First Public Beta Of The Winstep Nexus Dock Released! (free)

[Strife]

Good dock but with magnification effect works slow on my pc.

[bolero]

This is a fantastic dock great work, we really appreciate all your work into this.

a few suggestions not sure if mentioned but the only thing that bothers me is dragging icons around in the dock. Its too Rough and rigid. The OSX dock and other docks such as Rocketdock have it so when you drag an icon to change its position, the other icons Slide out of its away, and when you release the icon you are moving slides into position if not exactly on spot.

Other than that this thing has some amazing features

[sirsmeghead]

Good dock but with magnification effect works slow on my pc.

That's weird, for me it's the only dock so far I've tried that even comes close to feeling as snappy (including magnification) as the original OSX Dock.

Only thing I miss at the moment is just to be able to have the running app-indicators at the absolute bottom of the screen instead of just at the bottom of the icons.

Edited October 5, 2009 by DaveLister

[JcRabbit]

a few suggestions not sure if mentioned but the only thing that bothers me is dragging icons around in the dock. Its too Rough and rigid. The OSX dock and other docks such as Rocketdock have it so when you drag an icon to change its position, the other icons Slide out of its away, and when you release the icon you are moving slides into position if not exactly on spot.

Thanks, and agreed, there are still a few 'rough' spots to iron out, that being one of them.

[michaelosm]

Great dock. But there's only one thing stopping me from purchasing winstep/nexus and that's the lack of decent 3d dock backgrounds specifically for Nexus.

Using other dock backgrounds is all well and good but I want to use the overlay and reflection features of Nexus and this only works with skins made for it.

Any ideas where I can get these leopard style 3d dock brackgrounds??

cheer

[sirsmeghead]

Great dock. But there's only one thing stopping me from purchasing winstep/nexus and that's the lack of decent 3d dock backgrounds specifically for Nexus.

Using other dock backgrounds is all well and good but I want to use the overlay and reflection features of Nexus and this only works with skins made for it.

Any ideas where I can get these leopard style 3d dock brackgrounds??

cheer

The Mac OS X Leopard background I imported from Rocket Dock works just fine with reflections for me at least. Unfortunately I'm not sure which skin it is from the Rocket Dock website :/

Not sure what you mean with overlay though.

Edited October 19, 2009 by DaveLister

[michaelosm]

I just downloaded a couple of backgrounds from the rocketdock website, i used the import feature in Nexus and they dont appear under 'backgrounds' ? Is this the normal way to import?

[JcRabbit]

Great dock. But there's only one thing stopping me from purchasing winstep/nexus and that's the lack of decent 3d dock backgrounds specifically for Nexus.

Using other dock backgrounds is all well and good but I want to use the overlay and reflection features of Nexus and this only works with skins made for it.

The icon reflection feature works independently of the current dock background, be it a native or 3rd party dock background... not sure what you mean?

Not sure what you mean by overlay also, sorry...

Edited October 23, 2009 by JcRabbit

[JcRabbit]

I just downloaded a couple of backgrounds from the rocketdock website, i used the import feature in Nexus and they dont appear under 'backgrounds' ? Is this the normal way to import?

I guess it all depends on how the skin author zipped the 3rd party dock backgrounds. Nexus expects the zip file NOT to include folders but rather the background configuration (INI) file(s) and the bitmaps.

Also, did you select 'Backgrounds' in the combo box at the top BEFORE clicking the Import button? If you left it at 'Themes', then Nexus imported the 3rd party background files into the Nexus Native Themes area, which means the skins will NOT be recognized.

Can you give me the URL to one or more of the RocketDock dock backgrounds that failed to appear in Nexus?

[JcRabbit]

A feature request I would like to ask for is a slider to adjust the vertical-wise location of the indicators for running applications that goes under the icons.

As it is now (at least for me) the indicators is showing up at the exact lower edge of the icon, not below the icon just inside the outer edge of the dock.

Or maybe I'm missing some hidden Advanced preferences for this?

Do you mean that you think the running indicator should appear BELOW the icon reflections instead of between the icon itself and its reflection?

What I just tried here was distancing the indicator slightly further away from the icon (for instance, for the default icon spacing - 8 pixels - this means the running indicator is now 3 pixels further away from the icon than it is in the Nexus version you are running). Max out the icon spacing to 16 pixels and the running indicator will be 7 pixels further away than in your version. This is how ObjectDock does it too, the difference being that ObjectDock does not have icon reflections, therefore my question above.

[sirsmeghead]

Do you mean that you think the running indicator should appear BELOW the icon reflections instead of between the icon itself and its reflection?

What I just tried here was distancing the indicator slightly further away from the icon (for instance, for the default icon spacing - 8 pixels - this means the running indicator is now 3 pixels further away from the icon than it is in the Nexus version you are running). Max out the icon spacing to 16 pixels and the running indicator will be 7 pixels further away than in your version. This is how ObjectDock does it too, the difference being that ObjectDock does not have icon reflections, therefore my question above.

I refer to how OSX has it's indicators, at the absolute bottom of the dock at the edge of the screen (when the dock is placed so that is), not at the edge of the icon itself.

[michaelosm]

I guess it all depends on how the skin author zipped the 3rd party dock backgrounds. Nexus expects the zip file NOT to include folders but rather the background configuration (INI) file(s) and the bitmaps.

Also, did you select 'Backgrounds' in the combo box at the top BEFORE clicking the Import button? If you left it at 'Themes', then Nexus imported the 3rd party background files into the Nexus Native Themes area, which means the skins will NOT be recognized.

