| MANAGE THE BARS |
At the beginning of this website's home page (Getting Started / www.yoingco.com) I explained the five areas of the Desktop in general. The Display (main Desktop Icon) Area, the Start Button, the Quick Launch Toolbar, the Taskbar and the Notification Area. In this section I will explain the Taskbar in more detail - How to Re-Size/Re-Position the taskbar, How to allocate more space for the Quick Launch Toolbar icons and explain some of the Notification Area settings and general settings.
One of the first things to notice and decide upon is the amount of space allocated to the Quick Launch Toolbar. In Fig 1.0 above there is not enough space allocated on the Taskbar for the Quick Launch Toolbar icons, denoted by the >> button, therefore the >> button must be clicked on (Fig 1.1 above) in order to view the hidden icons and select one of them.
An icon is normally placed on the Quick Launch Toolbar automatically by a piece of software during its installation process. During its installation process though you may have been given the option not to place an icon on the Quick Launch Toolbar. If so, it is up to you to decide whether or not you want an icon placed on the Quick Launch Toolbar. The disadvantage is that it can clutter up the Quick Launch Toolbar but the advantage is that you have quick access to the software. If you decide to have the icon you can always delete it later.
There are two ways to allocate more space for the Quick Launch Toolbar icons. The first way is to unlock the Taskbar in order to stretch the space allocated for the Quick Launch Toolbar icons and the second way is to stretch the Taskbar only. That will automatically stretch the space allocated for the Quick Launch Toolbar icons. With the first way, begin by right clicking on a blank/empty part of the Taskbar so that its Options menu appears. From there click on the LOCK THE TASKBAR menu-item to untick it and therefore unlock the taskbar.
Clicking on the LOCK THE TASKBAR menu-item (Fig 1.2 above) unticks the LOCK THE TASKBAR menu-item and
then unlocks the taskbar, denoted by the Anchors (3 dotted vertical lines) on each side of the Quick
Launch Toolbar (Fig 1.3 above). The unticked LOCK THE TASKBAR menu-item will not be noticeable until
you right click on a blank/empty part of the taskbar again, but as said the taskbar is unlocked
because the Anchors are showing. And with them showing the next thing to do is move (drag) one of
them leftwards or rightwards in order to allocate more space to the Quick Launch Toolbar.
Hovering over an anchor will produce the left/right direction mouse pointer (Fig 1.3 above). This
indicates the anchor can be moved (dragged) leftwards or rightwards. So begin by clicking, and holding
down the click (left mouse button), on the right-side anchor while you then move (drag) the mouse pointer rightwards
(Figures 1.4 and 1.5 below). Holding down the click changes the mouse pointer again, into the direction-sizer
(expansion) mouse pointer.
Fig 1.4 Hold down the click (left mouse button) while you then..... |
Fig 1.5 .....move (drag) the mouse pointer to the right. |
As you can see from the above, as the mouse pointer is moved (dragged) to the right more and more Quick Launch Toolbar icons are exposed. This in turn is allocating more and more space for the Quick Launch Toolbar, but at the same time it is decreasing the amount of space allocated for the Taskbar itself. So decide how much space you want to give the Quick Launch Toolbar before releasing the left mouse button. For example. You may feel that as long as you can see 75% of the Quick Launch Toolbar icons the other 25% can be hidden. Fig 1.6 below shows the result when all of the Quick Launch Toolbar icons have been exposed and the left mouse button has been released.
When you have finished allocating space for the quick launch toolbar the next thing to do is lock the taskbar. This is done in the same way as unlocking the taskbar. Simply right click on a blank/empty area of the taskbar to bring up its Options menu and then left click on the LOCK THE TASKBAR menu-item (Fig 1.6 above). This will lock the taskbar, which is denoted by the Anchors disappearing (Fig 1.7 below).
If you do not want to allocate space for the quick launch toolbar in the above way you might want to try the second way. The second way leaves the quick launch toolbar icons as they are, with a certain percentage of icons hidden (as in Fig 1.1 above), as it adds to the taskbar's height.
With the second way, begin by unlocking the taskbar as shown above and then hover the mouse pointer over the top part of the taskbar until the up/down mouse pointer appears (Fig 2.0 below). From there. Click, and hold down the click (left mouse button), while you then drag the mouse pointer upwards (Fig 2.1 below). Doing so will produce a transparent box around the taskbar that expands with each height movement (step) you make. Figures 2.2 and 2.3 below show the results after dragging the mouse pointer one height movement and two height movements respectively, after releasing the left mouse button.
Adjusting the height of the taskbar automatically allocates more space for the Quick Launch Toolbar,
as you can see in Figures 2.1 and 2.2 above. If you still want to adjust the width of the quick
launch toolbar you can do so by adjust its Anchors (as shown in the First Way above). And when you
have finished adjusting the height of the taskbar, and/or the width of the quick launch toolbar,
lock the taskbar (as shown in Fig 1.6 above) so that the taskbar and quick launch toolbar space
can no longer be adjusted.....until you use the LOCK THE TASKBAR menu-item again to unlock the
taskbar of course.
