Help me find a better toolbar for WindowsXP

June 2, 2006 8:04 AM

WindowsXP: I like how I can make custom toolbars in Windows XP. However, I hate how they disappear when I click the "Show Desktop" icon. Does anyone know how to either make my custom toolbars "stick" when I click "show desktop?" If not, can you point me to a third-party toolbar program that lets me do this? I am trying to avoid the "Start" menu.
posted by 4ster to computers & internet (8 comments total)

Hmm...I'm *pretty* sure that you can manage that via the Tweak UI download app from PowerToys. Sorry I can't be 100% on that but I'm at work right now and I have Tweak installed on my home computer. It does all kinds of nifty little things - l installed it specifically to get rid of the annoying little arrows on shortcut icons.
posted by iconomy at 8:46 AM on June 2, 2006

Rather than "Show Desktop", use "Minimize All Windows" by pressing the Windows Logo button + M. To restore the windows, it's Shift + Windows Logo button + M.
posted by junesix at 9:27 AM on June 2, 2006

What method are you using to make custom toolbars?
posted by Brian James at 9:41 AM on June 2, 2006

Basically I am just creating a folder filled with shortcuts and then right-clicking on the Windows Taskbar and selecting "Create New Toolbar" and navigating to the folder where the shortcuts are.
posted by 4ster at 10:19 AM on June 2, 2006

I ran into a similar problem with the "Show Desktop" button and junesix's solution is correct. I took it a step further and coded a small (literally one or two lines of code) app to replace the "Show Desktop" function - this app just pressed Windows Key + M for me when I clicked it. Better version (for this scenario) of Show Desktop.

I don't have it anymore (no longer using the offending program that led to its creation) but I could probably be persuaded to remake it again if nothing better is proffered.
posted by empyrean at 4:57 PM on June 2, 2006

That would be awesome if if would not take too much of your time.
posted by 4ster at 6:42 PM on June 2, 2006

Found a good option:



Looks like the old Office toolbar.

Thanks to everyone who helped!
posted by 4ster at 8:25 PM on June 2, 2006

Oops:


http://www.colinfinck.de/en/progs/freebar/
posted by 4ster at 8:25 PM on June 2, 2006