+- Tordex Community (http://forum.tordex.com)
+-- Forum: True Launch Bar (http://forum.tordex.com/forum-3.html)
+--- Forum: Features Discussion (http://forum.tordex.com/forum-9.html)
+--- Thread: Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons (/thread-3821.html)
Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons - szekelya - 11-24-2010
Hi,
I wonder if later versions of TLB could include a feature similar to Stardock Fences.
It would be used to put resizable containers on the desktop, that could hold desktop icons. These containers would remember their size and position, and offer those many settings all TLB menus do, e.g. Arrange Icons By..., Customize..., Appearance, Protect, etc. They would be skinnable / colorable / aero could be en/disabled just like with the menus.
Shall I continue listing what features I imagined or is that way too out of the scope of TLB?
cheers,
Andras
Re: Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons - Yuri Kobets - 11-24-2010
Actually you can create something like this right now. Just create the virtual folders with the desktop content, tear off menus and place them where you want on the desktop. Hide the icons you don't need in each menu (group). If you set the virtual folder into the "Load at startup", the menus will appear automatically after restart. Now just hide the desktop icons
Re: Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons - szekelya - 11-24-2010
I'll start to experiment right away.
Re: Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons - szekelya - 11-24-2010
Yuri Kobets Wrote:If you set the virtual folder into the "Load at startup", the menus will appear automatically after restart.
How do you do it?
I'm running TLB 4.4. Do I need to upgrade? I stayed on this level as all the positioning were wrong in the skins I developed in the next version.
Re: Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons - Yuri Kobets - 11-24-2010
Quote:How do you do it?Right-click the virtual folder button and select Appearance->Loan on startup
This feature works with 4.4 also.
Re: Feature req. - Desktop container for desktop icons - szekelya - 11-24-2010
Hi Yuri,
I have tried that, and have been enjoying the experiment. I'm always amazed how flexible TLB is!
The result was quite impressive, but also learned that I was not even aware of the useful capabilities of Fences. Here are a couple of things this kind of use of TLB misses when used as desktop icon containers:
-The tear down menus obviously are not glued down to the desktop's level, so they can come above application windows, while I prefer my desktop icons to stay below the apps.
-The desktop is not aware of their location, so things downloaded to the desktop can go behind these menus. Fences somehow integrates to the desktop, Windows knows that its icons are on the desktop, and anything downloaded or drag'n'dropped to the desktop gets placed to empty spaces.
-Fences, and the icons contained n them can be hidden / revealed with a doubleclick on the desktop, and actually it's quite a good idea to get a distraction-free desktop.
-You doubleclick to start an app in Fernces just as if it was a normal desktop icon, one click only selects it, which is obviously not the expected behavior in a menu.
Implementing the setup how you suggested was pretty simple, and the result was ultimate eye-candy, I loved it. I could set dimensions (width/height) for the tear-off menus, scrollbars, icon sizes, number of columns, background color, aero effect, transparency, looked just great.
I'm sure I will use that but probably not for replacing the way how I use my desktop now, but maybe to add some extra functionality to it.
Seeing the differences from what I was looking for I think it's quite a big change from TLB's existing features, if I'm notmistaken TLB is not really designed to work with the desktop itself (apart from deskkeys which you made for me, thanks again
) so I guess I stop looking for such a hack.Might upload these screenshots somewhere though.