Customizing SlickRun

You can customize SlickRun using the SETUP command. You can execute the SETUP command as follows:

Type SETUP in the command bar, or
Right-click the command bar, and choose Setup from the menu

The Customize SlickRun dialog box will appear. If you'd like, you can resize it to better fit your screen.

Along the top of the dialog, you will see four tabs:

Library
Appearance
Options
What's New

Keyboard Tip: You can hit CTRL+TAB to cycle between tabs on tabbed-dialogs like this one.

Setup | MagicWords

The Library tab displays and allows you to edit your Library of MagicWords (command aliases).

Click the Edit button or double-click on a MagicWord to see the MagicWord Editor. Click New MagicWord to add a new MagicWord.

Import and Export are advanced features, described below.

Setup | Appearance

The Appearance tab allows you to change the visual look of SlickRun.

Using the Font... button, you can select the font used by the Command Bar. The Command bar will grow or shrink to fit the font you choose.

Using the Opacity controls, you can control the transparency of SlickRun. There are separate settings for the active state and the idle state.

Check the GHOST checkbox to make SlickRun's background transparent when inactive.

Use the Show Date and Time dropdowns to set your preferred date/time format.

Choosing Colors

Select the color of each element in SlickRun using the Colors list. Simply select the element, then click on the bar at the bottom of the list to choose the color from a list. Or, if you'd like to match a SlickRun element's color to another color on your screen, simply drag and drop the Color Dropper from the bottom of the box to the color on your screen.

Setup | Options

The Options tab allows you to configure how SlickRun acts.

Place a checkmark beside "Start at Windows Startup" if you want SlickRun to start with Windows.

Place a checkmark "Lock Size and Position" to prevent SlickRun from being moved using the mouse.

Place a checkmark beside "AutoHide SlickRun" to force SlickRun to hide when not in active use.

Place a checkmark beside "Show Icon when hidden" to show an icon when so hidden, like so:

Place a checkmark beside "Chase cursor" to have SlickRun jump to your current mouse cursor when you activate it. This is useful for multi-monitor systems when you have a huge desktop.

Place a checkmark beside "Stay on top of all windows" to control whether SlickRun forces itself to be topmost.

Place a checkmark next to "Allow Alt-Tab to SlickRun" to allow SlickRun to appear in the Alt+Tab list.

The Clear History button will cause SlickRun to immediately forget the list of commands you've executed.

The AutoComplete box allows you to disable SlickRun autocomplete suggestions. History represents commands you've typed. MagicWords is your list of MagicWords. Intrinsics are commands that SlickRun understands, like SETUP, HELP, JOT, etc. FileSystem represents the names of files on your system. Note that this list is sorted in the same order that suggestions are offered; the order is non-configurable.

Systemwide Hotkey

Whenever you hit the key-combination specified in the Systemwide Hotkey box, the Command Bar will be activated. By default, the hotkey is Windows + Q.

Configuring Sounds

The button will allow you to edit the sounds which SlickRun plays. Click the button to view the Windows Control Panel.

In the box labeled Program Events, you'll find the list of sounds SlickRun uses. You can set these sounds to any .WAV file you like, or to (none) to silence the event.

Setup | What's New

The What's New tab indicates which version of SlickRun you are running. The Check for Updates link will direct your web browser to information on the latest version of SlickRun.

Setup | MagicWord Editor

The MagicWord Editor allows you to create or edit a MagicWord.

Creating a new MagicWord

There are four ways to create a new shortcut:

Type ADD in the Command Window

Choose "New MagicWord" from the Command Bar's popup menu

Click the button on the MagicWord tab

Drag a file from your desktop, start menu, or system folders and drop it on the Command Bar

Using the AppPainter feature

Perhaps there's a program you often use, but you don't recall where on your disk it lives. From the MagicWord Editor, simply drag-and-drop the AppPainter onto the main window of the target program. The Filename box will fill-in automatically.

Enter information in the following fields (* required):

MagicWord* The MagicWord field allows you to name the current command.
Generally, you should choose easy-to-remember MagicWord names. Don't worry about using long names, because SlickRun's autocompletion means you'll never have to type more than a few characters.
You are permitted to create a MagicWord which has the same name as another. When executed, all MagicWords with that name will run.
Note: See the Red or Green box around the word? When RED it means that an overlap exists for the characters typed thus far. When GREEN, it means that the current MagicWord is distinctive and not a prefix of an existing Magicword.
Names containing spaces are not permitted.

You can include a comma-delimited set of Aliases in the MagicWord box (e.g. SHOP,AMAZON) to create multiple aliases that point to a single command.

