Drag & Drop Icons from the Desktop or Explorer
The easiest way to add items to EasyDesktop is to drag & drop them from your start menu, desktop or the File Explorer, to the menu button of your choice.

   

   

Accessing a Menu Button's Advanced Properties
Each EasyDesktop menu button has an advanced option and customization screen. To access that screen right-click on a button with your mouse and the menu button menu will appear. To change the button's color use the "Color" options. To move buttons down to make space for a new button use the "Insert option. To move buttons up use the "Delete" button option. Select  "Edit Button" from that menu and the "Edit Menu Button" will appear.

   

Add Commonly Used Documents to the Menu
EasyDesktop had the ability to directly launch document files. To add document files simply drag the files from the explorer to a menu button.

   

Moving Things Around
To move existing menu buttons around the menu, simply click and hold on a menu button, and move it where you want and let the mouse button up (drag & drop). If the destination is on another menu page, you can move the mouse to the left or right edge of the EasyDesktop window, to switch pages while dragging. To copy a menu button, hold down the "Shift" key while dragging and dropping.

TIP: If you are trying to drag a Windows file or icon to EasyDesktop, but you cannot see the EasyDesktop window, simply drag the icon over the EasyDesktop button in the taskbar and hold momentarily. This will cause EasyDesktop to come to the front, allowing you to place the icon onto it.

To set EasyDesktop to load every time you start Windows or startup your computer select the "Preferences" option after pressing the "Setup" toolbar button.

   

Then check the "Load EasyDesktop at Windows startup" option. EasyDesktop will now load every time the computer starts up.

   

The menu font in EasyDesktop can be customized. Select the "Menu Font" option after clicking on the "Setup" toolbar button.

   

In the "Menu Font" window the font used to display the EasyDesktop menu can be selected and bold or italic can be selected. There is also a "Shift" dial that can be used to nudge the alignment of the menu button text up and down if required. You can use the "Autosize Override" option if EasyDesktop does not size the font correctly on the button or if you simply want to customize the size.

   

Power
This toolbar button lets you control Windows shut down. By default when you press this button the "Power" menu is displayed, giving you various shut down options. You can also configure the "Power" button to immediately select one of the power options by going to the "Preferences" window.

Restart
This toolbar button will cause Windows to restart.

Find
This toolbar button gives you access to the search features. 

• Find Menu Button
  This will let you search the EasyDesktop menu for a specific text string.
  
• Find Next
  This will continue your search for a menu button, moving on to the next search result if there is one.
  
• Windows Search
  This menu item will launch the Windows search feature.
  

Panel

Explore

Space

• Administrator Lock / Kiosk Mode
  This option will turn on the administrator lock function.  With this option enabled all higher EasyDesktop functions are locked.
  
• Set Administrator Password
  This option will allow you to set the password that is used with the administrator lock.
  
• Set Background Image
  This menu item will let you select a background image that will appear behind the EasyDesktop menu buttons.
  
• Toolbar Text Color
  This option lets you set the text color for the toolbar button descriptions on the main EasyDesktop toolbar.
  
• Default Colors
  This option lets you specify the default colors to use when you create or delete a new menu item of menu page.
  
• Menu Font
  This options allows you to customize the font used for the main menu. For more information click here.
  
• Preferences
  This option brings up the main EasyDesktop preferences window. For more information click here.
  

• Check for Update
  This option will check online for an update to EasyDesktop. If an update is available you will have the option to download and install it.
  
• EasyDesktop Help
  This option will take you to the EasyDesktop online help forum.
  
• Backup EasyDesktop
  
• This option will backup your current EasyDesktop setup to a .zip file.
  
• Restore EasyDesktop
  This option will restore a backed up EasyDesktop setup from a backup .zip file created by the backup command above.
  
• About EasyDesktop
  This will display version information about EasyDesktop.
  

Mail

Web

Page

• Page Name
  This menu item will let you edit the name of the current page.
  
