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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Most effective way to organize desktop icons?

January 19, 2009 2:15:31 PM from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Hi, I am a new user to Stardock products and I was wondering what product would best help me in organizing my shortcuts and/or desktop icons.

The biggest problem I run into when looking at my desktop, is that newly saved files have such long names that I have to click on them to see the full name.  However, there are a number of programs out there that allow the desktop icons to appear as "list" or "tiles" Views.  This usually allows you to see the full name of the file.  The only issue though, is that the two products I've tried out so far, Objectdock Plus, and Fences beta, cannot accomplish either of these things.  Those two programs I chose to try out came very close to doing what I wanted them to, but neither allowed for a full name view of the shortcuts.

If anyone has an idea of what would work, I would be very grateful if you could share your thoughts.

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Manick2005
Philly0381
Join Date 11/2004
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Reply #1 January 19, 2009 2:20:27 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

You might take a look also at DesktopX Themes.  Most are usually set up where you can drag and drop your shortcuts.  Drop a PM or email to PuterDudeJim.  He is doing alot of DX Themes lately and I'm sure would offer you some suggestions.

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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #2 January 19, 2009 2:43:53 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I've downloaded a trial version of DesktopX and liked the concept but the thought of having to completely re-learn a different interface sounded like it would be a bit more trouble than what it was worth to me.  But if there was a theme that looked very much like the standard Windows XP OS, I would be curious to know what that is, especially if it merely made it plain better.  I tried out a custom made skin not too long ago but it decreased the size of my viewport, which hurts me because I have a low resolution monitor.  I tried looking for that user you mentioned but could not find him.

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Manick2005
Philly0381
Join Date 11/2004
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Reply #3 January 19, 2009 3:54:54 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Manick2005 If you go to the WC Gallery Library for DesktopX Themes you will see is name.  If you left click on his name it should take you to his WC Home page.  Here is a link to his home page.  http://chubbyhusband.wincustomize.com/.  If you click Gallery on the page it will show you his personal library of all his skins.

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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #4 January 19, 2009 4:28:59 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Ok, thank you very much

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
Join Date 10/2004
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Reply #5 January 19, 2009 4:54:48 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I've downloaded a trial version of DesktopX and liked the concept but the thought of having to completely re-learn a different interface sounded like it would be a bit more trouble than what it was worth to me.

 

Manick2005  Download one of my themes, and read this tutorial and you'll see the learning curve is not so horrible, and definitely worthwhile. I hope you like DX and choose to learn it.    

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
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Reply #6 January 19, 2009 4:55:49 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Thanx Philly, for the plug. 

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Manick2005
Philly0381
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Reply #7 January 19, 2009 5:47:21 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Just one big happy community here, helping each other out where we can so our desktops are looking nice. 

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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #8 January 19, 2009 6:35:47 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Hey thanks a lot for the help guys, I'm gonna read up on the tutorial first chance I get to see if I can figure out how to make my own sort of "docks" which hopefully won't take up much room on the desktop.  I like being able to see everything I want in plain sight but without it cluttering the hell out of my workspace

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
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Reply #9 January 19, 2009 6:38:52 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Docks....my specialty of late. 

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Manick2005
DigitalCHET
Join Date 05/2001
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Reply #10 January 19, 2009 6:42:07 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

There's also a small application called DesktopListView, which as the name suggests, allows you to display your desktop icons in Explorer list mode.  Take a look here.

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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #11 January 19, 2009 7:29:32 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Heh, thats actually the exact one that I am already using!  I downloaded it yesterday, and tried out a couple others as well in the past, but like this one the best.  Im going to use it in conjunction with viewports and docks I create with DesktopX to emulate what Fence does, except hopefully make it use less space

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
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Reply #12 January 20, 2009 1:42:20 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I also like 8start, and it is fully skinnable!!   Linkage!

