Mobility Site - View Single Post - Utility to Switch Apps via Hardware Button?

solara · 07-08-06, 12:54 PM

I ran the CAB for TaskSwitch+, and renamed AltTab.exe to TaskSwitch.exe and replaced the one from TaskSwitch+. Still can't figure out how to register a software manually though.

In any case, I like AltTab.exe over TaskSwitch+ - they both function the same essentially, but AltTab.exe is VGA-aware, whereas TaskSwitch+ is not and has double-pixelling (blurry). AltTab also has the option of going to the Today screen (TaskSwitch+ doesn't).

Both only switch between the two applications that were last used automatically unless you cycle through the program list in the pop-up window. With TAskSwitch+, you cycle through the list of programs by using the same button that you launched it (can't use D-Pad). With AltTab, you cycle through the list by using the D-Pad only - using the same button that launched it just escapes out. Would have been nice if AltTab gave you the option of using the same button or the D-Pad to cycle.

With PHM Keys, it installs one executable PHMKeys.exe and creates several shortcuts to do certain tasks (Close, Copy, Cut, Help, Lock, Next Track, TaskSwitch, etc.). PHM is VGA-aware and you can cycle through the list of programs using the same button that you used to launch it (no D-Pad). Instead of displaying all the currently opened programs at the same time in the pop-up box, it displays them one at a time as you cycle through them. Like the other two programs, it will automatically switch between the last two used programs only - you have to cycle through the list if you want to switch to another program. It doesn't have the option of switching to the Today screen.

TaskSwitch+ is about 16K, AltTab is 38K, and PHMKeys is 34K with an additional 1.6K in a shortcut folder. These shortcuts appear under the Button submenu, which you then assign to a key.

Overall, I liked both AltTab and PHMKeys (TaskSwitch+ was too ugly being non-VGA aware), but liked being able to see all the opened programs at once with AltTab. PHMKeys has the ability to do a lot more besides task switching though, but the timing required to cycle through the programs takes some getting used to (with both TaskSwitch+ and PHMKeys, you have to keep pressing the button in quick succession to cycle through the programs - once you stop or slow down for a millisecond, it switches to the selected program (quite annoying actually!) - with AltTab, once you use the D-Pad to cycle, the program doesn't close until you've selected the program).

07-08-06, 12:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
solara Aximsite All Star Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 702 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I ran the CAB for TaskSwitch+, and renamed AltTab.exe to TaskSwitch.exe and replaced the one from TaskSwitch+. Still can't figure out how to register a software manually though. In any case, I like AltTab.exe over TaskSwitch+ - they both function the same essentially, but AltTab.exe is VGA-aware, whereas TaskSwitch+ is not and has double-pixelling (blurry). AltTab also has the option of going to the Today screen (TaskSwitch+ doesn't). Both only switch between the two applications that were last used automatically unless you cycle through the program list in the pop-up window. With TAskSwitch+, you cycle through the list of programs by using the same button that you launched it (can't use D-Pad). With AltTab, you cycle through the list by using the D-Pad only - using the same button that launched it just escapes out. Would have been nice if AltTab gave you the option of using the same button or the D-Pad to cycle. With PHM Keys, it installs one executable PHMKeys.exe and creates several shortcuts to do certain tasks (Close, Copy, Cut, Help, Lock, Next Track, TaskSwitch, etc.). PHM is VGA-aware and you can cycle through the list of programs using the same button that you used to launch it (no D-Pad). Instead of displaying all the currently opened programs at the same time in the pop-up box, it displays them one at a time as you cycle through them. Like the other two programs, it will automatically switch between the last two used programs only - you have to cycle through the list if you want to switch to another program. It doesn't have the option of switching to the Today screen. TaskSwitch+ is about 16K, AltTab is 38K, and PHMKeys is 34K with an additional 1.6K in a shortcut folder. These shortcuts appear under the Button submenu, which you then assign to a key. Overall, I liked both AltTab and PHMKeys (TaskSwitch+ was too ugly being non-VGA aware), but liked being able to see all the opened programs at once with AltTab. PHMKeys has the ability to do a lot more besides task switching though, but the timing required to cycle through the programs takes some getting used to (with both TaskSwitch+ and PHMKeys, you have to keep pressing the button in quick succession to cycle through the programs - once you stop or slow down for a millisecond, it switches to the selected program (quite annoying actually!) - with AltTab, once you use the D-Pad to cycle, the program doesn't close until you've selected the program).