Icons inside the restricted region?

[Cojuzei]

Don't know if this is the right area to post this, but is there a way to have icons in the restricted region for DesktopCoral (or any other program similar to DesktopCoral?). I'd like to have the same functionality of restricting maximum window size, but I'd also like to display icons in that area (since Win7 doesn't allow for side menus). Basically, I'd like for my icons on either side of the screen to always be visible when it comes to maximized windows in case I want to open something and there are a bunch of windows in the way (and I don't want to just show desktop, since I can't get the same location for all the windows back).

Also, is there a way to also restrict the full screen area so the same thing happens? Like if I open Diablo 2, the two sides of the screen still show icons? I'd also like to hover over said icons without the screen flickering from leaving fullscreen mode. If there's no program out there that does this, how difficult would it be for someone to write?

Best way to describe what I want is kinda like a Viewport (which was an addon in World of Warcraft that kinda did the same thing, but only in-game). For all intents and purposes, I'd like applications to think my screen is small than it really is, but my desktop itself (including icons) to still be displayed. Please help.

[mouser]

Here is my understanding:

Desktop Coral works by "docking" to the side of the screen and claiming some space there.  This tells the desktop not to maximize any windows over this area and keeps it from from other windows.  Some programs can draw images into this area but you cannot drag and use icons in this area.

It's possible that there is a way to circumvent this restriction but I don't know of any.

And i'm afraid there is no way to make a full screen app show inside the reserved space; the only way to do that would be to install and run them on a virtual machine -- which would let you run them in a window, albeit with greatly diminished speed.


What you could do however is give up the dream of using desktop icons, and instead of Desktop Coral use a dock that lets you configure your own icons and buttons on it.  Something like Launchbar Commander.  This serves the same function of reserving desktop space, but also provides a place where icons/buttons can be placed.

Thinking about the issue -- it would be possible to make a launch bar application that mostly simulated the look and feel of desktop shortcut icons.  That is, it would let you arbitrarily place shortcut icons on it and drag them around as if you were working with desktop icons -- but in fact they would be items on the dock.  But that's a lot of work to achieve something that i believe is almost entirely less desirable that a proper launchbar system of orderly icon arrangement.

My recommendation for people who want to be able to put their desktop icons in the reserved area remains: turn off desktop icons completely and use a launch bar tool.

[Cojuzei]

I'm actually liking that idea a little better. My original icons were shortcuts to folders, and this seems to be able to do dropdown menus which was originally what I wanted out of Stardock's docker widget (had it back in XP but for some reason wasn't available in 7 at the time I tried this). I'll fiddle around with it to see if I can place the dock in the restricted space of DesktopCoral so it's always visible. Might have to force it to AlwaysOnTop, unless it does that automatically. Just don't want my windows covering it. Thanks for the advice

[mouser]

I'll fiddle around with it to see if I can place the dock in the restricted space of DesktopCoral so it's always visible. Might have to force it to AlwaysOnTop, unless it does that automatically. Just don't want my windows covering it.

Most launchbars (including Launchbar Commander), behave just like desktop coral in terms of reserving space.. so there is no need to use Desktop Coral with them.