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Author Topic: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...  (Read 12976 times)

CodeTRUCKER

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My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« on: September 22, 2010, 04:48 PM »
My Windows Desktop (WDT) is a real mess and I have yet to figure out a way to manage it.  I wish there was some way to...
 
  • "stack" icon groups on the WDT wherever I want them
  • have it "flyout" when I pass over the "Stack" with my mouse
  • slide my mouse down the list to the desired app
  • click to open


If there's a better way, I'm open to suggestions.  I have trial-ed Total Commander, Directory Opus, and XYPlorer some years ago, but they didn't connect.  

TIA

mouser

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2010, 04:58 PM »
Use a "Launch Bar" instead of your desktop to arrange your programs and files, and turn off your desktop icons completely (or at least delete 99% of them); that's what many of us do: https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=18759.0

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2010, 05:06 PM »
Use a "Launch Bar" instead of your desktop to arrange your programs and files, and turn off your desktop icons completely (or at least delete 99% of them); that's what many of us do: https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=18759.0
Thanks, I'll give it a go and report back.

mouser

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2010, 05:26 PM »
there are lots of different "launch bar" / dock programs you can use for this -- mine is just one.

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2010, 06:11 PM »
there are lots of different "launch bar" / dock programs you can use for this -- mine is just one.
Yes, but technical support and access to the developer counts for a lot, as well as a thriving user forum.

app103

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2010, 08:05 PM »
Now you are beginning to understand my taskbar madness!  :D


MilesAhead

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2010, 08:11 PM »
In addition to launchers I like to use StandAlone Stack:
http://www.chrisnsof...com/standalonestack/

It's a freebie.  It's similar to 7Stacks but uses the Stacks library of RocketDock.  The utilities I use the most I have in stacks in the quick launch. Also works in 7 Superbar.  The nice thing compared to 7Stacks is it's easy to edit the stack to change settings.  Just Control-Left Click the mouse on the stack to pop up the program instead of the stack.

edit: As mouser implied, it's a relief to be desktop icon free.  I don't have to worry about a screen mode change hosing my icon set up.  If there was one thing that drove me nuts it was looking to see if AutoArrange was checked.  Now I don't care. :)
« Last Edit: September 22, 2010, 08:15 PM by MilesAhead »

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2010, 11:40 PM »
Now you are beginning to understand my taskbar madness!  :D

Madness... what madness? :huh:

app103

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2010, 02:13 AM »
Now you are beginning to understand my taskbar madness!  :D

Madness... what madness? :huh:

Screenshot - 9_23_2010 , 3_11_56 AM.pngMy Windows Desktop is a shambles...

 8)

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2010, 02:46 AM »
<gulp>... Nice... uh, art gallery(?)... <looks at shoes>

MilesAhead

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2010, 11:29 AM »
@app, that's wild! Do you have some way to force categories per line or do you just have everything memorized?

rjbull

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2010, 02:31 PM »
app, how do you remember what all the icons are for?  I prefer names, or icon+name.  Maybe, being an artist, you're particularly visually-oriented, rather than text-oriented?

daddydave

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2010, 04:41 PM »
Code, you have got to give Fences a try. I just started using it and it is a nice fit for Windows 7, it's like one of those "programs that Microsoft forgot". There is a freeware version (which I am using) and a paid version.

(Note: I tried to find the OS requirements from the web site but failed.)

I recommend setting it so that it shows a translucent color background in each fence (forgot what the setting is called), otherwise it is hard to see where the edges are so that you can resize them. Plus it looks nicer.

I'm tempted to get the paid version, too, because it can automatically put files with specific extensions into a fence.

« Last Edit: September 23, 2010, 04:47 PM by daddydave »

app103

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2010, 05:34 PM »
@app, that's wild! Do you have some way to force categories per line or do you just have everything memorized?


If you create a folder of shortcuts, Windows allows you to open that on your taskbar as a toolbar. That's what I have done, and the shortcuts are very well organized.

app, how do you remember what all the icons are for?  I prefer names, or icon+name.  Maybe, being an artist, you're particularly visually-oriented, rather than text-oriented?

Do you recognize what running apps are all the icons sitting in your tray? What happens if you don't remember all the app names? Can you remember what some of them do, rather than their names? Do some of them always appear in the same position and you know it more by location than by name?

It's just like that for me, except more rows, which didn't happen overnight. No, I don't know what they are all called, but where they are gives me a hint as to purpose, and position on a row has some meaning, too. And I can always hover over an icon if I forget. Some of them, my hand knows more than my brain does.

If your very first Windows based PC was set up this way when you go it, with no desktop icons, and you were forced to use it this way, you'd get used to it and it would seem natural. Three generations of my family have their taskbar like this...my dad started it, then passed it on to myself and my daughter when he gave us one of his old computers (our first computer).

Even though I am used to it and it all makes sense to me, it's not all fun and games. I have a dual boot machine with Ubuntu and I do not feel comfortable in Linux because I haven't been able to find a way to duplicate this functionality in that OS. Whenever I want to do something, my hand instinctively goes for that big toolbar on the right, to the region where what I want to do belongs...and there is nothing there and no way to put it there...and I get frustrated and feel so lost.  :'(

MilesAhead

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #14 on: September 24, 2010, 01:00 PM »
If you create a folder of shortcuts, Windows allows you to open that on your taskbar as a toolbar. That's what I have done, and the shortcuts are very well organized.

