Windows 7 Gif Viewer Works perfectly

corgano · 12 Sep 2013

Working on adding multiple file types, and a more (or less) proper installer. Still keeping the one click install capability though. If we have it open multiple file types, is the Windows 7 Gif Viewer name appropriate or should we pick something more generic? (Like Windows Picture and Fax Viewer or Win XP Pic Viewer? We could append 'for Windows version' to the latter)

I'll look into that registry issue though. That's very odd :/ there must be a way

Edit: Look into autoit macros. @scriptdir&"/file" will always lead to file in the same dir as the script :P
I would avoid setting environment vars at all costs really, and especially without checking to see if it's set already. Slap the guy who made that

Jarmezrocks · 12 Sep 2013

corgano said:

Working on adding multiple file types, and a more (or less) proper installer. Still keeping the one click install capability though. If we have it open multiple file types, is the Windows 7 Gif Viewer name appropriate or should we pick somthing more generic? (Like Windows Picture and Fax Viewer or Win XP Pic Viewer? We could append 'for Windows version' to the latter)

I'll look into that registry issue though. That's very odd :/ there must be a way

Well my installer kinda does all of that already

It is pretty much a proper installer now as it stands. Everything works as it should, just those minor registry issues. You may see some things in my code that could do with some work so go for it if you can see a better way? :)
It is *sort of* based on your old code, but sort of not.
Have a look at it and try to install it for your self?

As for the name of this, I guess it should be up to the original developer to chime in here? I called it Windows 7 Gif viewer for myself because naturally that is what it is. It was designed to work on Windows 7 for that reason. Introducing any sort of Windows XP like naming may end up confusing people and it gaining less adoption by unknowing users maybe? And although it is based off the Windows XP scanning and fax viewer there is already a Windows 7 scanning and fax viewer (albeit its not installed by default and is hidden in 'Turn on Windows features') it no longer has any of the functionality of it's predecessor of which it was based in XP, and the naming of which at the time was rather ambiguous if you ask me....and well.......it is a Gif viewer only and aimed at Windows 7 users that soon discover that they lack this feature by default. I guess aiming higher for Windows 8 users should be considered, and maybe incorporated into the name, but I haven't gone as far as to test it on Windows 8? Given 8's stupidly built system not allowing for true administrator rights and a rather botched .Net installation, I wouldn't feel so certain about placing any sort of numeric digit around the number 8 until we could guarantee that a standard Windows 8 user can install this without issue???

I have commented notes into the code in places, keep in mind it was still a very rough throw together job. Some other thinks I noted also were once the installer detected any previous botched installs (which it does pretty well) and it removes it, the FileDelete and DirRemove functions only worked approximately half the time or sometimes less. FileDelete on the directory level removed the files inside the directory but not the directory it's self...which is not surprising, but DirRemove should delete the whole directory and it doesn't do sh!t? Occassionally I would do FileDelete then DirRemove and it would work....but not always, so good ol command prompt del /Q command always works a treat

That being said don't be at all surprised at my "hack" like code lol

I only do what has worked on my Windows 7 x64 ultimate machine.

grits · 12 Sep 2013

@corgano & Jarmezrocks, there are at 4 different threads pertaining to 'gif viewer, XP Pic Viewer, etc., & I guess I picked the wrong one to post my question to. I posted in "animated gifs and windows photo viewer" about 2 weeks ago. Could you possibly look at my question there & give me a reply, please?

Thank you.

corgano · 12 Sep 2013

[QUOTE=Jarmezrocks;2529997]

corgano said:

I have commented notes into the code in places, keep in mind it was still a very rough throw together job. Some other thinks I noted also were once the installer detected any previous botched installs (which it does pretty well) and it removes it, the FileDelete and DirRemove functions only worked approximately half the time or sometimes less. FileDelete on the directory level removed the files inside the directory but not the directory it's self...which is not surprising, but DirRemove should delete the whole directory and it doesn't do sh!t? Occassionally I would do FileDelete then DirRemove and it would work....but not always, so good ol command prompt del /Q command always works a treat

That being said don't be at all surprised at my "hack" like code lol

I only do what has worked on my Windows 7 x64 ultimate machine.

I've looked at your code, and am basically writing a gui for it, cleaning code, and moving things like cleaning old installs, uninstalling, installing, etc to their own functions.

