Taskix is just one program for the Windows operating system that allows users to move Windows taskbar items around. A new version of the software program has been released as a beta recently adding support for 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 and 2008.

By default only the function to move items in the taskbar is activated. This is simply done by left-clicking on a tab in the Windows taskbar, holding the mouse button down and moving it to another location. The cursor changes as soon as the user begins to move the mouse after selecting an item in the taskbar.

Taskix supports multi-monitor systems and can start with the Windows operating system. Both of these features are optional. As are the following features which can be enabled in the program’s options.

• Scrolling tabs in the taskbar with the mouse wheel
• Configuring middle-clicks on the taskbar
• Configuring middle-clicks on items in the taskbar

The first option makes it possible to scroll through each tab with the mouse wheel so that each window – with the option exception of minimized windows – becomes the active window on the system. Middle-clicks on the taskbar can be configured to either show the desktop or restore all visible maximized windows. The middle-clicks on tabs on the other hand can either maximize that window or close that window immediately.

Taskix is a lightweight software program. It runs in the background and consumes about 1 Megabyte of computer memory.

Related posts

• Multi-Monitor Taskbar (4)
• Change Order Of Windows Taskbar Items (14)
• Windows Desktop Management Software Win Layout (3)
• Windows 7 Like Taskbar In Windows XP (10)
• Window Management Software Taekwindow (4)

Multi-Monitor Taskbar by Mediachance (via Shellcity) ends that by adding a unique taskbar to every computer monitor that gets connected to the computer system. Each taskbar is only displaying the folders and applications that are started in its boundaries which makes the file and folder management that much easier.

The free version of Multi-Monitor Taskbar comes with a few additional handy features like a move to monitor button in Windows XP. It is however limited in comparison to the commercial pro version which adds features like theme support or the ability to resize windows across multiple monitors.

The main function however is available in the free version and that’s probably all that most dual-monitor users need. The pro version comes as a Shareware trial which can be used to test the additional features to see if it’s worth the money.

Related posts

• Windows Taskbar Software Taskix (4)
• Multi Monitor Screensaver (4)
• Maxto Divides The Computer Monitor (9)
• Change Order Of Windows Taskbar Items (14)
• Windows 7 Like Taskbar In Windows XP (10)

The interesting aspect of this application – besides it minimal resource usage – is that it comes as a 32-bit and 64-bit application, something that contenders like Taskbar Shuffle fail to do. Taskix does not have to be installed and can be started from any location on the computer. It displays a basic menu that gives the user the option to activate it, autostart it with Windows and to leave it inactive.

Upon activating Taskix its main function becomes active. The user can now move the mouse over an entry in the Windows Taskbar and move it to another location. The feature itself works pretty well. Just left-click an entry, hold the mouse button and move it to the desired location.

It is working even if the Windows Taskbar has been moved to the sides of the screen, the top or is hidden until the mouse hovers over it. The main reason why I do not need such a tool is basically that the position on the side offers so much space for items that the taskbar never gets completely filled with them.

Taskix provides one additional interesting feature. Pressing the middle-mouse button on an item in the taskbar closes that item which speeds up that process. The commenters over at Lifehacker seem to love it and I was wondering if someone who uses it would like to explain why he is using a program to change the order of the Windows Taskbar.

Related posts

• Windows Taskbar Software Taskix (4)
• Multi-Monitor Taskbar (4)
• Display Windows Taskbar only when key is pressed (4)
• Autohide Windows like the Taskbar (0)
• Zip Repair (3)

No third party software or add-on is needed for this little tip that saved me lots of time over the years. All you need to do is to press the CTRL key and left-click the folders that you want to close. Once all folders have been selected right-click the last and select Close Group from the menu.

This closes all the selected folders at once. This works pretty well with other windows and can be used to quickly close multiple programs that reside in the taskbar as well and it is even possible to mix applications and folders.

Related posts

• Why my taskbar is on the right side of the screen (35)
• How to remove past icons from the taskbar (2)
• Display Windows Taskbar only when key is pressed (4)
• Create New Folders Quickly (4)
• Windows Tip: Don’t replace any files while copying (10)

The feature can be useful if you work with applications that provide independent windows, say a color palette in Adobe Photoshop, the project manager in C++ builder and basically any other window that you need from time to time but not constantly. You could for instance add and hide a notepad window on the right side of the screen and use it to write down comments, remarks or to-dos.

The application is very simplistic, it provides only two shortcuts to hide applications and an interface where you can remove panels again. Pressing CTRL ALT A adds the panel of the active window to the list of panels that are automatically hidden when you move the window near one of the screen edges. The window automatically docks to the screen and minimizes itself.

Please note that I said panel and not window that is added to the list that gets automatically minimized. If you do that for an explorer window all explorer windows will have that behavior. It does not really matter for Notepad or other applications that you usually only open once though.

