Save Desktop Icon Positions

[sunnyjamshedji]

It would be great to have a tool to save AND restore the location of all shortcut icons on the desktop.

For some reason with single monitor, or multiple monitors with different resolutions, different zoom/font size/icon size and spacing/etc. The location of these icons is reset and you're left with all icons Auto-Arranged on the left of the screen, like Windows threw its hands up and said IDK, forget whatever locations they are and now set them up in the default grid.

There used to be a tool for this years ago. Can't seem to find it. It was third-party and not part of Power Toys. Worked in Windows 7.

Use a Desktop [optional Shift] Right Click menu that allows you to SAVE the current icon positions and the same to RESTORE the last saved locations.
If new icons were added after the last save, then place them as appropriately as possible.
Only stores the last saved location. Can have profiles, but not necessary on the first iteration.

[nbros]

Maybe you're thinking about "Desktop OK"? It still works on Windows 10, but it is not Open Source and probably is a bit "hacky".
I could not find an "official" API to save and restore icon positions, only roundabout ways to do this:
https://superuser.com/questions/625854/where-does-windows-store-icon-positions
https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/639486/Save-and-Restore-Icon-Positions-on-Desktop

In order to be very useful, this new PowerToy should to be able to save several icon configurations, for different monitor arrangements.
And bonus points for an option to automatically restore icons when we plug or unplug an external monitor!

[Jay-o-Way]

Is this related to #704?

[nbros]

Is this related to #704?

Related as far as it concerns desktop icons, but different because #704 is for making icons unmovable and this one is for saving and restoring different icon layouts on the desktop.

[sunnyjamshedji]

Well, I guess it depends on how many features the team wants to provide in this feature. These r distinctly different as u have surmised. Maybe the base is icon position saves n the lock is a second level that does not allow movement of icons either like u wud have in a static, kiosk-like display. These wud both help in a kiosk environment or demo mode.

…

________________________________ From: nbros <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, September 6, 2020 11:05:10 AM To: microsoft/PowerToys <[email protected]> Cc: sunnyjamshedji <[email protected]>; Author <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [microsoft/PowerToys] Save Desktop Icon Positions (#3143) Is this related to #704<#704>? Related as far as it concerns desktop icons, but different because #704<#704> is for making icons unmovable and this one is for saving and restoring different icon layouts on the desktop. — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#3143 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AEXRLLUVOSXRKSGPPNDELDLSEOXLNANCNFSM4NFEUFOA>.

[rinzwind5]

In the meantime... one PowerToy out there is WS Display Settings. Recently it gained functionality to save and restore your desktop shortcuts and layout. It supports multiple layouts too. So worth a look I guess...
https://wizardsoft.nl/products/wsdisplaysettings

[TheAndyMac]

Maybe you could see if MIDI-OX would be interested in contributing the Desktop Restore utility that he has developed and has only recently been updated with some fixes - I have been using this utility for years and, apart from a lack of a Windows 11 new Context Menu in it, it does everything needed and has worked flawlessly. It would be nice to include in PowerToys to make sure it continues to be developed and can enable the Windows 11 context menu.