Middle click option...

[thom_A]

I don't know if this has already been suggested.

How about seeing a popup menu when middle-clicking created folders on the desktop that contains applications, then able to launch a picked application in the menu?

Here's the background. Most of us put our favorite apps everywhere like in the Start menu, panel or taskbar, autohidden toolbars, etc. Not to mention putting them on the desktop. Personally, I only use two columns of icons on the left side of my desktop and when I open windows, I don't do full screen. I adjust it so I can see those 2 columns of icons on the left side. But then I don't use all of those icons as often as others, so what I do is group them in categories like Graphics folder, Utilities folder and Office folder. The downside is you have to click the folder to open it, then another click to launch the app, then another to close the Office folder, for example.

I also don't litter my desktop with tons of icons because it's useless other than for decoration purposes; once you open an app, they'll all disappear and out of sight. Besides, it's confusing and looks disorganized. As opposed to just middle-clicking a group folder (or mouse hover, if possible), then click and launch.

Hope to see this in Linux Mint. It would be a first if they can deliver this. You won't see it even in commercial OSes.

[Fred Barclay]

If you don't mind waiting, I'll look at designing this. I've already got one (unofficial) Mint project going, so it might be a while, and I can't promise success.

I see one main problem. Currently, middle-click pastes text "copied" by highlighting with left-click. This would need to be disabled in Desktop.

[thom_A]

Thanks for the response!

Actually, my original idea was to see the folder's list of apps added in the existing right-click menu. But then, I realized the popup already had a long list of items in the menu. I'm still just discovering Mint and I just found that a popup menu already appears when middle-clicking folders.

It would be nice if they're just added in the right-click menu, or by adding another column, I don't know. But you get the idea. There has to be a way to access apps inside a folder without opening it in just one click (mouse hover) or two.

[thom_A]

I'm posting this using Cinnamon. When you hover your mouse on one of the items in the All Applications column in the taskbar, the list of apps in that item appears on the right side. You don't click them. You hover your mouse over the item. So this solves the problem of having to assign the action in either middle and right click button.

And I realized this is basically what I was suggesting, a floating menu in the form of a folder that can be placed anywhere on the desktop, except that you can delete those you don't need in the folder and leave the ones you do. How cool will that be? It's a very powerful way of organizing your desktop as well as accessing quickly the programs you use.

It's all you need to filter the bloat. You can have as many folders (why don't we call them floating menus?) or categories as you want and place them on the left side of your screen. You can also opt to house them in a toolbar, dock it and have the choice to autohide it.