Xwindows Dock 2.0.3.x

[Filandre1]

Hello all,

This post to replace the previous one whose title was only for 2.0.3.1 update.

Last release is now the 2.0.3.30 version with the enhancements below:

- Release 30 fix some small problems and a big one introduced with the release 29 (GDI overflow), sorry .

- Release 29 fix a crash with the "public" plugin container.

- NEW in 2.0.3.28: Some gifts for this Xmas release: navigation inside container is now disabled by default; image of the desktop is now created when you take a screenshot, dock can now be colorized as the background change... But no yet genie effects... Happy holidays

- NEW in 2.0.3.27: Support of animated GIF, dock may be colorized as desktop and indicators can also be colorized. Colorized dock must be activated in preferences (also color can change automatically with Windows 8). Indicator's colors can be defined in skins (examples are included and a new one is added).

- Release 26 simply offer optimization CPU load.

- NEW in 2.0.3.25: Add "drawer" to the skins and improve stability.

- Releases 23 and 24 fix some problems which prevented the dock to display it above all windows when called with the mouse.

- Releases 21 and 22 correct a problem with the launch of apps wich appear in release 18 (work directory missing).

- NEW in 2.0.3.20: Better support of docklets from ObjectDock/StarDock/RocketDock.

- NEW in 2.0.3.19: Ability to navigate through directories with the containers.

- NEW in 2.0.3.19: Directory automatically becomes a container when dropped on the dock.

- Now correctly working with multiple monitors.

- The "featured popup dock" can now be disabled in the preferences.

- Group "Switch mode" with "Screen position" and add the other position options to the menu.

- Ability to mask inactive application (menu Options/Mask Icon) which keep its icon and place on the dock.

- Ability to hide an application (menu Options/Hide Icon) and to display hidden applications (menu Add/Hidden Icons).

- French, Polish & Italian translations added, and ready for more translations: simply translate and send me the file "text.ini".

- Other changes in menu.

- Tested succesfully on Window XP (SP3), Windows 7 and Windows 8.

I would like all 2.0.3.x versions improve stability of the app and are the last beta versions before 2.0.4.0.

So please tell me if you encounter some bugs, with, if possible, a screenshot of the issue. To simplify the report, I've added an option in the menu to take a picture of the dock.

Link to the Windows Installer: xwdock2.03.30-installer.exe

Link to the preinstalled* zipped files: xwdock-2.03.28-exe.zip

Link to the zipped sources: xwindows-dock-2.03.30-Sources.zip

* The preinstalled version is "ready to run" but is only available in english language: Just copy the unzipped directory anywhere on a disk, then lauch XWD.exe file.

You can also make a link to XWD.exe with "-p" parameter to put the setting files inside the XWindows Dock directory.

Regards,

Filandre

Edited December 28, 2012 by Filandre1

[zequihumano]

thanks. is there anywhere else I can reach you? this forum is about to die and I don't want to miss future updates.

[Filandre1]

Actually, I'm only here, but you can send me an e-mail through my profile.

However, new updates appear automatically when option is checked in preferences (since 2.0.3.5 version).

Regards,

Filandre

[zequihumano]

Dammit, I had the updates checker unticked. Thanks Filandre1, keep the good work.

P.S. You should try to show it off a little more. make a Deviantart account, or if you already have one just show it there. Is good to have some feedback to know someone cares for what you're doing.

[richard_ba]

is there any way to put a 3d dock in the upper position?

[Filandre1]

Yes, you can "roll" the dock to the top of the screen. There is a new trackbar in the preferences box, or you can use the mouse with the <ctrl> key pressed.

[zequihumano]

Got a minor issue today. it stayed like this until I opened another program (that moved all the icons in the dock and fixed the problem).

[Filandre1]

Thank you very much for your feedback

I had already saw this issue wich happens when the CPU is much loaded.

It's an aborted animation of resizing dock (to put a new or moving icon). There is no bad effect in the program and, as you saw, everything's back to normal whith a new animation.

I nevertheless made a note to fix this issue for a future update.

Regards,

Filandre

[none20]

I am really happy seeing that someone is continuing the amazing work made already by the original author. XWD Dock 2.0.3 is one of the best simulation of the "Mac OS X Dock". Many of websites revieved this as an only emulation of the dock. I am sure that XWD still needs a lot of work, but I am sure that once it is done - the RocketDock and ObjectDock will lose their actual users.

The idea of creating such dock should be:

- Let people to do everything they could do using original start menu/taskbar.

- Let people to turn off the original Windows start menu/taskbar

- Let people to easy create their own plugin, let the comunity grow by almost itself

For me, the dock right now needs:

- Tray support

- Grab minimized windows into correct area of the dock

- Option to turn off the actual original Windows start/taskbar menu

- Also there is a bug with the glass effect - Windows with aero on are not casting shadows on the dock

- It still needs to fix some bugs with (hiding the dock when full screen item is showed up (I am trying to watch YouTube in fullscreen and not always the dock is hidding). Sometimes the dock goes down, but still is visible a little bit. Like it's not hidden whole.