• Page Password
  This will let you set the password for the current menu page.
  
• Background Color
  This will let you specify the background color of the current page.
  
• Swap Page
  This will let you rearrange the page order by swapping specific pages.
  
• Set Buttons to Default Colors
  This option will set the colors for all the menu buttons on the current page to the default colors specified in the "Setup" menu.
  
• Default Background Color
  This option sets the background for the current page to the default color specified in the "Setup" menu.
  
• Clear Page
  This option will clear the current menu page.
  

Launch EasyDesktop at Windows Startup
This will allow you have EasyDesktop start automatically each time you logon to the computer. This option is user specific, so certain users on the system can use EasyDesktop if they wish.

Load EasyDesktop minimized
This option will cause EasyDesktop to launch minimized.

Minimize when launching menu items
With this option enabled EasyDesktop will minimize every time a menu button is launched.

Enable <PAUSE> hot key
This option will let you enable and disable the <PAUSE> hot key. When this option is enabled pressing the <PAUSE> key will bring the EasyDesktop program to the front no matter what program you are in.

EasyDesktop Hot Corner (top left) Function
EasyDesktop has a hot corner function when you move and hold your mouse pointer at the top left of the screen. This option let's you select what happens when you activate the hot corner. The hot corner can also be "Disabled". 

Hot corner activation delay
This option will allow you to adjust how fast the hot corner will react to the mouse pointer. You can increase the delay if you are accidentally activating it.

Enable <PRINT SCREEN> function
This setting will let you turn on and off the print screen function. The print screen function will load the screen image into "Paint 3D" when you press the <PRT SCR> key on your keyboard. Disable this option if you are using other third party screen-shot programs.

Enable special character menu in tray
This option lets you turn on and off the special character menu. The special character menu appears when you click on the little blue box with the letter "a", in the tray area of your screen. The special character menu works like this: if you are typing and wish to insert a special character that is not accessible via the keyboard, you simply activate the special character menu and select the character that you want. It will be inserted where you left off typing.

Center EasyDesktop window at startup
This option will make the EasyDesktop screen center on your screen at startup. Note, that this option will only have an effect when EasyDesktop is not running full-screen.

Web mail address
If you use a web based email system instead of an email client enter the URL for you email system here. This will override the default function of the "Mail" toolbar button and open this URL.

Web button override
This option will let you override the default action of the "Web" toolbar button. Normally the "Web" button will launch the default web browser.

Startup menu page
This lets you specify the menu page that will be displayed when EasyDesktop loads. The "Remember last" option restore the page from the previous EasyDesktop session. Please note that if you specify a password protected page, the password will be ignored and the page will be displayed at startup. 

Macro Start Delay
This option sets the delay time before a macro is started, when launching a menu item. If your macro command are starting too quickly after a menu item is launched, try increasing the delay time. 

Power toolbar button behavior
This option will let you configure what happens when you press the "Power" toolbar button.

Enable shut down/restart delay
This option enables or disables the countdown when you use EasyDesktop's shut down or restart option, allowing you to cancel the request. 

Light border color on main screen
This option will change the dark gray border around the EasyDesktop main window to light gray.

Background image instead of page colors
By default EasyDesktop lets you select a background color for each page. With this option enabled you can select a single image as the background for all the pages.

Background image sizing mode
This option sets how the menu background image is scaled.

Morning greeting / Afternoon greeting / Evening greeting
These options allow you to enter a custom EasyDesktop greetings for certain times of the day. These greeting appear on the bottom of the main EasyDesktop window. This is a great way to customize EasyDesktop.

Prevent EasyDesktop from unloading
This option will prevent EasyDesktop from unloading when the "Administrator Lock" is activated.

Force full screen / prevent resizing
This option will keep EasyDesktop full screen and prevent the main window from being resized when the "Administrator Lock" is activated.

Enable kiosk mode
This option will hide the toolbar, and replace it with a customizable message when the "Administrator Lock" is activated.

