Do NOT rearrange Icons on Desktop unnecessarily - Enhancement Requ

  • Thread starter Thread starter BEschner
  • Start date Start date
B

BEschner

I can't find anywhere else to enter <B>Enhancement Request</B>s, so....

<B>Problem Statement:</B>
I use my desktop as a convenient place to put things.
I have some programs on the left, and then, when working on a project, I'll
group similar items together in a part of the desktop. When done with
(temporary) work files, I delete them and put others in those areas.
I also use my laptop screen when working from home (often), and a different
sized flat-screen when in the office (also often), so I switch between the 2
depending on where I am. I try to keep the placement of icons the same (or
similar) between the 2 environments.
Of course, new icons are placed top-to-bottom, left-to-right. I then move
the icon to a good screen location. However, ARGH!, if I don't place one
"right" then I switch screens, the system realizes that location is already
used, so it moves it somewhere else, then that icon is misplaced, and it
cascades so every icon is moved and my desktop is a huge MESS!
Note: I do a full shutdown when leaving home or office.

<B>Proposed Solution:</B>
(As a programmer myself...)
The system knows where the icons were last time, according to which screen
was being used for display. It must be in some file, or the registry.
When starting system and placing icons, it should:
1) Place all previously known icons first.
2) Place all new icons next, in empty spots.
3) When placing an icon (maybe a new one for this screen size), and the
specified/desired icon location is already used, don't place that icon yet,
and continue to place the rest of the "known" ones. THEN, place the few that
you remembered needed a new location.
That way, only 1 or 2 icons will have been "moved" by the system, and the
other 20 are where they were last time.
This will help all of us with various desktop icons to be able to find them,
in different environments.
It would be nice for all future versions of the Operating Systems...
THANKS!
 
R.click on the desktop,properties,desktop tab,customize,web,chk the
box "lock desktop items",close out.
 
Andrew E. said:
R.click on the desktop,properties,desktop tab,customize,web,chk the
box "lock desktop items",close out.
Click to expand...

Andrew:

Thanks for the reply. I didn't know that was there.

HOWEVER.... :-(

I set it, but I could still manually move icons. I went back and checked the
setting and saw that the note says:

To prevent moving or resizing of WEB ITEMS on your desktop, select teh
following check box...

And, when I came back out a second time - BOOM - everything moved to to left
edge again. Youch! Not what I wanted.

I think this will require a Microsoft Enhancement..
 
You are unlikely to get any such enhancement from MS for an o/s that is
about to be discontinued
There are many third party utilities that save the desktop icon locations,
and recover them if something goes wrong
 
BEschner said:
I can't find anywhere else to enter <B>Enhancement Request</B>s,
so....

<B>Problem Statement:</B>
I use my desktop as a convenient place to put things.
I have some programs on the left, and then, when working on a
project, I'll group similar items together in a part of the
desktop. When done with (temporary) work files, I delete them and
put others in those areas.
I also use my laptop screen when working from home (often), and a
different sized flat-screen when in the office (also often), so I
switch between the 2 depending on where I am. I try to keep the
placement of icons the same (or similar) between the 2 environments.
Of course, new icons are placed top-to-bottom, left-to-right. I
then move the icon to a good screen location. However, ARGH!, if I
don't place one "right" then I switch screens, the system realizes
that location is already used, so it moves it somewhere else, then
that icon is misplaced, and it cascades so every icon is moved and
my desktop is a huge MESS!
Note: I do a full shutdown when leaving home or office.

<B>Proposed Solution:</B>
(As a programmer myself...)
The system knows where the icons were last time, according to which
screen was being used for display. It must be in some file, or the
registry.
When starting system and placing icons, it should:
1) Place all previously known icons first.
2) Place all new icons next, in empty spots.
3) When placing an icon (maybe a new one for this screen size), and
the specified/desired icon location is already used, don't place
that icon yet, and continue to place the rest of the "known" ones.
THEN, place the few that you remembered needed a new location.
That way, only 1 or 2 icons will have been "moved" by the system,
and the other 20 are where they were last time.
This will help all of us with various desktop icons to be able to
find them, in different environments.
It would be nice for all future versions of the Operating Systems...
THANKS!
Click to expand...

There are third party applications that save desktop icon arrangement(s).
Sometimes the software for your video card can do it for you.

I personally doubt it will ever be built into the OS - could be wrong...
 
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