I am looking for a desktop App that does This:

[DarkPhoenix]

Hiya folks..

Well nothing has changed much about the desktop in about a hundred years. The desktop is great for shortcuts and folders used as containers for things, but it still gets cluttered. I have used tools like Stardock's Fences.. ( and love it) but it has a lot of glitches and still your desktop gets cluttered.

I want an app that does this:

Put a folder on your desktop for lets say shortcuts. Of course put shortcuts into it.. now.. instead of opening the folder, I want to either right click on it, or hover over it with the mouse would be better, to display all of its shortcuts contents.. and you can execute the shortcut of your choice right from there.. no need to open a folder up in a new window.

Does anyone know of an app that works like this?

Thanks!

 

[derekimo]

What about creating a new toolbar on your taskbar that links to the folder with all your shortcuts.
Or pin the folder to the taskbar.

Here's a tutorial that might help,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9305-taskbar-pin-unpin-folder.html

 

[DarkPhoenix]

What about creating a new toolbar on your taskbar that links to the folder with all your shortcuts.
Or pin the folder to the taskbar.

Here's a tutorial that might help,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9305-taskbar-pin-unpin-folder.html

Well that's not a bad idea.. but it won't work for me.. I already use the taskbar and quick launch for certain things Only.. This needs to be able to be done for folders on the desktop. no where else would work.

I have come across many apps that do things to explorer context menus.. but sadly.. nothing so far that does this one simple thing.

It would be nice, if every time you dropped a shortcut (or anything) into a folder it would show up in that folders right context menu. I think that should be a useful Windows function by default.. Why force you to actually open the folder when you don't have to.

This way, I would only need a few folders on the desktop with everything in sub categories. It would be neat and clean. Just like the Start Menu works.

 

[zigzag3143]

What about creating a new toolbar on your taskbar that links to the folder with all your shortcuts.
Or pin the folder to the taskbar.

Here's a tutorial that might help,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9305-taskbar-pin-unpin-folder.html

Well that's not a bad idea.. but it won't work for me.. I already use the taskbar and quick launch for certain things Only.. This needs to be able to be done for folders on the desktop. no where else would work.

I have come across many apps that do things to explorer context menus.. but sadly.. nothing so far that does this one simple thing.

It would be nice, if every time you dropped a shortcut into a folder it would show up in that folders right context menu. I think that should be a useful window function by default.. Why force you to actually open the folder when you don't have to.

This way, I would only need a few folders on the desktop with everything in sub categories. It would ne neat and clean.

Am I correct, that you want anything dropped on that folder should show up in right click context? If so look here. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/418-context-menu-right-click-vs-shift-right-click.html?ltr=C

Ken

 

[derekimo]

What about creating a new toolbar on your taskbar that links to the folder with all your shortcuts.
Or pin the folder to the taskbar.

Here's a tutorial that might help,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9305-taskbar-pin-unpin-folder.html

Well that's not a bad idea.. but it won't work for me.. I already use the taskbar and quick launch for certain things Only.. This needs to be able to be done for folders on the desktop. no where else would work.

I have come across many apps that do things to explorer context menus.. but sadly.. nothing so far that does this one simple thing.

It would be nice, if every time you dropped a shortcut (or anything) into a folder it would show up in that folders right context menu. I think that should be a useful Windows function by default.. Why force you to actually open the folder when you don't have to.

This way, I would only need a few folders on the desktop with everything in sub categories. It would be neat and clean. Just like the Start Menu works.

I guess I misunderstood what you were asking, Yes that would be a nice option to have.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Am I correct, that you want anything dropped on that folder should show up in right click context? If so look here. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/418-context-menu-right-click-vs-shift-right-click.html?ltr=C

Ken

I have looked at that link.. and shift right clicked on the folder in question, but I do not see how that will solve my problem of: " if every time you dropped a shortcut (or anything) into a folder it would show up in that folders right context menu."

Perhaps I am just not understanding something here about this but I don't see it working like that.

 

[MilesAhead]

DarkPhoenix I have taken a bit different approach to this problem.. that just sort of evolved. What I did was put a folder on the desktop called Apps.. in the folder I have folders for categories of programs.. internet, programming, editors, system tools, utilities, video/media etc..

At first I put that as a toolbar as is often suggested. But I found that it's annoying to have to track along with the mouse until you get to what you want. What I ended up doing was dragging the folder from the desktop to my Documents folder to hide it. Then I dragged each subfolder onto RocketDock and set a custom icon that showed the category to avoid the need for text. One click on the category and I have all the apps.

Also to reduce space on my TaskBar and QuickLaunch I use 7stacks.. but the RocketDock categories have really cleaned things up. I have RocketDock on the desktop and that's all. Not a single icon. When I install an app I let it put an icon on the desktop, then drag it into the category folder. Desktop nice and clean. I don't have to worry about Auto Arrange messing me up ever again!!

Now if I could only get the RocketDock guys to put in a setting so I could choose the order of icons when switching from horizontal layout to vertical and vice versa, it would be (nearly) perfect.

edit: here's a screen shot. The icons spanned by the arrows are the program categories:

 

[DarkPhoenix]

DarkPhoenix I have taken a bit different approach to this problem.. that just sort of evolved. What I did was put a folder on the desktop called Apps.. in the folder I have folders for categories of programs.. internet, programming, editors, system tools, utilities, video/media etc..

That's a nice way to solve the problem. I have used RocketDock in the past and I did like it.

I could not however use it now..I already have Stardock Fences running and do not need the extra graphics on my screen.

You see, I have several projects running at once, that I use different techniques to organize.

I am learning to program with MS Visual Studio, so I use Stardock Fences to store and organize all my apps and folders for that only.. All my normal Internet and windows day to day needs I use quick launch for.. Like a browser, email, windows explorer, a shortcut to the Program Features app, ( Add Remove Programs LOL Why did they ever change the name!)...Then the 'clean' side of my desktop is taken up with my portable apps projects and enhanced apps and games projects (I make both of those). I have yet another section for my 3D games I make with Unity 3D and yet another section for my Open Sim local server and tools ( It's like Second life).. So I have very little space and resources left for RocketDock. LOL A right click context menu would help me more than anything else.

 

[Jacee]

I have done about the same thing MilesAhead has done. I have one folder called "my desk" on the desktop. I've changed it to look like a 'safe' instead of a folder.
Many folders are inside that one folder (all have icons of their own). From the left hand side, I can access what I want. See the two pics...

 

[MilesAhead]

That does complicate it alright. Maybe you should create additional user accounts? Like iProgrammer for programming etc.. ?

Then just log off or do rapid user switch.

 

[huffman]

This is just one more approach this issue. On my desktop, I have six folders for shortcuts, but one folder will work fine. Right click on the taskbar and select Toolbars --> Desktop. Now the Desktop can be expanded to see all the shortcuts to applications.

This keeps the desktop uncluttered and works great for me.