f4cio/ensoplus

Purpose and entry points

EnsoPlus is a Windows .NET alternative to the Enso command launcher: it collects commands and user work items, accepts keyboard-driven input, presents suggestions, and executes selected actions. The primary executable entry point is EnsoPlus/Program.cs; its main application surface is EnsoPlus/FormMain.cs. The solution is CraftSynth.EnsoPlus.sln.

Launcher composition and command contract

The core model separates command execution from command data. Provider contracts and command entities are defined in EnsoPlus/Entities/ICommandsProvider.cs, EnsoPlus/Entities/Command.cs, and EnsoPlus/Entities/MergedCommand.cs. Extension-facing contracts in EnsoPlus/Entities/Extension/IEnsoExtension.cs and EnsoPlus/ExtensionPlus.cs establish a boundary for adding launcher behavior without embedding it in the UI.

Command-provider execution layer

Feature-specific command providers implement launcher actions, including files, processes, web search, clipboard, macros, backups, calls, and database connection opening. Central coordination is likely EnsoPlus/CommandsProviders/CommandsManager/CommandsManager.cs; representative providers are EnsoPlus/CommandsProviders/Opener/Opener.cs and EnsoPlus/CommandsProviders/WebSearcher/WebSearcher.cs. Input resolution produces a command/action choice, then delegates execution to the relevant provider rather than directly to WinForms.

Work-item acquisition and persistence boundary

Work-item providers supply searchable user/domain data—shortcuts, bookmarks, contacts, macros, clipboard contents, process information, and command history—using IWorkItem entities. The provider side is rooted at EnsoPlus/WorkItemsProviders/Shortcuts/Shortcuts.cs, EnsoPlus/WorkItemsProviders/CommandsHistory/CommandsHistory.cs, and EnsoPlus/WorkItemsProviders/Clipboard/ClipboardText.cs; data types live under EnsoPlus/Entities/WorkItems/. This isolates discovery/storage concerns from command syntax and execution.

Input, selection, and suggestions flow

Keyboard and selection listeners capture context from the Windows desktop, then feed the launcher/suggestion workflow. Important stages are EnsoPlus/SelectionListener/SelectionListener.cs, EnsoPlus/HandlerForSelection.cs, and EnsoPlus/SuggestionsCache.cs. The corner-launcher subsystem provides keyboard listening, suggestion processing, and its own form: EnsoPlus/CornerLauncher/KeysListener.cs, EnsoPlus/CornerLauncher/SuggestionsProcessor.cs, and EnsoPlus/CornerLauncher/FormCornerLauncher.cs.

UI overlays and shared controls

The system is a classic Windows Forms desktop application, using overlay-like forms for launcher, menus, parameter entry, on-screen display, and notifications. Reusable UI projects include ControlParameterInput/ParameterInput.cs, ControlMenu/ControlMenu.cs, and ControlOSD/OSD.cs. Message display is handled separately through EnsoPlus/MessageHandler/MessageHandler.cs and EnsoPlus/MessageHandler/FormMessageHandler.cs.

Windows integration and companion processes

The repository depends on Windows APIs and desktop facilities: clipboard, registry, filesystem, process management, keyboard simulation, global user activity, and shortcut handling. Shared generated building blocks expose these boundaries in CraftSynth.BuildingBlocks.Generated/CraftSynth.BuildingBlocks.WindowsNT.UserActivityHook.cs, CraftSynth.BuildingBlocks.Generated/CraftSynth.BuildingBlocks.IO.Clipboard.cs, and CraftSynth.BuildingBlocks.Generated/CraftSynth.BuildingBlocks.IO.Registry.cs. Companion executables provide lifecycle/activity/shortcut support: EnsoPlus.Guard/Program.cs, EnsoPlus.UserActivityBroadcaster/Program.cs, and EnsoPlus.LnkFileReader/Program.cs. External integrations include DotRas for dial-up/RAS behavior and bundled 7-Zip at EnsoPlus/Tools/7-zip/7z.exe.