Open Dev Thread for Task Bar Functionality..

[Kaelri]

Rainmeter definitely needs a tray replacement feature, so that users dont have to resort to the ugly windows taskbar. But I don't think replacing the whole explorer shell is a good idea, since a lot of users seem to be wary of doing that.

I have to agree with that. Another thing to consider is that if Rainmeter enters the taskbar replacement market, it will have three very significant competitors:

- Windows 7. The new default taskbar is, by all accounts, a huge success, and Rainmeter would have a tough time replicating its wide variety of functions, features and integrations.

- ObjectDock. Another popular and well-established alternative.

- LiteStep. Rainmeter was originally designed as a LiteStep plugin, and it's still capable of fulfilling that role. We're never going to make Rainmeter function as a shell replacement anyway, so instead of trying to supplant LiteStep on its own turf, I'm hopeful that Rainmeter's resurgence might lead to a renewal of that partnership, to both apps' benefit.

The implication, as I see it, is that if Rainmeter offers a taskbar replacement, it should distinguish itself from all of those alternatives by playing to Rainmeter's strengths. Namely, it should be a standalone skin, light on resources, and thoroughly customizable by the user (i.e. it shouldn't rely too much on presets hardcoded in the DLL).

[sgtevmckay]

Here here

Well said

[MattKing]

I'm just going to make a list of the things we would need to add to Rainmeter for this to even come close to working.

• Much more responsive buttons, MouseLeave actually working
• DLL for picking up open windows that are in the taskbar
• This DLL would also probably have to create the context menu data
• Custom Context Menus
• Drag and Drop support
• Duplicating the System Tray? (I'm not even sure if this remotely possible)

[sgtevmckay]

Duplicating the System Tray? (I'm not even sure if this remotely possible)

All I can say is that The folks that developed ObjectDock pulled it off, and although I am in no means looking for a bar replacement.
A Rainmeter customized Systems tray would be great.

Although I am biased on this possibility.

[MattKing]

All I can say is that The folks that developed ObjectDock pulled it off, and although I am in no means looking for a bar replacement.
A Rainmeter customized Systems tray would be great.

Although I am biased on this possibility.

I would love it actually, I have plans to actually do this at some point, mind you they weren't through Rainmeter. Thats pretty far down the road though, talking like May 2010.

It sounds like a good challenge to be honest.

I hope to look at adding custom context menus over my winter break, so theres some hope.

Edit-
Found this: http://www.aeroxp.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/systray-tutorial.pdf

Its for .NET and written in c# though. Its certainly a start.

[sgtevmckay]

talking like May 2010.

Understand to me, being a beta tester and long time Rainier, May is not that far away

I will need to go over the tut, but I guess my first question:
this document addresses XP, what of Vista and 7?
Is this still relevant?

[MattKing]

Understand to me, being a beta tester and long time Rainier, May is not that far away

I will need to go over the tut, but I guess my first question:
this document addresses XP, what of Vista and 7?
Is this still relevant?

I'm fairly certain it is still good for 7, they can't really change the fundamental way the tray is implemented.

Edit:

It certainly does work so far, just checked the function calls, they seem to work. You can actually get a handle to the taskbar window.. so yeah reading about this more its not so bad.

[nvme]

Seems like we will need some way to have Rainmeter display the Windows popup menus, that should be fun. A lot of these suggested features will require that, so it might be a good starting point.

[Chewtoy]

I don't know of how much worth it will be since it's a shell replacement, but I'd advice you to take a look at how bbLean is coded.
I use it. And it works as good as (if not even better) than explorer. More editing power, more responsive buttons and what not.
But as I said; This is a shell replacement. So I have no idea how much of it is actually worth anything.

[Samus Aran]

The next ultimate step would certainly be RainyOS :ugeek: