show desktop doesn't show gadgets

[Guest]

Hey, the show desktop icon is pretty neat... I have brand new laptop and want
to use the show desktop icon to quickly access my sidebar/gadgets. But only
the left hand icons appear. So I moved the gadgets off the sidebar, closed
it and still the gadgets don't show. Why would microsoft tease me like
that?.. what is the point of gadgets if I can't get to them easily and
quickly? But if I minimise everything, then the gadgets on desktop show.. but
then what's the point of the quick access icon...

 

[Robert Firth]

Well, the gadgets aren't technically on the desktop - they aren't part of
explorer.exe. The sidebar program is separate. I know that doesn't help you,
but I thought it might help you to know that it is normal and why. I agree
with you though, when I first tried it I expected the same.

Robert Firth
http://www.winvistainfo.org

 

[oscar]

I've noticed the same thing: if I click on Show Desktop on taskbar, the
screen will show the desktop but not the sidebar and gadgets. I have to go
back to another window, minimize it to get gadgets back on desktop. I see no
reason why Vista should be doing this. This seems to be poor software
development which is another example of why a recent survey revealed that
almost 47 % of current Windows users will not upgrade to Vista. 47 %! Is
Miscrosoft paying attention?

Besides a couple other quirks, my Vista machine works like a charm.

Oscar

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

"Show Desktop" does just that, it clears the desktop, whether you use the
icon or WindowsKey+d. If you want to just minimize the open Windows without
removing the Sidebar, use the WindowsKey+m to minimize. It's done this way
by design.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]]

I too kinda find this annoying, it seems the Sidebar is just a regular old
window which contains these separate applications, so as long as you run the
show desktop command, you will get this effect.

 

[lforbes]

In another post it said that the Windows key + Spacebar brings up the
Sidebar. This is how I now get it back after Minimizing.

Personally I think the sidebar needs to be like Desktop Icons and not an
application. I use the "Minimize" or "switch" ALL the time. However ALL my
icons are on a Gadget Bar launcher so I have to use the shortcut to get it
back.

 

[lforbes]

Thanks. I am familiar with vbscript so I will definitely try this out.

Cheers,
Lara