Finderbar Add-on For Windows Taskbar

[Landvermesser]

So, completely advanced version 0.9 now with installer is added!

The brief instruction on customizing is added. Already cusomized files are in archive snow.rar

Please make comments.

And still something: I shall be very grateful, if somebody help me to correct mistakes in English - send me please the edited index.html page.

[Pe8er]

Thanks a lot for the new version! Although I'm not English, I'll try to check for any mistakes in index.html and contact you later today.

People come, download, use and comment - this addition has a great potential, may be even revolutionary!

[wiebeest]

This program scares me.

Installer...but all this coding on

the website of it.

Do I need to do all this coding

before it works or what's the deal?

Please enlighten me.

[Pe8er]

@wiebeest: just follow the steps on http://finderbar.anort.info/ This add-on is still under development, so don't expect it to work like Objectbar. But in future...let's hope

@Landvermesser: I installed it and it works I tried to customize a few things, changed font to OBFont, renamed some items...not much. Some issues so far:

-I can't enable background even if I edit popup.css following your instructions.

-popups are too narrow, black border around them is not necessary

Your index.html seems to be fine. If you want some real mac screenshots, just ask, I'll get them for you.

I attached some files for you

finderbar.zip

[rishi11]

when I click on the setup file, it says that it is not a valid win32 application. Can someone help me and tell me what I am doing wrong. Thanks

[Landvermesser]

2 rishi11:

Probably, you not completely download a file.

In any case setup.exe is a usual RAR-archive. You can open a file in the RAR-archiver, unpack in any folder and start Finderbar_reg.exe from this folder.

2 wiebeest:

normally any coding it is not necessary. Finderbar it is installed with standard options. It means, that the size of your fonts and a background of your taskbar is not set automatically. If you want to change a background of the menu, the size of letters or distance between elements of the menu - it will be necessary to change slightly in files. You can send me screenshot yours desktop and I probably can make for you something.

2 pe8er:

The background needs to be edited in index.html (look in archive snow.rar - the link in the bottom of page). But it is necessary to make the file bars_background.jpg (in fact each of us has other "style" of Windows) So, make screenshot a desktop, cut out a piece of taskbar in any editor and save as bars_background.jpg. Then change the file index.html by an example from the instruction or as in archive snow.rar. This process does not give in to automation, it is necessary to do it manually.

[Picture deleted by Landvermesser]

I make Finderbar to use on my laptop with Windows ME. I have a style simulating Mac OS 7, therefore all elements of the menu correspond to analogues from OS 7. But I can make items as in Mac OS X if you send me screenshots all menus.

And thanks for your spelling!

[Pe8er]

OK I got background to work Thanks for your help. Here's your index.html page, I found some mistakes there.

I'll provide you with the images later.

index.zip

[Landvermesser]

Pe8er, I do now the new version in style OSX, wait a little.

[Landvermesser]

OK, I am glad to offer you the new version of my program, now with new Mac OS X style.

[Picture deleted by Landvermesser]

If you will make improvements in files or will add new commands in the menu, please inform me or publish changes here in a forum.

[Pe8er]

Super-awesome! Thanks for your hard work, downloading as I type...

[wiebeest]

Originally posted by Landvermesser@Sep 15 2004, 09:07 AM

2 wiebeest:

normally any coding it is not necessary. Finderbar it is installed with standard options. It means, that the size of your fonts and a background of your taskbar is not set automatically. If you want to change a background of the menu, the size of letters or distance between elements of the menu - it will be necessary to change slightly in files. You can send me screenshot yours desktop and I probably can make for you something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That won't be necessary.

I was just concerned about al that coding on your webside,

and feared all that coding was all necessary to to get this app running.

Installer works sweet. Kinda think of it, the latest installer-version is a great improvement over the former versions which had to be done manually and held me back to even try.

Now, one more question:

Finderbar regrettably isn't able to replace the windowmenu's like objectbar or Mcbar do, or is it?

Otherwise great app.

It opens possibilities.

greets,

wiebeest

[Landvermesser]

Now, one more question:

Finderbar regrettably isn't able to replace the windowmenu's like objectbar or Mcbar do, or is it?

No, it is essentially impossible to emulate in Finderbar the menu from other programs. Finderbar is HTML plus the foreign program for performance of commands. It is possible to represent dynamically any menu, but it is impossible to transfer any commands back in the active program. Only commands for which are appointed "hot keys", as Ctrl+C.

But it is possible to receive dynamically a title of an active window and to write it before the menu, as in OS X. I now try it to make. And still it is theoretically possible to make the manager of windows in the menu "Window". But it is difficult.

To tell the truth, I did not assume to come so far in programming. I personally accepted still version 0.85

[wiebeest]

Originally posted by Landvermesser+Sep 27 2004, 07:21 AM-->

QUOTE(Landvermesser @ Sep 27 2004, 07:21 AM)

But it is possible to receive dynamically a title of an active window and to write it before the menu, as in OS X. I now try it to make. And still it is theoretically possible to make the manager of windows in the menu "Window". But it is difficult. 

