enable Virtual
Desktop Help

enable Virtual Desktop supports any number of virtual desks. To configure the desks, use the two edit controls in the Desks: field to select the number of columns and rows of desks you wish to make available.

Titlebar

The Titlebar option allows you to display the mini-window with or without a titlebar. It is still possible to move the mini-window when it is configured with no titlebar. To move the mini-window click and drag the mini-window's representation of itself within the mini-window and move it as you would move any other window within the mini-window.

Window Sticky

The Window sticky option allows you to set up the mini-window to be available in all virtual desktops.

TIP: The recommended configuration is for the mini-window to be sticky.

Custom Desk Size

The Custom desk size option allows you to set the size of each virtual desktop to be different than the actual size of your desktop. This is useful if you run multiple monitors under Windows® 98 or Windows 2000®. Using this feature you can set the custom desk size to be the combined size of both of your monitors, allowing enable Virtual Desktop to give you one virtual desktop containing both monitors.

Stays on Top

When the Stays on top option is selected the mini-window will remain on top at all times, so it is not obscured by other windows.

TIP: This option works well when you configure a hotkey to hide/show the mini-window or when you use the Autohide feature as described below.

Autohide

When the Autohide feature is selected, the mini-window will hide itself when your mouse leaves it. Moving your mouse into the corner of the desktop which is closest to the mini-window will bring the window back.

Drag Sliding

Drag sliding allows you to scroll smoothly around your available virtual desktops. Using drag sliding means you are not limited to being positioned within a virtual desk boundary. Your viewport can be anywhere within the limits of your configured virtual desktops, and can cross over boundaries. The image below is an example of a viewport that is positioned over more than one virtual desk.

To slide your desk, move the mouse to the desktop border in the direction you wish to slide. The following settings can be configured to customise your desk slides:

• Delay

Delay is the time that your mouse must be positioned on the border before you wish a slide to be activated. If you don't want to activate slides accidentally, set this to a large number (250-500). If you want your slides to be easily activated, set this to a small number (25-100).

• Speed

Speed controls how fast a desk slide is performed. A small number such as 25 will slide the desk slowly, giving you fine control of the position. A large number like 250 will make sliding much faster but will make it harder to accurately position the viewport.

Drag Switching

Drag switching is a method of switching desks. To switch to a desk using drag switching, drag your mouse to the desk border in the direction of the desk to which you want to switch, and the neighboring desk will be activated.

• Delay

Delay is the time that the mouse must be positioned on the border before a switch is activated. If you don't want to activate switches accidentally, set this to a large number (250-500). If you want your switches to be easily activated, set this to a small number (25-100).

• Drag switch mouse skip

Drag switch mouse skip allows your mouse to be switched to the opposite side of the desk after a drag switch has been performed. For most people this is the most natural way of operating because the mouse position remains the same relative to the last desk you were in. Disable this option if you prefer your mouse position to remain the same relative to your screen after a desk switch.

• Only switch when moving window

The Only switch when moving window option should be activiated if you don't want to use drag switching all the time but do want to be able to drag switch when moving a window.

Desk follows focus

When the Desk follows focus option is selected, enable Virtual Desktop will try to keep desk that contains the currently selected window as the active desk.

When the Alt-Tab awareness option is activated, enable Virtual Desktop will attempt to switch to the virtual desk that contains an application whenever you switch to that application using the Windows Alt-Tab dialog.

TIP: This option is recommended for most users.

Move Maximized Windows

By default enable Virtual Desktop will allow you to move maxmized windows using the mini-window. However, in order to do this enable Virtual Desktop must first un-maximize the window, because most maximized windows cannot be safely moved into any position other than full-screen. When a window is un-maximized it will be set to the same size as if it were maximized. If you don’t need to move maximized windows you can uncheck the Move maximized windows option. enable Virtual Desktop will then leave your maximized windows in their maximized state, but you will not be able to move them using the mini-window.

TIP: This option is not recommended for most users.

Select Window After Desk Change

When the Select window after desk change option is activated, enable Virtual Desktop will select the window under your mouse whenever you switch to a new desk using hotkeys.

TIP: This option is recommended for most users.

Don’t Move Hung Windows

The Don't move hung windows option is useful if you frequently use a debugger or other windows that are regularly frozen for some reason. Selecting this option means enable Virtual Desktop will not attempt to move windows that it thinks are frozen. This option can result in windows that are not frozen not being moved under some circumstances, for example, if your machine is running low on memory and is using the swapfile.

TIP:  This option is only recommended for advanced users.

Desk Wrapping

When switching desks using the hotkeys or drag switching, the Desk wrapping option allows you to move to the next desk even if you are on an outside border of your virtual desktop collection. For example, switching to the desk above your current desk repeatedly will cycle through all virtual desks regardless of the shape of your virtual desktop collection.

TIP: This option is not recommended for most users.

When the Select window after moving option is activated, and you move a window using the mini-window, enable Virtual Desktop will automatically switch to the desk to which you have moved the window, and select the window.

TIP: This option is recommended for most users.

Transparent Window

The Transparent window option will make the enable Virtual Desktop mini-window transparent, so you are able to see your desktop through the window.

NOTE:  This option is only available under Windows® 98 and Windows NT® 4.0 or later.

Taskbar Settings

Taskbar Icon

The Taskbar icon option will place an icon for the mini-window into the taskbar. This icon is the same as any other application icon and can be used to select the mini-window, however it will not appear when the mini-window is hidden.

TIP: Most users prefer to use a SysTray icon as described below to save space on the taskbar.

SysTray Icon

The SysTray icon places a small icon in the system tray (the area on your taskbar that contains the clock), as shown below. The SysTray icon can be used to show/hide or raise the mini-window and can also be used to activate the context menu (see Hiding and Displaying the Mini-window for details on using the context menu).

SysTray Desk Icons

SysTray Shows/Hides Window

The SysTray shows/hides window option configures the SysTray icon to show or hide the mini-window when clicked.  This option is useful when the mini-window is configured to remain always on top.

SysTray Raises Window

The SysTray raises window option configures the SysTray icon to bring the mini-window to the top when clicked.  This option is best used when the mini-window is not configured to remain always on top.

Windows,  Windows NT and WIndows 2000 are either
registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation