps in the first layer (safari, mail, ical, etc), all photo editing apps in a second layer, all system related apps in a third one, all important folder links in another one, etc…

All icons work spring loaded, work on hitting the space bar and work exactly the same, as in the dock (drag files into an app icon opens this file with this app, right clock menus, etc…).

The Dragthing was indeed my most important 29 USD (I think), I spent for Mac.

I think, you can demo it as well.
 
What is so hard about launching the apps manually? Judging by your question, you are the person that can walk who opts for the drive through. Don't be lazy.
 
xi mezmerize ix said:
What is so hard about launching the apps manually? Judging by your question, you are the person that can walk who opts for the drive through. Don't be lazy.
Click to expand...

Seriously, xi, what is this? Are you trying to start a flame war?

I am not lazy. I get up at 4:00 a.m. every morning, I am (literally) the #1 legal IT help desk analyst in the United States, I teach meditation weekly, I keep a 1200 sq. loft in perfect order (requiring about 15 hours a week, time my GF doesn't have because of her 6 hour/day commute), I write papers that get published on the web, I am working toward presenting at TED, I am an award winning filmmaker, I have been a musician for almost 50 years and can improvise a perfect 5 minute piece on the piano every single time I sit down to play, I have lived through a father who both kidnapped me and then tried to kill me, I am just about the hardest worker I know, and YES, I have 100 items on my dock. To find one manually and launch takes 5-10 seconds. Using Apptivate, I can do it in 2 seconds. That's almost 1/5 the amount of time, a HUGE time savings. In case you haven't noticed, time is starting to be MUCH more valuable than money. The help that I've received in this thread has been invaluable.

If you still think I'm lazy, then flame away.

Moderators, I hope you're watching. This xi person has me seething. :mad:
 
...I once farted on the set of The Blue Lagoon....

No but seriously, I have my most used apps in the Dock and use spotlight for anything else I need. I also have my Apps folder in the dock in case I can't think of the name of the app off the top of my head.
 
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