Shortcut Overlay/Icon Packager
Tuesday, November 16, 2004 by Dovelady8 | Discussion: Stardock Software
I recently bought IP and am very pleased with it - except - I do not like the shortcut overlays which show up on my desktop's web icons. I went into IP/Settings/Window Settings and the box which says 'display shortcut overlay icons' is NOT checked & never was - I made sure it wasn't.
I've tried the 'rebuild icon cache' option I have actually moved the shortcut overlay icons out of 1 theme with no success and I've used XP Powertoys Tweak UI/Explorer/Shortcut to get rid of the overlays. This will only work until I change IP themes, then I'm back to square 1.
I've looked thru all the threads in WC/General, WC/Help and IP newsgroup w/no success. I'm using XP with all the proper requirements for this app. Suggestions?
I've tried the 'rebuild icon cache' option I have actually moved the shortcut overlay icons out of 1 theme with no success and I've used XP Powertoys Tweak UI/Explorer/Shortcut to get rid of the overlays. This will only work until I change IP themes, then I'm back to square 1.
I've looked thru all the threads in WC/General, WC/Help and IP newsgroup w/no success. I'm using XP with all the proper requirements for this app. Suggestions?
Dovelady8
Reply #2 Wednesday, November 17, 2004 8:56 AM
Reply #2 Wednesday, November 17, 2004 8:56 AM
Thank you, webgizmos, for your reply. I figured I'd need to tweak the registry, somehow!
While I was reading the IP newsgroup threads, I came across one thread about when using any portion of Tweak UI, that afterwards, all the icons 'headed west'. In other words, the desktop icons were all lined up vertically at the left hand side of desktop.
I downloaded an app called 'Icon Restore' (281 KB) from Download.com. What this does is once you install it, and if the icons have moved (and they always do after using Tweak UI), to right click on My Computer & left click on 'restore icon layout'. All the icons moved back to their originaly layout, saving me from having to manually move them 1 by 1.
The newest problem I'm having with IP is that some icons from a previous theme are now being applied to my current theme. For example, all my bitmap files show an icon from a previous theme - yet I have another theme currently running.
The hunt is on again to find a fix for THAT. It's always something....
Thanks again!
While I was reading the IP newsgroup threads, I came across one thread about when using any portion of Tweak UI, that afterwards, all the icons 'headed west'. In other words, the desktop icons were all lined up vertically at the left hand side of desktop.
I downloaded an app called 'Icon Restore' (281 KB) from Download.com. What this does is once you install it, and if the icons have moved (and they always do after using Tweak UI), to right click on My Computer & left click on 'restore icon layout'. All the icons moved back to their originaly layout, saving me from having to manually move them 1 by 1.
The newest problem I'm having with IP is that some icons from a previous theme are now being applied to my current theme. For example, all my bitmap files show an icon from a previous theme - yet I have another theme currently running.
The hunt is on again to find a fix for THAT. It's always something....
Thanks again!
WebGizmos
Reply #3 Wednesday, November 17, 2004 11:18 PM
Reply #3 Wednesday, November 17, 2004 11:18 PM
Your welcome Dovelady8 and thanks for the tip on IconRestore, I'll check that out. But since I use ObjectDock now I don't have those problems anymore. You might want to check it out. Since I've yet to find any icon package that skins all my icons I just pick and choose myself and ObjectDock works great. 
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
Dovelady8
Reply #4 Thursday, November 18, 2004 9:18 AM
Reply #4 Thursday, November 18, 2004 9:18 AM
I tried ObjectDock, webgizmos, and didn't care for it. I had problems with it - not getting it to work right - so I'm back to what works best for me: a desktop w/regular icons. I will, periodically, grab an OD icon I'd like to use for my desktop, tho. 
Dovelady8
Reply #5 Sunday, November 21, 2004 10:40 AM
Reply #5 Sunday, November 21, 2004 10:40 AM
Webgizmos, I wanted to tell you that your instructions worked! Yay! The acid test was trying out a few IP themes. No more shortcut/icon overlays! Not even a few! I don't need to use Tweak UI either - or - 'Icon Restore' to change my icon/desktop layout back to what it was, either. I hope this fix sticks, and I haven't spoken too soon.
Thank you, thank you!
Thank you, thank you!
