Another of My Favorite Things: Quick Cliq

There are a number of application launchers I've tried, but the freeware product Quick Cliq from Apathy Softworks is one that I'm using on a regular basis. (In particular, I'm using the 64-bit beta version available on the download page.)

Quick Cliq is a multi-faceted tool, more of a Swiss knife utility. It provides extra functionality, including clipboard functionality (turned off), windows functionality (e.g., toggle to and from the desktop), and memos (including the ability to encrypt/decrypt them).  I've embedded a Youtube video at the bottom of the post which provides a broader exploration of the application, and there is online documentation at the Apathy Softworks website describing all functionality in more detail.

This post is intended to provide a working example of how I've implemented use of the product as an application launcher. In the above image, the items "Search" through the "Browser" menu were custom-added; the "Windows" menu through the bottom of the window are standard/toggled features. The colors, font, background, and other characteristics were custom-configured via the "Add/Change" option (which also provides access to software settings, hotkey configurations, and the like). I access the menu through a default Windowskey-Z combination (the software also puts an icon in the system tray).

I have a shortlist of frequently accessed custom executables or files at the beginning of my menu. "Search" is my name for Voidtool's wonderful freeware search utility, Everything. Q-Dir is the exceptional freeware quad explorer. The next two commonly accessed files are launched in filetype default programs. (My text file default is Notepad++.)

I then created 5 custom folders: web (frequently accessed bookmarks), folders (including my portable program, synced data and startup directories), system (Windows update, program management, computer management, system services, msconfig (e.g., disable autorun for subsequent system reboot), and my backup application), utility (download tools, local website capture, security software, media burning, file viewers, editing tools, and console/command windows), and various web browsers.

Each custom item or folder is created through the Add/Change option. The first image below shows the result of adding a new item (note the leftmost item in the icon bar). There is a drop-down menu in the shortcut window bar that allows you to specify special items, like a folder menu. A folder menu (see second image) allows you not only to select an item within a folder but to open the folder itself in an explorer window (e.g., so I can add a new program shortcut to run at startup).

You may also enter multi-line commands (say, a housekeeping script) by toggling an icon at the right end of the shortcut window bar (not pictured). The following lines illustrate how this can be used:

cmd /k "copy c:\users\myuser\dropbox\ron.txt c:\users\myuser\dropbox\ron2.txt"
calc
cmd /c "move c:\users\myuser\dropbox\ron2.txt c:\users\myuser\programs\ron4.txt"
write "c:\users\myuser\programs\ron4.txt"

NB: VERY IMPORTANT: After entering your single/multi-line shortcut, make sure you click on the SAVE (floppy disk) icon in the shortcut menu.

This concludes my brief working example introduction to Quick Cliq. My intent is not to provide a comprehensive introduction but a minimalist approach, as John M. Carroll described in the Nurnberg Funnel. The general idea is to give computer users enough context and practical guidance so they are able to do something practical with software within a short period of time.

Adding a New Item Type via Add/Change

An Example of the Folder Menu Feature

One of My Favorite Things: Qliner Quotes 2007

I love quotes and have been collecting my favorite quotes for years in a text file with each self-contained one-line quote in the format quote - author. I have used this custom quote file with a Windows-compatible signature quote merge software product to attach fresh Quote of the Day signatures to my personal emails. How well have my email quotes been received? I've actually had email recipients write back solely to comment on the particular quote in my email signature; in one case, a tech recruiter even requested a copy of my entire quote file after our extensive conversation (which unfortunately didn't work out)...

Example of My Email QOTD Signature

--

I thank you for reading and wish you a blessed day!
Ronald A. Guillemette, h (999) 999-9999, myemail@gmail.com

Quote of the Day

Pray that you will never have to bear all that you are able to endure.
Jewish saying

What is Qliner Quotes?

I have used one particular Windows freeware (no-cost license) program, Qliner Quotes, for years. Qliner Quotes comes prepackaged with a handful of quote text files. In particular, I currently use a 2007 version of Qliner Quotes, available from download from a number of freeware websites (for example, do a search on "Qliner Quotes 2007" download). 

Qliner Quotes is designed to select a random quote from any configured combination of text files located in a files subdirectory off the parent Quotes directory (in Windows 7, C:\Program Files (x86)\QLiner\Quotes\files). Qliner "knows" when you have added your own or external text files to the files subdirectory: the new files will be included under software picklists of quote files (see below menu). You can also select a nondefault quote text file in creating a new signature.

For purposes of this discussion, I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit, and my principal offline email client is Mozilla Thunderbird. I have configured Thunderbird to integrate with various external email accounts (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and others). The software installation is straightforward; click to complete: you should see a blue Q icon appear in your system tray (as shown in the below embedded video from a different source). Integration with my desktop or email client is a post-installation task.

Configuration of Qliner Quotes

I normally move a copy of Ron.txt in the above-specified Quotes file subdirectory. (I keep my master Ron.txt in my dropbox account, and I use another freeware program, Notepad++, as my default text editor for adding or editing quotes.) I then go to the Choose Quotes data file and toggle off any default selections of preinstalled quote files and toggle on Ron.txt after starting up the software (which is an autorun program). I then go to the automatic change interview and select the smallest interval. (I also go to the Change Settings menu and toggle off any automatic change for program updates.)

