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How to make custom side bar in XP(without any apps)

20 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/how-to-make-custom-side-bar-in-xp-without-any-apps.91327/

New
New Original post #1
Jun 25, 2008 at 8:32 AM
Hi friends..I hope this trick was not posted earlier(searched too!)
How to make a custom dock in XP
*imageshack.us%5D%5BIMG%5Dhttp://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1565/customdockol3.jpg%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D%20%5BURL=*g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=181&i=customdockol3.jpg%5D%5BIMG%5Dhttp://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1565/customdockol3.ddc8cbd544.jpg%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D*img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=customdockol3.jpg*img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=customdockol3.jpg%5D%5BIMG%5Dhttp://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1565/customdockol3.th.jpg%5B/IMG%5D%5B/URL%5D
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/%5Burl=*img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=customdockol3.jpg%5D%5Bimg=*img181.imageshack.us/img181/1565/customdockol3.th.jpg%5D%5B/url%5D
Here is a nice trick to get a custom sidebar(dock) without any application.
Procedure:
1.Make a new folder of your desired name anywhere(I recommend C drive)
2.Now go to start menu and send all your favorite programs desktop.
3.Move all these shortcuts to new folder(which you created earlier)
5.Remove shortcut arrow from the icons using this tut
4.Head to new folder which contains shortcuts and drag it to the extreme right of your screen.
P.S:While dragging the folder to right side of your screen,use the Restore Down feature. You can also place this dock on top and left side of the screen.Right click on the dock to see more cool options.

Image is not showing here..Don't know what happend:x
iMav
iMav #2
Jun 25, 2008 at 11:15 AM
That's not a Dock yar. That's a second taskbar. Anyways nice tip for the ones who don't know about it. :p
New
New #3
Jun 25, 2008 at 3:34 PM
Right iMav..It's not dock,but looks like a dock!
MetalheadGautham
Jun 25, 2008 at 4:35 PM
QUESTION1: Can I make windows have 2 taskbars like linux ?
QUESTION2: What was that about a dock ? I am intrested.
iMav
iMav #5
Jun 25, 2008 at 6:11 PM
Right iMav..It's not dock,but looks like a dock!
The big icons sure do make it look like a dock.
MetalheadGautham
Jun 25, 2008 at 6:24 PM
The big icons sure do make it look like a dock.
my reply ?

besides, a dock with only launchers is a big NO NO for me.

I need a dock on windows mainly because I use lots of open windows, and the current taskbar space is not enough. Plus, I can't have extra taskbars or multiple virtual workspaces in windows.:x
iMav
iMav #7
Jun 25, 2008 at 6:54 PM
XP has collapsible windows, it will club all windows of the same program with a drop down arrow.

I am not really sure whether you can make 2 taskbars for minimizing windows to each of them. I don't have XP on machine.
MetalheadGautham
Jun 25, 2008 at 7:47 PM
XP has collapsible windows, it will club all windows of the same program with a drop down arrow.

I am not really sure whether you can make 2 taskbars for minimizing windows to each of them. I don't have XP on machine.
collapsible windows sucks as much as Linux's window list button, and every other linux collapsible windows service.

the problem is clicking. I need to click once then scan around to get something out.

So I am looking for a way to keep one bar on top with menu, apps, quicklaunch, tray, date, etc, and another one on bottom RESERVED exclusively for applications.
iMav
iMav #9
Jun 25, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Try New's method and put explorer in it, use that shortcut to open the window and minimize, see where it goes.
MetalheadGautham
Jun 25, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Try New's method and put explorer in it, use that shortcut to open the window and minimize, see where it goes.
???

[damn]
me didn't understand
[/damn]
iMav
iMav #11
Jun 25, 2008 at 7:56 PM
Create a new folder, add short cut to explorer.exe in it and maybe firefox.exe shortcut and try dragging this folder to the corner as New (this thread starter, the user) has said. NOTE: I have not tested this so what I am saying is based on what I have understood from New's (this thread starter, the user) tut.
MetalheadGautham
Jun 25, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Create a new folder, add short cut to explorer.exe in it and maybe firefox.exe shortcut and try dragging this folder to the corner as New (this thread starter, the user) has said. NOTE: I have not tested this so what I am saying is based on what I have understood from New's (this thread starter, the user) tut.
that only creates a launcher pannel with lots of links. No taskbar utility is available in it.
this "trick" is something I discovered by accident looooong back.
sadly, side docks don't appeal to me.

and by a DOCK, I need something to store minimised apps.

and it should also not be resource heavy, so that dock software whose name I forgot can't be used.
New
New #13
Jun 25, 2008 at 8:31 PM
Why don't you enlarge the present taskbar? It will give enought space to minimize the windows..
blueshift
blueshift #14
Jun 25, 2008 at 11:28 PM
I need a dock on windows mainly because I use lots of open windows, and the current taskbar space is not enough. Plus, I can't have extra taskbars or multiple virtual workspaces in windows.:x

You need this: Link
Runs upto 4 workspaces..I tested it and doesn't take much resources.
MetalheadGautham
Jun 25, 2008 at 11:35 PM
You need this: Link
Runs upto 4 workspaces..I tested it and doesn't take much resources.
I need it to take about the same resources as a taskbar which is triple its normal size.;)
I can't afford resource wastage on this extremely weak system.:(
New
New #16
Jun 26, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Why don't you enlarge the present taskbar? It will give enought space to minimize the windows..
How about this?
topgear
topgear #17
Jul 2, 2008 at 7:49 PM
I already knew this trick though the title of the thread confused me a little bit :D
Anyway thanks a lot for the tute.
Kl@w-24
Kl@w-24 #18
Jul 4, 2008 at 1:57 AM
my reply ?

besides, a dock with only launchers is a big NO NO for me.

I need a dock on windows mainly because I use lots of open windows, and the current taskbar space is not enough. Plus, I can't have extra taskbars or multiple virtual workspaces in windows.:x

Try RocketDock. Edit its settings so that windows are minimized to the dock. I tried it on a std 1024x768 res and it can easily hold 18+ minimized windows if u remove everything else frm the dock.
New
New #19
Jul 4, 2008 at 9:22 AM
@MetalHeadGautham

Why don' t you enlarge the current taskbar?
casanova
casanova #20
Jul 4, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Yeh Gautam, just unlock the taskbar enlarge it and lock again.

BTW, my taskbar is twice its width and the bottom row is used for quicklaunch. My dock.

[quote="topgear]I already knew this trick though the title of the thread confused me a little bit[/quote]
same here