These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
clicking on a visible part.)

Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?

If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Quantum particles: the dreams that stuff is made of - David Moser

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
> to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
> unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
> certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
> clicking on a visible part.)
>
> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?
>
> If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
> from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.

How about:

1) "Show the desktop", in right-click Taskbar
2) Bring desired window back to screen.
3) Move/resize.

For at least a few usage scenarios, keeping a From and To
window on the screen, would allow doing stuff, and the
other eleven windows could stay iconified.

*******

The one I hate, is when your mouse is broken, and
while you're dragging something, the left-mouse
releases and the item is dropped "somewhere". And
you don't know where. That's one that could use an
Undo.

Paul

On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:53:38 +0100, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
> to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
> unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
> certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
> clicking on a visible part.)
>
> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?
>
> If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
> from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.

You could create your own AutoHotkey script for that.

JJ <jj4public@gmail.com> wrote:

> J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>
>> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
>> to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
>> unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
>> certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
>> clicking on a visible part.)
>>
>> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?
>>
>> If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
>> from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.
>
> You could create your own AutoHotkey script for that.

But that doesn't create an undo action. You would have to somehow use
fixed positions and sizes for the windows, and then have the script move
the windows back to those fixed positions and resize the windows.
However, while Autohotkey can use the title of a window to track them,
many apps use the same title for multiple windows, so there would be no
way to know which window was for what. The OP didn't mention what apps
have windows open. Maybe the OP opens the windows, and puts them in
fixed positions at fixed sizes, or uses some utility to open the apps
with their windows in fixed positions and sizes, but that wasn't
mentioned by the OP, either.

Considering the OP has 13 windows concurrently open, it is unlikely they
are for the same program, or even for the same use even if opened in the
same program. That's where virtual desktops are helpful to keep
together those windows for one task, another virtual desktop of other
windows grouped by their common task, and so on. Instead of cluttering
the desktop with every window you ever open, group them on virtual
desktops. I don't remember if and what Windows 7 had for virtual
desktops, but do remember I used Dexpot back then. For example, I might
be doing e-mail, chatting, Zoom, or other communications, so those apps
are on one virtual desktop, while apps for editing, compilation, web
research, and other programming stuff are on another desktop, while
general web browsing is one another virtual desktop, while construction
or home repair plans and research are on another virtual desktop, and so
on to group the windows by a common theme.

Instead of clicking on the app's windows to give it focus, and then drag
it, how about clicking on the taskbar button for the window to make sure
that one gets focus, and then drag it? Of course, once the window gets
focus (on top), I'm not sure what is the point of dragging it unless you
want multiple windows concurrently displayed without overlap in which
case you use the window arrangment actions (cascade, stacked, side by
side) by right-clicking on the taskbar, or by using window snap.
Instead of clicking on windows to give them focus, use taskbar buttons
to pick the window to give focus. However, lots of separate taskbar
buttons for each windowed app can make selection difficult by trying to
figure out which one on which to click (but the same for lots of windows
overlapping each other where you only see a part of the window), but
thumbnails on taskbar buttons should help. Plus, you can configure
Windows to group taskbar buttons by app, so, for example, you'd have one
taskbar button for a web browser with many tabs open, and hovering over
a taskbar button brings up a preview list of each of those tabs.

On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 15:00:40 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
> JJ <jj4public@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>
>>> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
>>> to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
>>> unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
>>> certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
>>> clicking on a visible part.)
>>>
>>> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?
>>>
>>> If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
>>> from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.
>>
>> You could create your own AutoHotkey script for that.
>
> But that doesn't create an undo action.

I know. I meant to create the undo feature. Not just the keyboard shortcut.
After all, AutoHotkey is a full featured application scripting. It's not
only for creating keyboard shortcuts.

i.e. implement the feature to keep track of window dimension changes, so
that they can be restored when needed.

JJ wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 15:00:40 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
>> JJ <jj4public@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>>
>>>> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
>>>> to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
>>>> unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
>>>> certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
>>>> clicking on a visible part.)
>>>>
>>>> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?
>>>>
>>>> If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
>>>> from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.
>>> You could create your own AutoHotkey script for that.
>> But that doesn't create an undo action.
>
> I know. I meant to create the undo feature. Not just the keyboard shortcut.
> After all, AutoHotkey is a full featured application scripting. It's not
> only for creating keyboard shortcuts.
>
> i.e. implement the feature to keep track of window dimension changes, so
> that they can be restored when needed.