Kiosk message
This is the message that appears at the top of the screen when EasyDesktop is in kiosk mode.

The "Edit Item" window is where you configure a menu item. A menu item can launch a document file as well as a program. It can also open a specified folder, directory, email address or website.

Button Title
Enter the name of the item here, as you want it to appear on the EasyDesktop menu.

Launch Normal
With this option selected, the program will be launched in its default window size.

Launch Full Screen
If you want the program to run full screen, then select this option.

Launch Minimized
If you want the program to be launched minimized (as an icon), select this option.

Command Line / Email Link / Internet URL
This is where you enter the path and name of the actual program, document, or folder, or "browse" for them (much easier). You can also enter web site URLs and email links here. Be sure to include the "http://" part of the web site address and "mailto:" in front of the email address. You can also use the "Browse" button to select a program, folder or document from your hard drive.

Parameters / Document File / Startup Switches
If the file that you launching has startup parameters, enter them here.

Default / Working Folder
Here, you can specify what folder you will be in when you launch the menu item. This way, when you go to the "File Open" command of the program, you will already be where you want to be.

Description
This is where you enter the description for the menu item. This description will appear at the bottom of the EasyDesktop window, each time you move your cursor over the item.

Prompt
This gives you the ability to have the launching process pause and ask a question. For example, you can have the computer prompt you to insert the correct CD-ROM before launching. You can enter any message you like.

Password
This lets you password protect the menu item. Just type the password in the space provided. Then each time you access the item you will have to enter the password.

Center Item Title
Check this box to center the menu item's title.

Run as Admin
Checking this option will launch the menu item with administrator rights. This option duplicates the process of right-clicking on an icon in the explorer and selected "Run as Administrator".

Launch at Windows Startup
If you check this option, the menu item will be loaded each time Windows starts.

NOTE: Please remember that you can "Drag & Drop" any Windows file or icon directly onto an EasyDesktop menu item, instantly creating a menu choice.

Print Screen
EasyDesktop will let you make real print screens. When you have something on the screen that you want to print, or save to a file, press the <PRT SCR> (print screen) key, and "Paint 3D" will appear, giving you the choice to print or save.

Special Keyboard Commands
Menu pages can be changed by using the <F1> to <F9> keys.  You can also use the <PAGE UP> and <PAGE DOWN> keys.

Inserting Special Characters
EasyDesktop comes with a utility that will let you instantly insert special characters such as the copyright symbol, into any Windows application. When you need to insert a character, simply click on the little blue font box, in your taskbar, and select the character that you want. The character will be automatically inserted where you were typing. For more information click here.

Font Samples
EasyDesktop has a utility that will let you sample all of your fonts on screen, as well as print out sample sheets. To access this utility click on the little blue font box in the taskbar and select the "Font Samples" choice.

Disk Space
When you use EasyDesktop's "Explore" feature (press the "Explore" button in the toolbar), the free disk space is displayed next to the drive.

Keyboard Launching
You can launch EasyDesktop menu buttons using the keyboard.  Press the numbers 1 thru 4, depending on the menu page column.  Letters will be displayed to the left of the button titles.  Then press the letter next to the menu item that you want and it will be launched.

Mouse Scroll Wheel Page Changing
You can use the scroll wheel located in the middle of your mouse to change menu pages when in EasyDesktop.

The "Special Character Menu" appears when you click on the little blue font icon in your Windows taskbar (by the time display).



When you click on a special character from the resulting menu, it is inserted exactly when you were typing.

Sometimes the EasyDesktop screen will not scale correctly due to the resolution settings in Windows. If this happens you can override the scaling settings. Right-click on the EasyDesktop icon on your desktop and select "Properties".

   

In the "Properties" window select the "Compatibility" tab. Then press the "Change high DPI settings" button. In the resulting window check the "Override high DPI scaling..." option and select "System (Enhanced)" in the drop-down list. Then re-launch EasyDesktop and it should look better.