So many people have contributed so much…. To help others…  

 

so here is my own small contribution:

   (worth a visit also to  www.EccoTools.com ) 

 

Getting ECCO to launch modern file names automatically  (ie. that have spaces in them,  eg.  'This is a file.txt')

 

 

I don't know how or why…. But magically ECCO (the latest version, 4.01)  allows you to double click on any file name… and instantly open/run that file.

 

It is something similar to… an apparently linked with the automatic double click to open HTTP feature.

 

Interestingly,  the url opening feature works via the category "Net Location"  which comes with the auto-assign rule "http:#"  (which takes all  item text with http:…  into the Net Location  category for that item.)

 

Then… the launch menu function "Launch Internet"  is turned on whenever there is a value in Net Location…  so a double click activates the contents of Net Location….

 

Which is all clear to me (at least)… and makes sense why it works…

 

 

But strangely,  and I don't know how or why that is so….   If you double click on FILE NAMES   ECCO will run that file or if linked in Windows to another program… ECCO will open that file with that program.   Cool!

 

 

But…   the file name cannot have any spaces in the name…  which kills the operation for modern file names…..

 

 

And then after much work in trying to use external file opening programs for ECCO,   I discovered….  If you simply go to TOOLS > LAUNCH > MANAGE LAUNCH MENU  and you edit the Launch Internet definition and….  Just add "'s before and after the launch string… like this:

 

 

Then… like magic….   ECCO opens/runs filenames even if they have spaces in them….

 

Although I'm not sure why!!

 

File names are *NOT* put in the Net Location category.

 

My guess is that the "Launch Current Item"  feature… uses the 'command'  defined by the Launch Internet  definition….  *and*  has some kind of auto-assign trigger based on a valid file name ???

 

 

Finally,   note that to get file names into ECCO for using this very cool link feature…. You DO NOT use drag and drop!!   You simply copy the full file name from windows explorer (using maybe a neat tool from ShellTools  or a free tool like NinoTech's PathCopy or EccoMagic's drag and drop 'cute yellow icon') to copy the full path and file name… and them simply Paste it into ECCO  (anywhere as an item… and instantly  double click to open it).

 

 

To explain to me anything I've missed  email to EXPLAIN2ME  -at sign-  ECCO.EMPOWERS.US

 

 

Please…. if you are a novice user and you try this …. And it doesn't work….   Please don't write me about it.   Check and make sure you've got the latest ECCO version  (free download from NetManage… last time I looked).   Make sure you've changed the Launch Internet definition as above.   And if all that doesn't work… sorry.    If you are an expert… and you understand more than I do and want to fill me in,  then… please let me know.

 

 

One afterthought:  Ecco wants to use anything in parenthesis () as the directory location for the item launched… so… (1) DON'T USE FILE NAMES WITH PARENS  [although if you manually copy the file name into the Net Location category it will then open on a double click!]   and (2) You can… if for some reason you want to…. Put the path of the file in parenthesis   following a file name … and it works great.   eg  This file name.txt  (C:\this path\) .