ToolBoxManager Quick Start Guide v13.20

What is ToolBoxManager?

ToolBoxManager is a floating visual workspace for organizing the assets behind your projects and tasks.

Drag files, folders, links, tools, notes, or online resources onto the canvas, and TBM turns them into Smart Visual Pointers without moving or changing the original assets.

Use tabs and sub-tabs to keep every project logically structured, switch between projects with one click, and access every asset you need from one clear, local, private, and secure workspace.

One Structure. Many Projects.

One Structure Many Projects - System Architecture & Structural Hierarchy 

This Floating Visual Workspace organizes complex project environments by utilizing a streamlined four-tier hierarchy: Desktop > Main Tabs > Subtabs > Items. By organizing resources into Smart Visual Pointers within intuitive hierarchical layers, the system simplifies your workflow and keeps you focused.

Tier 1: Desktop (Project Level): The primary environment. TBM supports up to 25 distinct project environments (e.g., "Podcast Producer", "Startup CEO", "Psychology Student", "R&D Alpha") accessible via a rapid-access switcher.

Tier 2: Main Tabs (Department Level): Logical groupings representing major operational branches, such as Customers, Marketing, Legal, or Engineering.

Tier 3: Sub-Tabs (Category Level): These serve as operational containers inside Main Tabs, allowing you to segment departments into specific categories, such as individual customer names.

Tier 4: Items (Asset Level): The essential building blocks of your project, including any type of file, physical folders, deep-linked URLs, and integrated notes.

Core Asset Management & File Operations

The system is built around frictionless asset aggregation and manipulation, acting as a central canvas without disrupting existing workflows.

• Smart Pointer System: The core philosophy of the software. Dragging and dropping items into the matrix does not alter their physical location on the hard drive. The system strictly utilizes intelligent pointers, preserving the integrity of the user's OS and file system.

• Native Execution: Objects launch natively according to Windows defaults (e.g., PDFs open in Acrobat, documents in Word) with zero intermediary friction

• Fluid Matrix Mobility: Any object, sub-tab, or tab can be seamlessly moved or copied to any other location within the hierarchical matrix, including across different Desktops.

• Bulk Operations: Full support for multi-selection (via Shift+Click) to perform batch copy, move, or delete actions across the project landscape.

TBM Main Window at a Glance

How to Create a New Desktop

Desktop Switcher 

Create a New Main Tab

Create a New Sub-Tab

Add Files, Folders, Apps, and Other Computer Resources to TBM

Adding Web Resources to TBM

Web resources can be dragged directly from the browser into the relevant TBM main tab, sub-tab, or active canvas.

1. Drag a Single Google Result

Locate the required result in Google, then drag its title or link directly into the desired TBM location.

TBM creates a new web item linked to that page.

2. Drag Multiple Google Results

Select several results or links on the Google results page, then drag the selected group together into TBM.

All selected links are added in one action, making it easy to collect several relevant sources at once.

3. Drag a Page from the Browser Address Bar

Open the required website or article, then drag the page icon from the browser’s address bar into TBM.

This adds the complete page URL as a new web item.

4. Drag an Internal Link from a Webpage

Locate a clickable text link inside an existing webpage, then drag that link directly into TBM.

TBM saves the exact destination behind the link, even when it points to another page or resource inside the same website.

Moving Elements Across TBM

TBM lets you shape the main workspace around the way you work. Tabs, sub-tabs, items, and notes can be reordered, moved, or copied using drag-and-drop, allowing frequently used elements to stay closer to the beginning of each row or workspace area.

Tabs and Sub-Tabs

Drag a tab or sub-tab to:

• Change its position among other tabs or sub-tabs

• Place frequently used tabs closer to the beginning of the row

• Move a sub-tab into another main tab

• Move a complete main tab to another Desktop through its right-click menu

Items and Notes

Drag an item or note to:

• Change its position among the other items in the current sub-tab

• Place frequently used items earlier in the workspace

• Move it into another sub-tab or main tab

• Hold Shift while dragging to copy it instead of moving it

*To move several items together, select them using Shift+Click, then drag any selected item to the new location.

Adding External Assets

Drag files, folders, shortcuts, web links, or other supported assets from outside TBM and drop them onto:

• The active canvas

• A main tab

• A sub-tab

You can also drag selected text from an external application directly into an open TBM note.

TBM creates smart pointers to external assets, so their original location on the computer remains unchanged.

Right-Click Menus

The right-click menu gives you quick access to the most useful actions in TBM. The options change automatically according to the tab, sub-tab, item, note, or group of selected items you right-click.

Tabs and Sub-Tabs

Right-click a tab or sub-tab to:

• Create a new tab or sub-tab

• Rename or duplicate it

• Add or edit a tooltip

• Move a main tab to another Desktop

• Convert a sub-tab into a main tab

• Open or clear contained items

• Delete it

Items and Notes

Right-click an item or note to:

• Open it

• Edit its label, tooltip, or note content

• Move it left or right

• Remove it from TBM without deleting the original file

Multiple Selected Items

Select multiple items using Shift+Click, then right-click any selected item to:

• Open all selected items

• Remove all selected items from TBM

Important: Removing an item from TBM removes only its pointer. The original file, folder, application, or web resource remains unchanged.

