Window Properties 
What Are Window Rules
and How Will They Help Me?
Window rules allow you to control how your windows
are displayed. You can choose which desk to start certain windows in, you can force
certain windows to start iconic (as a Taskbar icon) or in a particular position. You can
also use window rules to make a window present in all virtual desktops (sticky).
How Are Window Rules Applied ?
Window rules are applied to windows when enable Virtual Desktop first
detects the window. From then on that window will not be affected (except for the sticky
rule). You can configure the number of applications of a rule to matching windows, which
allows you to configure separate rules for the same type of window. For example, you could
configure your first Explorer window to appear in desk 1 with your second Explorer window
appearing in desk 2, leaving all other Explorer windows unaffected, or you could configure
all Explorer windows to be started in desk 3. Window rules can be re-applied at any time
by selecting Re-Apply Rules from the context menu or by configuring a Re-Apply
Rules hotkey (see Hiding and Displaying the
Mini-window for details on the Context Menu; see Hotkey Properties for details on configuring a hotkey).
Adding a Window Rule
To add a window rule you must first open the window
you wish to configure. Under the Windows tab in the properties dialog select the
window from the window list and click Add. If you want to create rules for all
the windows that appear in the list, click Add All. If the window does not
appear in the window list you can use the Refresh button to re-find all available
windows.
You can also double click a window to add it to the list of window rules.
Editing a Window Rule
Once a window has been added to the rule list you
must edit the rule to configure the window. Clicking on the Edit button or double
clicking on the rule you want to edit will open the Window Rule dialog box.
Window
Title Matching
The title of the window is used to determine when
the rule is applied to a window. The * wildcard can be used to allow matching of windows
that change their window title.
TIP: The window title is not the only
property used to match a window. The type of window is also compared, so dont
be confused if you create a window rule, change its title to something else and wonder why
the rule doesnt match. Always add the window you wish to create a rule for using the
window list and then modify its title only to accommodate changing window titles.
Starting a Window in a Particular Virtual Desk
If you wish a window to start in a specific desk, select the desk from the dropdown
list and make sure the Set checkbox is checked. This will start the window in the
requested desk, but will not modify its start position within that desk. When you
add a new rule, the window will be set by default to start in the virtual desk it is in
when the rule was created.
Starting a Window With a Specific Size
The default size of a window will be the size of the window when you added it to the
rule list. If you wish to set a window to a specific size, enter the size using the
edit controls and click the Set checkbox.
Starting a Window in a Specific Position
The default position of a window will be the position of the window when you added it
to the rule list. If you wish to start a window in a specific position, enter the
position using the edit controls and click the Set checkbox
Forcing a Window to Start Iconic
Checking the Start Iconic checkbox will force a window to start as a Taskbar
icon.
Making a Window Visible in All Virtual Desks
(Sticky)
Sticky windows are useful for things such as clocks or desktop toolbars that you want
available in all virtual desks. Check the Sticky checkbox and the matching window
will be made sticky.
Hiding a Window in the Mini-Window
Checking the Hide in mini-window checkbox will prevent the window from being
displayed in the mini-window.
Applying Rules Only a Set Number of Times
If you want to apply a rule only a set number of times, enter the number in the edit
control and check the corresponding radio button. This allows you to create different
rules for the same window. For example if you want your first Explorer window to start in
desk 1, set up the rules and enter 1 as the number of times to apply this rule. You can
then add a second rule to make your next Explorer window start in desk 2. If you
want to change the order in which the rules apply, you can move rules by selecting them
and clicking the Up or Down buttons.
If you want a rule to be applied to every window that matches, select the To every
matching window radio button.
Windows That Dont Work Well With enable Virtual Desktop
If you find that a particular window does not seem to interact well with enable Virtual Desktop click the This window does not work well with enable Virtual
Desktop option. enable Virtual Desktop will try
its best to be compatible with this window. You will not be able to move this window using
the mini-window, but it should still only appear in the virtual desk in which it belongs.
Deleting a Window Rule
To delete a window rule, select the rule from the rule list and click on the Delete
button.
Resetting All Window Rules
To delete all of your window rules, click on the Reset button. |