IDEA: Windows 8.1 "Show Desktop" to do "Win + M" from "Win + D"

[summersyed]

Hi guys,

as most of you will be aware with the show desktop feature in the windows, which is in the system tray on bottom right of your screen.

I need a tweak or registry edit to make it do "Win + M" Minimize all Windows, instead of "Win + D" show desktop.

Reason is it hides my gadgets and docks, while Win + M keep those on the desktop and just minimizes the windows.

any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks, and sorry mods if i posted my first post in the wrong section. please move it to right section.

Regards,
Summer.

[MilesAhead]

I didn't realize when I suggested you post here that you wanted a hotkey substitution.  I was thinking of detecting when the mouse clicks the Show Desktop.  If the hotkey sub is all you need it's an easy one.

[Select]

#d::#m

Compile or run it using Autohotkey.  You can put a shortcut in StartUp folder to have it start with Windows.

[summersyed]

Nah bro, you understood exactly right, i need a solution for clicking "show desktop" with the mouse arrow. not the hotkey. i use show desktop way too much in daily use, so that is what i need.

[lanux128]

i am not sure if it is compatible with Win 8.1 but have you tried this app, "Show Desktop"? it has an option to toggle between two different ways of showing the desktop.

"large image alert"

IDEA: Windows 8.1 "Show Desktop" to do "Win + M" from "Win + D"

• http://ceiiular.devi...ow-Desktop-133022210

[Stoic Joker]

I don't have any gadgets to test the behavior with, I quit using them after that security issue that MS decided not to fix ... But would something like this work?

Create a text file in Notepad as follows:

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop

Save it as Show Desktop.scf then drag it to the Quick launch bar

Also (once again no gadgets here), I take it that neither the hover peak desktop, or click show desktop actions give the desired results...yes?

[MilesAhead]

I'm on Windows 8.0.  It doesn't have that little panel to show desktop.  With Autohotkey comes a Window Info tool or spy that gives the window class name under the mouse pointer.  If you plug that into this script it may work.

[Select]

Sendmode Input
return

#IfWinActive ahk_class "put class name as shown by spy without quotes here"
LButton::#m

Edit:  Whoops!  Yes it does.  I couldn't see it since I made the Taskbar transparent.  Hang on.  I'll try to test the script.

Edit2: I guess it's not that easy.  One has to keep track of the state and restore etc..

[skwire]

Hi, summersyed, and welcome to the DonationCoder forums.    

In regards to your query, did you need the restore functionality as well (in addition to the minimize all functionality)?

[MilesAhead]

I don't know if you can bypass clicking the Show Desktop Button.  But this toggle has already been done on this thread:
http://www.autohotke...sktop+%2Bhit+%2Btest

You could just change from a keyboard hotkey to some mouse combination.

[tomos]

^That one looks interesting.

OP does say they want to use the 'Show Desktop' button on the right of the system tray -
are you open to other options summersyed?

[summersyed]

Hi everyone, thanks for the interest you guys are showing.

@skwire: i only need minimize all functionality for the show desktop.

let me explain again, i m on windows 8.1 64 bit, there is a "Show Desktop" small transparent button in the system tray on full right side, what it does is from a layman pov is, it work like pressing "Win key + D", but i want it to do the functionality of "Win key + M".

"Win Key + M" only minimizes all the open windows. which shows my rainmeter customization and my docks on the desktop. but "Win key+ D" minimizes all the open windows and place desktop windows on the top of the stack, which hides my docks and some of my rainmeter customization.

if still confusing let me know and i will upload screenshot of my desktop tomorrow.

Thanks.

[summersyed]

i am not sure if it is compatible with Win 8.1 but have you tried this app, "Show Desktop"? it has an option to toggle between two different ways of showing the desktop.

• http://ceiiular.devi...ow-Desktop-133022210

-lanux128 (October 01, 2014, 06:03 AM)

Thank you SO MUCH lanux128, i have tried and its working with win 8.1. it has this method of minimizing windows, that is exactly what i needed, thanks again for the suggestion. bless you.

[skwire]

if still confusing let me know and i will upload screenshot of my desktop tomorrow.

-summersyed (October 01, 2014, 01:55 PM)

No need.  I was simply going to suggest the WinMinimizeAll and WinMinimizeUndo AutoHotkey commands that are used in the script that Lanux mentioned.

[MilesAhead]

Glad the program Lanux linked worked for you.

WinMinimizeAll does the trick as the author of the script I linked was doing the same thing.  The difficulty is the Show Desktop panel apparently can never get the focus and so cannot be the active window.  Probably the way to do it is get mouse position after the click and see if it is over that panel.  Other than that it's just a few lines of code.