When you adjust the height of the taskbar, as above, you automatically adjust the height of the
Notification Area. This is because the notification area sits on the taskbar just like the quick
launch toolbar does.
Fig 2.4 The Notification Area..... |
Fig 2.5 .....after one height movement..... |
Fig 2.6 .....and after two height movements. |
| LEFT TO RIGHT |
If you want the Quick Launch Toolbar icons on the right-side of the Taskbar, next to the Notification Area, you first need to UNLOCK THE TASKBAR and then drag the left Anchor over to the right-side. As you do this the left anchor will overlap (pass over) the right anchor whereby the quick launch toolbar icons will then be on the right-side of the taskbar. So really, the left anchor and the quick launch toolbar icons are dragged over to the right. Adjust the position of the anchor to your liking before locking the taskbar.
Below are two examples. The first example shows the result of dragging the left anchor (and the quick launch toolbar icons) over to the right-side of the taskbar and the second example shows the default (normal) taskbar when no dragging of the left anchor has ocurred.
As you can see from the above two examples, a program (task) icon such as the Notepad icon is placed on the taskbar according to which side of the taskbar the quick launch toolbar icons sit on. The ability to change from left to right is meant for those who are left-hand, but this does not mean you have to be left-handed of course in order to switch from left to right.
| HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL |
To move the taskbar into a vertical (upright) position you must first UNLOCK THE TASKBAR. From there,
click on either a left or right empty area of the taskbar (i.e. left-middle or right-middle) before
you then begin to drag the mouse pointer into a diagonal position. For example. If you want the taskbar
in a left vertical position click on an empty, left (direction) middle (in the middle of that
left-side), area of the taskbar and then drag the mouse pointer towards the middle-left of the
desktop.
Fig 4.0 below shows after unlocking the taskbar the mouse pointer is clicked on in the left section
of the taskbar, roughly in the middle of that left-side (so middle of the left-side or middle-left).
From there the clicked (left mouse button) is held down (kept pressed) while the mouse pointer is then
drag upwards, by about a CM or so, before it is then dragged (moved) in a diagonal direction towards
the middle-left of the vertical position. As this is done the transparent box around the taskbar moves
the new vertical position to show you were the taskbar will be once you released the click (left mouse
button). The position of the mouse pointer is exampled by the topmost mouse pointer in Fig 4.0.
Fig 4.0 Moving (Dragging) the taskbar into its left vertical position |
Fig 4.1 Moving (Dragging) the taskbar into its right vertical position |
After dragging the mouse pointer to the middle-left position of the desktop, and therefore to the
middle-left of the new vertical transparent box, release the mouse pointer so that the taskbar sits
in its new vertical position (Fig 4.2 below).
If you want the Quick Launch Toolbar icons at the bottom of the taskbar you follow the same procedure
as though you want to drag them from left to right, as in Fig 1.3 above and onwards, only in this
case you want to drag them from top to bottom. Basically, all you need to do is drag the top anchor
past (over) the bottom anchor so that the icons can then be dragged/positioned towards the bottom of
the taskbar (Fig 4.3 below).
Fig 4.2 Move (Drag) the top anchor past (over) the bottom anchor..... |
Fig 4.3 .....so that the icons can then be dragged into position. |
As well as dragging the anchors in order to re-position the quick launch toolbar icons you can also alter the width of the taskbar, which is done in the same way as altering the height of the taskbar (see Second Way above). For example. To add width to the left-side vertical taskbar simply hover the mouse pointer over the right-edge of that taskbar until the left/right cursor appears and then drag the mouse pointer to the right. When you are happy with the width of the taskbar release the left mouse button.
Fig 4.4 The taskbar's width is hiding Notepad |
Fig 4.5 Notepad can now be seen due to the taskbar's width being changed |
The examples in this Horizontal To Vertical subsection have not been given the usual step-by-step picture treatment because I wanted you to read the example explanations in order for you to mentally figure out what I mean by Drag and so on. And more precisely what to do with the mouse pointer, in Figures 4.4 and 4.5 for example. If you get stuck you can always follow the examples in the Left To Right subsection above and apply their example explanations to this Horizontal To Vertical subsection. In other words. You are only positioning the quick launch toolbar icons from top to bottom in this subsection as opposed to from left to right in the Left To Right subsection. And the same applies to the Second Way example explanations above about changing the taskbar's height. Use them to guide you through this subsection for changing the taskbar's width.
| NOTIFICATION AREA ICONS / TASKBAR SETTINGS |
The Notification Area, which is located at the end of the taskbar, is made up of the Clock and the icons to the left it. It is used by Windows Vista and other software to notify you of software changes, hardware changes, available updates and so on. A notification usually comes in the form of a pop-up message requester, as shown below.
