Simple Task Bar mangement

[RC]

XP w/SP and I am embarrased to be struggling with controlling how my taskbar
looks. I use quick launch and have 1-13 icons on it of proggies I use all
day. When I have multiple programs open and the taskbar gets full, I use the
dotted line slider to reveal the other icons so I can launch a new program.

Sometimes when I do that the taskbar doubles in size and I have two dotted
line sliders and have to reconfigure the whole taskbar look. I never
remember how to do this and it usually takes me a few days to figure it out.
My preference is to have the icons stored in the taskbar on the left side,
with open programs appearing on the right side. The same thing happened
recently and now, my icons are appearing on the right side of the taskbar
with the open programs appearing on the left side and I would like to swith
that around. I have played with locking and unlocking the task bar,
disabling the quick launch bar and I thought all other combinations but no
joy.

Is there a good kb article for this or can someone cut to the quick and
share the basics of task bar mamangement.

Thanks
Rob

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You can install Tweak UI. Once installed, go to
Start > Programs > PowerToys > TweakUI
and make your desired changes.

Microsoft PowerToys (Tweak UI)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| XP w/SP and I am embarrased to be struggling with controlling how my taskbar
| looks. I use quick launch and have 1-13 icons on it of proggies I use all
| day. When I have multiple programs open and the taskbar gets full, I use the
| dotted line slider to reveal the other icons so I can launch a new program.
|
| Sometimes when I do that the taskbar doubles in size and I have two dotted
| line sliders and have to reconfigure the whole taskbar look. I never
| remember how to do this and it usually takes me a few days to figure it out.
| My preference is to have the icons stored in the taskbar on the left side,
| with open programs appearing on the right side. The same thing happened
| recently and now, my icons are appearing on the right side of the taskbar
| with the open programs appearing on the left side and I would like to swith
| that around. I have played with locking and unlocking the task bar,
| disabling the quick launch bar and I thought all other combinations but no
| joy.
|
| Is there a good kb article for this or can someone cut to the quick and
| share the basics of task bar mamangement.
|
| Thanks
| Rob

 

[RC]

Carey-

Thanks, I have that program but I don't know how to configure the taskbar to
have it look the way I want......any other ideas?

Rob

 

[Rctfreak]

XP w/SP and I am embarrased to be struggling with controlling how my taskbar
looks. I use quick launch and have 1-13 icons on it of proggies I use all
day. When I have multiple programs open and the taskbar gets full, I use the
dotted line slider to reveal the other icons so I can launch a new program.

Why? Lock the taskbar and when you want another program in your quick
launch list simply click on the >> and the programs that are currently
hidden in your quicklaunch will show in a pop up menu.

No need to slide the slider back and forth.

 

[Anderson]

A free and nice tool StartEx may help you organize your programs.

Screen shot: http://www.zalentino.com/startex/images/startex.gif
Homepage: http://www.zalentino.com/startex/

StartEx is an application launcher which categorizes your favorite
programs into colorful groups.
Most of the time StartEx hides in the upper left corner of your
desktop, and reveals a small yellow button when your mouse touches the
edge of the screen. Clicking the button reveals a customizable drop
menu that lets you launch your favorite programs, organized in colorful
categories.
You can customize the color of each category to your preference, and
also add or remove categories as needed.
StartEx supports Drag&Drop, so adding a new icon is as simple as
dragging it onto the menu, and you can also move items between
categories in the same way.

 

[MoiMeme]

Yes, that's how I do. And I also configure hotkeys for programs I use very
often, so I do not have to put too many in the quicklaunch toolbar
( ex ctrl-alt-shift-N for nero / ctrl-alt-shift-B for spyBot search& destroy
etc : allways ctrl-alt-shift combo so no risk to interfere with other
hotkeys)