WHAT DOES IT DO?

It provides a quick and easy way to launch your favourite programs or groups of programs. It also provides a quick and easy way to run control panel applet and programs that requires switches or runtime parameters

HOW TO USE:

If you have minimised Quick Links, you will notice an icon in Window's system tray area. Click on the tray icon to open Quick Links' main window. Or you can right click the Quick Links icon in the system tray and select 'Show' from the menu. Here you highlight the icon of the program you wish to launch or the directory you want opened and the click the 'Run' button. You may also select/change the Tabs by using shortcuts keys. F9 is for or Group 1, F10 for Group 2, F11 for Group 3 and F12 for Group 4 or using the keyboard arrows keys (<--- or --->). Then hit F2 to run the selected program.

File Menu

In the File menu you will find the following options (and their shortcut key) listed. These options are identical the context menu provided for the 'Selected Link' area of the programs main page. 

• Run F2)
• Clear (F3)
• Add (F4)
• Change (F5)
• Delete (F6)
• Add File (F7)
• Add Directory (F8)

 Further options which are self explanatory are also provided. 

• Run All In Group (Alt + F2)
• Delete All in Group (Alt + F3)
• Exit (Alt + X)

Groups Menu

In the Groups menu, you will find options for selecting various Tabs, Groups 1 - 4 and their corresponding shortcut keys, which are F9 - F12 respectively.

Here you will also find the options to hide Tabs of particular Groups, for example hide Groups 2 - 4. Using the shortcut keys of Alt + 2, Alt +3 and Alt + 4 respectively will also achieve the same result. Selecting any of these options will dictate which Tabs are visible or accessible from Quick Links' main screen.

Tip: Hiding any of the Tabs will not remove the links you have created in that Group. The links created in that Group will reappear when the Tab/Group is revealed once again.

Options for renaming the Tab(s) are also located in this menu.

Options Menu

The items under this menu include: 

• Show Group TABS
• Start with Windows
• Start Minimised
• Minimise on Run (also selectable by the check box in the main program screen)
• Keep Window on Top

You can personalise Quick Links further by selecting the colour of the logo displayed in the main program screen. You can choose between Red, Black, Chrome or Grey.

The final options in this menu are the Backup and Restore. These options backup or restore all the settings. Quick Links will backup all options that have been set by the user in addition to the links that have been created. You can transfer the settings between users or PCs. For example, you may backup all your settings which can be later restored in the event of reinstalling Windows or buying a new PC etc.  

SETUP:

Upon starting Quick Links you will be presented with the main program screen. By default you will be presented with three Tabs left of the program screen and empty program/directory link box.

Step 1

It is probably best to name your Tabs first as this will assist you in organising your programs or directories in groups that reflect your preference. By default these are named 'Group 1' through to 'Group 4'. To do this highlight the Tab you wish to rename go to the 'Groups' Menu and select the appropriate 'Rename Group' option. The Tab name will then change to your chosen name. Repeat this process for all the Tabs you wish to rename.

Step 2

As a result of in-built flexibility, Quick Links provides various methods to link to files and/or directories.

Method 1. To create a link to a program select the 'File' button in the upper right portion of the 'Selected Link' area (under Quick Links title) and you will be presented with a search box where you will search for the program (.exe file) you wish to create the quick link to. After selecting the appropriate program (.exe) select 'open'. A icon of the linked program will now be presented in the 'list box' area on the left hand side of Quick Links. Repeat this process for all the programs you wish to link to. Each successive linked program icon will be displayed in this area listed alphabetically. See figure.

Method 2. You may also select multiple (.exe) files at once if they are within the same directory using the 'File' button where all will be added at the same time. For example, selecting TED, TEDS and TrecX will provide a Quick Link for each.

Method 3. You can also drag-and-drop single or multiple files into the Quick Links window which will add them.

Method 4. Right click menu. Right clicking in an empty area of the Quick Links 'list' box area (where the icons are displayed) will provide you with an further method of creating a Quick Link.

Tip: You can add runtime switches to the path, for example, C:\TEDS\TED.exe -NoGrabber. You may also add links to items that would normally be accessed from the Windows Start/Run box - like control.exe timedate.cpl for the Time/Date control panel applet, or regsvr32  HHActiveX.dll or nslookup toppytools.com or ping toppytools.com.

Step 3

If you wish to link to a directory on your harddrive the process is identical except, click on the 'DIR' (rather than 'File') button to commence the linking process.

Tip: You may wish to organise your Tabs which reflect Program related links and Directory related links.

RELEASE NOTES:

Version 2.2
- Now uses 90% less memory.
 
Version 2.1
- Changed to only allow one instance of Quick Links to run.
- Changed error messages from "Copy error to clipboard?" to "Email error to support?".
 
Version 2.0.2
- Minor bug fixes.
 
Version 2.0.1
- Minor bug fixes.
 
Version 2.0
- Merged installation into ToppyTools Suite installer.
- Added ToppyTools Updater support.
- Added multiple tabs.
 
Version 1.0
- Not released.

KNOWN BUGS:

- If you resize the window quickly you'll get an error.
- Sometimes, if maximised, when minimising it doesn't minimise to the tray.

FUTURE PLANS:

- Fix known bugs.
- Add ability to set specified links to launch together.

INSTALLATION:

ToppyTools Suite will keep itself updated. Though you can still download, unzip and run the latest ToppyTools Suite installer.

Before the installation is finished you will get the chance to associate TFD firmware files and/or STD settings backup files with Firmware Tool. Selecting to associate will enable you double-click on any tfd or std file (or selected files) to send it/them to Firmware Tool. You'll also be able to right-click on tfd firmware files and/or std settings backup files and select "upload" instead of navigating to the "Send To" sub menu.

UPGRADING:

ToppyTools Suite will keep itself updated. Though you can still download, unzip and run the latest ToppyTools Suite installer.


UNINSTALLING:

Run the uninstaller from either the link in the ToppyTools folder in "All Programs" on the "Start Menu" or from the "ToppyTools" folder in the "Program Files" directory (usually C:\Program Files"). You can also uninstall ToppyTools Suite from Window's "Add and Remove Programs" in the "Control Panel".

COMPATIBILITY:

Quick Links works on any PC running Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP/2003.
 

LICENSING:

Shareware. See the included License.txt for further licensing details. By using this software you are agreeing to the licensing terms outlined in the included License.txt. Also see license documents included with any bundled 3rd-party utilities or applications.