Keep trying. There's still need for a better finderbar-clone methinks.

[Landvermesser]

Please to download: http://landvermesser.tripod.com/

[Picture deleted by Landvermesser]

What new:

Version 0.93

• Style Mac OS 7 deleted.
  

• Completly new executable engine coded. Always in RAM: very fast commands executing.
  

• Active window title monitoring (The Titler) added. The special hidden "splash" IE-popup work for the monitoring. On/Off the Titler from his tray icon.
  

• Hotkeys support! All Mac hotkeys -- works not from Finderbars menu only, but from keyboard too! Suspend hotkeys from Titlers tray icon.
  

• CSS-file optimized, no customizing need more!
  

[asmat]

pressing thank you button....

[Charnoke]

I'm just downloading now... I wonder how i didn't see this app before...

Anyway, it looks really good.

A technical question, From the recomended downloads, do i need to install AutoHotKey?

Thank and keep working on it...

[boomstick75]

I'm still sorta new to this, so please, be patient. I have downloaded, installed, and ran the new toolbar with no problem. My only difficulty, thus far, has been setting the background. It just never turns out quite right. Sometimes the text will be misplaced. Other times the background will only be partially visible. Can someone provide me with simple, clear details on how to get the background right? Thanks in advance. BTW...I am editing the index.html in Frontpage, if that might be the problem. I am working off the instructions in this thread too, so, again, if I seem a little dense, it's just because I'm still new to this.

[Landvermesser]

2 Charnoke:

No, AutoHotKey it is not necessary to install. Only if you want to edit Finderbar_Engine.exe, to add new commands or to insert the your path to files then AutoHotKey is required to you. The source of a script is in Finderbars folder, it is free to edit.

2 boomstick75

OK, that's Manual:

At the first start is a background white, but really we see a transparent GIF with a name "bars_background.gif". We go in folder Finderbar and rename it in "bars_background.gif.bak", but on the screen changes nothing, as we have not updated Finderbar. We do screenshot with pressing of key Preentscreen and start any pictureeditor, for example Paint. Then: File/New/, Edit/Paste and we see ours screenshot.

[Picture deleted by Landvermesser]

We choose small area on captured taskbar without buttons and icons, look picture. Then we copy this area in clipboard and again File/New/, Edit/Paste. We save this small file as "bars_background.gif" in folder Finderbar. That's all! Reboot. But I am sure, that you already have made all itself and without my help!

Please, friends, watch for updates, I continue work with this program and I have many ideas.

[oldskull]

Landvermesser: this program are rock! Only one problem, when I run Finderbar_Engine.exe, my CPU will be 50% - 100%. When I kill Finderbar_Engine.exe prosess, my CPU will back to normal.

AMD Athlon XP 2800+

512MB Ram

Thanks

[Landvermesser]

2 oldskull

Does Finderbar your work really slow? Or it's only %%?

On my PC (Pentium 4, 2GGz, 248Mb RAM) Finderbar_Engine eat 12-25% CPU. It is a lot of too. Well, in the following version I'll make an opportunity to change a priority of process and frequency of monitoring.

[oldskull]

2 oldskull

Does Finderbar your work really slow? Or it's only %%?

On my PC (Pentium 4, 2GGz, 248Mb RAM) Finderbar_Engine eat 12-25% CPU. It is a lot of too. Well, in the following version I'll make an opportunity to change a priority of process and frequency of monitoring.

Landvermesser: Finderbar run smoothly here anyway. Nothing happen only when he goes to 100% CPU usage, then when I run few applications my pc will be a bit slowly. Anyway normally its about 50% - 70% CPU usage.

Keep a good work, I love this program alot!!!! this version really easy to customize.

Thanks

[Landvermesser]

2 oldskull

I have tested various prioritys processes on my home computer with Windows ME 64 Mb RAM. So, change of a priority on Low, reduces loading the processor on 4-5%, speed of Finderbar decreases imperceptibly. This "Low priority" can be accepted for the default. If monitoring title of an active window of 1 times in a second, it reduces loading CPU on 1-2% too. I think what to reduce loading CPU more is inpossible, probably, it is necessary for work AutoHotKey so much.

But there is one more way - to return to an old method of work Finderbar, to start Engine at occurrence of a command of the menu, as in versions till 0.92. But it will demand RUN Protocol Handler, to not support Hotkeys and to work more slowly. http://landvermesser.tripod.com/Finderbar_v.0.92_setup.zip

Thanks for good words, I am glad, that the program is pleasant to you

[Flarex]

Is it possible to create that side panel in explorer like in osx with your app? Like your hd, my music, my home, my movies etc?

[Flarex]

hmmmm...i can't seem to get the finderbar working? I downloaded the most recent version this morning, but when i run finderbar engine program, nothing happens. I have no changes, just a prog taking up memory. >.

[Master20Gig]

Same problem. It runs in task manager but nothing shows up. The program says to make a new toolbar but nothing is available