Microsoft has a utility called Spy++, which
gives information about the Windows and their handles.

It's also an inspiration for others to try their hand.

https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/1698/MS-Spy-style-Window-Finder

Paul

Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote in
news:simdim$4cd$1@dont-email.me:

> JJ wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 15:00:40 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
>>> JJ <jj4public@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the
>>>>> moment, according to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the
>>>>> wrong thing, with the result that I unintentionally
>>>>> move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in
>>>>> a certain position - none of the maximised - and often
>>>>> task-switch by clicking on a visible part.)
>>>>>
>>>>> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?

<SNIP>

> Microsoft has a utility called Spy++, which
> gives information about the Windows and their handles.
>
> It's also an inspiration for others to try their hand.
>
> https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/1698/MS-Spy-style-Windo
> w-Finder
>
> Paul

Spy++ comes with all versions of Visual Studio, except the 'Community Editions', and
not a downloadable package. Its used in development while writing code.

A program for this could be written, and not hard at all. Not necessarily 'super-easy'
and take only an hour, but not really advanced.

FWIW, a utility like this can only function a couple/few ways...

The least complex method...using a timer, every 500ms or so, enumerate all top-level
windows, ie- in this case, all windows that are "ShowInTaskbar", and it would save the
window states & locations of each into an array. Each tme a windows pos/state is
different than the previous set for that window, it would add it as a new set. Through
some sort of interaction with the utility, you'd then have the ability to "undo" to some
certain point. Not unlike CAD/graphics/design programs that have a pane that shows
each edit done in order.

One drawback however is that this timed process could happen while you are in the
process of moving or resizing a window, and that's not really a valid time to record.
Trying to account for this, *IF* it is an issue, makes things more complex.

(As a slftware author) I would consider the timer method a *complete* hack though.

Another way to do this, is to use a global windows message hook and look for all top-
window's WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGED messages, and then use the parameters
passed to save to the 'undo chain'. This way is way more complex, and requires the
"hook" code be in a (standard, ie- non-ActiveX) DLL file, and then when each process
(program) is started, that DLL code is injected into every new process when it starts.

This however, also has its drawbacks.

https://www.codeproject.com/articles/18638/using-window-messages-to-implement-
global-system-h?fid=414057&df=90&mpp=25
&sort=Position&view=Normal&spc=Relaxed&select=2623941&fr=59&prof=True

On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 12:19:13 -0400, Paul wrote:
> 1) "Show the desktop", in right-click Taskbar
>

Or, Windows-key + D.

It's personal preference, but some people try to avoid the mouse
while others try to avoid the keyboard.

I personally prefer the keyboard because I am not very accurate with
a mouse (still, after so many years).

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
https://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On 9/25/2021 9:02 AM, Stan Brown wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Sep 2021 12:19:13 -0400, Paul wrote:
>> 1) "Show the desktop", in right-click Taskbar
>>
>
> Or, Windows-key + D.

....or, Windows-key + M.

> It's personal preference, but some people try to avoid the mouse
> while others try to avoid the keyboard.

Yes.

> I personally prefer the keyboard because I am not very accurate with
> a mouse (still, after so many years).

I use right-click Taskbar not because I prefer the mouse, but because it
most quickly comes to mind.

But actually, I think I'm usually much more accurate with the mouse. I
am very prone to making typos.

--
Ken

On 9/24/2021 9:53 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> These days, I have quite a few things open (13 at the moment, according
> to my taskbar). I sometimes drag the wrong thing, with the result that I
> unintentionally move or resize a window. (I tend to keep my windows in a
> certain position - none of the maximised - and often task-switch by
> clicking on a visible part.)
>
> Anyone know of an "undo" for such a resize/move?
>
> If I see I'm doing it, I can sometimes hit Esc to "unhook" the mouse
> from what it's currently moving, but that doesn't always work.

One could make a batch with a selection list for each window. Then a
subroutine for each item in list using following and a desktop shortcut
to run batch.

NirSoft\multimonitortool-x64\MultiMonitorTool.exe /MoveWindow <1 2>
Title "...." /WindowLeft xxx /WindowTop yyy