If you want to change the main settings of the taskbar right click on an empty area of the taskbar to bring up its Options menu and then left click on the PROPERTIES menu-item. This will then bring up the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties window.
When the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties window appears (Fig 5.3 above) it displays the following Taskbar settings.
The same as described in the above examples. When this setting is unticked it unlocks the taskbar, allowing you to see the Anchors, so that you can move the Quick Launch Toolbar icons and re-size the taskbar.
This setting, when ticked, automatically hides the taskbar to give you more desktop room (more height). To bring the taskbar back (unhide it), temporarily, simply hover the mouse pointer over the bottom of the desktop and to have the taskbar back permanently simply untick this setting.
This setting, when ticked, keeps the taskbar on top (in front) of all other windows. So regardless of what other windows are open none of them can obstruct (get in front of) the taskbar window and therefore hide it. Remember. The taskbar is just a window at the end of the day. This setting is similar to AUTO-HIDE THE TASKBAR in that it gives your windows more desktop room, by going in front of the taskbar, but not to the extreme of hiding the taskbar like AUTO-HIDE THE TASKBAR does.
This setting, when ticked, keeps Internet Explorer buttons (icons) for example grouped together because they are of a similar type. In other words. If you had a separate internet explorer window open for the Google webpage, Microsoft webpage and Yahoo webpage they would be grouped together to use only one taskbar button (icon) as opposed to three taskbar buttons (icons). This is ideal if you are a person who normally opens up ten webpages for example.
This setting, when ticked, displays the Quick Launch Toolbar icons. If you want the icons, permanently, hidden simply untick this setting.
This setting, when ticked, allows you to preview what an application is doing without expanding its window. You simply hover over an application's taskbar button (icon) with the mouse pointer to make its preview (static/video) window appear. So if you are downloading a file whose download-progress guage window is in the background, because you are typing a letter in the foreground window for example, you can simply hover over the background window's taskbar button (icon) to view the download-progress guage without actually bringing that download-progress guage window into the foreground.
Fig 5.3 shows typical taskbar settings. Regardless if you need to change the taskbar settings or not though, the next thing to do in this example is click on the NOTIFICATION AREA Tab (window). It allows you to select which notifications area icons are displayed in the notification area of the taskbar.
Fig 5.4 Click on the CUSTOMIZE button to continue |
Fig 5.5 Click on the software's drop-down menu for options |
The Notification Area tab (window) is quite straight forward. Simply put a tick next to the system
(Windows Vista) icons you want displayed on the notification area and untick those system icons you
want hidden. For example. If you want to display the Clock icon, which is updated to display the
time every minute, put a tick next to CLOCK. And if do not want the clock icon displayed untick
CLOCK. Hover over the clock icon displays the Date, which means technically the date is a notification
because you are being notified of the date. Anyway! Do the same for the other system icons - VOLUME,
NETWORK and POWER (if you have a Laptop).
If you want to go one step further you can dictate which Inactive icons are displayed or hidden by
clicking on the CUSTOMIZE button (Fig 5.4 above). An inactive icon normally belongs to a third party
piece of software, or a system piece of software, that does not get used that much but which has used
the notification area before. In this example (Fig 5.5 above) the Norton 360 icon is told to hide
itself whenever (if ever!) its associated software, also called Norton 360, becomes inactive. And
it is the same for the other icons in the list. They all have the same, Windows Vista default,
setting of HIDE WHEN INACTIVE. To change an icon's default setting simply click on the drop-down
menu to the right of its software name and then select an option - HIDE (permanently), SHOW (permanently)
or HIDE WHEN INACTIVE (When the software is not in use that much). Note well. This list is only for
software that has been used before - Windows Vista does not list every single piece of software on
your computer, only those that have been displayed on the notification area before.
When you have finished changing the taskbar settings click on the OK button to apply them, but if
you want to apply certain settings as you change them click on the APPLY button instead. Especially
if you do not want to keep closing the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties window, with the OK button,
each time you change one setting for example. Saying this. Sometimes it is best to close the Taskbar
And Start Menu Properties window, using the OK button, so that it is not obstructing you and you
can therefore see the effect of a changed setting.
I have not explained the Start Menu settings and Toolbars settings here as they do not really need
changing and are not of much relevance to this section. For example. The Start Menu settings are
more to do with the Start Menu than the notification area and the Toolbars settings are not normally
touched/set. The Toolbars are to do with what Toolbars you want displayed on the taskbar - the Quick
Launch Toolbar, the Windows Media Player toolbar (when WMP is up and running), the Desktop toolbar
(allows you to see the desktop icons on its toolbar) and so on. Experiment if you like, but as said
these toolbars are normally left untouched/unticked due to the amount of space they take up on the
taskbar for example.
Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation. As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.
