Icon order auto-arranger

[JStraitiff]

i recently realized how much of a pain it is to change the order of icons when switching themes

for example: with the new perfect storm theme i want only 2 rows of icons and the dock and the rest of the pages just 1 row of blanks at the top

or when i go theme less i want a certain order of icons


so i was thinking of writing an app that would allow you to set the order of icons for each inividual theme so that when switching it eliminates the hassle of having to sit there for 45 minuets rearranging icons

it would have to work within winterboard if saurik is interested maybe we could even build it into winterboard in the next update

[Stimpy5050]

That actually wouldn't be too difficult to write within MobileSubstrate. You'd simply have to hook into the code that sets the order of the SBIconList for SpringBoard and override the logic to read the order from a different plist than com.apple.springboard.plist.

[Imagine09]

That sounds pretty cool, best of luck and keep us posted...

The only way that I have found to keep your icon order arranged by theme is to modify the M68AP.plist file for each theme. This isn't bad because the creator of the theme will typically do this and include the file in the theme package, the draw back is that for the iPhone to change the order to match the modified M68AP.plist the user needs to do the following:

Tap "Settings"->tap "General"->tap "Reset"->tap "Reset Home Screen Layout" at this point a dialog box comes up with two choices (Reset Home Screen and Cancel)...just tap "Reset Home Screen".

When you return to the home screen the icons will be arranged in their new order (per the modified M68AP.plist).

[JStraitiff]

That sounds pretty cool, best of luck and keep us posted...

The only way that I have found to keep your icon order arranged by theme is to modify the M68AP.plist file for each theme. This isn't bad because the creator of the theme will typically do this and include the file in the theme package, the draw back is that for the iPhone to change the order to match the modified M68AP.plist the user needs to do the following:

Tap "Settings"->tap "General"->tap "Reset"->tap "Reset Home Screen Layout" at this point a dialog box comes up with two choices (Reset Home Screen and Cancel)...just tap "Reset Home Screen".

When you return to the home screen the icons will be arranged in their new order (per the modified M68AP.plist).

this would be pretty easy but i think that we should develop a program that will actualy do all the work for you because winterboard was designed to make it easy for anyone to make a theme so if i can build it into winterboard so that theme makers can simpily include a folder with the names in the order they want maybe in a spread sheet then it can read it and change the order accordingly during respring

[JStraitiff]

i took a look at editing the M68AP.plist and this is a plausible approach but it does seem to be quite a bit of work for the theme maker to edit this so i think the first step would be to make this easier for the basic user somehow plus windows users dont have a property list editor

also i dont know for sure if you can include this in a winterboard package because i think winterboard can only change visual properties of the os not system files

[Mes]

........it would have to work within winterboard ...

I'm no iPhone programmer, but it would seem to me that making it work 'within' Winterboard is more difficult than as a standalone. I realize that changing orders when changing themes is an interesting and creative approach ..... I would like to suggest to start (and possibly release) a simplified version that doesn't require winterboard prior to the full-blown version.

Personally, I would prefer the simple approach. Being able to restore icon positions after a restore, or upgrade would be a great idea.

JMHO. Thanks for your thoughts in this matter

[Imagine09]

...also i dont know for sure if you can include this in a winterboard package because i think winterboard can only change visual properties of the os not system files

Hi him121213,

If you put the M68AP.plist file in the following directory (of your package) this will work when you reset the home screen icons (see eariler email).

\Library\Themes\Your Theme Name\Bundles\com.apple.springboard\M68AP.plist

[jcraven8081]

where is this original M68AP.plist located?
and is it of the icon order from day one with phone ipod stocks notes etc. on the first page or your current icon order? Thanks!

[JStraitiff]

where is this original M68AP.plist located?
and is it of the icon order from day one with phone ipod stocks notes etc. on the first page or your current icon order? Thanks!

it is located in system/library/coreservices/springboard.app/M68AP.plist


after taking a closer look at it i have realized that it is only the order of the system icons "Default, the way they were when you bought the phone."

[jmcelroy]

Today I was arranging my icons on my 4th gen iPod Touch running 4.1 jb. And I like how when you sort certain icons in a folder, the auto naming feature is about half correct. Why not create a program that automatically sorts alike icons into their appropriate folders? Folder space would have to be increased because for example I have 4 full folders that are titled Role Playing. I did get a folder enhancing program that lets you put folders in folders and it also increased the amount of items you can put in a folder to unlimited which I loved, but still I have over 400 games alone on my ipod touch screen, so many that some won't load because the amount of page restrictions on it. They only appear after I move stuff into folders making room.

In tandem, I'd PAY for an auto-icon-arranging-folder-space saving-ipod touch/iphone app. I'd pay very well indeed. If someone already knows of something that does this, I'd even pay for the know - how of getting this. [email protected] or [email protected]