Desktop Icons Placement - Utility comparison

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Bald Eagle - 24 Sep 2006 20:27 GMT

Thanks to people on this board, I tested 3 different utilities and here are
the results:

Functional Requirements:
- Save desktop layout (placement of icons on the desktop)
- Restore desktop layout
- Have the ability to store and retrieve different desktop layouts:
- For the same resolution
- For different monitor resolutions (especially useful if you work
with an overhead projector)

1. Save My Desktop ver 1.2:
This is a super-simplistic utility which has only 2 functionalities - Save
Icons and Restore Icons.
PROS: Simplistic
CONS: Cannot have multiple layouts for different resolutions, relatively buggy

2. Icon Restore ver 1.0:
Again, another super-simplistic utility with 2 functions - Save Layout and
Restore Layout.
PROS: Simplistic
CONS: Adds it-self as a right-click option to "My Computer" on your desktop.
Maybe this is something people like, anyways. Another issue is that it cannot
save multiple layouts for multiple resolutions. Biggest problem was that I
could not uninstall it. Somewhere on the web it says that you need to
download a separate uninstaller. YIKES! I used XP's Restore System to an
earlier state functionality to "un-install" this program.

2. WinTidy ver 2.0:
This has all the bells and whistles including a real UI. I can save multiple
"Named layouts" or system layouts. There is also a "Smart Restore" which
changes the icon placement when you change resolutions. That is a really cool
piece of functionality.
BUG FOUND: I found that the layout restore was really erratic. I found out
why. You have to turn off "Align to Grid" in XP. Then all is well.

Hope this is helpful for all those out there who have been struggling with
desktop arrangement and praying for a utility.

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Alec S. - 24 Sep 2006 23:44 GMT

> Thanks to people on this board, I tested 3 different utilities and here are
> the results:
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> - For different monitor resolutions (especially useful if you work
> with an overhead projector)

Don't forget other features such as automatic restoration on startup and/or resolution change, hotkeys, predefined layouts, smart
icon identification, UNICODE support, relative positions, and others.

> 2. Icon Restore ver 1.0:
> CONS: Adds it-self as a right-click option to "My Computer" on your desktop.
> Maybe this is something people like, anyways.

Actually, it adds a context menu entry to all system folders (My Computer, Recycle Bin, Fonts, etc.)

> Biggest problem was that I could not uninstall it. Somewhere on the web it says
> that you need to download a separate uninstaller. YIKES! I used XP's Restore
> System to an earlier state functionality to "un-install" this program.

That's far more than you needed to do. There's a much simpler and cleaner uninstall. The problem is that you used the installer,
so to uninstall, you need an uninstaller (well actually you don't). If you get the pure version included in the MS Resource Kit
instead of getting a packaged version that someone made, it would contain two things: LAYOUT.DLL and LAYOUT.REG. You copy
LAYOUT.DLL to \Windows\System32, and run LAYOUT.REG to merge it into the registry. That's the way that you install it (it's really
quite easy to, so even novices don't technically need an installer). To uninstall, you just delete LAYOUT.DLL from
\Windows\System32 as well as the registry entry that LAYOUT.REG made. The best way to do this is to create and run a LAYOUTUN.REG
file which merely contains this:

REGEDIT4
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{19F500E0-9964-11cf-B63D-08002B317C03}]
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\IconLayout]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved]
"{19F500E0-9964-11cf-B63D-08002B317C03}"=-

> 2. WinTidy ver 2.0:
> BUG FOUND: I found that the layout restore was really erratic. I found out
> why. You have to turn off "Align to Grid" in XP. Then all is well.

You don't have to turn it off, you can run WinTidy with align to grid active.

It's not WinTidy, but most if not all icon layout apps. If the state of the icons has changed since the layout was saved (new icons
that are not know now exist), then the program does not know what to do with them. If such an icon is in the position of a known
icon, some programs force the unknown icons out of the way, while some leave them alone and put the known one in the next available
position.

With most, using the "restore layout" function a few times, forces the known icons into position and leaves the rest wherever they
land.

Icon Restore, WinTidy, and SaveMyDesktop are a few options. There's many others. Here are some of the best of the rest:
* IconSaver is a good one which has hotkeys to let you save or restore easily.
* ATI Tray Tools also has an icon layout function.
* Jamie O'Connell has written Desktop Restore XP which also supports UNICODE filenames (filenames with foreign characters in
them, eg Japanese, etc.) which many of these apps do not, plus a command line version of it.
* Iconoid has this functionality including relative positions, as well a whole bunch more.

