Working with Layouts

A layout is a template that keeps track of the visibility, location and configuration of every widget loaded in Amnesty Widget Browser.

For example, suppose you open a widget and place it in the desktop level at the bottom left of your screen at 50% opacity. The next time you launch Amnesty, this widget will be opened and these settings will be remembered. This happens because whenever you open, hide or close a widget — whenever you modify any widget's settings — these changes are recorded in the current layout.

If you have a large widget collection, or have limited screen real estate to place your widgets, the ability to create multiple layouts can be a welcome feature: each layout can store its own, distinct widget environment. For example, you can keep all your game widgets in a "Game" layout and all your news widgets in a "News" layout, and bring each of these layouts to the screen independently whenever you choose.

You can also have the same widget in multiple layouts: a widget could be in the top right corner in one layout and in the top left corner and in the desktop level in another. (Note: widgets in multiple layouts still share the same, internal "back side" preferences. If you want to get around this limitation see Advanced Tips & Tricks).

Layouts in Amnesty (and functions to control them) are accessible via the Layout submenu.

The following layouts are "built in" (and cannot be deleted):

User created layouts are listed below these under the heading User Layouts.


Opening a layout

Select a layout's name from the Layout submenu.

The widgets belonging to the current layout (if any) will disappear from the screen and the widgets belonging to your selected layout will appear in their place.


Hiding the current layout

Select Hide from the Layout submenu.

The current layout will close and the Hidden layout will open in its place (accordingly, all widgets will disappear from the screen).

Note: Every widget listed in the Amnesty menu will appear in a Disabled state while the Hidden layout is open.


Showing the previously open layout

Select Show from the Layout submenu.

The Hidden layout will close and the previously open layout will open in its place.


Creating a new layout

Select Save Layout As from the Layout submenu.

A dialog box will appear where you can enter a name for the new layout. The new layout will reflect the state of the current layout and will now be accessible via in the Layout submenu.

Hint: To create a new "empty" layout, activate the Hidden layout before you select Save Layout As. This will create a new layout where all widgets are hidden to begin with. You can then open and place widgets in your new layout to your liking.


Deleting the current layout

Select Delete Layout from the Layout submenu.

A dialog box will appear to confirm the deletion. This operation cannot be undone. After deleting the current layout, the Hidden layout will be opened in its place.


Bringing widgets to the front

If you have placed widgets in the current layout into different window levels, then you may find it difficult to get an idea of what your layout looks like. Or, if you've made a widget "click-through" you won't be able to control-click it to further modify its settings. In both cases, bringing widgets to the front can solve these problems.

Select Bring Widgets to Front from the Layout submenu.

Every widget in the current layout will come to the front of the screen, regardless of what window level it is supposed to be in. In addition, all widgets that are "click-through" will be clickable. Now you can inspect the layout and modify any widget's settings.

Note that this is a temporary mode. If you switch layouts, or if you select Return Widgets to Layout from the Layout submenu, the widgets will return to their proper window levels and enforce their "click-through" settings.