How best to sort icons in a folder

I have a free-ware application that works fine in Windows XP through Windows 8.1 using if necessary Shaun Brink's techniques to restore the original capability found in Windows XP and Vista.

I understand it is hopeless to get this to work now because Win10 changes its underwear every six months or so and everything breaks.

As such, is there any less satisfying way to accomplish something where an intuitive order of icons can be created by either me as the freeware creator or people who download the package to avail themselves of something that works better than forced alphabetical names of the icons?

The need is not absolute lockstep, which is what you can do on all before Windows 10, but there is a need to do some form of association or grouping something somehow.

By nature, there are close to 40 icons in the command window of the package; subordinate windows are opened by some of them with no more than 8 icons present, and the need is minimal in a subordinate window to maintain order, etc. Users will tend to modify about 10% of the icons in the main window for their specific needs; most icons affect the overall operation of the package and a stable situation is needed to make it easier to use, etc. I provide a lot of examples to choose from all well documented to aid in the creation of those 10% or so they each require, and I am certainly willing to add Win10-specific sections to the manual if need be. [Note: It has a lot of screen shots in it.]

Any ideas of what to do?

The package is used by dozens of people and has zero commercial value.

thanks for listening.

cjl

I can't help you with this problem. But I have to show some appreciation for your comment:
"Win10 changes its underwear every six months or so and everything breaks."