If you name similar commands with an embedded forward slash (e.g. DOCS/SLICKRUN and DOCS/MEZER) when type the command the tab key will jump to the slash, simplifying autocomplete.

Filename or URL* Input the filename, URL, or Folder Path you want this MagicWord to execute.
Samples:

https://google.com

calc.exe

C:\Windows\

Note: If you click on the Filename title link above the box, you can browse your file system and pick the file.

Start Mode If you'd like this program to open minimized or maximized, choose it here.

Parameters Enter any command-line parameters you'd like to pass to the Filename being executed.
Any instances of $I$ or $W$ will be replaced with user input.

The user will see the the following dialog:

If you used $I$, SlickRun will replace the $I$ with American Graffiti. If you used $W$ SlickRun will replace the $W$ with American%20Graffiti. Note: The latter format is what most web URLs expect.

Any instances of $C$ will be replaced with the text on the clipboard.

Startup Path Setting this field is generally not required. Some older programs require that the program be started within a particular folder (usually the folder where the program is located).

Notes Briefly describe the MagicWord so you and others know what this MagicWord does. If there are $W$ or $I$ prompts, this text will be used in the Dynamic Input dialog as a prompt.

Run As Setting this field is generally not required. The dropdown allows you to choose whether the program runs in the current user account (the default), or whether it should run "Elevated" (as Admin), or using a different Windows account.

The Test MagicWord button will execute the shortcut you've just created so you can verify that it works.

NOTE: Be sure to click the Save button after making any changes.

Setup | Import MagicWords

Using the Import MagicWords feature, you can easily add to your library a Shortcut Pack, a pre-built collection of MagicWords saved as a .QRS file.

To Import a MagicWord pack, you can either click the "Import" button on the MagicWord tab, or double click on any .QRS file in Windows.

Simply remove the checkmark from any MagicWord you're not interested in, then click the button.

Several MagicWord packs are available on the SlickRun home page.

You can also export your own MagicWord Pack and share it with others; read the next topic for details.

Setup | Export MagicWord

Using the Export MagicWords feature, you can easily share shortcuts from your library with others.

Simply place a checkmark beside the MagicWord you wish to share, then click the button.

Be warned-- if the other person does not have the files to which your MagicWords refer (for instance, you have a MagicWord to WinAmp and they do not have it installed) or they have installed them elsewhere, the shortcut will not work. MagicWords which refer to Internet URLs are generally the safest to share, because nearly everyone has a web browser.

Tip: If you only want to print your library for future reference, click Export Selected. In the Save as Type box on the Save As... dialog, choose HTML Listing (*.htm). Your MagicWord list will be saved in HTML format for easy reading.

Copyright ©2024 Bayden Systems. Last updated: May 7, 2024

MagicWord*	The MagicWord field allows you to name the current command. Generally, you should choose easy-to-remember MagicWord names. Don't worry about using long names, because SlickRun's autocompletion means you'll never have to type more than a few characters. You are permitted to create a MagicWord which has the same name as another. When executed, all MagicWords with that name will run. Note: See the Red or Green box around the word? When RED it means that an overlap exists for the characters typed thus far. When GREEN, it means that the current MagicWord is distinctive and not a prefix of an existing Magicword. Names containing spaces are not permitted. You can include a comma-delimited set of Aliases in the MagicWord box (e.g. SHOP,AMAZON) to create multiple aliases that point to a single command. If you name similar commands with an embedded forward slash (e.g. DOCS/SLICKRUN and DOCS/MEZER) when type the command the tab key will jump to the slash, simplifying autocomplete.
Filename or URL*	Input the filename, URL, or Folder Path you want this MagicWord to execute. Samples: https://google.com calc.exe C:\Windows\ Note: If you click on the Filename title link above the box, you can browse your file system and pick the file.
Start Mode	If you'd like this program to open minimized or maximized, choose it here.
Parameters	Enter any command-line parameters you'd like to pass to the Filename being executed. Any instances of $I$ or $W$ will be replaced with user input. The user will see the the following dialog: If you used $I$, SlickRun will replace the $I$ with American Graffiti. If you used $W$ SlickRun will replace the $W$ with American%20Graffiti. Note: The latter format is what most web URLs expect. Any instances of $C$ will be replaced with the text on the clipboard.
Startup Path	Setting this field is generally not required. Some older programs require that the program be started within a particular folder (usually the folder where the program is located).
Notes	Briefly describe the MagicWord so you and others know what this MagicWord does. If there are $W$ or $I$ prompts, this text will be used in the Dynamic Input dialog as a prompt.
Run As	Setting this field is generally not required. The dropdown allows you to choose whether the program runs in the current user account (the default), or whether it should run "Elevated" (as Admin), or using a different Windows account.