DeskFolder - Desktop File Organizer

A modern desktop application built with Avalonia UI (.NET 10) for organizing files into customizable floating folder windows.

Features

✨ Core Features

• Desktop Folder Windows: Create floating, customizable folder windows on your desktop
  • Grid mode with automatic Z-pattern layout (left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
  • Free placement mode for manual positioning
  • Drag-to-reorder files in grid mode
• Drag & Drop:
  • Drag files/folders from Windows Explorer into folder windows
  • Visual feedback with drag cursor that follows mouse across screen
  • Background copying for large folders with progress indicator
  • Automatic duplicate filename handling
• File Management:
  • View all files with icons, names, and file size
  • Open files directly from folder windows
  • Delete files with confirmation
  • Open file location in Explorer
• Folder Customization:
  • Rename folders
  • Adjust grid size (columns/rows)
  • Change folder colors and background opacity
  • Toggle title bar visibility
  • Toggle border visibility
  • Lock folders to prevent modifications
  • Always-on-top mode
  • Snap to grid toggle
• Persistence: All folders, files, positions, and settings automatically saved
• Auto-Launch: Optional startup with Windows
• Global Keybinds:
  • Ctrl+Shift+W - Close all folder windows
  • Ctrl+Shift+O - Open all folders
  • Shift+F12 - Force exit application

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Windows 10 version 19041+ or Windows 11
• .NET 10.0 SDK
• Visual Studio 2022 or VS Code with C# extension

Building the Project

1. Clone or download the project
2. Open terminal in the project directory
3. Restore dependencies:

   dotnet restore

4. Build the project:

   dotnet build

5. Run the application:

   dotnet run

First Run

1. Launch the application - you'll see the DeskFolder Manager window
2. Click "New Folder" to create your first folder window
3. The folder window will appear - you can now:
   • Drag and drop files into it
   • Click the color button 🎨 to change the folder color
   • Click the edit button ✏️ to rename the folder
   • Click the lock button 🔓 to lock/unlock the folder
4. Click "Save All" to persist your folders and files

How to Use

Creating Folders

• Click the "New Folder" button in the main window
• A new folder window appears with default settings
• The folder is automatically created in %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\Folders\
• All saved folders automatically open when the app launches

Adding Files

• Drag files/folders from Windows Explorer onto any folder window
• Visual feedback shows a drag cursor that follows your mouse
• Files are copied to the folder's directory in the background
• Large folders appear immediately; contents copy progressively
• Duplicate filenames are automatically renamed with (1), (2), etc.
• In grid mode, new files fill the first available slots in Z-pattern
• Drag files/folders from Desktop or Folder onto any folder window
• Files are copied to the folder's directory in the background
• Large folders appear immediately; contents copy progressively
• Duplicate filenames are automatically renamed with (1), (2), etc.

Managing Files

• Open: Double-click or right-click → Open

• Open Location: Right-click → Open File Location

• Delete: Right-click → Delete (with confirmation)

• Reorder (Grid mode): Drag files to reorder

• Reorder (Grid mode): Drag files to reorder

• Move (Free placement): Drag files to any position on the canvas

Customizing Folders

• Edit: Click the edit button in the folder window to configure:
  • Name, grid size (columns/rows)
  • Title bar visibility, border visibility
  • Always on top, lock folder
  • Background color and opacity
  • Snap to grid mode
• Per-Folder Settings: Each folder has independent opacity rules:
  • Title bar OFF: Opacity must stay >= 10%
  • Title bar ON: Opacity can be 0-100%

Global Settings

Click the "Settings" button to configure:

• Auto-Launch: Enable/disable startup with Windows
• Show Hover Border: Toggle hover effects on file icons
• Enable Acrylic Background: Toggle acrylic blur effects
• Keybinds: Customize global keyboard shortcuts

Data Storage

All data is stored in:

• Configuration: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\config.json
• Folder Files: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\Folders\[FolderID]\

Technical Details

Technology Stack

• Framework: .NET 10.0
• UI Framework: Avalonia UI (cross-platform)
• Architecture: MVVM-lite with data binding and INotifyPropertyChanged
• Data Format: JSON for configuration
• File Operations: System.IO with background copying and progress tracking
• Windows Integration: Registry for auto-launch, native file icons

Project Structure

DeskFolder/
├── App.axaml/xaml.cs              # Application entry point
├── Program.cs                     # Main entry
├── MainWindow.axaml/xaml.cs       # Main manager window
├── Models/                        # Data models
│   ├── DeskFolderItem.cs          # Folder configuration & helpers
│   ├── FileReference.cs           # File metadata & positioning
│   └── AppSettings.cs             # Global settings model
├── Services/                      # Business logic
│   └── SettingsService.cs         # JSON persistence
├── Views/                         # UI components
│   ├── FolderWindow.axaml/axaml.cs           # Individual folder window
│   ├── FolderWindow_RenderHelper.cs          # Icon rendering & drag visuals
│   ├── FolderEditDialog.axaml/axaml.cs       # Per-folder settings
│   └── SettingsDialog.axaml/xaml.cs          # Global settings
├── Helpers/
│   ├── FileIconHelper.cs          # Windows icon extraction
│   ├── FileUnblocker.cs           # File operations
│   └── StartupManager.cs          # Windows registry for auto-launch
└── Converters/                    # Avalonia value converters

Known Issues & Limitations

Current Limitations

• Windows is the only supported platform
• No undo/redo for file operations
• No file search functionality

Planned Features

• File search within folders
• Batch file operations (select multiple files)
• System tray icon with quick access
• Multi-monitor support improvements
• Folder templates
• Export/import folder configurations
• File preview panel
• Duplicate file detection
• Undo/redo for file operations
• Custom themes and color schemes
• Only supports Windows
• No undo/redo for file operations
• No file search functionality

Troubleshooting

Application Won't Start

• Ensure .NET 10.0 SDK is installed
• Check Windows version (need 19041+)
• Try rebuilding: dotnet clean && dotnet build

Files Not Appearing

• Check folder isn't locked (🔒 icon)
• Verify files were copied to %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\Folders\
• Large folders copy in background - check progress bar
• Try refreshing the folder window

Auto-Launch Not Working

• Ensure you have permission to modify registry
• Check HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
• Try toggling the setting off and on again

Drag Cursor Shows Blocked

• Ensure you're dragging over the folder window canvas
• Check that the folder isn't locked
• In grid mode, ensure there are available slots

Old Keybinds Still Showing

• Delete settings file: %LOCALAPPDATA%\DeskFolder\config.json
• Restart the application to regenerate with defaults

Contributing

AI assistance provided by Claude-AI and GitHub Copilot.

License

Distributed under the DeskFolder Custom License. See LICENSE.txt for details.

---

Note: This application stores files in local application data. Make sure to back up important files regularly.