goScreen
Virtual Desktop Manager for Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT/2000
version 2.8

WEB home page: http://www.arvotek.net/~andgur/software/goscreen.html
Copyright © 1998-2000 Andrei Gourianov, andrew-guryanov@usa.net
Translation to
    Dutch - Martin van Es and Vincent Pathuis
    German - Wolfgang Brodowski
    Hungarian - Sándor Soós
    Italian - Luca Croci Candiani, http://www.nemo.it
    Polish - Jerzy Szymański
    Portuguese, Brazilian - Jorge E. Hime Somers, http://www.inso.com.br
    Russian - Andrei Gourianov, http://www.arvotek.net/~andgur
    Swedish - Anders Blom

Contents

What is it.
What makes it better than other virtual desktop managers.
How to install it.
How to...
    change language of the user interface
    Control the goScreen panel properties
    activate a screen page
    move goScreen panel
    dock goScreen panel to the screen edge
    put goScreen icon on the system tray
    resize goScreen panel
    close goScreen
    invoke About dialog box with the configuration parameters
    show/hide goScreen panel window controls
    show/hide goScreen icon in ALT+TAB window
    change goScreen tooltip font
    change goScreen panel color
    make goScreen panel "most topmost"
    Control the screen page and page button properties
    invoke Page Properties dialog box
    change the page button name
    change the page button icon
    make the page "hidden"
    install a keyboard hot key to activate the page
    change the screen page background bitmap
    change the screen page desktop color
    change the number of pages
    change page button font
    change the page icon size
    change the page button colors
    Create keyboard or mouse shortcuts to screen management operations
    Control running applications
    move an application from one page to another
    "sends back" notification windows from other pages
    perform an action (maximize, minimize, restore, close) for all windows on the active page
    make a window sticky
    assign a window to a specific screen page
    find an application and go to the corresponding page
Just move the mouse in.
    see a list of applications which are running on a desktop page
    see a list of all running applications
    see a hot key for a desktop page
    see hot keys for all desktop pages
Known problems.
Registration.

   goScreen helps you better organize your computer monitor screen area by creating up to 40 virtual pages on it. It adds another dimension to your Windows taskbar. Now you can group your applications by themes and avoid an overcrowded desktop. When you switch pages, all your running Windows programs just disappear from your screen and from the taskbar - but they are right there waiting when you switch back.

   Think of your desktop as a sheet of paper. It has one visible surface. Now imagine that there is a number of surfaces, or pages, with only one visible at a time. All the pages are of the same size – size of your monitor screen and are placed "one above the other". That is how goScreen works.

   It creates a number of virtual pages on your monitor screen. The only limit is your computer resources. Normally, when a program is started – it is given a button on the Windows taskbar. With goScreen your taskbar gets "deeper" too. So, there is still a taskbar entry for each program, but there are many taskbars – one for each virtual page. That is why, when you switch pages – all the taskbar buttons are being changed as well.

• It is incredibly easy to use.
• It takes very small area of your monitor screen - for purpose! - It helps you work with other programs.
• It takes very small amount of your computer resources.
• It works fine even with hung up programs and/or debuggers.
• It has very informative, dynamic tool tips. That is, you can monitor programs on other desktop pages in real time.
• It does not need any installation or de-installation (but there is a Setup program for your convenience).
• It does not install any hooks or otherwise interfere with other programs.
• It is incredibly crash proof. I mean it. It never crashes.
• It is multi-lingual.

   No installation is necessary. There is a single EXE file - goScreen.exe. Just run it. No de-installation is necessary as well.
   Still, for your convenience, there is a Setup program - gsSetup.exe. Its purpose is to copy the package files to a location you specify and to configure goScreen to be started at Windows start-up.
   So, to install goScreen - run gsSetup.exe and specify desired options.
   To uninstall goScreen or change setup options - go to Start - Settings - Control Panel menus and invoke Add/Remove Programs. Then select Andrew Guryanov's goScreen item and press Add/Remove button.
   In case you stop using registered copy of goScreen (at all, or on a given computer), you have to uninstall it. (It is not a problem, if you have never installed it before. Just find gsSetup.exe, run it and press Uninstall button.)

