Any 68k or PPC machine running Mac OS 7.5 or higher. This program is Mac OS 8.0, 8.1, and 8.5 savvy.
If you are running 7.x.x, be sure to have Object Support Lib and CFM-68K Runtime Enabler installed in your machine. These files can be obtained from Apple's web site:
http://www.info.apple.com/swupdates/
The CFM-68K Runtime Enabler is only needed for 68k machines.
What about the Stinkin' Pop-Up Windows?
Ok, guys. I have had a lot of people asking this question. I have semi-good news. This version is just
a maintenance release, but the next version will have support. I already have a working version that
reset's OS 8 - 8.5's pop-up windows, but it is still kinda quirky.
I will keep ya posted!
What's New?
1.2.1
Removed resetting icons dialog. It was useless, since the reset part is so quick.
Recompiled under Codewarrior Pro 4. Added support for OS 8.5's Application Switcher. Desktop Resetter
now remembers the position of the App Switcher window!
1.2
This new version includes a bunch of improvements, mainly, an entire new engine. It is now about 20% to 90% faster, depending on the machine and amount of icons on the desktop. I've tested it on G3's. Resetter is extremely fast on these machines. It now supports any icon, including disks, the trash, hard drives, folders, documents, cd's, mounted volumes, pcmcia cards, etc. (This is due to the new engine features).
1.1.1
Due to high demand from users, Desktop Resetter now supports moving the Trash can and disk icons (hard drives).
For a full list of new stuff, check the Version History down at the bottom of this document.
The Idea
Desktop Resetter is a "simple" utility that can be darn useful. I originally created it for my own use; whenever I would switch the resolution of my monitor, the icons on my desktop would get all screwed up.
Like many others, I am very picky about my icon placement... and playing a game or something similar always costs me by having to move my icons back to their proper positions, due to a resolution switch.
When I mentioned this to my friends and co-workers, they all agreed that they have had the same trouble!
How To Use Desktop Resetter
First, set your icons to the way you would like them to be permanently positioned, so when you 'reset' them, they go back to this home position.
Next, run Desktop Resetter. Choose Remember.
That's it, now your icons are programmed and ready to be reset whenever their positions get screwed up. This occurs by switching resolutions on a multi-res monitor, choosing 'Clean Up' from the Finder, letting little kids or novices touch your computer, etc... (The icons can always be re-remembered, if you don't like your current set-up.)
The next time the positions get screwed up, run Desktop Resetter, choose 'Reset' and wait a few seconds...
Once its done, all of the icons that you had 'programmed' will return to their home positions!
There is a Settings dialog, in which you can set 'hot keys' when opening Desktop Resetter.
Quick Remember will make the program skip the main menu and automatically begin Remembering your icon positions whenever launched. Just choose which hot keys you want to have held down when Resetter is launched and it will Quick Remember. You can also have no keys, and it will auto remember when launched with no keys held down.
Quick Reset is the same as Quick Remember, but instead, switches directly to the Reset portion of the program.
It is possible to have both Quick Remember and Quick Reset on, just use different hot keys for the different procedures.
Big Hint: Turn on Quick Reset and set it to NO hot keys (leave all boxes unselected). Therefore, whenever Resetter is opened, it will automatically goto Reset mode and instantly return back to the Finder. The purpose? Drop an alias in the Startup Items folder of the System Folder, therefore, whenever you turn on your machine, it will fix all of your icons automatically!
Auto Switch to Background will make Desktop Resetter automatically switch to the Finder, and it will do its operations in the background and automatically exit. This only affects the 'remember' portion of Desktop Resetter.
The Verify Remember Dialog option is included for the users who complained about Desktop Resetter verifying with you that you are about to Remember your icons when pressing the Remember button, and to make sure that you have them set correctly. You can now toggle this alert when clicking the Remember button by choosing this option.
If you get stuck and want to get the main menu to change Resetter's settings, you can bypass any hot keys by holding down the command key when launching Desktop Resetter.
Desktop Resetter supports multi-resolutions. In other words, you can remember icon positions for each monitor resolution (640x480, 832x624, etc.) Resetter will automatically fix the icons appropriately for each resolution.
Shareware
This program is shareware. If you use it on a regular basis, please support shareware and make a payment of $10 to:
Kagi
1442-A Walnut Street #392-GXO
Berkeley, California 94709-1405
USA
Or you can register online using the included register online file.
If you have any problems, questions, or comments, direct them to: goddfadda@kagi.com
If you choose not to go through Kagi, send $10 to
Nick D'Amato
8131 50th Street Circle East
Sarasota, FL 34243
Distribution
This program may be freely distributed as long as you include this Read Me along with it. It may be placed on CD-ROM as long as you send me an e-mail letting me know your review. Thank you.
Version History
1.0 - Final release
1.1 - Removed second stop dialog after doing a "Remember" due to user complaints.
Fixed About Box, had font problem and some text clipping would occur.
Updated docs.
Added support for disk icons and the Trash can.
Added a wait dialog procedure to the remember part of the program.
Added support for command keys.
Added support for desk accessories, etc.
Fixed bug with Sys 7.5 - 7.6 machines, which caused icons to jump up 20 pixels when reset.
Added support for multi-resolutions! It now keeps a prefs folder on the desktop
which contains a desktop snapshot for each monitor resolution!
Added support for quick remembering and quick resetting! No more main menu, now you can just double click the program and your on your way!
Added support for auto-switching. This means that you can have Desktop Resetter automatically switch to the Finder when it is resetting or remembering icons.
1.1.1 Fixed problem on some machines where it would report 'Finder Error' when auto switch to background was turned on.
1.2 Removed button support in the Remember/Reset dialogs.
Rewrote entire engine for remembering/resetting icons. Speeds recorded at around 25% - 90% faster than previous versions.
The new engine also adds support for all types of icons. Including disks, trash, hard drives, folders, documents, alias', cd's, shared volumes, pcmcia cards, etc.
Auto switch feature now doesn't affect the resetting procedure, just the remembering.
Reduced dialog sizes and rewrote text in most.
Auto-switch will now return to the program that LAUNCHED Desktop Resetter. (ETC. If you launched it via another application other than the Finder, auto switch will return control to that app.)
Changed prefs file to support os 8's new standards.
1.2.1 Added support for OS 8.5's application switcher window. Recompiled under Codewarrior Pro 4. Minor
