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Virtual Desktop 1.7
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Virtual Desktop Help
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STR#_1027.txt
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such special treatment.
they quit. By practice, you will come to know which applications need
option to handle this sort by bringing their windows back into view before
manage your desktop. Virtual Desktop provides an application preference
behavior, actually helpful, except when you are using Virtual Desktop to
choose a default on-screen location. This is quite understandable
window locations as off-screen, so the next time they start up, they may
If you shut down in another way, some applications may record their
any other application.
makes sure that Virtual Desktop gets a chance to clean up and quit before
good practice to use this Special menu rather than Finder’s, because it
commands, like those in Finder. If you use Virtual Desktop regularly, it’s
Virtual Desktop has a Special menu which contains Restart and Shut Down
xHow to Shut Down Using Virtual Desktop
than life without.
Despite these glitches, though, life with Virtual Desktop is arguably better
scrolling.
applications seem to respond better to door jumps than to manual
scrolling, because they think they know which parts are exposed. These
them to redraw parts of their windows which have been exposed by
Third, some applications don’t listen to the operating system when it tells
Desktop, however.
sometimes. QuickTime movie players seem to get along fine with Virtual
frames without the contents. Even HyperCard has a little trouble
directly. Their windows will come apart when Virtual Desktop scrolls the
frame-grabbing video expansion card which addresses screen memory
model to draw on your monitors. An example would be any
Second, some applications don’t use the Macintosh’s QuickDraw graphics
isn’t such a monitor.
which monitor has the greatest color depth, and may get confused if there
monitor their windows intersect, because they typically need to know
which use a “device loop” to compute the right drawing effects for each
off-screen. This is especially true of well-programmed applications
First, some applications may not work right if their windows are
aware of the symptoms of trouble.
behavior with no problems. There are others, though, and you should be
The great majority of applications tolerate Virtual Desktop’s scrolling
xSensitive Applications
Maybe.
See the section entitled “Suggestions for Use” for more information on
before opening the target item.
which automatically tells Virtual Desktop to scroll to this location just
to use an alias file converted by Maybe, another AWOL Utilities program,
always find the icon you want through those windows.) The best way is
for Finder so that Finder’s windows are exempt from scrolling, you can
placed there for the purpose. (If you have set the application preferences
application using the Apple menu or some desktop icon which you have
move to the location by clicking on a door icon window, then to open the
that location is, so you have to help it somehow. One way would be to
commonly used application. However, the application doesn’t know what
You will probably want to dedicate an area of the virtual desktop to some
normally put their windows where you can see them.
are on the virtual desktop. In a way, this is good, because they will
actual desktop. Therefore, applications are never aware of where you
Virtual Desktop works by moving windows and icons, not by enlarging the
xRoutine Maintenance
information about door files.
See the section entitled “The Door Preferences Dialog” for more
application and scroll the virtual desktop to a preset position when opened.
way is to use door files, Virtual Desktop documents that open the
it up by putting it (or an alias to it) in your Startup Items folder. Another
Ordinarily, once you are comfortable with Virtual Desktop, you will start
application need only be open when you want to do some scrolling.
Because the extension implements the illusion of a virtual desktop, the
remain out of view. You must reopen Virtual Desktop to access them.
you to the “home” position, and that the items you moved off the desktop
scroll bars, then quit, you will notice that Virtual Desktop has returned
some icons off the desktop view using Full View mode, scroll with the
very small virtual desktop, and nothing off the monitors. If you move
The first time you start up Virtual Desktop, you will be working with a
xHow to Start Up Virtual Desktop
persuade Finder not to round up the “lost sheep.”
windows and icons around on the desktop. Part of that trick is to
“real” desktop area using extra memory, but by actually moving
Desktop manages the virtual desktop. It works not by enlarging the
off-screen locations after the next restart.) This shows how Virtual
into view. (If you do not reposition them, they will return to their
startup, Finder will bring any desktop icons positioned off-screen back
If you remove the extension, or disable it by pressing the Shift key at
your Macintosh in order to use the application.
application, you will be prompted to replace it. You must then restart
If the extension was loaded, but is not the same version as the
application to operate.
quit, because the extension must be loaded at startup in order for the
already there. If you agree, the application will suggest a restart, then
it will ask for permission to install it in your Extensions folder, if it isn’t
Virtual Desktop Extension system extension was loaded at startup. If not,
When you open the Virtual Desktop application, it will check to see if the
positions are recorded correctly.
desktop is larger than your monitors, and to ensure that off-screen icon
Virtual Desktop requires a system extension to persuade Finder that the
xVirtual Desktop Extension
åHow Does Virtual Desktop Work?
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