The Taskbar Activate page

Taskbar Activate

Version

2.4

Windows 9x/NT4/2000/XP

Files

with install file

TaskbarActivate.zip

(136 Ko)

ActiveTache.zip

(146 Ko)

without install file

TAonly.zip

(30 Ko)

ATSeul.zip

(30 Ko)

Awards

I/		History
II/		Fonctions
III/		Use
IV/		Settings
V/		Versions' history


	HISTORY

At the very start, i would solve my problems for accessing the taskbar when using full-screen applications like Internet Explorer or Excel.

There are 2 problems :

From time to time, when you switch to a non-full screen window, you loose access to the taskbar with your mouse.
Then, the only possibility to see the taskbar is to use the Windows key or "CTRL+ESC".
This is not very handy if you have only to switch to another window or th watch the clock!
This problem is also when an Internet Explorer window become active by itself (when i click a link in a window, then switch to another window, when the page comes, Internet Explorer switch to this window without asking me).
By the way, if someone knows how to prevent Internet Explorer to become the active window, please tell me : pmdevigne@nordnet.fr

This is why i have made Taskbar Activate, enhanced activation and deactivation of the Windows taskbar.

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	FONCTIONS (version 2.4)

Manage the way taskbar window is displayed on the screen :

    - displayed or hidden are directly managed by Taskbar Activate.
    - delayed activation when mouse is over.
    - force activation or not with "always on top" windows.
    - make the taskbar always reachable even with full-screen windows.
    - works with dynamic screen resolution change, moving the taskbar to another edge of the screen , Windows 98 multi-monitor.
    - show a highlight line when mouse is over.
    - manage also others Windows bars.
    - it can be temporary suspended.
    - you can have the taskbar completely hidden (no more one line at the bottom of the screen).
    - you can choose the color for hilighting when you go over the taskbar.
    - you can stop managing one bar if there is a problem with it.
    - even more options.

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	USE

When you use it, Taskbar Activate manages the Windows taskbar.

Here is the working of Taskbar Activate in 4 steps :

1		You are using a full-screen window, so the Windows taskbar is hidden. Move your mouse close to the taskbar edge of the screen.
2		When the mouse is on the edge of the screen, it becomes highlighted : Taskbar Activate has seen you want to view the taskbar and shows it has seen it. Timer is going on*.
3		When the timer is gone, and if the mouse is still on the edge of the screen, the taskbar appears.
4		You put the mouse off the taskbar window, Taskbar Activate then put the taskbar back in the background.

*If you don't want to wait the timer, simply click on the edge of the screen (hilighted bar), the taskbar appears immediatly.

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	SETTINGS

The settings window can be opened by the context menu when you click with the right mouse button either on the taskbar icon wether on the line highlighted on the edge of the screen.

Click on an item to see its description :

Bars management

Delayed activation of the taskbar

When it is selected, you can choose the delay before you will see the taskbar when your mouse is on the taskbar edge of the screen. You can still see the taskbar immediatly by clicking with the left mouse button on the highlighted line.

Value of delay

Put the time you want for the delayed activation of the taskbar.

Restart the delay when mouse moves

With this, you can move the mouse close to the screen edge without accidentally activating the taskbar.

Highlight Taskbar Activate when mouse moves over it

When you move close to the screen edge where the taskbar is, Taskbar Activate shows a highlighted line. With this, you know that Taskbar Activate has seen your mouse and that the timer is going on before activating the taskbar.

Use default Windows hilight color

Select this if you want that the hilighted line has the color defined in Windows for hilighted objects.

Change hilighted color

Click Change to choose another hilighted color.

Manage other Windows bars

You can manage all Winodws bars like the taskbar so they can be accessible or hidden as you want.
Only autohide bars are managed (Windows don't lists not-autohide bars).

Delayed activation of Windows bars

As the taskbar, you can delay the activation of Windows bars when mouse is on the screen edge.

7. Value of delay

Put the time you want for the delayed activation of Windows bars.

Activation mode

Go over "always on top" windows

You still have access to the taskbar (and other bars) even with "always on top" windows over the screen.

Get back the taskbar in the background when it is no more in use

The bar goes in the background when you are not use it any longer. There is no risk for it to stay over your application window.

