Tools

A tool in PhoA is an user-defined (and user-configurable) command. Tools introduce the following features:

They may be of various kinds.
They are applicable to files matching the specified masks.
They are displayed in menus; in which exactly depends on tool usage flags set.
They are available only when there are pictures selected.
They have a name and a hint (except separator item). The name is used as a menu item caption while the hint is displayed in the status bar when you select that item.

Tool kinds

PhoA currently supports the following tool kinds:

Separator item
Default action
Standard Open action
Standard Edit action
Standard Print action
Custom action

Separator item

A separator is a static horizontal divider in the menu.

Default action

Executes an action associated with the file the tool is applied to by default.

Standard Open action

Executes open action associated with the file the tool is applied to.

Standard Edit action

Executes edit action associated with the file the tool is applied to.

Standard Print action

Executes print action associated with the file the tool is applied to.

NB: You can configure the default action and standard actions by Folder options dialog accessible from Windows Explorer Tools menu (File types tab).

Custom action

You specify the application and its parameters using Tool properties dialog by yourself.

A tool is only accessible (and visible, as with separator item) when all the selected pictures match its masks - if even a single file doesn't, the tool becomes hidden. This behaviour allows to configure tools to process only the files of particular type.

You can learn about file mask rules here.

NB: An empty mask (a mask containing no characters) matches any file.

Tool usages

PhoA tools can be displayed in a number of menus. You configure by yourself where exactly tool action item appears:

In Tools menu: the item is displayed in Tools submenu of main menu.
In Picture Groups popup menu: the command appears in group tree context menu, which is accessible with right mouse click.
In Thumbnails Window popup menu: the command appears in thumbnail viewer context menu, which is accessible with right mouse click.
In View mode popup menu: the tool appears in context menu, which is accessible with right mouse click in View mode.

If Group Tree pane was active when you invoked a tool, the tool is applied to all pictures in the group. If Thumbnail Window was active, the tool is applied to selected pictures only.

The order of tool menu items is determined from their order in Tool editor list.