Desktop Fences+

Desktop Fences+ is an application that creates delimited areas on the Windows desktop to group and organize icons. The program functions as an open-source alternative to Stardock Fences, offering multiple customization options and visual effects for methodical management of shortcuts and files.

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• Creation of virtual fences. Allows you to delimit rectangular areas on the desktop using the right mouse button. Each fence acts as an independent container for icons, keeping related items grouped by category, project, or file type.
• Automatic icon organization. Icons placed within a fence remain confined to its established boundaries. The system prevents items from moving outside their assigned area during drag-and-drop or manual reorganization operations.
• Advanced visual customization. Each fence can be configured with specific background colors and adjustable transparency levels. Animation effects for opening include zoom, bounce, fade, slide, and rotation.
• Extended context menus. Right-clicking on icons inside fences displays additional options such as run as administrator, copy file path, find target, and open file location.
• Broken link detection. The system periodically checks the validity of shortcuts, identifying those that point to non-existent destinations. Broken link icons are visually marked for easy identification.
• Folder portal function. Special fences that display real-time content from specific directories in the file system. Any change in the source folder is automatically reflected in the corresponding fence.
• Temporary hiding options. Allows you to hide all fences with a double-click on the system tray icon. Individual fences can be hidden via a specific function, showing a numerical indicator of hidden items.
• Fence locking mechanism. Prevents accidental modifications to the settings and position of fences. When activated, the lock disables resizing and moving of the containers.
• Import and export system. Facilitates the transfer of configurations between different computers. Fences can be saved as standalone files and loaded on other systems while maintaining their properties.
• Roll-up function. By holding down the Control key and clicking on a fence's title, it collapses, showing only the title bar. This action temporarily frees up space in the work area.
• Configuration restoration. Incorporates an automatic backup system that periodically saves the state of the fences. Allows you to recover previous configurations in case of errors or unwanted modifications.
• Multi-monitor support. Correctly manages the position of fences in extended display configurations. Fences can be moved between different monitors while maintaining their properties and content.
• Run at system startup. Option to start the application automatically when Windows starts. The setting is managed by creating a shortcut in the operating system's startup folder.
• Specific visual indicators. Shows differentiated icons for shortcuts pointing to web resources, network files, or executable applications. Each destination type has a distinctive visual representation.
• Desktop preview function. When selecting "peek behind" in the context menu, fences become temporarily transparent for ten seconds, allowing you to see the underlying desktop background.

Desktop Fences+ emerged as a substantial modification of the BirdyFences project, originally created by HakanKokcu. The development of Desktop Fences+ began as a fork of the original MIT-licensed codebase. The reimplementation was done in the C# language using the .NET framework. The first modified versions appeared in 2023, incorporating performance improvements, stability enhancements, and new functionalities.

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