Feature request : Hide taskbar button when minimized.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » 2004 Oct 21, 21:23

A feature that I really would like to see is :

Hide the taskbar button when Xplorer2 is minimized.
When minimized, it should only show an icon in the system-tray.

I already have an editor, EditPadPro, which has this kind of behaviour
and I think it's great to have the button out of the way when not using
the application.

Right now I'm exploring

the lite-version, but I promise,
if you build it into the Pro-version, I will buy a license !

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Oct 22, 08:25

x2 is multi-window application and as such can't fit in the tray area

Jake · Post by **Jake** » 2004 Oct 22, 10:09

Ok, thanks for the reply.

I checked the situation with EditPadPro, (as this is also a multi-window application) and this app only hides the taskbar button if you have only one instance running (and then minimize it).

Would that be an option then, only hiding the taskbar button when minimizing a single-running instance of x2 ?

(Sorry for being so pushy, I am already really happy with x2 (and have told all my friends about it), but this is just the only feature that would make me even happier !

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Oct 22, 10:15

you must also forgive me if i consider this request rather fetishistic without any real usability value

BRX · Post by **BRX** » 2004 Oct 22, 14:44

And guess what, we can make you entirely happy with a little freeware utility (I really should add a few of these to the chapter 8 thread

.

It's been mentioned before: PowerMenu

http://www.veridicus.com/tummy/programming/powermenu/

Not only you can minimize any window to the tray but make the always on top, set priorities and so on. A must have tool IMO.

BRX

Thracx · Post by **Thracx** » 2004 Nov 08, 19:24

nikos wrote:you must also forgive me if i consider this request rather fetishistic without any real usability value ;)

Sigh... I just wrote 3 paragraphs explaining why I wanted a systray icon but then my browser decided to crash on me.. Hence I apologize if this post seems dreary...

(From http://forum.zabkat.com/viewtopic.php?t=2289)

I know about PowerMenu, and although probably useful for many people for many purposes, I find it rather annoying. I have too many little apps running around as it is, and I don't need any more! Using a standalone application just for one small function seems slightly of a waste and somewhat as a scapegoat. PowerMenu is also incompatable with my shell (Aston), and so I couldn't use it even if I wanted to.

Nikos, I find it funny how you think that. I find the systray icon ESSENTIAL and a standard feature in any application, while the TASKBAR entry is useless and often annoying. The systray is where I look to to see what application are running and its where I get all my notifications (email, IMs, etc). A majority of programs have an options menu available from the rightClick menu of the systray icon that i use frequently. A leftClick on the icon is often a visibility toggle, and this is how I would use an icon for xplorer2.

Ideally we would be able to select whether or not we want a systray icon and/or a taskbar entry, and WHEN we would like them (similar to Winamp). And although that is probably not worth your time, I think adding a systray icon option would be - just please don't make it only appear when minimizing xplorer2, as that would be very annoying.. I utilize xplorer2 via a keyboard shortcut - a visibility toggle. 'Ctrl + Alt + z' will show, then hide, then show, then hide, etc, xplorer2. When hidden, the taskbar entry disappears, and so I may forget that it is running! A systray icon would remain put, telling me that xplorer2 is running.

I consider xplorer2 one of my 'standard applications' that should be running all the time, and the systray is what tells me who is there. It is sad that xlorer2 hides from its peers.... heh

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Nov 08, 20:48

the tray is for programs that have no use of user interface and are just "status indicators". I'm sure there must be a m$ guideline against storing regular window icons in there, and for the first time i have to agree with the beast

Thracx · Post by **Thracx** » 2004 Nov 09, 04:54

Of course there is a normal usage, but obviously there are other usages. Winamp is one of the most popular media programs used on Windows - it has a systray icon and has a main window. AIM is used by millions of people - it has an icon. Trillian has an icon - so does Avant and many other programs. Perhaps the standard is to only use it as status indicators for apps without main windows, but there are other uses and many people/programs use it for other uses. You, and I'm sure many people, may have the opinion that the systray should be used for that purpose - but be open and consider that others use it towards different ends!!

The question here is whether or not xplorer2 should have a systray icon, which is up to whether or not xplorer2's users want the icon. However, the important point to this thread is the fact that the answer to that question is no... *sob* *sob*

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Nov 09, 08:50

ok dear user

do you mean that you can find a small 16x16 image in the tray easier than a nice wide taskbar button?
not to mention that you'll lose alt+tab switching functionality
is there any benefit at all? i can't see any!

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2004 Nov 09, 09:12

The "minimize to tray" is implemented in two different ways:

1. Specifically tell the app to "minimize to tray". (Generally, a button on the Windows Bar)
** You can have this function by installing PowerMenu.

2. Minimize to tray if you close the window. (In other words, a click on the X button on the Windows Bar will send the app to System Tray, rather than closing it.)

This is useful in two different cases:
a. When the application is supposed to do long-duration tasks which are uninterruptible. This feature guards against accidental closure (because then some critical task will be interrupted)
b. When the application takes a really long time to initialize (e.g. Mozilla or WinAMP). This feature makes the application available instantly when needed again.

But note that neither of these advantages are needed for x2.

****
I have also found that it is useless to have too many applications huddled in the system tray: it becomes too large, and competes with the Quick Launch Bar for space!

Thracx · Post by **Thracx** » 2004 Nov 10, 02:23

nikos wrote:ok dear user :)
do you mean that you can find a small 16x16 image in the tray easier than a nice wide taskbar button?

No, I mean to say that I like having my always-running applications in the systray. As mentioned, I have the funtionality that I need via Girder - this user is fine (do a sense a little pun in your intalics?). I was merely trying to support Jake in his Quest to get the minimize to tray feature, since I would find it quant - I didn't mean to start a fight! heh... Notice how I said that this feautre does not seem to be desired by xplorer2's users?

nikos wrote:not to mention that you'll lose alt+tab switching functionality

How so? This would only happen if the taskbar entry were to be REMOVED - we were talking about adding a systray icon. Plus, I don't use Alt+Tab - I have keyboard shortcuts that toggle all my apps (Ctrl + Alt + char, such as 'a' for my internet browser, 'x' for xplorer2, etc). And then again, isn't this Jake's thread?!? Sorry Jake, I didn't mean to jack your thread - I thought I'd just make a comment and move on!!! heh... but I guess that never happens..

narayan wrote:I have also found that it is useless to have too many applications huddled in the system tray: it becomes too large, and competes with the Quick Launch Bar for space!

Try using ShortPopUpas a single quickLaunch icon to save space - it will then branch to everything else you'd like. I have two quicklaunch icons, on as ShortPopUp, and the other as an Aston plugin that lists more 'quick-launch' icons (such as that little arrow in normal explorer, I believe).

narayan · Post by **narayan** » 2004 Nov 10, 04:40

Oh I have seen PowerPro and other toolbar organizers that can do that, but I have never felt the need for launching so many applications (and keeping them running simultaneously).

Thracx · Post by **Thracx** » 2004 Nov 11, 01:49

narayan wrote:...and keeping them running simultaneously)...

As a note, ShortPopUp is run only when you need it. In other words, it's a small app, ShortPopUp.exe, that sits somewhere. You create shortcuts to it and pass parameters as cmdLine arguments - when you want a certain menu, you open the shortcut - whal-la, there's your menu. Once you've made your selection, ShortPopUp does your action and then closes - so it doesn't run all the time, only when in use. This is why I use it, and why it can be considered so much better than those other apps like PowerMenu, when all you want is a simple menu.