Users of Apple's Control Strip are limited to the first 3 views below. Users of third party Strip Emulators like Desktop Strip or Extensions Strip have many more options available. Examples 4 to 10 are just some of the possible layouts you can create. The best way to see what you can do is start experimenting with the options in the Configuration menu. Just hold down the key, then click and hold the mouse anywhere on the HandyMan strip.
Desktop Strip examples:
1. This is a basic HandyMan strip. It contains a number of applications, folders and a Trash icon. You can also see the “+” symbol that is used to add more items to the strip easily.
2. This example shows you how you can use the Separator icon provided to group your icons, with additional space being required to display the same strip.
3. Even using Control Strip, you still have a number of options available to you. However, you will need to be careful just how many items you put on to a single strip.
Common variations:
In the next 6 examples you see the same strip, but with different options. These pictures where made using Extensions Strip, but the same arrangements are possible using Desktop Strip. You cannot achieve any of the examples below using Apple's Control Strip.
4. The simplest form again. This is probably how many strips start off, until you run out of screen space to see all the icons you want instant access to. Then you have to start looking for alternatives.
5. A simple alternative that will halve the length of your strip. In the HandyMan Aliases folder, you create 2 new folders. In this case, call one something like ROW_1, and the other something like ROW_2. Then put half of the icons into one folder, and the other half into another. Select “Update icon list” from the Configuration menu, and watch your strip change shape.
6. If you would rather use a vertical arrangement (Columns), then the change is simple. Select “Vertical icon list” from the Configuration menu, and use names like COLUMN_1 and COLUMN_2 for your folders. Again, just select “Update icon list” from the Configuration menu, and watch your strip change shape.
For Big Desktops:
7. If you are one of the lucky people, then you might have a larger screen. For you, there are a larger number of options available. If you decide to use just the names of icons (Options selecting 'Show TextLabels'), you can have columns of items to select from.
8. This example shows that we have been a little more creative than COLUMN_1 for our folders. The first is called ‘General’ and the second is called ‘Internet’. The option to show tiles has also been turned on in the Configuration menu. Another technique available to you is to use more folders to hold your applications, without having to see them in HandyMan all the time. Just put them into a folder (called ‘More Applics’ here), then click and hold the mouse. A Popup list of all the items in the folder will allow you to choose anything from the list shown. While just a little slower, very little of your screen space is required to get almost instant access to it.
For Really Big Desktops:
9. This strip uses the traditional arrangement of icons on top, with their names immediately below (Shift selecting 'Show TextLabels'). As you can see, it requires quite a lot more screen space, but it could be a good way to start off. Once you feel comfortable, you might like to shrink things a little.
10. This example shows quite a number of features. Here you can see what the Large icons look like. You can see the PopInfo showing that the name of the folder for the column selected is ‘2_Utilities’. You can see the InfoBar above the columns of icons showing the same information as the PopInfo (you have the choice of how your information is displayed). You can also see that tiles and three dimensional buttons have been selected from the Configuration menu. The icons in column 3 show both documents and the applications that open them. You can either click on the documents, and have the application open them automatically, or you can click on the application, the select a document to open (probably one that is used less frequently).