   When you start goScreen for the first time, you see several numbered buttons plus <?> and <x> buttons. Each numbered button represents a virtual page. Raised button is for inactive page, sunken - for the active one. Button "with ribs" means that this page is empty, that is there are no running applications on the page. You can change number of pages from 2 to 40.

To change the language of the user interface:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and select a language in the Language combo box. The language will be changed only after you close the About box.
   If you do not find your favorite language in the list - visit goScreen's WEB page - there is a chance I have added it recently. This feature is only available due to invaluable contributions of volunteers, who took time to translate it. Please join me in praising them.

   All language-dependent resources are stored in special DLLs, each of which has a unique name like gsResXX.dll. Only one such DLL is used at any given time, so you can remove unused or add new ones. There is only one exception: never remove nor rename gsRes.dll - the one which provides resources for English version.

Control the goScreen panel properties

To activate a page:
   Left click corresponding goScreen panel button.
   You can also install specific keyboard hot key for each page, or move from page to page by page switching.

To move goScreen panel:
   Move the mouse cursor to the non-button area. Press the left mouse button and, while holding it down, move the mouse. Release the left mouse button to drop goScreen. If you move it to the screen edge and do not want dock it there - hold the keyboard Ctrl key down while moving.

To dock goScreen panel to the screen edge:
   Docking makes goScreen panel invisible while you are working with other applications.
   Move goScreen to the screen edge until it goes a bit out of the screen and drop it there. goScreen disappears immediately (if you do not want to dock it there - hold the keyboard Ctrl key down while moving). To show it up - just move the mouse cursor to the same screen edge. Or use a keyboard shortcut command.
   If your system is capable of showing a window contents while dragging it - goScreen also draws a rectangle near a screen edge when it is ready to be docked.
   Please be careful when using this option: goScreen becomes completely invisible in this case and it is very easy to forget about it.

To put goScreen icon on the system tray:
   Double click the non-button area with the left mouse button. Or invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and check or uncheck Put on system tray check box. Also, to detach goScreen panel from the system tray - left click its tray icon and move its panel somewhere.
   It works pretty much the same as docking. That is its purpose is to hide goScreen panel while you are working with other applications. But comparing with docking it has a couple of benefits - you can see a list of all running applications and find an application and go to the corresponding screen page without showing goScreen panel.

   In version 2.5 and earlier this mechanism worked differently: instead of putting icon on the system tray it attached goScreen panel to the task bar. I was not completely satisfied with that solution and replaced it in version 2.6. Which in turn caused a number of complains from the users. Well, now there is a possibility to use either of this mechanisms. Changing it is a bit tricky though:
   Close goScreen, if it is running. Go to Start - Run Windows menu and type regedit in the dialog box shown, press OK. Find entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Andrew Guryanov\goScreen\Main and double click the Attach value. Change the value data from 0 to 1. Now, when you start goScreen next time, the old "attachment" mechanism will be active. If you do not like it - change this value back to 0.
   I understand, it is not easy enough. This is, partially because I still do not like it. But if you like it - use it.

To resize goScreen panel:
   Move the mouse cursor to the top or bottom of non-button area of goScreen until it changes to a "resize" cursor. Press the left mouse button and, while holding it down, move the mouse. Release the left mouse button to release goScreen.

To close goScreen:
   Left click the <x> button. Or press Alt+F4 on the keyboard.

To invoke the About dialog box with the configuration parameters:
   Left click the <?> button. Or right click the non-button area and select Properties menu item. Or press F1 on the keyboard.

To show/hide goScreen panel window controls:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and check or uncheck Show window controls check box.

To show/hide goScreen icon in ALT+TAB window:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and check or uncheck Show in Alt+Tab check box.

To change goScreen tooltip font:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and press Font button.

To change goScreen panel color:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and select a color in the Color combo box.

To make goScreen panel "most topmost":
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Control bar tab and check or uncheck Most topmost check box. When set, this property means that goScreen panel cannot be covered by other topmost windows.

Control the screen page and page button properties

To invoke the Page Properties dialog box:
   Right click a page button and select Properties menu item.

To change the page button name:
   Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Name tab and enter the name in the Name edit control.

To change the page button icon:
   Just drag and drop an icon or an application file or a shortcut to it on the page button. Or, Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Name tab and enter the Windows icon or application file name in the Icon edit control. You can also change the size of page icons.

To make the page "hidden":
   Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Name tab and check or uncheck Hide page button check box. When hidden the page is accessible only by the keyboard hot key (so it should be installed as well) and is excluded from the page switching mechanism. Use this option with caution and never forget the access key.
   There is another, closely related option - Guard. It answers the question "What should goScreen do when someone tries to close it, but there are some running applications on hidden pages?" - just exit or never exit?

To install a keyboard hot key to activate the page:
   Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Keyboard activation tab and specify key combination you like. Installing your own hot keys is necessary to avoid possible conflicts with other applications. And... it is nice to be able to use your own preferences instead of being forced to use someone's else, isn't it?

To change the screen page background bitmap:
   Just drag and drop a Windows bitmap file on the page button. Or, Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Background tab and enter the Windows bitmap file name in the Wallpaper bitmap edit control. You can only use MS Windows bitmaps as a page background. And, be aware, - in case you have Active Desktop enabled - it is slow. Everything else works much faster.

To change the screen page desktop color:
   Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Background tab and check or uncheck Desktop color check box. Then press the nearby button to edit the color. And, "expect delays", - it is slow. Everything else works much faster.

To change the number of pages:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Page buttons tab and enter the number in the Number of pages edit control. You have to restart goScreen for this change to come into effect.

To change page button font:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Page buttons tab and press Font button.

To change the page icon size:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Page buttons tab and enter the numbers in the Icon width and Icon height edit controls.

To change the page button colors:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Page buttons tab and check or uncheck Active page color and/or Empty page color check boxes. Then press the nearby button(s) to edit the colors. This option is useful when using only page icons - "ribs" and raised/sunken state may be difficult to distinguish in this case.

To create keyboard or mouse shortcuts to screen management operations:
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Keyboard or Mouse tab and specify key combinations you like. Installing your own keyboard hot keys and mouse hot zones is necessary to avoid possible conflicts with other applications. You have six options: Current, Previous/Next, Back/Forward and Show. They enable you to "sends back" notification windows from other pages, go to the previous/next screen page in numerical order or in order of usage, show goScreen panel when it is hidden.

Control running applications

To move an application from one page to another:
   Right click an inactive page button. A menu will be shown with the list of applications on that page and on the current page. By selecting an item you move the application to or from the current, active page.

To "sends back" notification windows from other pages:
   Left click the active page button.
Or, click keyboard hot key which corresponds to the active page.

To perform an action (maximize, minimize, restore, close) for all windows on the active page:
   Right click the active page button and select an action.

To make a window sticky:
   Right click the active page button, go to the Stick menu item and select a window. A sticky window is shown on all virtual pages.
   Another option is to specify rules as for how to find window(s) which should be sticky. goScreen can distinguish windows by who has created it and by window title or title pattern. It is good idea to have an application for which you are going to define a rule running. In this case you can just select appropriate information from the list and maybe modify it slightly.
   Invoke the About dialog box, go to the Stick tab and define a rule. Exact title means that window should have this exact title, All - all the specified words should be present in the title, Any - any one of the specified words should be in the title. If you specify empty string as a title and say it is Exact - this means a window with no title (which is very rare case). At the same time, if you say All or Any - this means a window with any title.
   Another option to differentiate windows is by an application which has created it. When you select a title from the list of available (running on the active screen page), this application is shown in the Process combo box. If you clean this entry - that means a window with the specified title (pattern) which has been created by any application.
   So, defining a rule, think what is more appropriate for you in each case. For example, you have a text document (MyText.txt) opened in Notepad. On the goScreen "rule" panel you will be able to find the window title (MyText.txt - Notepad) and the application which has created it (Notepad.exe). Now, what do you want? If you want all the documents opened by Notepad be sticky - specify "Notepad" in the Title edit control, select All, and select "Notepad.exe" in the Process (and click Add button, which adds this rule to the list of defined). Otherwise, if you want MyText.txt document, which, potentially, can be opened by many different text editors, be sticky - specify "MyText.txt" in the Title, select All and clean any text in the Process edit control.

