Desktop icon switch failing (due to folder redirection?)

[drahit]

Just installed Dexpot today to try out on the computer where I work. I first enabled Settings > Switching Desktops > Desktop Icons > Customize Desktop Icons. Under Advanced, I set it to Create a separate folder for each desktop. I also disabled Use original Windows desktop folder as Desktop 1. When switching, the icons always remain the same regardless. I tried removing icons from Desktop Windows > Icons but when I select an item and remove from the right-click menu it always remains.

I think what's going on is that we have folder redirection enabled in our enterprise and I'm suspicious this may be the reason. This means my desktop is actually on a server, not my local computer. I found that Dexpot created four desktop folders in the same directory (again, on the server) where my original desktop folder resides (named Desktop 1-4). The structure is \\server\users\myuserid\Desktop 1 (etc).

I enabled the log file and found the relevant section (changed server name and my user id):

12:01:12> Verstecke Fenster 265106: , Alternate Owner, iexplore.exe
12:01:12> Verstecke Fenster 590834: , Static, dexpot.exe
12:01:12> Setting Desktop Folder \\server\users\myuserid\Desktop 2
12:01:12> Could not set Desktop Folder \\server\users\myuserid\Desktop 2
12:01:12> --- Stelle 3 Taskbarbuttons wieder her...
12:01:12> Zeige Fenster (move) 4719986: Desktop 2, CabinetWClass, explorer.exe

After finding these folders I tried manually moving items from my original desktop folder (\\server\users\myuserid\Desktop) to one of the Dexpot created desktop folders (ie. \\server\users\myuserid\Desktop 2) but the icons still do not change regardless and the log file shows the failures.

Is this a bug? Is Dexpot not compatible with Windows folder redirection via group policy?

[Sebastian]

,

Is Dexpot not compatible with Windows folder redirection via group policy?

Windows won't let us switch desktop folders to a remote location programmatically.

[drahit]

Hi Sebastian,

This is certainly possible under a domain controlled windows environment. See https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc786749(v=ws.10).aspx and my own attached rsop.msc

Thanks

[drahit]

FYI, folder redirection is not possible through local group policy (gpedit.msc). This needs to be distinguished - it is only possible via domain controlled group policy which is more extensive and has much more granular control over Windows. Also, group policy is not even available under Windows Home versions. But domain controlled group policy is used in most business/enterprise environments. So I'm a bit surprised that the developers are not familiar with this and believe that it isn't possible to redirect the desktop folder programmatically.

Funny thing is, Dexpot does create the Desktop 1-4 folders in the redirected location, but then can't find the same folders to read from.

[Sebastian]

,

Funny thing is, Dexpot does create the Desktop 1-4 folders in the redirected location, but then can't find the same folders to read from.

this isn't about reading from, it's about setting the folder. Won't work as we do it now.

[drahit]

Won't work as we do it now.

Then it seems this is a bug, is it not?

I don't need Dexpot at home (casual use), I need it at work where I'm the busiest (multiple task environment).

[Sebastian]

,

Then it seems this is a bug, is it not?

consider it an API limitation.

[drahit]

(sigh) Ok well I subsequently have found that VirtuaWin seems to work in this situation via the VWDesktopIcons module. I do like Dexpot better though, except for this one problem. Oh well...

[Sebastian]

,

you may use the legacy desktop icon customization (leaving the icons physically untouched) in Dexpot. It's not too stable, though: http://dexpot.de/?id=quickstartguide#ic ... tionshared