As you've noted, they all have their pros and cons and it's up to each person to decide what's enough for them-you could always use
more than one.

Signature

Alec S.
news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

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Bald Eagle - 25 Sep 2006 02:28 GMT

Real nice. Looks like you have done your homework. I just wish Microsoft
would have just added these easy usability tools to XP as is.

> > Thanks to people on this board, I tested 3 different utilities and here are
> > the results:
[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]
> As you've noted, they all have their pros and cons and it's up to each person to decide what's enough for them-you could always use
> more than one.

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Alec S. - 25 Sep 2006 02:40 GMT

> Real nice. Looks like you have done your homework.

Hehe, no I just collect good tools when I come across them.

> I just wish Microsoft would have just added these easy usability tools to XP as is.

That's a natural thought but, 1) if they had, it would not likely have been as good as what people would have liked (so better tools
would have come into existence anyway), and 2) Microsoft gets into enough trouble for including too much functionality in the OS as
it is.

Signature

Alec S.
news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

> > > Thanks to people on this board, I tested 3 different utilities and here are
> > > the results.

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Bill P - 25 Sep 2006 17:02 GMT

>> Thanks to people on this board, I tested 3 different utilities and here
>> are
[quoted text clipped - 83 lines]
> person to decide what's enough for them-you could always use
> more than one.

Just a question about uninstalling Icon Restore. Why can't you just use
Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs ?
Regards
Bill

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Alec S. - 26 Sep 2006 00:03 GMT

> Just a question about uninstalling Icon Restore. Why can't you just use
> Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs ?

Because it doesn't create an entry in ARP. Icon Restore isn't a "program", it isn't even available normally. It's merely two
little files included in the Windows Resource Kit for advanced users. The installer was created by a third party, some guy who
wanted to make it easier for novices. Apparently however, they didn't create an uninstaller for it.

Signature

Alec S.
news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

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Bill P - 26 Sep 2006 16:36 GMT

>> Just a question about uninstalling Icon Restore. Why can't you just use
>> Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs ?
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> wanted to make it easier for novices. Apparently however, they didn't
> create an uninstaller for it.

It's in ARP on my computer.

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Alec S. - 26 Sep 2006 19:28 GMT

> >> Just a question about uninstalling Icon Restore. Why can't you just use
> >> Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs ?

> > Because it doesn't create an entry in ARP. Icon Restore isn't a
> > "program", it isn't even available normally. It's merely two
> > little files included in the Windows Resource Kit for advanced users. The
> > installer was created by a third party, some guy who
> > wanted to make it easier for novices. Apparently however, they didn't
> > create an uninstaller for it.

> It's in ARP on my computer.

Perhaps you've got a different one. Like I said, the program comes in two files, so there is no installer at all. You must have a
version that someone packaged with both an installer and uninstaller, while someone else may have gotten a different one with only
an installer. They should check to see if they have an entry or not.

Signature

Alec S.
news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

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D. Spencer Hines - 26 Sep 2006 20:08 GMT

Hilarious!

This is why it's far smarter to pay up front and download from a reputable,
secure site such as PC Magazine, rather than from some fly-by-night
"freeware" merchant.

You get what you pay for.

DSH

>> >> Just a question about uninstalling Icon Restore. Why can't you just
>> >> use
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> while someone else may have gotten a different one with only
> an installer. They should check to see if they have an entry or not.

Reply to this Message

Alec S. - 26 Sep 2006 22:19 GMT

> Hilarious!

You must have a great sense of humor, you find everything hilarious. If you can't help, be quiet, don't criticize others. Not
everyone is as rich as your highness.

Signature

Alec S.
news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

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Allen - 30 Sep 2006 20:04 GMT

UltraMon http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/

Preserve position of desktop icons
Depending on your system configuration, you may experience the problem that
desktop icons don't stay where you put them after restarting the system.
UltraMon fixes this problem by automatically restoring desktop icons to
their previous positions when UltraMon starts.
http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/tour/other_features.asp

Along with a few scripts
http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/scripts/

and export and import of UltraMon's icon positions key
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Realtime Soft\UltraMon\Saved Positions\Icons"

can save and apply multiple layouts for multiple resolutions and multiple
monitors.

> Thanks to people on this board, I tested 3 different utilities and here
> are
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> Hope this is helpful for all those out there who have been struggling with
> desktop arrangement and praying for a utility.

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