Icons spacing issue

from Stardock Forums

Hello, I'm using Fences for few months and I still got annoiyng issue related to icons spacing.
Default metrics in Windows are 114 x 75 which is good overall for me, however with such values icons on desktop are presented somehow differently than it was before Fences installation.
There is no way to place icons at the bottom of my desktop - to do such thing I need to change metric from 75 to 82 (lowest value that let me use all my desktop space for anything outside Fences).

Also User folder behaves differently to sorting with Fences on.
Default behavious is mostly placing it on top of my desktop (only type sorting is placing it below recycle bin, same for Fences enabled), however using sorting by name/size/date will move User catalog like normal one with Fences enabled - there is no such behaviour on default Windows desktop.

I just don't should it work that way or there is something broken, maybe I missed some settings?
But that issue with icons is pretty annoiyng for me, default Windows grid is perfect for me, changing it size is always making a little mess with overlapping names etc.

fences
15,794 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having issues.

right click on desktop is classic or small icons checked 

 


AzDude
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

It doesn't help - also I'm using medium icons all the time - I'm working on a laptop and classic/small are to small for me :)
As I said if I change grid size it will fit my desktop nicely but I think there should not be issues like this in a mature software like this.

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I also am having this issue.  I have tons of icon on my desktop which is why I bought Fences. I like it but doesn't seem like it's been developed to make it user friendy.  For years, I have set up my desktop with Fences.  But recently I have no way to adjust icon size other than small medium and large.  With small they all collide with medium & large I can see the icons with spacing but have to scroll down in my fence to see the icons.  Yet on an older post from support I saw a desktop with icons nice and neat.  Any options?  I have read & tried all the previous suggestions.  

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

If you hold down the Control key and spin your mouse

wheel up or down you can size your icons any size you need .

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

No it won't. I have a scroll wheel & while it changes the icons it is very jerky doing so. I can also hold down ctrl key with + or -  and it will smoothing change icon size but never close to a good size. And while they get smaller then they bunch up ie over write the text & icons.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting bfallona, reply 5

No it won't. I have a scroll wheel & while it changes the icons it is very jerky doing so. I can also hold down ctrl key with + or - and it will smoothing change icon size but never close to a good size. And while they get smaller then they bunch up ie over write the text & icons.
End of bfallona's quote

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Looking at your screenshot above it seem something else is controlling your icon size and spacing. When I adjusted my Icon size, they adjust accordingly but never it overlap each other like yours. Here is what I get when I make them smaller.

Need to know more on your system.

1) Windows version. Please use Winver.exe for full version numbers.

2) Fences version.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

On my system issue is related directly to GRID sie.
If I change it then everything will be fine.

Even on fresh system I had this issue (no matter which Windows 10 version I'm using), so there is nothing I can do.
Last horizontal GRID is out of reach until I change spacing from 75 to 82 via DesktopOK or similar app.

I'm always using standard size icons (which is medium), but issue seems to stay even if change icons size.
I had this issue since I started using fences months ago.

Maybe polish version is using different spacing due to MUI changes? Some strings in polish version might be longer/different - then MS changed some in registry to properly view those translated names.

Right now I'm using newest Fences version and Windows 10 2009 [19042.450], however I had this issue since 1809 and older Fences 3 versions.

@bfallona - use DekstopOK to change GRID spacing and then restart Explorer/log-off and it will be fixed.
My settings are 110x82 for proper spacing on my dekstop (1080p resolution, normal DPI scalling), value of 75 won't let me use lowest desktop grid for icons - which is default on my Windows, if I turn off Fences then everything will be perfect.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Here is the info for Windows : Edition Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview

Version 2004

Installed on ‎8/‎13/‎2020

OS build 20190.1000

Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.19801.0.0

And Fences is up to date: 3.0.9.11

I have thousands of programs installed & not sure which one would be at fault.  I am sure there is software out there to list ALL my programs, but then YOU would have to know how they work ie with Windows & Fences.  Today I tried Medium & Large Icons which made it fairly ok, but not very pretty ie I had to scroll IN the Fence to see the programs. 

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

@bfallona - nah, there is nothing altering your grid space, at least on my system.
Fences behaves the same even on fresh Windows, I was installing fresh system on my PC not so long ago and it didn't change a thing.

Some pages state that default grid size is 75x75 (-1125 value in registry), however it's too small in my opinion and from what I could recall it was never used in polish version of Windows.
DesktopOK is telling me that default grid size is 114x75 - who's right? I dunno.

Most of the time I'm using 100-110 (horizonal) x 82 (vertical) with standard (medium sized) icons and everything behaves perfectly fine.
However if I change icons size directly in Fences area from medium to small for example long shortcuts name could overlap each other which look awful.
To fix that I need to find another proper, vertical value.

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello bfallona,

I am sorry, I do not see what you are seeing. I am also on v2004 OS build 20190.1000, and Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.19801.0.0 . If you interested, you can try cleanboot and see if there is conflicting applications : https://forums.stardock.com/486084/fences-support-faq#cleanboot

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting bfallona, reply 8

I am sure there is software out there to list ALL my programs
End of bfallona's quote

You can do that through PowerShell: Run PowerShell as admin, type wmic, press enter, type /output:C:\apps.txt product get name, version, press enter and wait a few seconds. (you can choose a different destination after /output:)

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

I had no clue what Miko was talking about.  I downloaded Desktop OK which did nothing other than some utilities to take screenshot of icons same with reg-edit screen resolution.  The good news is I set up a new admin account and logged in.  Downloaded & installed Fences along with an older layout in App Data Roaming. Boom it looked great, maintained spacing and worked just fine.  Now I will trying logging into my main user account - reinstall Fences and see what happens. I will let you know. It still seems odd that we can't get any options for icon spacing IN the program other than small medium large. And the box with Pixel Spacing does nothing.