Steve Smith explains how to reign in control on disobedient icons on desktops.
Episode #7-40 released on June 3, 2017
Icons, those pesky shortcuts on our desktop. Many people try to organize them, some let them hang out wherever they happened to be when they installed. However, many would agree that desktops would be easier to use, and things easier to find provided they were organized in some helpful way.
I've been using for years a program called fences. If you have ever seen the icons on my desktop during demonstration, you will notice they are classified by type. This makes it easier for me to find things on my desktop. Today, I've upgraded to Fences 3, after having used Fences 2 for years, I'd like to demonstrate what you can expect for ten American dollars, and how that helps clean up your desktop, and provide ideas to you on how to setup your desktop's icons.
Now, the program does have a lot of options, but for now, here are the basics. When you install it for the first time, you can automatically sort into fences. Fences are like boxes but to hold your icons. Or you can right click, drag the silhouette of a box, and select option create fence here. You can resize the fence, and move it, too.
Right clicking the desktop and going to configure fences, opens more options. These include, color and appearance, desktop pages, folder portals, roll-up fences, quick-hide, layout and snapping, and sorting and organizing.
Now, sometimes we want a cleaner looking option other than just fences holding out icons, what else can Fences 3 do?
Double clicking the desktop can make the fences disappear. You see in most of my demonstrations that I have no desktop icons, this is how.
Double click the title bar of the fences, and have the fences roll-up. This also for a lot more icon storage than most need, but it also suitable for a cleaner desktop look.
Desktop pages, have more icons than fits on a screen, or, want a work and personal set of fences? Simply drag an icon to the edge of a screen, and it will create a new desktop page. Now, you can drop the icon on the new page and have fun. You can use the mouse to change page by clicking the right and left button at the same time and dragging, the same works for just the middle button. Prefer a keyboard shortcut, Alt-left and Alt-right work, too.
Now, some people are demanding on layout and look, which includes myself. We demand order, logic, correct spacing. Is there an option for that?
Yes, there is. Layout and Snapping allows for refined control of position, snapping distances, and more. There is more you can do, but I will leave you with the basics, because the fun part of this program is learning more advanced tricks, while doing the basic ones. You never know when you find an Easter egg surprise.
Host : Steve Smith | Music : | Editor : Steve Smith | Producer : Zed Axis Dot Net