WebGizmos
Reply #6 Sunday, November 21, 2004 4:09 PM
Reply #6 Sunday, November 21, 2004 4:09 PM
Dovelady...Unfortunately there will be times when you change icons that you may end up with a few shortcut arrows. I don't know why, but for whatever reason there were a few times that it happened. And then when I went into TweakUI to see if anything had been changed to allow the shortcuts...even though I had wiped them out changing the registry...sure enough the setting was somehow changed in TweakUI, So I had to set it again and reboot. Them little buggers just seem determined to come again when ever they can. 
Dovelady8
Reply #7 Monday, November 22, 2004 9:29 AM
Reply #7 Monday, November 22, 2004 9:29 AM
Webgizmos, I'm wondering if I made a new web shortcut to my desktop if what you said would happen. You said you went into TweakUI and the setting had changed. Did you go back into the registry & find another instance of IsShortcut? I'm also wondering if it isn't TweakUI itself causing these changes - interferring, somehow? Thanks for the heads up on this - but for now, everything's working fine.
WebGizmos
Reply #8 Monday, November 22, 2004 5:31 PM
Reply #8 Monday, November 22, 2004 5:31 PM
IT's been my experience that after making the changes to the registry that making a new shortcut will not include a shortcut arrow. That has only happened after using IconPackager to do a sweeping change to my Icons. It would seem that something in IconPackager is forcing either the addon of a few shortcuts or reseting the settings in TweakUI somehow. And when that happens it is in TweakUI where I had to reset the shortcut fix.
Once the changes in your registry are made they will not revert back to what they were. There should have been either 5 or 6 changes you needed to make to the registry, then you don't have to worry about them anymore.
[Message Edited]
Once the changes in your registry are made they will not revert back to what they were. There should have been either 5 or 6 changes you needed to make to the registry, then you don't have to worry about them anymore.
[Message Edited]
Dovelady8
Reply #9 Monday, November 22, 2004 6:56 PM
You are 100% right, Webgizmos. After applying a new IP theme, I'd then need to use TweakUI because the 'custom' box now had a dot in front of it. I'd have to re-dot 'none', then exit, use Icon Restore, then no more shortcut overlays UNTIL I switched to a new theme.
Yes, I had 5 instances of IsShortcut (registry). After renaming/rebooting, no more shortcut overlays. Also, don't bother getting rid of the shortcut overlays in a given theme: it doesn't work. I know, I tried.
I've tested several IP themes and so far, so good. No more overlays! (knock wood!)
Reply #9 Monday, November 22, 2004 6:56 PM
| It would seem that something in IconPackager is forcing either the addon of a few shortcuts or reseting the settings in TweakUI somehow. And when that happens it is in TweakUI where I had to reset the shortcut fix. |
You are 100% right, Webgizmos. After applying a new IP theme, I'd then need to use TweakUI because the 'custom' box now had a dot in front of it. I'd have to re-dot 'none', then exit, use Icon Restore, then no more shortcut overlays UNTIL I switched to a new theme.
Yes, I had 5 instances of IsShortcut (registry). After renaming/rebooting, no more shortcut overlays. Also, don't bother getting rid of the shortcut overlays in a given theme: it doesn't work. I know, I tried.
I've tested several IP themes and so far, so good. No more overlays! (knock wood!)
WebGizmos
Reply #10 Monday, November 22, 2004 7:10 PM
Reply #10 Monday, November 22, 2004 7:10 PM
I had considered doing was replacing the shortcut overlay with a transparent image. One thing I noticed when I tried deleting the shortcut overlay from thje package was that it threw it out of order in the icon set. So I'm pretty sure that if someone came up with a transparent image to replace that image it would solve some problems. I don't understand why these shortcut overlays are even included in these packages in the first place since everyone seems to want to be rid of them anyway. 
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
Dovelady8
Reply #11 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:23 PM
Reply #11 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:23 PM
Now I know why one certain IP theme doesn't seem to work right.
Guess I'll have to move them back in (sigh). I wonder if writing Stardock about this would do any good. What I'd like to see in a future update of IP is to at least give us an option to use the overlays or not. Don't know as this would be feasible. My guess would be a total rewrite of the app would be needed.
I'm guessing SD would need a lot more than 2 votes to have them even consider this.
I'm editing this post to say I just remembered there IS an option to check or uncheck asking if we want shortcut overlays. Mine is unchecked but doesn't work.
[Message Edited]
| One thing I noticed when I tried deleting the shortcut overlay from thje package was that it threw it out of order in the icon set. |
Guess I'll have to move them back in (sigh). I wonder if writing Stardock about this would do any good. What I'd like to see in a future update of IP is to at least give us an option to use the overlays or not. Don't know as this would be feasible. My guess would be a total rewrite of the app would be needed.
