WinBuddy

A lightweight, always-on-top floating productivity widget for Windows that combines a quick to-do reminder list with an innovative hexagonal radial app launcher.

Features

📋 Quick To-Do List

• Simple, always-visible reminders
• Add/edit/delete with minimal friction
• Double-click to edit inline
• Persistent storage across restarts

⬡ Hexagonal App Launcher

• Modern radial menu design
• Create named toolbars (e.g., "Dev Tools", "Browser", "Games")
• Drag-and-drop shortcuts from Explorer
• Nested toolbar support
• Right-click for toolbar management

🎯 Always Accessible

• Stays on top of all windows (like Teams screen share bar)
• Draggable to any position
• Minimizes to system tray
• Auto-start with Windows option
• Position remembered across sessions

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.12 or higher
• Windows 10/11 (Linux/Mac support possible with minor adjustments)

Quick Start

# Clone or download the project
cd WinBuddy

# Install dependencies with UV
uv sync

# Run the application
uv run python main.py

Running on Startup

1. Right-click the system tray icon
2. Check "Start with Windows"

Or manually via right-click on the title bar.

Usage

To-Do List

1. Click the + button to add a reminder
2. Type your reminder and press Enter
3. Double-click any item to edit
4. Click × on an item to delete it

Hexagonal Launcher

1. Click the center hex to expand toolbars
2. Right-click in the expanded area to add a new toolbar
3. Drag files/folders from Explorer onto a toolbar to add shortcuts
4. Click a toolbar to see its shortcuts
5. Click a shortcut to launch it
6. Right-click a toolbar to rename, change color, or delete

Window Controls

• Drag the title bar to move the widget
• Click X or minimize to hide to system tray
• Click tray icon to restore
• Right-click tray icon for menu with Exit option

File Structure

WinBuddy/
├── main.py                 # Application entry point
├── pyproject.toml          # Project configuration
├── src/winbuddy/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── storage.py          # JSON data persistence
│   ├── autostart.py        # Windows registry auto-start
│   └── widgets/
│       ├── __init__.py
│       ├── main_window.py  # Main frameless window
│       ├── todo_list.py    # To-do list widget
│       └── hex_launcher.py # Hexagonal launcher widget
└── README.md

Data Storage

User data is stored in:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\WinBuddy\
  • settings.json - Window position, preferences
  • todos.json - To-do items
  • launchers.json - Toolbar and shortcut configuration

Building an Executable

To create a standalone .exe:

# Install PyInstaller
uv pip install pyinstaller

# Build executable
pyinstaller --onefile --windowed --name WinBuddy main.py

The executable will be in dist/WinBuddy.exe.

Cross-Platform Notes

While designed for Windows, the core functionality uses PyQt6 which is cross-platform:

• Windows: Full support including auto-start and system tray
• Linux: Works with desktop environment tray support
• macOS: Works with menu bar support (may need adjustments)

License

MIT License - feel free to use, modify, and distribute.

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please feel free to submit issues and pull requests.

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Made with ❤️ for productivity enthusiasts who miss their quick launch toolbars.