Completly hide bar in backgroung

When in background, bars are completly hidden (no more a line on the edge of the screen).

Get back even if the bar is active

allow to get back the bar in the backround even if it is the active window. You can use it if the bar sometimes stay over your application.

Show an icon in the taskbar

Uncheck this item if you don't want an icon in the taskbar. You have still access to the context menu by clicking the right mouse button on the Taskbar Activate highlighted line in the edge of the screen.
Launch Taskbar Activate another time to retrieve this icon.

Remove this icon after 2 minutes running

The taskbar icon is automatically removed after 2 minutes running.

Suspend Taskbar Activate

You can suspend temporary Taskbar Activate if it interacts with one of your applications.
It is possible to suspend Taskbar Activate by clicking once with the left mouse button on the application icon in the taskbar. Click once more to reactivate Taskbar Activate.

Mode d'activation

Disable a toolbar

If you have problems with a toolbar or you don't want a toolbar to be managed by Taskbar Activate, select the corresponding check box.
Remak : the taskbar will be managed in all cases.

Delay before hidding

You can delay the first time bars are hidden when Taskbar Activate is launched.

Context menu can be opened by clicking on the icon in the taskbar (right click) or on the hilighted line on the edge of the screen (right click.

	Active mode
	Suspend mode

About Taskbar Activate...

Display the About box and statistics of activation.

Settings...

Display the Settings window.

Exit

Exit Taskbar Activate.

Usage of the icon

left mouse click : switch between activate and suspend mode. The icon shows the state (color = active, grayed = suspend).
right mouse click : display of the context menu.

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	VERSIONS' HISTORY

v2.4 (09/1999)
        The taskbar can be completly hidden in the background (like it was
        already for other bars).
        The color fo hilighted line can be modified.
        Bars are hidden when Taskbar Activate starts (it is no long necessary
        to activate them once).
        Bars management improved.
        Bars hidden become visible when Taskbar Activate is in suspend mode.
        An advanced setting page has been added to solve problem with
        specific bars.
        Statistics timer is saved :-).
        Bars get back in the background even if they have been activated.
        And of course, some other minor improvements.
v2.3 (01/1999)
        Taskbar Activate now manages all Windows bars (the bar must have an
        autohide feature).
        I have changed the settings window to had the bars management feature.
        Taskbar Activate looks if the active bar has not a dependent window
        that is active before get back this bar in the background. The
        dependent window was in fact get back also.
        Taskbar Activate can be suspended. Click once on the icon application
        in the taskbar (left click). Click once more to reactivate T.A.
        I have made the setup by myself. So, size of the setup file has been
        divided by 2!
        Always some little changes.
v2.2 (10/1998)
        Added an install/desinstall mechanism.
        Added a help file in HTML format.
        Taskbar Activate is quite as complete as a commercial software! :-)
v2.1 (09/1998)
        Bug correction : with certains versions of Window 95, Taskbar Activate
        did not appear at the right place if the taskbar was not in the bottom
        of the screen.
        Some little changes.
v2.0 (08/1998)
        Major release
        Bug correction in statistics which may crash Taskbar Activate.
        Bug correction in the displayed icon in the taskbar for a best remove
        when the application ends.
        Added a configuration window.
        Added a context menu when right clic on the taskbar icon or on the
        hilighted line on the screen edge.
        Option for delayed activation of the taskbar.
        Option to keep access to the taskbar over always on top windows.
        Icon in the taskbar can be hidden.
v1.2 (07/1998)
        The number of taskbar activation made by Taskbar Activate is
        now shown in the About dialog box. You can now realize how Taskbar
        Activate is usefull for you :-) !
        The icon in the taskbar area is now removed after 2 minutes. You can
        recover it if you launch Taskar Activate a second time.
        Correction of a display bug concerning the email address and http
        address if you use non-standart system colors.
v1.1 (06/1998)
        Now compatible with the multi-display support in Windows 98!
        You can place the TaskBar where you want on any monitor.
v1.0.1 (05/1998)
        Correction of a small bug with About box buttons
v1.0 (05/1998)
        - 1st public release
        Activate the taskbar when the mouse moves on it.
        Manage the moving of the taskbar and screen resize.
        Works on Windows95 and on Windows 98 (with some hair out).

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