How I think bSingleWindow should behave

[gladely]

The registry setting bSingleWindow is too internal focused.  Its focused on the cloning of windows and clicking of items in scrap panes, but us real single-instance junkies dont want a single instance from within x2, we want a single instance on the desktop.  A single instance from the perspective of every other application on the desktop, too.

The behavior of this key is pretty much backwards from what I'd use it for.  Hot keys, shortcuts, replacing windows explorer, *anything* that asks x2 to start up should behave the same way as the bSingleWindow reg key is described.  (This is the same use case thats described in the price-hike thread, where a single hot key (mapped to a shortcut) results in focusing of the current window.)

If bSingleWindow worked to limit the number of x2 windows on the desktop, then the cloning behavior should be the normal cloning behavior where it DOES spawn a new window and doesn't open a "clone" in the same window (how is that a clone, anyway?)

I vote for a third and fourth setting in this key, where a value of 3 opens the target folder in the current focused tab in the last viewed window and a value of 4 opens the target folder in a new tab in the last viewed window.

Thanks for even considering my rantings

[nikos]

if you need clones you can always use the /P command line argument
let's not make things more complicated than they already are!

[gladely]

I dont think the use case is complicated.

I double click a shortcut, I get a new window.
I double click the same shortcut, the previous window focuses.

I press the hotkey associated with the shortcut, the previous window focuses.

[fgagnon]

nikos,
I know it's not the way it has been, and it would require more work to achieve the requested bahaviour; but I agree with gladely on this topic.
(even though I have become used to having to close the unnecessary extra new windows when I start a new x2 having lost track of the instance I already had open -- more times tan I can count. )

[narayan]

First of all, x2 itself can have multiple tabs in both panes; so I can't imagine when a separate instance would be required unless for running x2 in two different languages as described in the User manual (See "Tips for non-English users" topic)

But assuming that this is a fairly regular requirement, I like the idea: it gives the control at the user's findgertips.

[nikos]

the shortcut you start x2 has as much relevance (programmatically) as which finger you use to double click

some things seem simple but they aren't
i don't consider this feature worth the effort it requires
more pressing priorities!

[fgagnon]

I understand priorities.

But that doesn't make the suggestion any less a good idea.  

It does seem to come up as a request fairly regularly;
and even though I have learned to live with the way things are, I see value in the suggestion.

Please put it on the list of future items to work out eventually.

[fgagnon]

In a parallel thread, Demetris has posted an external (AutoIt) script that claims to solve this issue.
I plan to try it when I get the time.

P.S. - I did. It works fine.