The second option is to press ALT A if the Panel Hider window is active and your mouse hovers over another window. The application adds an icon to the system tray providing options to restore the settings and to remove panels from the list of windows that are automatically processed.

Once the window is docked to the screen you can reveal it by simply moving the mouse over the title bar of the window. Yes that is right, the title bar will still be visible but the rest of the window won’t be.

Related posts

• Hide Windows with Watchcat (1)
• Hide Windows (5)
• Display Windows Taskbar only when key is pressed (4)
• Change Order Of Windows Taskbar Items (14)
• Zip Repair (3)

I did that for a purpose of course, not to train my brain or see as a test on how I handle new situations. Moving the taskbar to the side makes it possible to display additional windows before the Windows grouping feature kicks in. If you have disabled the grouping feature you will notice that the window titles become unreadable pretty soon which makes it hard to pick the correct Windows Explorer folder from the open ones.

I can put roughly 25 minimized windows in the taskbar when it is on the right (or left) side of the screen and all window titles are still readable. They become unreadable at about ten minimized windows when the taskbar is at the bottom of the screen.

But don’t get me wrong. The first days after the change will be really mean. Your mouse cursor moves automatically to the bottom left of the screen if you want to open the start menu only to realize that it is now on the opposite end of the screen. It happens and it does take a few days. but once you get used to it you will surely love the new look and usability.

Were is your taskbar located ?

Related posts

• Windows Tip: Don’t replace any files while copying (10)
• Verify that Drivers are working correctly (3)
• Remove $NtUninstall Dirs in Windows XP (2)
• How to remove past icons from the taskbar (2)
• How to close multiple windows in the taskbar at once (5)

Guess what. Ten hours after making the request Skrommel posted a reply in that thread with a link to a software that he had created that would do exactly what the thread starter wanted it to do. To be more precise Skrommel posted the Autohotkey code that could be used to make the Taskbar behave this way.

To sum it up again. This little piece of code automatically hides the Windows Taskbar and prevents it from showing up when the mouse is moved in the area of it. The taskbar is only shown when the user presses the Windows key on his keyboard and hidden again when the key is released.

If you have not checked it out yet I suggest you do so. The Donation Coder forum is a excellent place to learn about new applications and ask for software advise. As you can see if it does not exist it could be that it will be created just for you.

Related posts

• Toddler Trap (11)
• Windows Explorer File Extension Column (8)
• Why my taskbar is on the right side of the screen (35)
• Use Related Icons for any Folder Icon (2)
• Reserve Screen Space (0)

Some users might already be using the so called Quick Launch toolbar in their taskbar. This is for example the case when you see some icons in your taskbar that open programs like the Internet Explorer or the Windows Media Player. If you do not see the Quick Launch toolbar you can enable it by right-clicking your taskbar and choosing Quick Launch from the Toolbars menu.

This Quick Launch toolbar can be customized. If you want to remove a shortcut you right-click it and select delete from the menu. New folders and applications are simply added by dragging and dropping them in the Quick Launch area.

It is possible to change the icon by right-clicking the shortcut, selecting Properties from the menu and choosing Change Icon there. I have added several of my most commonly used applications such as Firefox, Thunderbird, WinSCP3 and Putty.

The second taskbar enhancement are Links to websites that you can add there. To add it you right-click the taskbar, select Toolbars there and choose the Links entry.

Once that is done you can get rid of the Microsoft links in there if you do not use them and drag and drop your own favorite sites to this section. It is then possible to access those sites by left-clicking on them which is a very convenient way.

The last screenshot is showing both my Quick Launch toolbar and my Links toolbar.

Related posts

• Yahoo Widget Position Restorer (1)
• XP SP3 and Vista SP 1 available through Windows Update (6)
• WPF Performance Fix for Windows Vista and XP (1)
• Windows XP: Default Internet Browser Per User Profile (0)
• Windows XP WGA To Mimic That Of Windows Vista (18)

The list shows the current items at the top and past items below the current item list. I had about thirty entries of programs of which I was not using more than ten which ment that there were twenty entries with no meaning at all in there. Clearing this list is pretty easy, do the following:

• Backup your registry first
• Open your registry by hitting the left windows key + R ; Navigate to
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current-Version\Explorer\TrayNotify
• Remove the keys IconStreams and PastIconStreams.
• Close the registry and reboot your machine.

Windows will compile a list of available icons after the restart which means that all entries of programs that you used in the past will be gone.

Related posts

• Windows Cannot Find Msconfig (6)
• Why my taskbar is on the right side of the screen (35)
• Prevent applications from stealing focus (1)
• Past Icons Flusher (6)
• How to close multiple windows in the taskbar at once (5)

That means, if you care about your taskbar structure this program is for you, free of course.

Related posts

• Xsite Freeware (1)
• Why my taskbar is on the right side of the screen (35)
• Weekend Fun Tails Gear (1)
• Watch Tv over Internet with Sopcast (3)
• Video Wallpapers for all Vista versions (17)