DonationCoder.com Software > Post New Requests Here

bigger screen area than monitor size - with quick scroll features

(1/13) > >>

nudone:
(i know of a util that is similar to what i'm about to describe but it doesn't have the same features. i can't remember the name of it at the moment.)

the general idea for this util is that it would make your desktop/screen larger than the physical output you see on your monitor.

so, if you have a monitor set to 800 x 600 resolution, the actual screen that the operating system is generating could be 1024 x 768 - you simply only see an 800 x 600 section of the larger output at any one time. as i said, i know there are utils that do this already.

the feature i'm suggesting is that the underlying larger screen would be 'draggable' in a similar way to how graphic editing software works with images that are zoomed in.

typically, graphic editing programs allow you to drag the image around the screen via a convenient key toggle. you simply hold down the 'spacebar' and then move the mouse cursor at the same time - this then moves the image in the same direction as the cursor.


what i'd like to be able to do is have a large working area that extends beyond the boundaries of my monitor. i could then arrange my open programs that i'm working with on this large working area - so that nothing overlaps - and then 'drag' the large area around when i needed to view a specific program.

you may suggest i use virtual desktops instead. i've tried but i never quite seem to get on with them. i think that having a large screen i could quickly drag or nudge back and forth would be more intuitive to use. it would require other features like 'reset to center' and 'jump to top' to make it practical but the 'draggable' idea is the important part - as it would be something instantly accessible.

to avoid conflicting with graphic editing programs that also use draggable operation the new util would have to work with certain conditions, maybe only drag if the cursor is over an empty desktop area.

i suspect that this would not be such a simple util to create because of the need to control the graphics card output.

perhaps there is something already out there that does this - any thoughts?

jgpaiva:
This is definitelly a great idea, and i'd love to try it out.

I think it goes a bit against the concept of windows' explorer, probably it'd have to be a whole shell rather than an app to run on explorer.

I know there are quite a few "3d desktops" out there, this'd probably be similar.

nudone:
i'm very pleased you are interested in the concept, jgpaiva.

perhaps it is not as advanced as you think. i know i've seen larger desktop area type things built into ati radeon drivers/utils (i think it was them but it was a few years ago when i saw it).

there is also a util that allows you to extend you desktop down below the visible screen area - you then have a scroll bar on the right of the screen to move down the tall screen that is available. (i know it has been mentioned on the forum somewhere.) if i remember correctly i think it does work in a smooth scrolling way as you'd expect - it just doesn't have any of the 'draggable' features i mentioned.

so, what i'm trying to say it that as the util above seems to work without really changing anything like shells then perhaps it is not that complicated to achieve. admittedly it only scrolls up and down and i can't remember if it scrolls the desktop icons, so perhaps it is a bad example.

i will try to find the util i'm talking about.

edit:
the util is called 'WinScroll' mentioned in this thread https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=11798.0

nolonger seems available to download.

nudone:
i've found the winscroll util in my collection so i've uploaded it if anyone would like to try.

WinScroll Ver 5.6.9 by Tomoaki Nakashima.

jgpaiva:
Ok, just gave it a go, and... I don't quite like it, it isn't really "fuild".

It did give me an idea, though.
I was thinking about moving the whole desktop, but we could only move the windows itself like winscroll does. Thus, it'd make this get in the reach of an ahk script :) I'm sensing it'd be potentially destructible too, though (think loosing windows offscreen).

I'll give it a go, i should have something to play with in a few hours ;)

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page