Activity Map Shell

A Windows overlay that shows a temporal activity map of processes and windows. Blocks represent app instances; they connect to a root node and can be grouped into superblocks.

Concepts

  • Root :: Placed at middle-left of the main display. All top-level blocks connect to it.

  • Block :: One process/window or a placeholder ("New app") until you launch or attach an app.

  • Superblock :: A group of blocks created by dragging one block onto another. The superblock title is derived from the first app’s title or a common term among the first three child titles.

Creating blocks

  • Click on canvas :: Creates a new block under the mouse. Only one uninitialized block is allowed at a time; you must finish the launch selection (or attach a window) before creating another. The launcher opens automatically at 90% opacity. If you close the launcher without selecting an app, the block is removed.

  • Drop from bottom strip :: Drag a running window from the services strip onto the canvas to add a block for that window at the drop position.

Layout and navigation

  • Scroll (wheel) :: Pans the canvas left/right (timeline).

  • Zoom :: Use the +/- controls on the canvas; scroll-to-zoom is disabled.

  • Auto-align :: The "Auto-align" button sits above the bottom bar. It tiles top-level blocks into columns (top-to-bottom, then left-to-right). Columns are inferred from current horizontal position; when a column is "full," blocks move to the next column.

Superblocks

Drag one block onto another to create a superblock. The superblock’s label is set from the first child’s window title, or from a common term among the first three children’s titles (words that tie for most occurrences, in order of first appearance).

Keyboard and window

  • Esc :: Hides (minimizes) the Activity Map window.

  • The app uses one companion window and one Alt+Tab entry.