AltDrag

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I am Baas
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AltDrag

#1 Post by I am Baas »

AltDrag allows you to move and resize windows much easier.
http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/

Download @ http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/downloads/list

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webfork
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Re: AltDrag

#2 Post by webfork »


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I am Baas
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Re: AltDrag

#3 Post by I am Baas »

webfork wrote:Is this similar to Win-X-Move?
http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1306
Yes, it is. But AltDrag has a few more features like "snap to other windows", "scroll inactive windows", "Minimize, AlwaysOnTop, Center and Close", and more. It is also much smaller in size.
Last edited by I am Baas on Thu May 19, 2011 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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webfork
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Re: AltDrag

#4 Post by webfork »

I am Baas wrote:
webfork wrote:Is this similar to Win-X-Move?
http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1306
Is it is. But AltDrag has a few more features like "snap to other windows", "scroll inactive windows", "Minimize, AlwaysOnTop, Center and Close", and more. It is also much smaller in size.
Yeah, a definite improvement. The ability to snap to other windows is a big jump over Win-X-Move.

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webfork
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Re: AltDrag

#5 Post by webfork »

License is GPL v3, 64-bit version included, settings saved to Application Folder (AltDrag.ini).

Negatively, there is no graphical interface to change the settings -- its all manual via the INI file, which I think will bother some users. Otherwise, its hard to ask more from a window resizing program.

lautrepay
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Re: AltDrag

#6 Post by lautrepay »

webfork wrote:License is GPL v3, 64-bit version included, settings saved to Application Folder (AltDrag.ini).

Negatively, there is no graphical interface to change the settings -- its all manual via the INI file, which I think will bother some users. Otherwise, its hard to ask more from a window resizing program.
Version 1.0 beta 1 has a configuration GUI. When/If it becomes stable it would be an addition to consider.

Image

freakazoid
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Re: AltDrag

#7 Post by freakazoid »

Just tested both AltDrag and Win-X-Move.

Although AltDrag is smaller in filesize, it uses between 2x-3x more memory than Win-X-Move.
However, AltDrag is more responsive to the actual moving of windows and has more features as mentioned above by everyone else.
is it stealth? ;)

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Re: AltDrag

#8 Post by I am Baas »

1.0 final - 2013-09-13:
•Add Lower scroll wheel action. Scroll down to lower windows, up to raise windows, shift+down to minimize windows, shift+up to toggle maximized state.
•Old Lower actions will now also minimize the window if you hold shift.
•Updated most of the translations.
Complete changelog @ http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/wiki/Changelog

http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/

Dl @ http://code.google.com/p/altdrag/downloads/list

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Re: AltDrag

#9 Post by I am Baas »

Added to the database at http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=2530

Please vote.

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Re: AltDrag

#10 Post by webfork »

Sat down and tested this recently. Really like this for large monitors and Windows XP users. Lots of small tweaks that can help speed Window management. Not sure if I prefer it to WinSplit yet, but I included some analysis on that below.

Major Features (stuff I like):
  • As the program title indicates, you don't have to click the thin border at the top of a window to move it. Holding ALT, you can grab any part of the window to move it.
  • Inactive Windows - scroll, move, or resize windows (useful for example when taking notes in one window while reading another or when one person is using the keyboard to take notes while the other uses the mouse)
  • Windows XP Users: Brings the nice "Aero Snap" feature from Vista and above (drag against side of screen and it takes up that half, drag against the bottom it takes up the bottom half, drag to top it goes full screen). Alternately, if you don't like that feature being always-on by default, this program makes it go away until you hold ALT. (Belongs in the same category as WinSplit Revolution. )
  • AutoRemaximize - great for 2 or more monitor setups where if you have it maximized in one window, you're probably going to want to maintain that in the next. Strangely, there's nothing in the config window about this because it's enabled by default, but you can disable it inside the INI file.

Other Features
  • You can set the scroll wheel + hotkey to function like
    - A live Alt Tab, scrolling through non-minimized windows (this will disable the scroll inactive windows feature)
    - [Vista+ only] Volume control (a less feature-rich Volumouse)
  • Additional functions for ALT+other mouse buttons (up to 10 if you dig into the INI file)
  • Snap to screen borders (with or without the holding down ALT bit) - this only works when you drag it within 20 pixels of the screen or window border, which isn't what I expected. This can be modified in the INI file "SnapThreshHold", which is ideal for very large or high-definition monitors. Will also snap to corners (if dragged within that same range).
  • Will resize windows that shouldn't be able to resize, which is probably pointless but might come in handy for a buggy program with broken error msgs.

Pros (over my long time favorite program WinSplit Revolution)
  • Low memory usage, especially for a Window manager
  • Open License
Wishlist
  • Somehow eliminate the sometimes flickery effect of windows resizing as you move them around the screen.
  • Help file, even though the INI file gives more info OR a more detailed config window
  • Ability to only use the inactive window scroll when ALT is held down (I can see a problem caused when a window barely out of view happens to have the mouse over it)
  • Fine-tuned control on Hotkey settings. Right now I can't change the program's base control for snapping windows (it's just SHIFT). I mention this because I have a fairly specific Hotkey setup on one of my machines and it's very likely going to collide with this program.
  • Disable update checking at startup by default (I realize most users prefer this so I'll likely be in the minority here). This can be done manually by modifying the INI file and replacing CheckOnStartup=1 to CheckOnStartup=0

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Re: AltDrag

#11 Post by webfork »

Have no idea how, but I came back to this program and it really grabbed me. Very similar to volumouse in many ways and many of the window managment stuff mentioned above has become part of my standard workflow

Also the author points to a great intro/overview: http://howikis.com/Make_windows_snap_to ... ws_utility

... and there's a video.

Recommend reading the "tricks you should know about" here:
https://github.com/stefansundin/altdrag ... i/about.md

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Midas
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Re: AltDrag

#12 Post by Midas »

webfork wrote:Recommend reading the "tricks you should know about" here:
https://github.com/stefansundin/altdrag ... i/about.md
:!: This URL changed, it is now https://github.com/stefansundin/altdrag/blob/master/doc/about.md...

AltDrag doesn't seem to provide window snapping in my Windows XP Pro SP3, Shift or no-Shift. Also, after starting window resizing with selected method (default is Alt+RMB), if by chance it locks the vertical only or horizontal only resizing handle, it doesn't seem to be able to switch to a different one.

A related 32 bit only(!) "scroll window under the mouse", window snapping utility, and mouse scroll sound volume is Pitaschio (http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... php?t=2487), which I have personally tested and vouch for. Stefan Sundin, AltDrag's maker, has compiled a rather exhaustive list of (mostly free) windows manager utils (see https://github.com/stefansundin/altdrag ... rograms.md).

An utility I haven't seen mentioned anywhere (probably on account of its proprietary nature) is so called Lenovo Autoscroll Utility found on my XP laptop; it makes any off-screen part of a window move into visibility simply by mousing over it at the screen edge (I just dug its files up and am making them available for inspection at http://mir.cr/DBVRBUXD).

And BTW, above mentioned Win-X-Move TPFC database entry is at http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=1306 (until I have the leisure to create a dedicated forum topic, its database entry points here for that effect).

bitcoin
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Re: AltDrag

#13 Post by bitcoin »

this has been forked and improved for Win10 since the original programmer of AltDrag doesn't have time to maintain it recently

https://github.com/RamonUnch/AltSnap

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