Thread: "Organizing" Your Desktop for Coding

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    11

    "Organizing" Your Desktop for Coding

    I'm currently at work... programming.

    I was thinking about how, as programmers, we learn all the shortcut keys in order to help us browse through and edit code faster. The same can also be done with the general organization of your desktop....

    I was wondering how everyone sets up their desktop for programming. Including... what tools do you use? Do you have an ergonomic color scheme?

    With Windows XP:

    I have my Taskbar on the left. (lets me have more minimized windows without confusing me, programs more easily tracked that way).

    I have 9 quicklaunch icons on the top left on my taskbar... IE, outlook, my computer, IIS, Query Analyzer (for SQL), WinGrep, Visual Studio, notepad, and Show Desktop. I use these pretty much all the time and have them easily launchable.

    I have a 2 monitor setup... my screen extends on to my second monitor (on the right) so i can drag windows over and look at both screens.

    WinGrep is a great tool for programmers. get it, or get something like it. Lets you find text inside files. Anyone know a better one?

    My desktop backround is black. I use a mostly grey and black color scheme (looks like old school windows color scheme, minus the blues). The new blue color scheme on xp hurt my eyes.

    What's your setup? Anyone have tips to improve how i work?

    Thanks....
    Last edited by skim; 03-13-2006 at 07:13 PM.

  2. #2
    Registered User mrafcho001's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    483
    I have my task bar on the bottom and its double the size, with 8 quick launch icons (FireFox, Visual Studio, PS, OutLook, MSN, Trillian, WinAmp and a shortcut to Projects (My Documents -> Visual Studio -> Projects).

    Im on a single 19" CRT monitor. With a plain wallpaper (Gray with some interesting looking shape in the middle.

    I'm not always programming, in fact I only spend a few hours (at the most) a day programming. But when I do i have a few MSDN windows open and 2-3 VS instances, cant go wrong there.
    My Website
    010000110010101100101011
    Add Color To Your Code!

  3. #3
    Guest Sebastiani's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Waterloo, Texas
    Posts
    5,708
    >> Anyone have tips to improve how i work?

    no, but if you ever lose your job you might look into interior design.
    Code:
    #include <cmath>
    #include <complex>
    bool euler_flip(bool value)
    {
        return std::pow
        (
            std::complex<float>(std::exp(1.0)), 
            std::complex<float>(0, 1) 
            * std::complex<float>(std::atan(1.0)
            *(1 << (value + 2)))
        ).real() < 0;
    }

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. Extended Desktop Dimensions
    By Jaken Veina in forum Windows Programming
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 01-16-2009, 09:15 AM
  2. Force Desktop Refresh?
    By Cat in forum C# Programming
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 09-06-2008, 10:51 AM
  3. Getting Icons from the Desktop
    By Mastadex in forum Windows Programming
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-29-2007, 04:33 PM
  4. Showing Desktop SW_DEFAULT
    By Yuri in forum Windows Programming
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 11-20-2005, 01:28 PM
  5. desktop character
    By richardfish in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 11-12-2004, 10:32 PM