As for the name, users will be able to install it for multiple file types. This means they could have it only open .png and .jpg files, and I fear with a title like "Windows 7 Gif viewer" would appear silly if it doesn't open gifs
A lot of the people using this are people who also used XP, and considering that "Windows (XP's) Picture and Fax Viewer" is what it is it feels a little dishonest to call it anything else. Mind that, the name is a little long an ambiguous. maybe something like "Windows Picture and Gif Viewer" Is more appropriate? (similar wording to original, includes keyword Gif, doesn't imply Gif-exclusivity)

You can take a look at what I work out and see if you like it. I'll upload later today

EDIT: forgot why i quoted that bit. Looking at the autoit forum, filedelete and dirremove are designed not to delete files with the system attribute, as a sort of safety mesure. I've updated the code to account for this, so hopefully we won't need the dos bits. I'm working on some of the code at work, and some at home... so I can't update git quite yet. Check your Gmail

grits said:

@corgano & Jarmezrocks, there are at 4 different threads pertaining to 'gif viewer, XP Pic Viewer, etc., & I guess I picked the wrong one to post my question to. I posted in "animated gifs and windows photo viewer" about 2 weeks ago. Could you possibly look at my question there & give me a reply, please?

Thank you.

Not sure what you were taking about though to be honest

grits · 12 Sep 2013

I don't really understand all that you & Jarmezrocks are talking about but would guess that 'maybe' it might be what I need so will just wait 'til you're done with it. :)

Jarmezrocks · 15 Sep 2013

grits said:

I don't really understand all that you & Jarmezrocks are talking about but would guess that 'maybe' it might be what I need so will just wait 'til you're done with it. :)

No need to wait

Its complete!

As far as I can tell it is 100% working as it should.....for Windows 7 64Bit anyway. I am yet to test 32Bit?

Download Installer -> Windows_7_GifViewer.exe

Download Installer (no admin rights) ->Windows_7_GifViewerNo-UAC.exe

Source code (written also in AutoIT) -> Windows7GifViewer.au3

Jarmezrocks · 15 Sep 2013

Ok guys...those of you (if any) that were wanting this with out admin rights...hate to disappoint but thats going to be near impossible

I tested it tonight on my mum's computer and I totally forgot about the fact that even running in comparability mode triggers UAC rights, the fact that this requires Windows XP S3 compat mode to run on anything higher than XP means that not triggering UAC is out of the question.
You have to drop the warning level down to "do not warn at all" in order for it to run looking anything like a stock program. Bugger.
I guess its alright for those of us that run as a standard user (I am considering it - as inconvenient as what it seems it IS much safer) *could* potentially run UAC off but I am not sure if that will trigger password input every time you open a gif? that would be a right royal pain in the a#*%.

corgano, what new features did you want to add? :) maybe there is still some work to be done. But it effectively does what I want it to to and that is install anywhere I want and assign the correct context menu icons and correct file icon association, so I am happy.
Check out my code man! haha holy crap I had to hack around that a fair bit. Maybe I am just not up to speed with when comes to apostrophes and quote marks??

.....you will understand how confusing it was when you see the code LOL. Kinda taught me a lot this exercise, and I figured out where I had gone wrong with some other projects that I abandoned that I now might like to revive again :-D Peace

grits · 15 Sep 2013

So you're saying to "not" use the 2nd link in post #96?
Sorry I didn't reply sooner, also had a reply from corgano in the other thread. Too bad these 2 threads can't be combined.
My 2 cents on name: Windows 7 Gif & Pic Viewer.

Hormp · 16 Sep 2013

When I navigate through images in a folder this program does it by alphabetical order rather than what I've got my image folder set to... which is "date modified". This one thing pretty much makes the program useless IMO. I'm curious as to why it's doing it too since I remember Windows XP navigating through images just fine with date modified as the folder type.

Also, it was a bit fiddly to make registry files to associate this program with .jpg and .png.

If it's possible to correct those two issues I'd be a happy clam and this program would be a godsend.

eqagunn · 19 Sep 2013

Jarmezrocks and corgano, thank you so much for this. I have been looking for a way to get Windows Picture and Fax Viewer since I started to use Vista and realized I can't view GIF files the normal way anymore. I'm on Windows 8.1 now and I still want it!

I totally support the name "Windows (XP's) Picture and Fax Viewer", but since it's too long, the best would be "Picture and Fax Viewer". It can't be any better than that, because as you said, that is exactly what it is. Also, I hate "Windows 7 Gif Viewer" because this is for Vista/7/8, and it supports other file formats beside GIF.

As for making it UAC independent, it doesn't affect me because I always have it off. But having in mind others don't, this sure should be implemented if you manage to find a way to do so.

EDIT:
I have installed it and it works great. One thing I noticed, in Open With menu, it's being called Photo Gallery Viewer and it doesn't have a proper icon.