Context Menu

All operations over True Launch Bar are done through the context menu. The context menu can be opened by right-clicking on any button or any other object. The majority of menu items change settings just for the object you right-clicked on. Please keep in mind that context menus may significantly differ for different objects, depending on the menu template selected in the context menu settings. Right-clicking on an item while holding the SHIFT key pressed will open the default context menu that contains all available commands regardless to current template settings.

This figure displays an exemplary grouping of menu items by action object:

1. So-called “Shell Menu” is the regular menu, which you see when you right-click on a file or folder in Windows Explorer. The items of this menu apply to the button you right-clicked on. The action is performed on the system level; i.e. selecting “Delete” will actually delete the file or folder from disk. Please use this group of items carefully. You can cut the number of menu items in this group by disabling the “Show full shell menu” option on the “Context menu” tab in the settings dialog. This way, the shell menu items from “Send To” down will not be displayed, although all other important items will remain on the menu.
2. Button Menu – this group contains the menu items that depend on the button type (shortcut, menu, plugin, etc.) For plugins, this group contains the plugin management menu; for shortcuts, it has the “Find target” item, which opens Windows Explorer with the target file (the shortcut is referring to) selected.
3. Common – common menu items applicable to the entire menu, in which the context menu was open, or to the toolbar or True Launch Bar general settings.
4. Common for buttons – common operations for all buttons within a toolbar or menu. These commands are applicable to the selected button and allow changing the button appearance, renaming or deleting it, and so on.

Let’s take a closer look at all the menu items (commands):

• Run All – runs all visible shortcuts within the menu. This operation is available for menus only.
• Open – opens Windows Explorer with the selected folder. This command is available for menus only.
• TLB Settings... – opens the True Launch Bar settings window.
• Switch toolbar – submenu with a list of predefined toolbars. If you select a toolbar on the list, True Launch Bar will switch the toolbar content to the new folder. Read more on creating new toolbars in article Toolbars
• Lock buttons – locks buttons on a toolbar and / or menu. The lock action depends on the settings (Button locking). It may lock buttons either on the entire toolbar and all of its menus or just on the active menu or toolbar.
• New – opens a submenu with the list of objects that can be added to the toolbar or menu. Once created, the new object will be inserted before the button you right-clicked on. If the context menu was opened for a blank spot on the menu or toolbar, the new object will be added to the end of that menu or toolbar. The “New” item’s main submenu contains the list of available plugins that can be added to True Launch Bar. However, a number menu items on the “New” submenu are independent of the available plugins:
  • Menu – creates new menu.
  • Separator – creates new separator.
  • Title – creates new separator with text.
  • Shortcut – opens Windows standard shortcut creation dialog.
  • More plugins... – opens the download page on our website with more plugins.
• Arrange Icons By – a submenu with the list of available arrangement modes. Read more on arranging buttons in article Arranging. The “Auto arrange” menu enables the automatic arranging, when all the new files / objects will be arranged automatically, according to the rule selected on the menu.
• View – this submenu allows changing the view of a menu (View Modes), size and appearance of menu icons, and set the number of columns to appear in the menu. There is also the “Show Text” command on this menu, which enables showing text labels for buttons on the toolbar.
• Refresh – refreshes the content of active menu or toolbar.
• Show hidden – submenu with the list of hidden items. You can select “Show All Hidden” to enable showing all hidden buttons or select the individual buttons you want to show. This command does not appear if the toolbar does not contain hidden items.
• Customize Menu... – opens the menu settings dialog (Customizing Menu).
• Appearance – submenu with the list of commands for changing the button appearance:
  • Change Icon – opens a dialog window for selecting a new icon for the button (read more in article Editing icons.)
  • Reset Icon – resets selected icon to default.
  • Change Description – changes the tip text for a selected button (read more in article Editing popup tips text.)
  • Set Image – sets an icon for the selected button. There must be an image for all three states of the icon (read more in article Using custom button appearance.)
  • Text Color – changes button text and color.
  • Default Button – resets button icon and tip to default.
  • Text Label – enables displaying text label for the button at all times.
  • Icon – enables displaying icon for the button at all times.
  • Icon and Text – enables displaying icon and text label at all times.
  • Enable Tip – enables showing tips for the button.
  • Move Right – moves all buttons from the active one and on to the right side of the toolbar.
  • Button Properties – opens the dialog window for fine adjustment of all parameters for a button or group of buttons on the menu or toolbar (read more in article Customizing buttons appearance).
• Related – a submenu for opening links related to the selected button. To manage related links, click “Manage Related...” (read more in article Related Links)
• Hotkey... – opens the dialog for setting a keyboard shortcut to open the selected button / menu instantly.
• Hide – hides button. When a button is hidden, it will not appear on the menu or toolbar. At the same time, its files are not physically removed from disk.
• Delete – physically removes the button and file or folder attached to it from disk. Deleting an existing virtual folder button will not physically delete the folder attached to that button. However, if you delete something within that virtual folder – that will physically delete the files and folders from disk. True Launch Bar places the deleted files to Recycle Bin, so you can restore deleted files later.
• Rename – renames selected button. Opens the dialog window where you can enter the new item name. Depending on the settings (see the “Do not change file type at rename” option), you can change either the file name or both the name and the extension.
• Protect – enables password-protecting the actions performed over a button. You can password-protect the launch of a program, editing the button settings, deleting, and so on. On an attempt to perform a protected action, True Launch Bar will prompt for the password (see Password-protecting buttons).
• Open in Explorer – Opens Windows Explorer with the folder that contains the file related to the button and selects that file.
• Properties – opens the standard properties window for the file related to the button. For plugins, this command opens the plugin settings window.