How can I get the icons wanted on an empty desktop?

[cuneiform]

Dexpot is seemingly quite complicated as far as putting any wanted icons on an empty desktop is concerned though it is a basic operation. First, how can I get an empty virtual desktop free of dozens of icons of an original desktop? If they are hided, then no icons can be put on desktop. Not transparent is also the option Customize desktop icons. I couldn't follow how it works. Please, couldn't you define these issues more specifically?

How come that after assigning an icon you can't see it? But if icons are hided, you can't work with this application generally. ANother vogue alternative would be that with 100 icons being unhided in each desktop of the 4 available.
Clearly, I am unaware of what I should have to do. However, the whole logic of the application should prevent going that way.

[Patrick]

First, how can I get an empty virtual desktop free of dozens of icons of an original desktop?

Enable "Customize desktop icons". Icons like "Computer" and "Recycle Bin" will remain on all desktops. If any other icons are visible on all desktops, they are stored on the public desktop ("C:\Users\Public\Desktop" or "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop", depending on Windows version) and have to moved to your user desktop, if you want to restrict them to a single desktop.

If you truly need a completely empty desktop, you can use icon customization with a shared folder.

How come that after assigning an icon you can't see it? But if icons are hided, you can't work with this application generally. ANother vogue alternative would be that with 100 icons being unhided in each desktop of the 4 available.
Clearly, I am unaware of what I should have to do. However, the whole logic of the application should prevent going that way.

Sorry, I have no idea what any of that means.

[cuneiform]

have to moved to your user desktop, if you want to restrict them to a single desktop.

Yes, I'd like to, but after taking "Customize desktop icons" I'm still getting 47 icons ON EACH OF THE 3 OTHER DESKTOPS out of some 140-150 apps installed ! While you have mentioned "if you want to restrict them to a single desktop". - Nothing of the kind! I can't restrict them to a single desktop.

If you truly need a completely empty desktop, you can use icon customization with a shared folder.

After enabling the option 'Use a shared common folder for all desktops', I'm still getting the same 47 apps ON EACH OF THE 3 OTHER DESKTOPS.

Thus, the problem remains, alas. Do you think I should manually delete these 47 icons one after another on each of the 3 other desktops and save it as a profile of mine?

I also can't understand the logic of the application: If one wishes that any single desktop should have an independent distribution of icons, then that's quite logical. If one would wish that all the desktops should have the same uniform distribution of icons that would be illogical. Because that is not the end of the idea of this application. What for can these two options serve?

[cuneiform]

Sorry, I posted my foregoing reply as Guest mistakenly.

Apropos of these 2 options: Maybe, you consider that these 2 options would prevent such folders and apps' names as Folder(2) or Folder(3) etc. if only one common (share) folder would exist?

However, so far I have been unable to start a (new) virtual desktop from scratch due to the above mentioned 47 icons on a real desktop computer.

On my notebook, which is a relatively new device, there are above 9 icons, which can be seen on all the 3 further virtual desktops. And I cannot get rid of them either.

[Patrick]

Yes, I'd like to, but after taking "Customize desktop icons" I'm still getting 47 icons ON EACH OF THE 3 OTHER DESKTOPS out of some 140-150 apps installed ! While you have mentioned "if you want to restrict them to a single desktop". - Nothing of the kind! I can't restrict them to a single desktop.

Like I said above: these are the icons stored on the public desktop. If you don't want them on all desktops, you have to move them from "C:\Users\Public\Desktop" to "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop". That's for "separate folders".

After enabling the option 'Use a shared common folder for all desktops', I'm still getting the same 47 apps ON EACH OF THE 3 OTHER DESKTOPS.

Yes, because that's the distribution you already had with separate folders. To start fresh with "shared folder", exit Dexpot, go to "C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot", delete all ".dxi" files and restart Dexpot.

Thus, the problem remains, alas. Do you think I should manually delete these 47 icons one after another on each of the 3 other desktops and save it as a profile of mine?

Do not delete anything from your actual desktop. Use "Desktop Windows" as described here: http://dexpot.de/index.php?id=quickstar ... tionshared

If one would wish that all the desktops should have the same uniform distribution of icons that would be illogical. Because that is not the end of the idea of this application.

Actually that's exactly the idea of Dexpot. It's about distributing application windows across multiple workspaces. It's a way for people who work with a lot of applications at the same time to keep their work organized. The desktop icon thing is just an add-on.

[cuneiform]

As far as you can see, Patrick, we need each other. So let's talk shop productively.

I can handle my PC as you wish, with going to the program folder and deleting links to real icons, etc.
But, for instance, any females would not do that anyway and some males either!
I think you are not writing this application for a limited group of users.

Just think that while taking some other application as, e.g. DesktopSpace, one instantly can fill up his/her desktop with apps, folders, files from scratch, but within 6 desktops only.

Your application can do much more, it's attractive, but it is not transparent. I have spent several days trying to make use of it. To the end, I had to write to you something like above. It's not quite normal. Even for an advanced user. Just think of a newbie or a female. You may have to think it over and over again how to let us make use of your nice application without all these troubles at the initial stage while starting from scratch. Later on, we shall be able to master its use on our own.

[cuneiform]

that's the distribution you already had with separate folders. To start fresh with "shared folder", exit Dexpot, go to "C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot", delete all ".dxi" files and restart Dexpot.

While having a portable version, I was able to find only one .dxi file:
C:\Portables\Dexpot\icons.dxi

After deleting it, and having started Dexpot again, I still have got some icons on desktop.

[cuneiform]

Hi, Patrick

I would like to migrate from DeskSpace towards Dexpot since the latter may have up to 20 desktops while DeskSpace only 6.

Working seriously over my books, I experience difficulties if the desktop is overpopulated with icons.
On the other hand, I cannot hide them, because I need some controls over my workflow.

So many pics made concerning Dexpot I have seen, all of them have the same background of icons on all the desktops from No. 1 onwards if being sampled. This let me think that maybe unpopulating and populating again desktops with icons has not been a goal to pursuit.

The desktop pictured above is in my opinion a good sample of how a desktop should look in an effective workflow.
In other words, only particular icons needed should be present at an instance.

In the pic, one can see a couple of folders corresponding to 2 chapters of a book or dissertation, some apps to work with, a source of knowledge as a pdf file, Notices folder filled up with notices.

I have spent nearly a week in order to form the same desktop while using Dexpot, but was unable to find corresponding controls to make the workflow possible.

Could you please indicate the controls (checked, unchecked) necessary to accomplish that task with Dexpot?
Or Dexpot has not been thought for such a task in particular but for other ones?

Thanks.

[Patrick]

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[cuneiform]

Thanks, Patrick, for your efforts. I've accomplished this task. Now, I'm absolutely happy to have migrated from DeskSpace towards Dexpot at last. The problem was that my PCs have not those folders completely, which you have indicated, some differ.

Also, confusing was the operation with moving icons from the Public folder to UserName folder. I have made the Public Folder empty now. As the second user (non-admin) has other icons than admin (myself). - This way I've got only some standard icons: My Documents, My Computer, Network Places, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer in the preferred mode with separate folders. That's fine!

But, I must say, that not everyone would be decisive enough as to delete some system files... That implies that some assistance is still advisable while working with Dexpot, maybe a really good manual with pics.

Working with a Common folder results in truly empty desktops, as you mentioned. But it is not the preferred mode, as the whole workpieces from many desktops would land within one and same desktop, No. 1, alas.

Good enough, while starting with the two major modes of working with Dexpot. Thanks, again.