iTidy

An automated Workbench icon layout and window tidy tool for AmigaOS 3.x

iTidy is a Workbench utility for AmigaOS that automatically arranges icon layouts and adjusts drawer window sizes across entire directory trees.

It’s designed for anyone who actively works with their Workbench layout, whether that’s organising game libraries, maintaining project directories, tidying development trees, or cleaning up after large file operations. iTidy removes the repetitive manual work of repositioning icons and resizing windows, letting you bring order back to your Workbench in a consistent, repeatable way.

Features

Core Functionality

• Automatic Icon Grid Layout - Intelligent icon positioning with configurable spacing and sorting
• Smart Window Resizing - Aspect ratio control with overflow handling for large directories
• Recursive Processing - Process entire directory trees in one operation
• LHA Backup System - Create restore points before making changes
• Default Tool Validation - Find and fix missing or invalid default tool paths
• Multiple Sort Options - Folders First, Files First, Mixed, with reverse sorting

Advanced Options

• Configurable icon spacing (X/Y)
• Multiple aspect ratios (Tall, Square, Compact, Classic, Wide, Ultrawide)
• Overflow strategies (horizontal, vertical, or balanced expansion)
• Column width optimization
• Icon vertical alignment control (top, middle, bottom)
• Min/max icons per row with auto-calculation
• Max window width limits (% of screen)
• Hidden folder filtering
• NewIcons border stripping (requires icon.library v44+)

Supported Icon Formats

• Classic/Standard icons (all AmigaOS versions)
• NewIcons (extended color icons)
• OS3.5/OS3.9 Color Icons
• GlowIcons (both NewIcons-style and Color Icons versions)

Requirements

• OS: AmigaOS Workbench 3.0 or newer
• Memory: At least 1MB free RAM
• Storage: At least 1MB free disk space (more for backups)
• Optional: LhA (required for backup/restore features)
  • Must be installed in SYS:C path
  • Download from Aminet

Installation

1. Extract the iTidy archive to your desired location (e.g., SYS:Utilities/iTidy)
2. Ensure LhA is installed if you want to use backup features
3. Double-click the iTidy icon to launch

Quick Start

1. Launch iTidy - Double-click the iTidy icon on Workbench
2. Select Folder - Click "Browse..." and choose the folder to tidy
3. Choose Options:
   • Set icon order (Folders First, Files First, or Mixed)
   • Enable "Cleanup subfolders" for recursive processing
   • Enable "Backup icons" to create restore points
4. Click Start - iTidy processes the folder(s) and arranges icons
5. Restore if Needed - Use "Restore Backups..." to undo changes

Tip: Try iTidy on a small test folder first to see how the options work!

Main Features Explained

Recursive Processing

Process entire directory trees in one operation - perfect for tidying large WHDLoad collections, archive extractions, or project folders with many subdirectories.

Backup & Restore System

• Creates LHA archives of .info files before making changes
• Restore previous layouts with one click
• View and manage backup sessions
• Separate backup system for default tool changes

Default Tool Analysis

Scan directories for icons with missing or invalid default tools and fix them:

• Identify broken default tool paths
• Batch replace tools across multiple icons
• PATH-based tool resolution
• Automatic backup before changes

Smart Window Sizing

• Multiple aspect ratio presets
• Configurable overflow handling
• Screen width limits
• Automatic column calculation
• Window positioning options (center, keep, near parent, no change)

Documentation

For detailed instructions, see docs/manual/README.md

Topics covered:

• Main window controls
• Advanced settings detailed guide
• Default tool analysis and fixing
• Backup and restore procedures
• Tips and troubleshooting
• Known issues and workarounds

Development

iTidy is written in C89/C99 for AmigaOS 3.x using:

• Compiler: VBCC cross-compiler (v0.9x)
• SDK: Amiga SDK 3.2 (targeting Workbench 3.0 compatibility)
• Target: 68000/68020 (no FPU/MMU required)
• GUI: Native GadTools (Workbench 3.0 gadgets only)

Building from Source

# Clean build
make clean && make

# Incremental build
make

# Build with console output (debugging)
make CONSOLE=1

Build output appears in build/amiga/ and final binaries in Bin/Amiga/.

For development details, see .github/copilot-instructions.md and docs/DEVELOPMENT_LOG.md.

Project Structure

iTidy/
├── Bin/Amiga/           # Compiled executables and runtime logs
├── docs/                # Documentation
│   └── manual/          # User manual
├── include/             # Header files
├── src/                 # Source code
│   ├── GUI/             # GUI window modules
│   ├── Settings/        # Preferences handling
│   └── templates/       # Code templates for development
├── ProjectDocs/         # Development documentation
└── Makefile             # Build configuration

Safety & Disclaimer

Important: iTidy is hobby software provided as-is. While tested on real Amiga systems, bugs may exist.

• iTidy only modifies .info files and Workbench drawer/window layout information
• Your data files are never touched
• The backup system helps roll back changes, but is not a replacement for regular backups
• Always maintain proper system backups before processing important directories
• Try on test folders first, especially for large operations

Use at your own risk. The author accepts no responsibility for data loss, corruption, or other issues.

Tips & Troubleshooting

Icons Appear Misaligned

Update icon.library to v44+ for proper OS3.5+ color icon support, or convert icons to NewIcons/classic format.

Window Positions Not Updating

Close and reopen drawer windows, or restart Workbench to see position changes.

Slow Processing on Large Trees

Processing thousands of folders takes time on real hardware - this is normal. Process in chunks for very large collections.

"Unable to open your tool" Errors

Use the "Fix Default Tools..." feature to scan for and repair missing default tool paths.

For more troubleshooting help, see the user manual.

License

See LICENSE file for details.

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Made with ❤️ for the Amiga community