I did that in the past, but I didn't like having to mouse into the menu.  Instead I moved the folder set into Documents to hide it, then dragged shortcuts to each folder onto RocketDock. The individual icons in your quick launch is spectacular though.  You are on XP? That's amazing. :)

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #15 on: September 24, 2010, 01:59 PM »
@App,
I have a curiosity about your taskbar.  I suspect by the way it appears, it is set on the right of your screen probably using the Auto-hide property.  I know it is a matter of personal taste, but given the scrollbars are on the right, I was curious how you decided on the right side?  Does it give you any advantage or was it just the whim of the day?

app103

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #16 on: September 24, 2010, 03:39 PM »
The individual icons in your quick launch is spectacular though.  You are on XP? That's amazing. :)

This is something that has been possible to do, since at least Win98. I don't have any screenshots of my taskbar from that OS, but I do have an old one from my 2nd pc from about 2002, which ran WinME:

icons02.jpgMy Windows Desktop is a shambles...

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I still keep drive icons at the top and games at the bottom. Even the positions of some of the icons haven't changed. Paintshop Pro and Animation Shop are still the first 2 shortcuts on the Art row.

I have a curiosity about your taskbar.  I suspect by the way it appears, it is set on the right of your screen probably using the Auto-hide property.

Yes. Since it is fully extended, there would be no other way to do it without losing half the available desktop space.

I know it is a matter of personal taste, but given the scrollbars are on the right, I was curious how you decided on the right side?  Does it give you any advantage or was it just the whim of the day?


It was the whim of my father and by his explanation, he felt it was more mentally ergonomic to have the start button on the right side, if you were right handed.

At one point, I even toyed with 2 massive toolbars, one on each side.  :D

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #17 on: September 24, 2010, 08:31 PM »
...
It was the whim of my father and by his explanation, he felt it was more mentally ergonomic to have the start button on the right side, if you were right handed.
...

Kudos to your dexterity with the mouse!  I tried a right-side taskbar, but drove myself crazy every time I went for a scrollbar.

superboyac

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #18 on: September 24, 2010, 08:53 PM »
there are lots of different "launch bar" / dock programs you can use for this -- mine is just one.
I'm a software-aholic.  I've tried a lot of launchers.  Mouser's LBC is the best.  Between that and FARR, I have no need for desktop icons.  I have zero icons on my desktop.  I can launch any program faster than you can even finish minimizing a window.

SKA

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #19 on: September 24, 2010, 10:48 PM »
superboyac
Most grateful if you can detail your setups for LBC and FARR - thanks

SKA

superboyac

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #20 on: September 24, 2010, 10:55 PM »
superboyac
Most grateful if you can detail your setups for LBC and FARR - thanks

SKA
No problem.  You can see a picture of my LBC setup in the link mouser gave above, but I'll post it again:
https://www.donation....msg172248#msg172248


As for FARR, I really just use whatever default setup comes with it.  I think the only thing I may change is the skin.  You can find my review for it here:
http://aram.dcmember...tware/findrun-robot/

It's all about the fastest and easiest way to launch programs.  If it's on the desktop, you have to minimize everything (or use the show desktop button) to find the icons.  If you go in your start menu, and if it's anything like mine, there's just too many things there and you'll have to find it.  With LBC, I either use the system tray or the pop-up under the mouse, and from there i can choose from my well-organized categories.  Doesn't take more than a couple of seconds.  But my LBC isn't always updated with the latest stuff I've installed, because that has to manually done.  In those cases, i use FARR.  I just type the first few letters and BAM, launch.  Doesn't take more than 5 seconds.
i don't know of any configuration better than that.

MilesAhead

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #21 on: September 25, 2010, 12:38 AM »
It was the whim of my father and by his explanation, he felt it was more mentally ergonomic to have the start button on the right side, if you were right handed.

I have to agree there.  When you think about it, for right hander, the start button should be all the way at the right, but when it opens it should leave space for any task tray balloons(task tray should be immediately to the left of the Start Button.) Icons representing running programs should appear all the way at the left and fill in towards the right.  The functional part of the task bar is split like a 7 10 split in bowling.  Kind of weird. Plus when you get a new install you have to traverse that space so the first act even before deleting bloatware is to adjust the mouse pointer speed.  Same thing every time you create a new account.  Some things carry on. :)

« Last Edit: September 25, 2010, 12:40 AM by MilesAhead »

sajman99

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #22 on: September 28, 2010, 01:28 PM »
The freeware SideSlide could be worth a look...
SideSlide is an advanced, portable, unobtrusive, dockable, skinnable, instantly accessible, highly configurable Desktop Extension on Steroids! Clean desktop clutter and make your computer friendlier and faster than ever before. With unique use of containers and various innovative features, SideSlide lets you get instant access to everything you have and much more. The program respects your system and keeps all of its configuration files in a single folder.

I vaguely remember trying this software quite a while back and didn't care for it, but it looks like the development has been active. Lots of new features since I last checked.

Regards

nudone

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Re: My Windows Desktop is a shambles...
« Reply #23 on: September 28, 2010, 04:37 PM »
(oooh. that SideSlide looks very interesting.)