DockDesktop

DockDesktop

In the folder "C:\Program Files\AADServer" the tool aadDockDesktop is installed. Purpose of aadDockDesktop is to show the desktop icons at a different location on the screen then as default done by Windows:

The icons shown by aadDockDesktop are those that are visible on the default Windows desktop of the user.
On each corner, aadDockDesktop has a small docking arrow / button. By clicking on this small docking arrow / button, aadDockDesktop will dock itself to that specific location on the screen.
The small docking arrows / buttons can also be used to resize aadDockDesktop, or to move it along the screen-edge where it is docked.

Hide resize / move arrows-buttons

If you click on the “no arrow / button” -button, the small arrows / buttons will disappear. Doing so will prevent an accidentally resize or move of aadDockDesktop:

Close DockDesktop

By clicking on the close-button, aadDockDesktop will terminate:

Session Menu

The small Windows-button shows a Session Menu for Logoff, Disconnect, etc.

DockDesktop setting

The config-button shows the configuration options:

Auto ReSize if to small

In case aadDockDesktop is to small, such that not all icons are shown, such that there is a vertical and / or horizontal scrollbar visible, aadDockDesktop will enlarge itself until all icons are visible.

No Close

The close button will disappear and it will not be possible to terminate aadDockDesktop.
Also the option Do not show on Taskbar will be checked, and disabled.

Hide icons on normal desktop

When un-checked the default Windows desktop does also show the usual desktop icons:

When checked , the default Windows desktop does not show any icon. Example:

Show those standard desktop icons

Users do have a "Personal Desktop". This is a folder which contain ICONs / ShortCuts to Applications. These ICONs / ShortCuts are personal and are only shown on the Desktop of this User.

The personal desktop is a setting / location that can be changed by the administrator. Default the personal desktop is located in %USERPROFILE%\Desktop.

DockDesktop will show the Personal ICONs / ShortCuts in the folder %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
If the user has no icons in %USERPROFILE%\Desktop, the initial screen as shown by DockDesktop will be empty.

When the option "Show those standard desktop icons" is checked, the initial screen of DockDesktop will also show the Global ICONs / ShortCuts that are shown on every User's Desktop.

Example:

The user "admin" in this example has a ICON / ShortCut to Notepad on his Personal Desktop:

The initial screen of DockDesktop does show both those standard Desktop ICONS / ShortCuts, and it shows the Personal ICONs / ShortCuts.

When the option "Show those standard desktop icons" is un-checked, the initial screen of DockDesktop will only show the ICONs / ShortCuts on the Personal Desktop:

Do not show on Taskbar

If checked, the Taskbar will not show an item for aadDockDesktop:

If un-checked , the Taskbar will show an item for aadDockDesktop:

Show Full Screen, do not Align icons at Top

DockDesktop can position itself Full Screen.

When Show Full Screen is combined with the option Align icons at Top, unchecked, then aadDockDesktop mimics the default Windows desktop:

Show Full Screen, Align icons at Top

When Show Full Screen is combined with the option Align icons at Top, checked , then aadDockDesktop shows as follows:

Popup when moving mouse in me

Popup when moving mouse in me or desktop

When one of these options is checked, aadDockDesktop will show itself “on top” when the mouse is moved over it.

Read only / No right click / No popup menu

When checked, the default right-click options that do exist on those desktop icons, are disabled. The only right-click that is available, is right-click on the Recycle bin. When doing so, the usual popup asking "Empty the Recycle Bin, yes / no" is shown.

Auto run after login

When checked, DockDesktop will create an entry for itself in the RUN-key in the registry / profile of the User, such that it will be started every time after a login.
When unchecked, the entry in the RUN-key in the registry / profile of the user will be deleted.

Note: when aadDockDesktop is started using AADS Application Control , then this setting is not required / is not applicable.

Show transparent when not active

aadDockDesktop is shown transparent onto the desktop:

INI-file

aadDockDesktop maintains an INI-file for the user in “Application Data”-folder beneath the personal folder of the user. Which folder that exactly is, can vary and is determined by the Operating System, or by specific settings done by the Administrator.

The INI-file is called aadDockDesktop.ini.

The various config-settings are saved in this INI-file. All possible settings in an INI-file:

Left=340
Top=0
Height=340
Width=460
Dock position=right-top
Auto size=no
Do not close=yes
Hide icons on MS desktop=yes
Do show standard Desktop icons=yes
Hide from taskbar=yes
Popup when moving mouse over me=no
Popup when moving mouse over me or desktop=no
Do Transparancy if not Active=yes
Align icons at Top=yes
Percentage Transparancy=20
Show Full Screen=no
Read only. No right click. No popup menu=yes
Autostart for this user after login=no
Do Resize and Dock=yes
Path=

Path

Path is the only setting in the INI-File that can not be set using the Settings of aadDockDesktop.

In case Path is empty, aadDockDesktop will show the default Global Desktop as offered by Windows, and the contents of the Personal desktop of the User.

When the setting Path has a value, then aadDockDesktop does expect to find ICONS / ShortCuts in this folder. Examples:

Path=\\server\groups\sales\AppGroup1

Path=c:\icongroups\sales\AppGroup1

It is expected that the folder AppGroup1 contains ICONS / ShortCuts which will be shown by aadDockDesktop.

Note: possible the second example, where Path points towards drive C:, is a better example, because Windows might show the user a warning when attempting to access an icon / link in a folder on a network drive.

Usually Path is never used, but an Administrator might use it in special cases where aadDockDesktop needs to show a special set of ICONS / ShortCuts for the Users.

Command-line parameters

It is not required to start DockDesktop with any command-line parameter. However, if done so, 1 or 2 parameters are possible. All parameters should be am INI-file.
The first command-line parameter / INI-file will be the user INI-file. It will replace the default INI-file for the user as described above here.
The second command-line parameter / INI-file will be the system INI-file.
DockDesktop will open the second, system INI-file with only read-access. Whatever config-setting is set in the system INI-file will overrule the config-setting in the user INI-file.

Example

aadDockDesktop “%userprofile%\aadDockDesktop.ini” “c:\globalsettings\aadDockDesktop.ini”

The 1th INI-file will be in the user-folder.
The 2th INI-file will be a global INI-file with some settings that do apply for every user.

Content of c:\globalsettings\aadDockDesktop.ini

In this example, there are only 5 settings in the system INI-file.
These 5 settings will overrule the 5 settings in the user INI-file.
All other settings in the user INI-file can be changed by the User.

The result of this example is as follows:

The settings which are placed in the system INI-file are all applied, and the User can not change those settings. Those settings are disabled for the User.
Only the other settings which are not placed in the system INI-file can be changed by the User.