Skip to content

README.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
208 lines (176 loc) · 7.89 KB

README.md

File metadata and controls

208 lines (176 loc) · 7.89 KB

DeskFolder - Desktop File Organizer

A modern desktop application built with Avalonia UI (.NET 10) for organizing files into customizable floating folder windows.

Features

✨ Core Features

  • Desktop Folder Windows: Create floating, customizable folder windows on your desktop
    • Grid mode with automatic Z-pattern layout (left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
    • Free placement mode for manual positioning
    • Drag-to-reorder files in grid mode
  • Drag & Drop:
    • Drag files/folders from Windows Explorer into folder windows
    • Visual feedback with drag cursor that follows mouse across screen
    • Background copying for large folders with progress indicator
    • Automatic duplicate filename handling
  • File Management:
    • View all files with icons, names, and file size
    • Open files directly from folder windows
    • Delete files with confirmation
    • Open file location in Explorer
  • Folder Customization:
    • Rename folders
    • Adjust grid size (columns/rows)
    • Change folder colors and background opacity
    • Toggle title bar visibility
    • Toggle border visibility
    • Lock folders to prevent modifications
    • Always-on-top mode
    • Snap to grid toggle
  • Multi-Monitor Support:
    • Smart Snapping: Windows magnetically snap to the edges of any monitor (within 10px).
    • Off-screen Recovery: Windows lost on disconnected monitors automatically return to the primary screen on launch.
    • Precision Control: Hold Shift while dragging to disable snapping for free placement.
  • Persistence: All folders, files, positions, and settings automatically saved
  • Auto-Launch: Optional startup with Windows
  • Global Keybinds:
    • Ctrl+Shift+W - Close all folder windows
    • Ctrl+Shift+O - Open all folders
    • Shift+F12 - Force exit application
  • Localization:
    • Full support for 11 languages (English, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, German, French)

Getting Started

Prerequisites

  • Windows 10 version 19041+ or Windows 11
  • .NET 10.0 SDK
  • Visual Studio 2022 or VS Code with C# extension

Building the Project

  1. Clone or download the project
  2. Open terminal in the project directory
  3. Restore dependencies: 
    dotnet restore
  4. Build the project: 
    dotnet build
  5. Run the application: 
    dotnet run

First Run

  1. Launch the application - you'll see the DeskFolder Manager window
  2. Click "New Folder" to create your first folder window
  3. The folder window will appear - you can now:
    • Drag and drop files into it
    • Click the color button 🎨 to change the folder color
    • Click the edit button ✏️ to rename the folder
    • Click the lock button 🔓 to lock/unlock the folder
  4. Click "Save All" to persist your folders and files

How to Use

Creating Folders

  • Click the "New Folder" button in the main window
  • A new folder window appears with default settings
  • The folder is automatically created in %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\Folders\
  • All saved folders automatically open when the app launches

Adding Files

  • Drag files/folders from Windows Explorer onto any folder window
  • Visual feedback shows a drag cursor that follows your mouse
  • Files are copied to the folder's directory in the background
  • Large folders appear immediately; contents copy progressively
  • Duplicate filenames are automatically renamed with (1), (2), etc.
  • In grid mode, new files fill the first available slots in Z-pattern
  • Drag files/folders from Desktop or Folder onto any folder window
  • Files are copied to the folder's directory in the background
  • Large folders appear immediately; contents copy progressively
  • Duplicate filenames are automatically renamed with (1), (2), etc.

Managing Files

  • Open: Double-click or right-click → Open

  • Open Location: Right-click → Open File Location

  • Delete: Right-click → Delete (with confirmation)

  • Reorder (Grid mode): Drag files to reorder

  • Reorder (Grid mode): Drag files to reorder

  • Move (Free placement): Drag files to any position on the canvas

Customizing Folders

  • Edit: Click the edit button in the folder window to configure:
    • Window Name
    • Grid Size: Visual 15x15 drag-to-select grid picker
    • Title bar visibility, border visibility
    • Always on top, lock folder
    • Background color and opacity
    • Snap to grid mode
  • Per-Folder Settings: Each folder has independent opacity rules:
    • Title bar OFF: Opacity must stay >= 10%
    • Title bar ON: Opacity can be 0-100%

Global Settings

Click the "Settings" button to configure:

  • Auto-Launch: Enable/disable startup with Windows
  • Show Hover Border: Toggle hover effects on file icons
  • Enable Acrylic Background: Toggle acrylic blur effects
  • Keybinds: Customize global keyboard shortcuts

Data Storage

All data is stored in:

  • Configuration: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\config.json
  • Folder Files: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\Folders\[FolderID]\

Technical Details

Technology Stack

  • Framework: .NET 10.0
  • UI Framework: Avalonia UI (cross-platform)
  • Architecture: MVVM-lite with data binding and INotifyPropertyChanged
  • Data Format: JSON for configuration
  • File Operations: System.IO with background copying and progress tracking
  • Windows Integration: Registry for auto-launch, native file icons

Project Structure

DeskFolder/
├── App.axaml/xaml.cs              # Application entry point
├── Program.cs                     # Main entry
├── MainWindow.axaml/xaml.cs       # Main manager window
├── Models/                        # Data models
│   ├── DeskFolderItem.cs          # Folder configuration & helpers
│   ├── FileReference.cs           # File metadata & positioning
│   └── AppSettings.cs             # Global settings model
├── Services/                      # Business logic
│   └── SettingsService.cs         # JSON persistence
├── Views/                         # UI components
│   ├── FolderWindow.axaml/axaml.cs           # Individual folder window
│   ├── FolderWindow_RenderHelper.cs          # Icon rendering & drag visuals
│   ├── FolderEditDialog.axaml/axaml.cs       # Per-folder settings
│   └── SettingsDialog.axaml/xaml.cs          # Global settings
├── Helpers/
│   ├── FileIconHelper.cs          # Windows icon extraction
│   ├── FileUnblocker.cs           # File operations
│   └── StartupManager.cs          # Windows registry for auto-launch
└── Converters/

Planned Features

  • File search within folders
  • Batch file operations (select multiple files)
  • Duplicate file detection
  • No undo/redo for file operations

Troubleshooting

Application Won't Start

  • Ensure .NET 10.0 SDK is installed
  • Check Windows version (need 19041+)
  • Try rebuilding: dotnet clean && dotnet build

Files Not Appearing

  • Check folder isn't locked (🔒 icon)
  • Verify files were copied to %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\Folders\
  • Large folders copy in background - check progress bar
  • Try refreshing the folder window

Auto-Launch Not Working

  • Ensure you have permission to modify registry
  • Check HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  • Try toggling the setting off and on again

Drag Cursor Shows Blocked

  • Ensure you're dragging over the folder window canvas
  • Check that the folder isn't locked
  • In grid mode, ensure there are available slots

Old Keybinds Still Showing

  • Delete settings file: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\config.json
  • Restart the application to regenerate with defaults

Contributing

AI assistance provided by Claude-AI and GitHub Copilot.

License

Distributed under the DeskFolder Custom License. See LICENSE.txt for details.

Note: This application stores files in local application data. Make sure to back up important files regularly.