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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #13 January 20, 2009 10:47:17 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Yesterday I made my own design for a dock viewport with photoshop, and downloaded Wraith DX Double Docker.  The docker is exactly the sort of thing I needed, without any of the gizmos/buttons (for now), and I removed everything except the docks title at the top, and the transparent docks main body, so I am left with just two objects; the transparent window, and the title at the top.  Do I need to save it as a Widget, or what?  I am guessing if I want to export it I need to buy the full version of DesktopX.  Is it relatively easy to add shortcuts on these objects?  Since I download new stuff all the time and like to index it ASAP, I have my desktop dedicated to displaying all of my folder shortcuts which I need to access the most frequently. 

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
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Reply #14 January 20, 2009 9:30:26 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I am guessing if I want to export it I need to buy the full version of DesktopX. Is it relatively easy to add shortcuts on these objects?

I don't remember if the trial does that. But if you wanted your shortcuts on the transparent dock. You will need to be in builder mode. Right click the dock. Choose properties. Under Object Type, it says layer, choose change, tick the box that says drag and drop. Now all you have to do is to drag and drop your shortcuts onto this dock. Remember to save desktop as.... and then use it as a desktop, or export as a widget. It had drag and drop menus, did you delete them? If not, they are still there, just invisible, because you deleted the buttons to activate them. You can delete them in the object navigator.

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Manick2005
Fuzzy Logic
Join Date 05/2002
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Reply #15 January 20, 2009 9:56:05 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I always organize my shortcuts into a taskbar tool bar menu:

All you do is create a folder, mine is called FRQ, and put all your shortcuts in there. Then right click the taskbar, select 'Toolbars' > 'New Toolbar' and browse to the folder with your shortcuts.

 

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Manick2005
Fuzzy Logic
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Reply #16 January 20, 2009 9:59:35 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Also, if Vista users don't like the Vista start menu, you can use the same to create a standard looking start menu fly-out menu:- just browse to Start Menu and add that!

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
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Reply #17 January 20, 2009 10:01:48 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I always organize my shortcuts into a taskbar tool bar menu:

You can also put them all in a folder on the desktop, drag said folder to screen edge and drop. This will make a box along screen edge with your shortcuts in it. Then right click a blank part of that box and choose autohide. Voila! Instant dockage!

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Manick2005
Manick2005
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Reply #18 January 20, 2009 10:50:56 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Heh, I know it might sound like a poor excuse not to use it but I just think the toolbar for windows XP theme look bad, lol.  I don't want anything at all blocking my beautiful wallpaper besides maybe objectdock (which can auto-hide or be made transparent anyway), and my desktop shortcut names.

Plus they also fail to display full filenames for me.  But I noticed you made yours display fully even with long names, Fuzzy Logic.  How did you do that?  Also, can the toolbars be made transparent with shells or themes?

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Manick2005
Fuzzy Logic
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Reply #19 January 20, 2009 11:02:27 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

The menu adjusts autimatically to the size of the largest shortcut name. You can change the shortcut name in the folder.

The menu comes form the WindowBlinds skin, you can change the settings in SkinStudio. For me, using the transparency option in WindowBlinds configuration just turns these menus black :/

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Manick2005
PuterDudeJim
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Reply #20 January 20, 2009 11:26:02 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Also, if Vista users don't like the Vista start menu, you can use the same to create a standard looking start menu fly-out menu:- just browse to Start Menu and add that!

That is too cool!!   I didn't know that!  Thanx!

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Manick2005
Manick2005
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #21 January 22, 2009 12:39:22 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Fuzzy Logic, could I have the name of the WindowsBlinds skin your using?

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Manick2005
DrJBHL
Join Date 04/2002
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Reply #22 January 22, 2009 12:49:36 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Fuzzy...wwhat skin is that on your FF?

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Manick2005
warreni
Join Date 12/2005
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Reply #23 January 22, 2009 1:01:32 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

For what it's worth, I've used Desktop Icon Toy in the past and it has a number of configuration options. You can check it out here.

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