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Is there a "save desktop icon arrangement" option in windows?


I normally work on Windows with a 1600x1200 or similar large desktop screen and have my icons laid out just perfectly so.


Every now and then I need to hook up to a projector or do a WebEx at 1024x768 or the ungodly 800x600 to do a demo/presentation/online meeting only to find after the meeting when my desktop size is restored that all my icons are scrunched up into a big mess in the top left corner.


Is there a way I can "save" the layout before I start something that will resize my desktop?


If not, I noted (from the Related Questions when I composed this) that Stardock has a tool called Fences, that does a swell job of grouping icons etc. Before I install it, does anyone know if it is "protected" from these screen resizes? or would it still squish the desktop, just not as badly due to the grouping?



Answer



Windows actually has this ability built-in, but it's not in the UI anywhere by default.


http://snipplr.com/view/5295/saverestore-desktop-icon-layout/


Save the following snippet as layout.reg and double click it to add its contents to the registry. Then you'll be able to save/restore icon layout by right-clicking on the desktop.


Adds ability to save and restore desktop icon layout from the desktop context menu.


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{19F500E0-9964-11cf-B63D-08002B317C03}]
@="Desktop Icon Layout"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{19F500E0-9964-11cf-B63D-08002B317C03}\InProcServer32]
@="Layout.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\IconLayout]
@="{19F500E0-9964-11cf-B63D-08002B317C03}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved]
"{19F500E0-9964-11cf-B63D-08002B317C03}"="Desktop Icon Layout"

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