Re: Desktop grid/icon placement

From: Bobsoft (Bobsoft.1bexcz_at_pcbanter.net)
Date: 08/22/04 

Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2004 15:21:13 +0100

FredM Wrote:
> I can't believe that I couldn't get a hit on Google about
> this - perhaps because it was so simple *egg-on-face*.
>
> I feel MS should've crafted the UI a little better so
> this cumbersome step was not required - oh well, maybe
> next time.

Heehee. New subscriber here. Don't feel bad! I've been looking for this
answer for a while. Being a Win3.0, Win3.1, Win3.11, WFW3.11, Win95a,
Win95b, Win98, Win98SE, WinMe, Win2000 user (*pant* *pant*), it wasn't
obvious to me. My problem was I was approaching the XP desktop like all
those previous OSes.

For all future hunters of the Windows XP Desktop Grid, here's how it
works:

Right-click the desktop, select properties, click the Appearance tab,
click the Advanced button and modify the Icon Spacing settings under
"Item". Click OK, OK and you're back to the desktop. Here's the secret.
Right click the desktop, select "Arrange Icons by" and uncheck "Align to
Grid". Right-click the desktop, select "Arrange Icons by" and check
"Align to Grid".

The problem is the icons don't jump into place when you "Arrange Icons"
by Name as they did in the past (I just tested it in Windows 95 - that
was the older method). We do have to go through more hoops to force the
icons to "align" to the grid when it comes to the desktop. This is just
typical of OS upgrades.

I once saw a cartoon where this poor dejected fellow is tapping
hopelessly on his PC keyboard saying: "Hmm, they must've improved the
system again: can't do anything with it."

Bob 

-- 
Bobsoft