To reduce the number of windows that are open at one time you can organize objects into virtual desktops. You can use any criteria for objects in a desktop. For example, if you work on three different projects, you could have three desktops, each containing folders, documents, graphics and phone books related to the project. Although all three projects are open, you can focus on one project at a time using virtual desktops. Arranged here you see four desktops for four projects.

 

To change from one desktop to another, simply click a desktop section in the ControlCenter. The active desktop is identified by a blue control button which appears beneath the desktop section.

 

Adding Objects to Desktops

Customizing Desktop Sections

You can customize the number and appearance of desktop sections using page 1 of the Virtual Desktop page in the Properties notebook.

Defining the Number of Desktops

You can define up to 16 desktops. To change the number of desktop sections, use the arrow buttons to change the number in the Number of Desktops field. The maximum number of desktops is a function of the resolution you have set (32767 pixels / screen width * 2).

 

The Desktop section of the ControlCenter is fixed. As a result, as the number of desktop sections increases, the size of each section decreases.

Defining Content of Desktop Sections

The following fields on the Virtual Desktop page determine the content and behavior of desktop sections:

Display Titles.

By default, each desktop section consists of small windows that represent open objects. The windows are labeled with a window or session title. To remove window titles, unmark the checkbox.

Display Icons.

Also by default, window icons are displayed for each window that is open on a desktop. To remove the window icons, unmark the checkbox.

Action on Out of Bounds.

Off-screen windows refers to windows that are displayed in a different virtual desktop. If the window focus and/or window activation changes to a window that is in a different virtual desktop, the ControlCenter can be configured to do one of the following:

 

Follow. The desktop in which the off-screen window resides becomes the active desktop.

 

Retrieve. The off-screen window becomes part of the current desktop.

 

None. No window retrieval or Virtual Desktop switch occurs when an off-screen window is activated.

 

The Retrieve Windows button adds all windows that are currently running in all virtual desktops to the current desktop.

You may want a particular object to always be part of the current desktop. For example, you may want to access the Calculator or the Tab LaunchPad on every desktop.

 

To place an object on every desktop, open the Locked Windows tab of the Virtual Desktop page in the ControlCenter Properties notebook and define a locked window.

 

You can choose an object that is currently running by clicking the Browse Windows button, as shown in the following figure, and selecting from the list of available windows. Alternatively, you can type the title of any object in the system. It is advisable to enter the exact title as it appears on the Taskbar (these entries are case sensitive). For example, Outlook Express  or FrontPage Editor.

 

To add a locked window after the title has been entered, click the Add button. It then appears in the Locked Windows listbox. You can add an unlimited number of locked windows.

 

To remove a locked window, click a title in the Locked Windows listbox and click the Delete button.

 

The locked object does not appear at once in all desktops sections in the ControlCenter. As you click a different desktop section, the locked object moves from the current desktop to the new desktop section.

Select the Only lock exact window title matches option to force an exact match for locked windows. 

The colors and fonts for the sample window "replicas" in the virtual desktops can be adjusted with their respective options.