I maintain signature boilerplates through the Change Signature item. You will see a picklist of any relevant default signatures on the left side. (To delete a signature, select the desired file and File/Remove from the menu bar.) Just below the menu bar is a line with links for a "new signature", a quote insert link (for the boilerplate), and the target text file (in my case, Ron.txt).

Configuration of a New Signature. When you click on "new signature", a new item in the picklist appears, called "a new signature".  The "new signature" comes with a boilerplate title and <insert quote> macro. (If the insert macro is overwritten by mistake, it can be reinserted via the link bar.) The text edit window provides a rich source of edit tools to change boilerplate text, insert objects, apply color (just select the macro and apply a color, for instance), font, character size, etc. (In particular, I had earlier downloaded and installed a Windows-compatible freeware Old English font for my quote header "Quote of the Day". See above example.)

You then double-click on the signature (or save it) to give the signature a new name (in my case, "RAGQUOTE") and/or designate a non-default target location for for relevant signature files (if desired): in my case I browse for my dropbox directory where RAGQUOTE files (txt, rtf, htm) files are stored. (The default directory is the Windows user APPDATA\Roaming\Quotes\Signatures folder.)

Configuration of My Desktop Client. For my Thunderbird client, I select the account general front tab ("Account Settings"), don't enter anything in the signature box, but click on the "attach" box and browse for my dropbox htm file. I then click on the Composition and Addressing tab for the account and select (under "Automatically quote") "start my reply above the quote" and (place my signature) select "below my reply (above the quote)".

Configuration with My External Email. Gmail has a signature option under the Settings. The signature type (plain or rich text) is actually controlled from the relevant toggle switch at the end of the format bar in the compose email window. You can configure the signature plate (without a macro) using the limited font selections within Gmail (or launch the singature htm file into the browser and do a copy/paste inside the signature text box, e.g., my Old English QOTD boilerplate and/or my far more extensive installed Windows fonts, all available through the Qliner Quotes text editor). My approach is to leave a few blank lines at the bottom of the signature text box (with the target text color set at the time of adding the lines); then when I start a new email, I use the Add Quote to Clipboard option by right-clicking on the Qliner icon and then paste the quote into the blank text lines.

Alternatively, you can waive using the Gmail signature, simply add a (refreshed) browser tab page aimed at your desktop signature quote htm file, and do a copy all/paste at the end of your new Gmail emails.

You could also simulate a multiple Gmail signature capability by using the canned responses Gmail lab feature and adapting the approach I specified above (i.e., copy/paste the current quote from the Qliner icon).

Why Qliner Quotes 2007 
vs. Current Qliner Quotes Software?

You can download the new/current Qliner Quotes here; note that the installation expects you to set up, if you don't have one already, a new QuotesFreak account. The current Qliner Quotes is meant to integrate one or more public/private tag quote collections with insert functionality of Windowskey-Q in Windows applications, including Gmail, my principal email vendor. In my use of the newer software, I have found certain variances of functionality: for example,  I normally use Gmail in rich text/html mode (vs. plain text), and Windowskey-Q only seems to work in plain text. Second, the default Qsignature files consist of only the quote and does not appear to be configurable.

Assuming acceptability of plain text quote insert functionality, is the new Qliner Quotes of potential interest? Yes. You can subscribe to other tags in addition to your own private or public quote compilation tag and use Windowskey-Q as an integrated copy/paste operation, functionally similar to what I described above in inserting the Quotes 2007 random quote from the clipboard using Gmail signatures or canned responses.

An Alternative Approach to Gmail Signature: 
Wisestamp / Quotes Daddy

Gmail's rich-text compatible signature is a relatively recent feature; I have used a Chrome extension Wisestamp for similar purposes. (Wisestamp has other signature options as well.) Wisestamp recently announced a partnership with Quotes Daddy, a competitor to QuotesFreak. (I believe that QuotesFreak has a different approach, through your favorites which can be saved from preexisting quotes or added by you (one at a time). I don't believe you have the function of importing your quotes compilations directly into Quotes Daddy favorites.

Video Demonstrating Use of Qliner Quotes 2007

The following embedded Youtube instructional video by edwinronaldjongsma is available at initial post date; Youtube videos are subject to removal at a future date by the author or due to any relevant violations of Youtube policies.



Sources of Quotes

The following web link list reference many of the sources I've accessed in building my own quotes file compilation; it is meant to serve as a starting point for others building their own favorites compilation. (You can also do a webcrawler search on "quote of the day" or related query.) I also collect quotes from a  number of popular email subscription services or websites (e.g., Beliefnet).

Many of these services provide periodically-published emails/archives, RSS feeds, twitter, or widgets. The more comprehensive sources allow you to build your own favorite quotes page or upload your own quotes file; a few enable you to access quotes by tags (e.g., author or theme) or search by keyword or other criteria. Website links are available at initial post date; they may change or become unavailable at future dates.

Brainy Quote
Dictionary of Quotes
Founder's Quote Daily (patriotic/American Founders' quotes)
Positive Quote of the Day
Qliner QuoteFreak (upload private quote collection text file to a tag)
QOTD
Quote Snack
Quotes Daddy (Wisestamp users can access Quotes Daddy favorites page)
Quotations Book
Quotations Page
Thinkexist
Wikiquotes: authors, literary works, films, TV shows, themes (courage, love,...), miscellaneous (epitaphs, proverbs,...)