   On Windows NT, for goScreen to be able to see the names of running processes you need PSAPI.DLL. This is a standard Microsoft DLL, but not all NT computers have it installed. This DLL is not included in the goScreen package.

To assign a window to a specific screen page:
   Another rule-oriented feature (see previous paragraph please) is assignment of a window to a specific screen page.
   Scenario is simple: imagine that you have multiple applications starting at Windows start-up and would like to have them running on different screen pages. How to tell goScreen to relocate them to a "proper" page? The answer is - define assignment rules.
   Invoke the Page properties dialog box, go to the Applications tab and define a rule.
   What is important to note here is that applications are not relocated automatically, that is not unless you ask for it. From the other hand, such a request is simple: each time you switch screen pages or invoke clean command, all the windows on the active, or previously active, page are being examined and sent to appropriate page(s), if necessary.
   Say for instance you want all windows created by Notepad.exe to be assigned to page 3 and have defined the rule for it. When on page 2, for example, you can open a text document in Notepad, edit it and still be on page 2. But when you switch to page 1, goScreen will relocate your Notepad window to page 3. So, next time you go to page 2 you will not find your document there. Do not tell me it is inconvenient (if you think it is - do not define any rules for it). Now, instead of remembering where you have left that window, you are supposed to remember where that window should be next time you want it.

To find an application and go to the corresponding page:
   Right click the non-button area. A menu will be shown with the list of all the applications on all the pages. By selecting an item you activate corresponding page, if necessary, and the application.

To see a list of applications which are running on a virtual desktop page:
   Stop the mouse cursor over the page button.

To see a list of all running applications:
   Stop the mouse cursor over the non-button area.

To see a hot key for a desktop page:
   Stop the mouse cursor over the page button while holding Ctrl key down.

To see hot keys for all desktop pages:
   Stop the mouse cursor over the non-button area while holding Ctrl key down.

   Sometimes, when I move goScreen panel, it disappears. And I cannot find it.
   It is not a bug. Please take a look at this.

   FrontPage 2000 does not redraw itself properly when I switch screen pages.
   Sorry, FrontPage guys are guilty. I use standard Windows mechanisms and if their application does not handle it properly, they should fix it, not me. Anyway, I have found one workaround. Unfortunately it does not work when FrontPage is maximized. But at least something to help you live with it.
   Close goScreen, if it is running. Go to Start - Run Windows menu and type regedit in the dialog box shown, press OK. Find entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Andrew Guryanov\goScreen\Main and double click the Invalidate value. Change the value data from 0 to 1. Now, "normal", non-maximized FrontPage windows will be redrawn properly.
   This option noticeably degrades goScreen performance. So, do not use it if you do not need it.

   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event the author of this program is liable to you for damages, including any general, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the program. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the program is with you.

   This is a shareware program. You may try it for a period of one month. After that all the navigation features "expire". To restore them you should register your copy. As a result of the registration you will be given a special numeric key that "unlocks" the program. Also, all future versions will be free for you.
   There are two types of registration IDs that you may acquire: personal and corporate. Personal ID may be used by one person only, on a single computer at a time. Corporate ID may be used on all corporate computers. Your name (name of your corporation) is an important part of your ID and cannot be changed later.
   For obtaining a corporate license you have to contact me first.

For on-line registration click here:

https://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=1596-1

Alternatively, send $20 US, or $30 Canadian (no other currencies please) to the following address:

Andrei Gourianov
PO Box 40057, RPO Marlee
Toronto, ON, M6B 4K4
Canada
(Please, before sending anything by mail, visit goScreen's WEB page to verify this information)

Send cash (preferable) or cheque. Make the latter payable to Andrei Gourianov. Do not forget to specify your name and e-mail address. As soon as I receive your letter, I will send you your personal registration number by electronic mail.

If you have any questions, comments or problems
please do not hesitate to write me to
andrew-guryanov@usa.net