Fences arranging desktop icons outside of fences

Does Fences have the ability to arrange and save the desktop icons positions that are outside of fences? I've read some posts that say there may be an issue with this functionality on multiple monitor setups. Fences 3.09 and now beta 3.10 for me disables the ability of 3rd party desktop utilities that save and arrange desktop icons. 

11,144 views 8 replies
Reply #1 Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. From what I understand Fences V3.09 does have issues on Multi-Monitor Icons positioning outside Fences. And I don't think Fences is compatible with other 3rd party Desktop utilities that save and arrange desktop icons.

Anyway, I have forward your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #2 Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

Fences 3.09 and now beta 3.10 for me disables the ability of 3rd party desktop utilities that save and arrange desktop icons. 
End of quote

Can you elaborate on this?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #3 Top

Before installing Fences I had my multimonitor (3) desktop icons arranged the way I wanted. I used a utility, Desktop OK, to save the icon positions in the default arrangement. After installing Fences, all the icons were sent to the 1st monitor in a random arrangement in the lower left corner. If the icon arrangement was fouled up without Fences, I can use Desktop OK to restore the icon placements to the last saved arrangement. With Fences installed, Desktop OK no longer functions.

I wouldn't mind if this is the way Fences operates, and has it's own functionality to save and restore desktop icon placement. Basj indicates this was a known issue.

Happy to provide any additional information you may need.

Reply #4 Top

Its just we cannot compensate for any conflict with a 3rd party app.

What needs to know is how the use of Fences is making it so something does not function as it should, a native Windows behavior, because of its use.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #5 Top

Sean, when Fences starts initially after installing, all the desktop icons from my 3 monitors are sent to the lower left corner of the primary monitor in a random order. I chose the create fences manually option when the program initially started. This is a bug in my mind. Fences should start and not rearrange the current icon positions at all, and then you go about creating fences. 

I understand that you can't support 3rd party apps. Does Fences have an option to save desktop icon positions (icons NOT in a fence) and restore those positions if necessary? If so, that eliminates the need for a 3rd party app. I find that would be a valuable option as not all my icons will be put in a fence and the ability to restore positions if necessary is important.

Reply #6 Top

Quoting cjmarotta59246, reply 5

Sean, when Fences starts initially after installing, all the desktop icons from my 3 monitors are sent to the lower left corner of the primary monitor in a random order.
End of cjmarotta59246's quote

Not 'lower' but 'upper left'.  If they are all jumbled at the bottom, that is indeed 'a bug' in 3.09 (via Windows Update) that can be resolved by not sorting them:

That said, this was addressed in Fences 3.10 that is currently in Beta.  If you have an Object Desktop membership, you can test this yourself:

https://forums.stardock.com/505006

Also, if you turn off 'auto-arrange', you can put icons that are outside a Fence anywhere you please:

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #7 Top

Sean:

Here's my primary desktop after Fences starts for the first time. The first 2 columns of icons are OK and haven't been moved. The rest are all randomly placed. The second are from a secondary monitor. Those icons are totally random.

Reply #8 Top

Running the 3.1.0.5 beta. I see a way to take a screenshot capture of the current desktop, but no native Fences ability to actually save the desktop icon positions.