Bring To Front

[Darius1968]

So, I've modified "Simple Time" a bit, to my preferences. It's always on my desktop, which I want. How can I quickly 'bring-to-front' - right now, as I type this, for instance?
I've found other posts, which address this topic, but from a standpoint of a keyboard-shortcut. But, how can I make it so that there is an icon - correlated to my "Simple Time" skin - in the overflow section of my taskbar, that would bring that skin to the front?

[eclectic-tech]

How about something like this...
The illustro clock visible/hidden when you mouseover the Skull & Crossbones.
Skull icon for taskbar area. Shows/Hides illustro clock on hover/leave.
Requires Wingding font (included in most Windows version).

Copy this code into a new file in your text editor.
Replace 'Config' and 'INIFile' variables with your configname and skin name.
Save it as new skin in the Skins folder. 'Refresh All'.
Load the skin and place the skull near your taskbar.

Code: Select all

; ========= Metadata ==========
[Metadata]
Name=illustro Skull Clock
Author=Eclectic Tech
Information=Skull icon for taskbar area. Shows/Hides illustro clock on hover/leave. Requires Wingding font (included in most Windows version). | Replace 'Config' and 'INIFile' variables with your config name and skin name.
; BY=attribution / SA=share-alike / ND=no-derivatives / NC=non-commercial
License=CC BY-SA-NC 3.0
Version='Rrr'

; ========= Variables ==========
[Variables]
Config=illustro\clock
INIFile=clock.ini

; ========= Skin Settings ==========
[Rainmeter]
Update=1000
AccurateText=1
DynamicWindowSize=1
Group=#RootConfig#

OnRefreshAction=[!DeactivateConfig "#Config#"][!ZPos 2]


; ========= Measures ==========



; ========= Meter Styles ==========



; ========= Meters ==========
[MeterString]
Meter=String
FontFace=Wingdings
FontColor=255,255,255
FontSize=16
SolidColor=0,0,0,1
Text=[\x004E]
MouseOverAction=[!ToggleConfig "#Config#" "#INIFile#"]
MouseLeaveAction=[!ToggleConfig "#Config#" "#INIFile#"]

crossbones.gif

[balala]

How about something like this...
The illustro clock visible/hidden when you mouseover the Skull & Crossbones.
Skull icon for taskbar area. Shows/Hides illustro clock on hover/leave.
Requires Wingding font (included in most Windows version).

Copy this code into a new file in your text editor.
Replace 'Config' and 'INIFile' variables with your configname and skin name.
Save it as new skin in the Skins folder. 'Refresh All'.
Load the skin and place the skull near your taskbar.

Not entirely sure this is what OP wanted. I mean that he said:

But, how can I make it so that there is an icon - correlated to my "Simple Time" skin - in the overflow section of my taskbar, that would bring that skin to the front?

which in my opinion means he want to get the skin in front of other skins / windows.
If I'm right, the MouseOverAction and MouseLeaveAction options of the [MeterString] meter should be replaced for instance by the following ones:

Code: Select all

[MeterString]
...
MouseOverAction=[!ZPos "2" "#Config#"]
MouseLeaveAction=[!ZPos "0" "#Config#"]

This works only if the skin of the #Config# config is activated.
Not sure however, maybe I've misunderstood something?

[eclectic-tech]

Yes, that would be a good idea...
I made the assumption his clock skin was not loaded but already positioned as 'TopMost'.?

There are many ways to peel an onion...

[balala]

Yes, that would be a good idea...
I made the assumption his clock skin was not loaded but already positioned as 'TopMost'.?

There are many ways to peel an onion...

Yep, not too sure, so we have to wait the OP to come back with a few details, I think.

[Darius1968]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this post, from which I've found some very useful information. Much appreciated!
As it stands now, I'm actually about 98% of the way to where I wanted to be, when I first started this post. Hopefully, I gain the remaining 2%; If not, I can totally live with what I now have

So, I'm now making use of this code (Of course, as I'm experimenting, I preface certain lines with ; at will).

Code: Select all

MouseOverAction=[!ZPos "2" "#Config#" "#INIFile#"]
;MouseLeaveAction=[!ZPos "-2" "#Config#" "#INIFile#"]
LeftMouseDownAction=[!ZPos "-2" "#Config#" "#INIFile"]
;MouseOverAction=[!ZPos "2" "#Config#" "#INIFile#"]
;MouseLeaveAction=[!ZPos "0" "#Config#" "#INIFile#"]
;LeftMouseUpAction=[!ZPos "0" "#Config#" "#INIFile"]
;LeftMouseDoubleClickAction=[!ZPos "0" "#Config#"]

...which has this effect:

If I hover my mouse-cursor over the icon, the clock is brought to the front. It sticks there, until I do a left-click - over the icon - with my mouse, which sends the clock to the back (It's now on the desktop).
This is almost perfect!

What would make it perfect is for the behavior to be as follows:

• I hover the mouse-cursor over the icon - The clock is brought to the front.

• I move the mouse-cursor away from the icon - The clock is now sent to the back.

• I can optionally have the clock stick on top by left-clicking the icon. (When I no longer need this condition, I can just simply hover the mouse-cursor on-and-then-off of the icon. Which will, once again, reinstate the clock being sent to the back, to reside on the desktop.)

So, how can I (if possible) achieve this end?

Again, many, many thanks!

[Darius1968]

There's unfortunately one side-effect of this skull bones icon - That it is still visible, when I'm in my browser (Firefox), and try to watch a Youtube video in full-screen mode.
So, what to do about this?

[eclectic-tech]

There's unfortunately one side-effect of this skull bones icon - That it is still visible, when I'm in my browser (Firefox), and try to watch a Youtube video in full-screen mode.
So, what to do about this?

It was coded so it is always 'TOPMOST' !ZPos 2 ; designed to be in or near your taskbar. If you change that skin Position setting to 'Above' !ZPos 1 or 'Normal' !ZPos 0 the character will not show on fullscreen mode.

You could also consider using the IsFullscreen plugin to detect full screen apps and take actions.

Forcing skin positions is not something I like to do. It should be in control of the end user how skins are placed and positioned.

[Darius1968]

It was coded so it is always 'TOPMOST' !ZPos 2 ; designed to be in or near your taskbar. If you change that skin Position setting to 'Above' !ZPos 1 or 'Normal' !ZPos 0 the character will not show on fullscreen mode.

So, I just tried setting !ZPos to both modes: 0,1. And, the problem - this way - is that if I try to engage fullscreen mode, the icon will now hide behind the taskbar, and I have no way to have access to it.
So, what to do about that?

[eclectic-tech]

So, I just tried setting !ZPos to both modes: 0,1. And, the problem - this way - is that if I try to engage fullscreen mode, the icon will now hide behind the taskbar, and I have no way to have access to it.
So, what to do about that?

Windows controls the Taskbar and will always try to keep it TopMost... This is a battle you will never win.

You can try other options; one might be to place the icon away from your taskbar but accessible or use the IsFullscreen plugin to hide the icon,

The sad truth is you cannot have a skin that will always stay above the taskbar, Windows will not allow it.