Virtual Desktops

It seemed promising right up until "Pressing next will make the program quit, please restart it..." Then, everything I had in my desktop folder vanished, including the download directory that contained the program!

:eek:

Help me! Where has it put my stuff?

I would be happy to help you straighten out some of the interface issues later, but first you gotta fix this up!
 
lol. Yeah one of the things about my virtual desktops program is it keeps all different files on different desktops. You can find Desktop Manager in ~/Library/Application Support/Desktop Manager/

Sorry about the dilemma.
 
Phew! For a minute there I thought I'd be needing to dig out my backup disks! Thanks for the save!

Okay ... you'll have to design this thing on the assumption that some idiots might like to have a download folder on their desktop. ;)

I'll give you a full review / ideas and whatever soon, okay?
 
Okay, yeah there's a couple of minor bugs, which you may or may not have seen yet. However this does actually work and runs quickly most of the time, even on my iBook 500.

Finder windows seem to stay open in the same place regardless of which desktop you're on, and will jump to the front of their own accord.

I'd like it if you had an option to lock the resize sliders in the preferences, so that you don't have to keep fiddling to get the proportions right. Perhaps just make it one large slider.
Also in preferences, you have a transparency slider which, when it is slid all the way to the right, means "no transperancy at all" and all the way to the left means "completely transparent." This seems a little back-to-front to me.
Also, you could make the preferences dialogues a fair bit smaller.

I hope you are coding this with the option of adding more desktops at a later time. Having one virtual desktop seems a little weak. Also, it would be nice if this could be a dockling, with the alternate desktop appearing as an icon in the dock.

As far as I can see, it automatically hides whatever isn't on the current dektop, and shows what is on, each time you switch. (I have used tinkertool to shade icons of hidden apps in the dock). In the meanwhile, it is snatching an image of your desktop to go in the preview window. All up, it is an efficient and well thought-out design. A little more sense on the set-up and installation is the important thing.

And it is, of course, counter-intuitive to have to pick desktop images again. Why not just use whatever the user is currently using as their desktop? And what happens if someone DOESN'T choose a desktop image in the setup dialogues? (I read the warning that you MUST choose a desktop image for both)

Also, taking a snapshot will cause Finder to restart itself ...
 
thats is quite a fine program....i was a little confused at first but it seems to have a lot of promise.
i think maybe you should tell people that their desktop will be moved to ~/Library/Application Support/Desktop Manager/ when the program starts for the first time
 
Howdy,
It's a good application, in my opinion. And the idea behind it is really nice for major businesses, or home activity...using Photoshop with this little application has been more than awsome for me! But I'd like to see a few things change:

The window which shows the other desktop(s) should have a setting in the Preferences were users can select if the window will be a global floating window, or just a regular floating window...it got in my way a couple of times.

And also support for more desktops! That would be sweet! Imagine working with over 10 screens on the same computer/monitor. I could get A LOT more work done A LOT faster that way!

Anyway, thanks for the good app! It's awsome!
 
Oh my God... I downloaded it... and it's the craziest App EVER. I'm seriously confused by it... I mean, I know what it's function is, but it just.... hurts my head. The whole picture-in-picture thing seriously screws with my head.

... Wait, now that I've thought about it.... Whitesaint.... all you need to do is add the ability for more desktops, and, instead of making the current (large) desktop shrink down, you should make the other (smaller) desktop grow OUT... I think that would make it less confusing. Or maybe it's just me.
 
Okay, yeah there's a couple of minor bugs, which you may or may not have seen yet. However this does actually work and runs quickly most of the time, even on my iBook 500.
Click to expand...

Desktop Manager runs ALOT faster if you are running at lower resolutions, and if you are running thousands of colors.

Finder windows seem to stay open in the same place regardless of which desktop you're on, and will jump to the front of their own accord.
Click to expand...

I can make the finder windows seperate on each desktop, but i think it's better this way. If they were seperate on each desktop, when you click on the desktop they will pop back up.

I'd like it if you had an option to lock the resize sliders in the preferences, so that you don't have to keep fiddling to get the proportions right. Perhaps just make it one large slider.
Also in preferences, you have a transparency slider which, when it is slid all the way to the right, means "no transperancy at all" and all the way to the left means "completely transparent." This seems a little back-to-front to me.
Also, you could make the preferences dialogues a fair bit smaller.
Click to expand...

No problem, I'm on it.
 
I hope you are coding this with the option of adding more desktops at a later time. Having one virtual desktop seems a little weak. Also, it would be nice if this could be a dockling, with the alternate desktop appearing as an icon in the dock.
Click to expand...

Yes I've been working soooo hard trying to get more desktops available to the user, but so far this is the hardest programming task I've ever come up with. I won't give up though, I won't stop until there are at least 4 different virtual desktops.

All up, it is an efficient and well thought-out design. A little more sense on the set-up and installation is the important thing.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. I already have it being able to control from the system preferences, and no dock Icon in the dock. I am planning on releasing it with an installer, and Virtual Desktops will always be up on your computer.

And it is, of course, counter-intuitive to have to pick desktop images again. Why not just use whatever the user is currently using as their desktop? And what happens if someone DOESN'T choose a desktop image in the setup dialogues? (I read the warning that you MUST choose a desktop image for both)
Click to expand...

I'm sorry bout that. I'll look into somthing in the future to sort this out. Currently, I can't find any way to get the User's current desktop picture. It won't mess up your system in any way, if the user doesn't pick both desktops. It just won't work.
 
thats is quite a fine program....i was a little confused at first but it seems to have a lot of promise.
i think maybe you should tell people that their desktop will be moved to ~/Library/Application Support/Desktop Manager/ when the program starts for the first time
Click to expand...

I will address this issue when the Golden Master is shipped. I will have to make an installer.

The window which shows the other desktop(s) should have a setting in the Preferences were users can select if the window will be a global floating window, or just a regular floating window...it got in my way a couple of times.
Click to expand...

In order for the animation to work, it has to be floating on top of everything else. I am planning to making Status Item in the menu bar with your virutal desktops (i.e. sound, displays, battery).

And also support for more desktops! That would be sweet! Imagine working with over 10 screens on the same computer/monitor. I could get A LOT more work done A LOT faster that way!
Click to expand...

Still working on it, pray for me...

Anyway, thanks for the good app! It's awsome!
Click to expand...

Thank you :D, seriously this encourages me alot more to work harder on this :)
 
Originally posted by adambyte
Oh my God... I downloaded it... and it's the craziest App EVER. I'm seriously confused by it... I mean, I know what it's function is, but it just.... hurts my head. The whole picture-in-picture thing seriously screws with my head.

... Wait, now that I've thought about it.... Whitesaint.... all you need to do is add the ability for more desktops, and, instead of making the current (large) desktop shrink down, you should make the other (smaller) desktop grow OUT... I think that would make it less confusing. Or maybe it's just me.
Click to expand...

Okay, I'm considering whether I should give it a Utility window title bar, but it will go about twice as slow.

If the smaller virtual deskop grows out, it will cause alot of problems, more functionality wise then appearance wise. For instance, if the small virtual desktop grows out, what about the miniature desktop...? It won't be there anymore...
 
Originally posted by whitesaint
If the smaller virtual deskop grows out, it will cause alot of problems, more functionality wise then appearance wise. For instance, if the small virtual desktop grows out, what about the miniature desktop...? It won't be there anymore...
Click to expand...

Hmm.... good point. I mean, I suppose you could have a "smallest" picture already inside the "small" desktop, but that would be a coding feat unto itself. Kinda the same effect when you put to mirrors facing each other, and then you go in between... it goes to infinity. Overall, though, this app is starting to grow on me.
 
During 8th period at school today I was thinking about his great application and I have some questions to ask ya, if ya don't mind that is! If you don't want to answer in public (?) just e-mail me the answers here: flip180@mac.com


Questions:
1) How did you come up with the idea for this application? What are you programming it in? Cocoa is what it looks like from my point of view!

2) Do you plan on selling it? I'm sure you could make quite a bit money off of a pro version, then let a free home version go around the web. I would be willing to pay quite a bit of money for this application!

Comments:
1) KEEP US UPDATED WITH NEW RELEASES!!! :)

2) This really is a cool/good application, i love it!!!

Thanks for your time!
 
Originally posted by Trip
During 8th period at school today I was thinking about his great application and I have some questions to ask ya, if ya don't mind that is! If you don't want to answer in public (?) just e-mail me the answers here: flip180@mac.com


Questions:
1) How did you come up with the idea for this application? What are you programming it in? Cocoa is what it looks like from my point of view!

2) Do you plan on selling it? I'm sure you could make quite a bit money off of a pro version, then let a free home version go around the web. I would be willing to pay quite a bit of money for this application!

Comments:
1) KEEP US UPDATED WITH NEW RELEASES!!! :)

2) This really is a cool/good application, i love it!!!

Thanks for your time!
Click to expand...

Well the idea was partly mine. Also about a hundred others too. I read all over the net that people wanted Virtual Desktops for OS X. So I decided I would build it. And yes, I am programming it in Cocoa mainly. Also Carbon calls, Apple events, and applescript.

I've never used Virtual Desktops on Linux before but I decided I would make it. And yes, when it is finished, I am planning on selling it. Thanks for your interest trip. :)
 
I've never used Virtual Desktops on Linux before
Click to expand...

I guess that explains why your implementation took us so much by surprise. Most of the linux / X-windows virtual desktop systems involve dragging the mouse to the edge of a screen to flip over to the next desktop. Your solution seems a lot more elegant.

However, if you could work out a way to have the display grow out of the preview, then that would be a good solution. I assume the preview is generated from a snapshot of the screen when you switch away from it, so it should have a snapshot of the other preview in it already. Sure, it won't match up, but just having your program refresh the preview after the swap would be okay. It would make a lot more sense when you are working with several desktops.
 
Trip, I'd rather discuss it in Public actually. Well Im looking for a business partner, I'm also trying to start my own software business. By the way, do you think the application would be better or worse with a utility window title bar? Or do you think i should leave it the way it is? Thanks for the input.
 
I just want to comment that this is a great piece of software, and I can't wait for you to finish it. It is a really great utility> Here are some ideas:

1. Make it into a System pref.

2. Make it into a dockling

3. Make it into a menubar item

keep up the good work
:)
 
Originally posted by xaqintosh
I just want to comment that this is a great piece of software, and I can't wait for you to finish it. It is a really great utility> Here are some ideas:

1. Make it into a System pref.

2. Make it into a dockling

3. Make it into a menubar item

keep up the good work
:)
Click to expand...

Hey thanks :D System Pref: On it's way, Menubar Item: On its way :D
Thanks for the kudos.
 
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