Virtual Organization with Virtual Desktops

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[Settings]

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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 Control Center. The active desktop is identified by a blue control button which appears beneath the desktop section.

Adding Objects to Desktops

To add items to a desktop, drag them from the Windows Desktop or Windows Explorer to a desktop section. Placing on object on a desktop section launches the object and makes that section the current desktop. Programs, folders, shortcuts, data files, and URL objects can all be activated simply by dragging them to a virtual desktop.

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 Desktop section of the Control Center 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 Control Center 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.

[Locked Windows]

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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 Control Center 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. 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 Control Center. As you click a different desktop section, the locked object moves from the current desktop to the new desktop section.

[Backgrounds]

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You can display a bitmap or JPEG image as the background for each desktop section or choose a solid color. Open the Background tab of the Virtual Desktop page of the Properties notebook.
 
To display a bitmap background, unmark the checkbox beside Color Only. The Background section field is then activated. By default, all BMP files in the Windows directory are listed in the File drop-down list. To change directories, use the Browse dialog to navigate to the another location.
 
To change from one solid background color to another, mark the Color Only checkbox and click the Change Color button. Use the selection boxes to select a color or chose the Define Custom Colors option to select a different shade.