Taskbar Properties

The easiest method of accessing the properties of the Taskbar is to right click on the Taskbar and select [Properties] from the context menu. The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Property Sheet (Fig. UI-71) will open. The focus is on the Taskbar tab. The Property Sheet is divided into two sections that mirror the divisions of the actual Taskbar. The two areas are discussed below.

• [Taskbar Appearance] - This area controls the center section of the Taskbar located between the Start Button on the left and the Notification Area on the right. The graphic at the top of this section will change to reflect the options selected or cleared.

• [Lock the Taskbar] - The Taskbar can be positioned along the top, bottom, left, or right side of the desktop. Left click in any open area of the Taskbar and drag it to the desired location. Any changes you make to the Taskbar, including toolbars located on the Taskbar are locked and prevented from being moved with this selection.

• [Auto-Hide the Taskbar] - Allows the Taskbar to retract to the edge of the screen when it’s not being used. To recall it to view, move the mouse to the edge of the screen where the Taskbar is positioned. Many users are hesitant to use this option but I suggest you give it a try. I personally expand the taskbar to two rows high in everyday use to accommodate more items with less side to side compression. The Auto-Hide feature reclaims this desktop space whenever the focus is on a program.

• [Keep the Taskbar On Top of Other Windows] - Contrary to what this item description would indicate, when used in conjunction with the Auto-Hide the Taskbar option discussed previously, it simply ensures that when you move your mouse pointer to the edge of the screen the Taskbar will always become visible. It does not supercede the command to Auto-Hide the Taskbar by making it always visible.

• [Group Similar Taskbar Buttons] - This is one of the best new features of XP for anyone who works with multiple open windows. The grouping occurs in two ways. First, it displays files opened by the same program in the same area of the Taskbar. For example, if you opened, in order, the following files: Excel 1, Word 1, Excel 2, and Word 2, normally the files would be displayed across the Taskbar in that same order. With grouping enabled, the order would be Excel 1, Excel 2, Word 1, and Word 2. In addition, if the size of the Taskbar windows falls below a certain width due to the Taskbar being crowded, grouping combines all the similar program files into expandable buttons containing the individual files. Having the files grouped by the parent program also allows you to close the entire group by right clicking the button and selecting [Close] rather than closing each file individually.

• [Show Quick Launch] - Way back in 1988 Robert Palmer did a song titled “Simply Irresistible.” That pretty much sums up my feelings about Quick Launch. It resides over on the left side of the Taskbar (although you can drag and position it anywhere you want), is fully customizable and launches programs with a single click. Programs can be added to Quick launch by dragging and dropping. The minimum size for Quick Launch is the width of three icons. Icons over three (six in my case since I use a double height Taskbar) are accessible from a pop up listing by clicking on the [>>] symbol.

• [Notification Area] - This area controls the far right section of the Taskbar adjacent to the edge of the screen where the clock is located if you have it activated. The graphic at the top of this section will change to reflect the options selected or cleared.

• [Show the Clock] - Check the box, you have a clock. No check, no clock. Simple.

• [Hide Inactive Icons] - The Notification Area has always been one of my pet peeves. Programs have a tendency to stick icons here on a regular basis. This is fine if they provide a simple way of turning them off, the most common method being via right click and context menu selection for disabling. Some icons in this area are truly useful. The bad part was the way they string across the taskbar with each new addition. The Hide Inactive Icons name only tells part of the story. While it is true that it will hide the inactive icons, it goes well beyond that function by selecting the [Customize...] button. The [Customize Notifications] (Fig. UI-72) dialogue box will open.

• [Customize Notifications] - This dialogue box displays a list of Current Items and Past Items that have appeared in the Notification Area. Click on any item in either section and a drop down box will appear with three options.

  • [Hide When Inactive] - The default choice. Useful for items that you want to become visible when they have information to report.

  • [Always Hide] - A good choice for items you want to run in the background but don’t want a notification until you make the choice to expand the Notification Area.

  • [Always Show] - Useful for items which you want to monitor for both activity and inactivity so they are always available at a glance.

With the modifications that are possible to the Taskbar in Windows XP I’ve pretty much eliminated any need for the Start Menu on a regular basis. By carefully constructing the Taskbar, adding the programs that are most relevant to my work in the Quick Launch area and utilizing the Notification Area and Auto-Hide functions wisely, I’m able to increase available screen real estate and maintain access to essential programs and monitoring functions.

Accessing Desktop and Taskbar Settings | Themes Settings
Desktop Settings | Screensaver Settings
Appearance Settings | Settings
Start Menu | Taskbar | Windows Classic