As you all know, there is no information available for you to read regarding modification and manipulation of the desktop.dsk. All you can do is add new icons programmatically, but cannot specify the workspace tab to store them.
I have been exploring the desktop.dsk files for a long time now and I can now fully manipulate the R4 and R5 desktop files including adding databases to any workspace and position within a workspace, fixing corrupted workspaces (providing the object can be read), adding/deleting workspaces and moving database and workspace positions.
ViewDesk is an executable file that will read an R4 desktop.dsk or R5 desktop5.dsk file. It displays the header of the workspace object (number of workspaces and number of desktop icons) and displays the name of every workspace tab and each desktop icon database that is under each of the tabs in the format: --Workspace Tab 1-- Server!!Database (Title) .... --Workspace Tab 2-- Server!!Database (Title) ....
If a database is local, there will obviously be no server component.
You may download ViewDesk at:
http://www.users.bigpond.com/dfry/index.htm
Once downloaded, copy "viewdesk.exe" to your notes executable folder such as c://notes or c://lotusnotes
Enter at the DOS command prompt:
ViewDesk <desktop.dsk file>
If no path is specified in <desktop file> then it will automatically read the file under the "data" folder.
Any problems with ViewDesk, email me at noteshelp@bigpond.com
This was first published in July 2001