Holdem is a desktop utility for temporary file staging. It provides a floating shelf that appears when you shake the mouse while dragging files. You can place documents, folders, and browser images onto this shelf, then navigate to a destination and drag them out. The program runs in the system tray and supports a global hotkey for summoning the shelf without mouse gestures. Auto-launch on startup keeps the tool ready during each session.
- Floating Holding Area. A draggable shelf appears on screen to receive dragged files. The shelf remains visible while you switch between windows or directories. It serves as a temporary staging zone for moving multiple items without opening extra windows.
- Drag and Drop Support. Accepts files and folders dragged from File Explorer or other applications. Items stay on the shelf until you drag them to the final location. This removes the need for copy-paste operations across distant folders.
- Browser Image Support. You can drag images directly from a web browser onto the shelf. Holdem extracts the image data and holds it as a temporary file. This is suitable for collecting pictures from web pages before saving them to a local folder.
- System Tray Integration. The program minimizes to the system tray rather than the taskbar. Right-clicking the tray icon shows options for showing the shelf or quitting the application. This keeps the desktop uncluttered during normal work.
- Global Hotkey. A customizable key combination shows the shelf instantly. The hotkey works even when Holdem is not the focused window. This gives an alternative to the mouse-shake gesture for summoning the floating area.
- Auto-launch on Startup. Holdem can start automatically when you log into your operating system. The setting is enabled from the tray menu. This reduces manual launching before starting file management tasks.
- Shake Gesture Detection. While dragging files, a quick mouse shake triggers the shelf to appear. The gesture is monitored globally without interfering with normal dragging operations. Sensitivity is tuned to avoid accidental activation.
- Temporary File Staging. The shelf holds references to file paths without moving or copying data initially. Files are only transferred when you drop them from the shelf to a destination. This prevents duplicate files during intermediate steps.
- Multi-item Collection. Several files can be placed on the shelf sequentially. The shelf expands or scrolls to accommodate the list. This supports gathering files from scattered locations before a single drop.
- Folder Support. Whole folders can be placed on the shelf, preserving their internal structure. When dropped, the folder and all contents are moved or copied as one unit. This is practical for reorganizing project directories.
- Lightweight Operation. The utility consumes minimal system resources when idle. It does not create background indexes or watchers. This keeps system performance stable during large file operations.
- Cross-window Workflow. The shelf floats above other windows, staying accessible during window switching. You can drag files from a source window, hold them on the shelf, open a destination window, and complete the drop. This avoids using the clipboard for file paths.
Holdem was first released in 2023. The development started as a personal project to solve repeated file-moving steps between deep directory structures. The original author, iamzub, built the first versions using Tauri with a Rust backend and a web-based frontend. The program uses the system tray and global input hooks provided by the Tauri framework. Updates have focused on gesture reliability and reducing memory footprint.
