[FancyZones] Quicky switch between layouts with the scroll wheel while dragging a window

[Miodec]

I sometimes like to keep my windows in a 3 columns, sometimes 2, sometimes 2 that are not equal width.

It would be awesome to be able to quickly switch between layouts. Im thinking while dragging a window and holding shift to see the zones, using the scroll wheel would cycle through the layouts created on that monitor.

Thanks!

[enricogior]

Reference: #1411

[rztaylor]

Switching between layout options whilst dragging a window would be awesome, but from a UI point of view I think we also need to consider:

• We'd need some way of marking layouts that should be cycled - such as marking layouts as favorites/starred
• The scrollwheel isn't a comfortable option, I would propose the following:
  1. If "Hold shift key to activate zones whilst dragging" is checked, then tapping SPACE or ALT whilst holding down SHIFT and dragging a window would cycle the selected layouts
  2. If "Use a non-primary mouse button to toggle zone activation" is checked, then each press of the non-primary mouse button would cycle the selected layouts.

I'd suggest chaning the ticket title to "[FancyZones] Quicky switch between layouts whilst dragging a window"

[gczark]

PowerToys has this functionality before, but I don't know why it was removed. Before while snapping a window to a zone (zones are present), I can switch layouts by pressing number keys which corrensponds to the number of zones that you have used since the installation.

[enricogior]

@gczark
that feature had issues:

• a layout may have not been designed for the current screen resolution and still it was allowing to apply it to the current screen.
• accessibility problem: it required to start dragging a window and press ctrl + number at the same time
• the ctrl + number shortcut is already used by Windows for a different feature

#1411 will try to address all those problems

[Imold]

For any one else who wants this, here's an autohotkey script for it.

#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
; #Warn  ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
#SingleInstance force
CoordMode, Mouse, Screen

;CONFIG
;Assign FancyZones Layouts shortcuts in order from 0 to 9
;Scrolling down will cycle through layouts numerically from 0 to 9
;Scrolling up will cycle through layouts in the reverse order

;Set to highest number layout shortcut
NoLo := 2
;End of Config

Lo := 0
*~LButton::
    MouseGetPos, x, y, hwnd
    SendMessage, 0x84, 0, (x&0xFFFF) | (y&0xFFFF) << 16,, ahk_id %hwnd%
    RegExMatch("ERROR TRANSPARENT NOWHERE CLIENT CAPTION SYSMENU SIZE MENU HSCROLL VSCROLL MINBUTTON MAXBUTTON LEFT RIGHT TOP TOPLEFT TOPRIGHT BOTTOM BOTTOMLEFT BOTTOMRIGHT BORDER OBJECT CLOSE HELP", "(?:\w+\s+){" . ErrorLevel+2&0xFFFFFFFF . "}(?<AREA>\w+\b)", HT)
	 if htarea!=CAPTION
		if OutputVarControl!=TITLE_BAR_SCAFFOLDING_WINDOW_CLASS1
			if OutputVarControl!=DRAG_BAR_WINDOW_CLASS1
				Return
	 MouseGetPos,_x,_y
	 While GetKeyState("LButton","P") && x=_x && y=_y ;Wait until user begins dragging
		MouseGetPos,_x,_y
    While GetKeyState("LButton","P") ;while dragging
		dragging := 1
	dragging := 0
Return
#If (dragging = 1)
	WheelUp::
		Lo --
		if (Lo < 0)
			Lo:=NoLo
		Send %Lo%
		Return
	WheelDown::
		Lo ++
		if (Lo > NoLo)
			Lo:=0
		Send %Lo%
		Return
		

[harvastum]

Hey, I was just about to create another issue but found my old (#13387) issue regarding this and I'd like to put emphasis on one thing: the controls of zone switching must be configurable and it has to allow to assign mouse buttons (especially MB4 and MB5).

Is there chance for any action on this issue in the foreseeable future? It's been here a while and there are plenty of duplicates being created.

Also, I think FancyZones-Settings and FancyZones-Hotkeys labels could be added to this.

[Imold]

@harvastum Here's a modified version of my autohotkey script that uses the back and forward buttons (MB4 and MB5), instead of scrolling while dragging a window.

#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
; #Warn  ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
#SingleInstance force

;5th Mouse Button (aka: the "Forward" button) will cycle through layouts numerically from 0 to 9
;4th Mouse Button (aka: the "Back" button) will cycle through layouts in the reverse order

;CONFIG
;Assign FancyZones Layouts shortcuts in order from 0 to 9

;Set to highest number layout shortcut
NoLo := 2
;End of Config

Lo := 0
XButton1::
	Lo --
	if (Lo < 0)
		Lo:=NoLo
	Send #^!%Lo%
	Return
XButton2::
	Lo ++
	if (Lo > NoLo)
		Lo:=0
	Send #^!%Lo%
	Return

[tylertylerday]

@harvastum Here's a modified version of my autohotkey script that uses the back and forward buttons (MB4 and MB5), instead of scrolling while dragging a window.

#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
; #Warn  ; Enable warnings to assist with detecting common errors.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
#SingleInstance force

;5th Mouse Button (aka: the "Forward" button) will cycle through layouts numerically from 0 to 9
;4th Mouse Button (aka: the "Back" button) will cycle through layouts in the reverse order

;CONFIG
;Assign FancyZones Layouts shortcuts in order from 0 to 9

;Set to highest number layout shortcut
NoLo := 2
;End of Config

Lo := 0
XButton1::
	Lo --
	if (Lo < 0)
		Lo:=NoLo
	Send #^!%Lo%
	Return
XButton2::
	Lo ++
	if (Lo > NoLo)
		Lo:=0
	Send #^!%Lo%
	Return

Amazing just what I've been looking for! Do you know why it doesn't work when I'm dragging a window though? It works when I press the mouse buttons, now I can't use those buttons for Back/Forward in the browser because it keeps changing the layout.

[Imold]

Amazing just what I've been looking for! Do you know why it doesn't work when I'm dragging a window though? It works when I press the mouse buttons,

Not Sure, my best guess is something to do with them being mouse buttons turns it off.

now I can't use those buttons for Back/Forward in the browser because it keeps changing the layout.

That's to be expected, it's just globally remapping the buttons. If you still want to use them for Back/Forward you'd need a modifier for changing layouts. You could also try the original scroll while dragging version.