I'm guessing SD would need a lot more than 2 votes to have them even consider this.
I'm editing this post to say I just remembered there IS an option to check or uncheck asking if we want shortcut overlays. Mine is unchecked but doesn't work.
[Message Edited]
WebGizmos
Reply #12 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:27 PM
Reply #12 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:27 PM
I think the problem could easily be solved by either not continuing to include the shortcut overlays in the packages or by supplying an alternative blank/clear/transparent image to replace the overlay.
And I don't really think its up to stardock. This would be up to the creators of the packages.
[Message Edited]
And I don't really think its up to stardock. This would be up to the creators of the packages.
[Message Edited]
Dovelady8
Reply #13 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:37 PM
Reply #13 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:37 PM
IP is a Stardock app, right? Seems to me that the creator of IP itself makes the rules the skinners need to follow. Barring deleting the shortcut overlay, your suggestion of using a trans. image to replace the overlay is a good one, webgizmos.
WebGizmos
Reply #14 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:47 PM
Reply #14 Monday, November 22, 2004 8:47 PM
Its also possible that there needs to be a certain order that these icons must follow in order to be applied. I really don't know since I've never created them. But another thing I ended up doing was changing my icons individually since most icon packages cannot possibly change all my icons without knowing what is on my desktop. Thats also why I went with ObjectDock. What was the problem you had with that?
Dovelady8
Reply #15 Tuesday, November 23, 2004 10:39 AM
Reply #15 Tuesday, November 23, 2004 10:39 AM
Problems w/OD: icons too big, even for my 'mature' eyes. Altho I had OD set to stay under a window, periodically it'd pop up on top. Other times it'd flash on & off on top of a window I was viewing, covering up my right hand side vertical scroll bar and it was a bear to get rid of. I tried vertical & horizontal taskbars, and unless I used a horizontal one above my bottom taskbar, I couldn't see what I was doing in my file manager (Explorer Plus) or view a website properly. Another time I'd put an icon in the OD taskbar and it wouldn't stick. Sometimes it'd be there, other times, no. Yes, it could've been something I did wrong, but there weren't enough redeeming features, in my book, for me to keep using OD.
When I have enough of these many nagging little problems, webgizmos, I holler Uncle and say adios to the app. I still snag icons from the OD library, tho, and use them for my regular desktop/web shortcuts.
Altho I had OD set to stay under a window, periodically it'd pop up on top. Other times it'd flash on & off on top of a window I was viewing, covering up my right hand side vertical scroll bar and it was a bear to get rid of. I tried vertical & horizontal taskbars, and unless I used a horizontal one above my bottom taskbar, I couldn't see what I was doing in my file manager (Explorer Plus) or view a website properly. Another time I'd put an icon in the OD taskbar and it wouldn't stick. Sometimes it'd be there, other times, no. Yes, it could've been something I did wrong, but there weren't enough redeeming features, in my book, for me to keep using OD.When I have enough of these many nagging little problems, webgizmos, I holler Uncle and say adios to the app. I still snag icons from the OD library, tho, and use them for my regular desktop/web shortcuts.
WebGizmos
Reply #16 Tuesday, November 23, 2004 4:31 PM
Reply #16 Tuesday, November 23, 2004 4:31 PM
Did you know you can resize the icons in ObjectDock to whatever size you want? And you can also hide the icon dock so that it doesn't flash while your viewing websites? You can also lock your icons in the docks so they stay as well.
You might want to give it another try, and if you have any problems feel free to write me directly.
You might want to give it another try, and if you have any problems feel free to write me directly.
Dovelady8
Reply #17 Tuesday, November 23, 2004 4:42 PM
Reply #17 Tuesday, November 23, 2004 4:42 PM
I just may try OD again, webgizmos. Thank you for all your help & offer to help further, should I need it w/OD. 
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Reply #1 Wednesday, November 17, 2004 12:21 AM
If you want to get rid of the icons via the registry...
1) click > run...
2) type > regedit...
3) click > edit...
4) click > find...
5) type > IsShortcut...
6) click > find next
7) rightclick on IsShortcut...
8) click > rename...
9) Type > AriochIsShortcut (exactly as you see it here)
10) click > ok
11) click > view
12) click > find next
You will find 5 or 6 instances of IsShortcut
Reboot
Shortcuts Gone!
Until you change Icons again....lol
But this time it will only be a few.
[Message Edited]