FOCUS MODE IN TBM

BACKUP & IMPORT

Desktop Management

Import CSV: Build Your Desktop Structure in Seconds

CSV import lets you prepare a complete tab structure in a familiar spreadsheet, then add it to any TBM Desktop in one step. It is ideal for building larger structures quickly instead of creating every tab and sub-tab manually.

• In Desktop Management, click Download CSV Template.

• Open the template in Excel or another spreadsheet application and enter:

  • Column A: Main Tab

  • Column B: Sub-Tab

• Locate the target Desktop, click Import CSV, choose the completed file, and confirm the import.

• TBM creates the main tabs and sub-tabs immediately inside the selected Desktop.

Important: This method saves time, keeps the structure consistent, and makes it easy to prepare or reuse organized Desktop layouts.

Browse Topics: Thousands of Curated Websites, Ready to Add

Quickly build any Desktop with selected websites already organized by topic. Choose exactly what you need and add it directly where it belongs.

The library contains thousands of hand-picked websites across dozens of categories and focused sub-topics. Every resource was selected for its practical value, giving users a ready-made knowledge vault that saves hours of searching, checking, and organizing.

• Open Desktop Management, locate the Desktop you want to expand, and click Browse Topics.

• Search or browse the topic tree, then select complete categories, individual sub-topics, or specific websites.

• Review your choices and click Save to [Desktop Name].

TBM safely merges the selected resources into the Desktop without changing existing tabs, items, or their order. Use Uncheck All to clear the current selection.

Import Browser Bookmarks into TBM

Turn your existing browser bookmarks into an organized TBM Desktop in just a few steps. Instead of rebuilding your saved resources manually, TBM converts the bookmark structure into ready-to-use tabs, sub-tabs, and items.

• Export your bookmarks from Chrome or another supported browser as an HTML file.

• Open Desktop Management, choose the Desktop that should receive the bookmarks, and click Import Bookmarks.

• Select the exported HTML file. TBM loads the bookmark tree so you can review the folders and saved websites.

• Choose exactly what you want to import. You can select complete folders, individual subfolders, or specific bookmarks, and use the search box to find items quickly.

• Click Import to [Desktop Name] to complete the process.

TBM performs a safe smart merge, so the selected content is added without replacing the existing Desktop structure. Bookmark folders become main tabs, nested folders become sub-tabs, and saved websites become clickable items.

ToolBoxManager Settings Window

The Settings window lets you control how TBM looks, behaves, starts, and displays your workspace. The window is scrollable, with additional options available further down.

• Open Desktop Management is a button that opens a separate management window. That window is explained in a dedicated section of this guide.

• Appearance: Choose the theme mode, colors, and overall visual style of TBM.

• Main Tabs Adjust the size, font, color, and style of the main tabs.

• Sub-Tabs Customize sub-tab size, font, style, and indicator-dot appearance.

• Workspace Display Control hidden-tab visibility, icon and label sizes, bubble size, and the default text direction for new notes.

Behavior

• Enable Always On Top, show the focus grid, and adjust the grid thickness.

• Icon Maintenance Refresh website icons when they temporarily appear as generic globe icons.

• License and Devices Review the computers using your TBM license and release an old device when needed.

• Startup Option Choose whether TBM starts automatically with Windows.

Bottom Controls

• Export Visual Defaults saves the current visual configuration for reuse.

• Defaults restores only the visual settings, including themes, colors, fonts, tab styles, icon sizes, and display preferences.

• Cancel closes the window without applying unsaved changes.

• Save applies the selected settings.

Preset Themes, Customization, and Defaults

Preset Themes provide complete, professionally coordinated color schemes that can be applied instantly. Select a theme and adjust its intensity for a softer or more vivid appearance.

Customization gives you detailed control over the workspace, including background and text colors, fonts, sizes, tabs, sub-tabs, icons, and other visual elements.

Default is the carefully balanced appearance supplied with TBM, so the workspace is clear and ready to use from the first launch. It is only a starting point, and it can be restored at any time using Defaults.

Important: Restoring Defaults does not change your Desktops, tabs, sub-tabs, items, notes, license, or saved workspace content.

Portability, Performance, and Privacy

Engineered to be a lightweight, secure, and non-intrusive utility.

• 100% Native & Portable: A standalone Windows native executable. It requires no installation, makes zero modifications to the Windows Registry, and leaves no residual system footprint.

• Resource Efficiency: Specifically optimized for minimal CPU and memory consumption, ensuring it runs imperceptibly in the background.

• Maximum Privacy Structure: The application operates in complete isolation. It does not phone home, transmit data over the internet, or compromise user privacy.

• Non-Intrusive & Fluid: Does not disrupt your daily workflow; with a single click, it minimizes to a small, movable bubble, ready to be relaunched instantly.

• Seamless Project Navigation: Switch instantly between project environments via an aesthetic, minimalist interface.

• Immediate Asset Access: Gain instant access to any asset within any project at any time.

Add Selected Text to an Existing Note

• Open the note you want to update.

• Select the relevant text in a webpage or another application.

• Drag the selected text directly into the open note.

• Click Save.

The text is added to the note without copying and pasting manually.

SMART RTL / LTR LANGUAGE FLOW

ToolBoxManager Licensing - User Guide