Can you give me the URL to one or more of the RocketDock dock backgrounds that failed to appear in Nexus?

I have attached one that failed to display for me.

Let me know if it works for you, thanks.

GsLeo.zip

[JcRabbit]

I refer to how OSX has it's indicators, at the absolute bottom of the dock at the edge of the screen (when the dock is placed so that is), not at the edge of the icon itself.

Yes, but the OSX dock can do that because it has only that single look. The problem is that Nexus (and all the other docks) have to display running indicators on THOUSANDS of very different skins. None of these skins have a setting telling the dock applications exactly where to place a running indicator (not to mention that the running indicators are, in turn, 100% customizable too, which brings yeat another twist to the equation).

A position that would look great on a OSX dock skin, might leave the indicator 'hanging in mid-air' when using another skin. The only real solution is to keep the running indicator relatively close to the icon itself, since skin authors usually leave some 'clearence' space around icons in dock backgrounds.

Now, I think your issue would be better solved if the running indicator is actually overlapping the bottom part of the icon reflection instead of the icon itself in a bottom dock (perfectly doable in this case).

What do you and others think? Should running indicators for bottom docks be below the icon reflection or between the icon and the reflection as they currently are?

[sirsmeghead]

If docked to a edge the indicator should be at the edge of the dock (like in OSX) instead of the edge of the icon (at least that's my opinion).

Could just have so that you can set the position in the options for Nexus of how the indicator should be placed, but when loading a new skin it goes back to the "default" position.

Or possibly have a setting to switch if the indicator is located inside the icons boundaries, or at the edge of the dock itself, and then have the posibility to change a value for how much to shift it up/down from that position or so.

You could also consider adding a setting for placement of the indicator for skins so that if the setting exists in the skin itself, it changes the position of the indicator, if no setting exists, it uses the default position.

In the end it's up to you in what solution you make and how you make it (and if you make it).

[JcRabbit]

1) leopard dock still doesnt 'reserve screenspace' properly, when i maximize windows. (magnify effect seemed to work fine, tho ive gotten to where i prefer the simple zoom now)

As I had mentioned previously, this was a problem with the theme itself, not Nexus. However, I've just managed to fix it by adding a new skinning setting to Nexus and modifying the Leopard theme appropriately to include the new setting. Expect the final version of the Nexus dock very soon now.

[firecracker6]

Good news JcRabbit

I hope you've been well. Busy but fulfilling over here. I noticed that LH recently did a dock comparison, and unfortunately left out your dock from the mix. More people really should know about your gratis offering. Hopefully when you go final and with more exposure for the dock.

By the way, the only bug I've noticed on my WindowsXP SP3 machine in recent times is when right clicking the recycle bin icon, the menu will sometimes appear and immediately disapppear. A few attempts later, the right click will finally take and I am able to access the "empty recycler" option.

My suggestion for the dock indicators would be to provide the user a slider setting to position the indicator. Personally, I think the indicator should be below the icon but within the reflection area. Thanks for considering feedback from users and testers!

[JcRabbit]

I added a slider that defines the position of the running indicator within the icon reflection itself (i.e. obviously only applied on bottom docks where the indicator is below the icon, but I think that is what DaveLister wanted).

I'll try to increase the exposure of the Nexus dock when I release the final version (very soon now).

[JcRabbit]

Ok, give THIS brand new version a try (Nexus 9.10 build 840).

[firecracker6]

Unfortunately, the new build still results in the same 'Recycler' behavior. The right-click issue only seems to be present with the Recycler; all other icons/weather/system monitors do not have this problem.

I'm running a Geforce 9300GE graphics card with updated Nvidia Drivers.

[JcRabbit]

Hmmm... How full is your Recycle bin? Did you notice if the context menu for the Nexus Recycler module takes longer to appear than the context menus for the other modules? What happens if you empty the recycler?

[firecracker6]

I'm not at that computer right now, but I think there isn't much in the bin right now. The context menu (evoked by a single right-click on the recycler) is what 'flickers' on the screen before disappearing (when right-clicked.) Basically, it takes about 3~5 right-clicks before I can get the menu to appear and remain on the screen.

[jacksi]

Hi JcRabbit and all of you.I have a little problem.I have Windows xp professional ver.2002,service pack 3,and the free nexus version does not run automatically on windows startup even if i check it on program preferences.Thanks in advance

[sirsmeghead]

Did now notice the slider you added for offsetting the indicator, great job, now I can move the indicator down as much as I want it to

Thanks for a great job with this dock (which is now my first choice of Dock-app for Windows) ^^

[JcRabbit]

I have a little problem.I have Windows xp professional ver.2002,service pack 3,and the free nexus version does not run automatically on windows startup even if i check it on program preferences.Thanks in advance

Ooops, sorry Jacksi, I didn't notice your post when you made it.

Is anyone else having this problem? If so, open the following Registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Do you see a Nexus entry in there? What does it have?

Thanks for a great job with this dock (which is now my first choice of Dock-app for Windows) ^^

Great to know! Thanks Dave.

[zexe]

I have an issue with the dock's background affecting the desktop wallpaper.

In my screenshot you can see an image shift for the reserved area of the dock.

I have this effect while "Prevent maximized windows from overlaping the dock" is selected.

On another wallpaper that i had, a gradient blue image, the dock background effect was having the area darker.

--note: this is on a notebook runing Windows XP, on Vista the wallpaper is not affected...

Edited December 12, 2009 by zexe