Filandre1 - when are You planning to finish next version and what news it will have? And sorry for my English : )

PS. Filandre - I am a web and graphic designer, Maybe I could help You in some way?

Edited October 1, 2012 by none20

[Filandre1]

Hi,

Since I put an update every 10 days, the last version 2.0.3.12 is available now!

I've added some extensions, made by me (with sources) or by other people, for other docks which are compatible with XWD...

There are also some small news, like icons which are duplicated as the number of windows open, or better blur and shadows on the dock...

There are still fixed bugs, like I'm trying to correct all them since 3 month now!

But XWD stay in beta version, it's not ready for 2.0.4...

Regards,

Filandre

PS: My english is also poor...

PS2: I'll answer tomorrow about the issues you've mentioned, I'm tired now Bye

[none20]

Filandre1 - right now I have few other bugs/issues.

1. The "system" icons that I dragged into the dock after restarting the systems are not visible. I mean, they appears as a hm... *.dll files? It happened for the "my computer" and "tresh" icon.

2. The second one, when I put plugin "Container" and set path to the images folder. Images are going down a little bit when they are fully loaded. I know it's not big problem or for someone it is not a problem at all, but there is no such thing on original mac os dock.

3. It seems that XWDock don't recognize some of instances properly. I mean, sometimes when I run app from a desktop and this app is "keeped in dock already" it adds to dock second icon of this application. Sometimes some of apps "keeped in dock" that are minimized to original start menu doesn't max out while I am clicking their icon on the xwdock (Opera Browser for example).

4. Container plugin issue - while I have opened container no matter if it's fan or grid viewed the second one should close. Right now I can have multiple container plugins opened at the same time. It really messes up everything.

5. Container plugin issue - Sometimes while I am dragging container plugin onto dock it goes there, but also it kind of stuck on the desktop. And it stucks there until I restart the dock. (see attachment plugin issue.jpg)

Also I have a suggestion.

- In Mac OS their container inside the dock, shows some number of images but it also have an icon to display the whole folder. XWD right now displays all of images, I think it would need less CPU resources if You will do this the way i wrote about. The number of images/files/folders could be set in the settings menu for example : )

To let You understand me more, I'll show You few attachments of what I am talking about and some nice feature.

If I find more issues, I'll let You know,

Bye.

Edited October 2, 2012 by none20

[Filandre1]

Some answers:

1. I made a bug in the last version, so some system icons doesn't appear now. I've fixed it in version 2.0.3.13 (which will be

online soon, not in ten days!)

2. It's a "feature" of XWD I think! I'll make it optional in a future version.

3. There is two differents things:

- A process is added to the dock when no app is found on the dock with *exactly* the same path. This typically occurs on

64bits systems for some system processes which exist in the 32bits *and* in the 64bits system folder. Removing the old icon

from dock and keeping the new app on the dock is a solution.

- Second, a left-click on an app which is only minimized in the tray has no effect. Actually, it's necessary to right-click and

choose "open". It's a bug that I'll be fixed soon because it's annoying for me too!

4. This is a "feature" I made myself !!! The container is automatically closed after 5', I thought this will be better for all

people I'll put it optional in a future version...

5. I never saw that! But there is still some bugs at the drop of an object on the dock: it's the main reason that XWD stay in

beta stage.

And for the suggestion: The XWD container does'nt display all the icons of a folder when it is too big for the screen, so

putting the same icon as Mac OS is a solution (I though to add scroll buttons like in plugins list).

Regards,

Filandre

[none20]

Filandre - Putting into the "grid view" a scroll would be nice too. This would be more like (Leopard Snow Dock). But in a "fan view", You'll have to put such icon, because there is no place to put the scroll. I am sending an attachment of how it looks on mac os.

PS. when You are planning to give XWD feature to catch minimized windows ?

[Filandre1]

I'm OK with your suggestions in a future update. But actually I'm still to fix bugs like:

- "grab minimized windows on the dock", function I removed because it did'nt work an all platforms.

- "bug with the glass effect and aero windows", I did'nt saw that the reflection on dock works fine with not aero windows (I always have aero on)! But, in such case, blur is'nt correctly working...

- "dock still visible a little bit", difficult to correct because it doesn't happened always nor on all platforms.

As you see, it remains many bugs to fix...

[none20]

Yes it is a lot work to do. I wish You good luck, I will be fallowing this forum/topic. See You.

And oh, for testing this application on few platform - the easy way is just run an operating system on VirtualBox.

And that's correct, my os is 64 bit, so You're right about the bugs with getting proper instances of the apps. I've noticed, that for example Internet Download Manager isn't displaying at the dock at all.

I will keep in touch with You after You'll release the new version. I'll test it and let You know what I think. Thank You : )

Edited October 3, 2012 by none20

[none20]

Hello all,

This post to replace the previous one whose title was only for 2.0.3.1 update.

Hi, I like the new version idea of "Take a Picture" option. It would be nice, if inside this option people could set if they want to pick up whole screen, or just same dock as it is now. For me, it will be very handy. Or maybe You could create a plugin instead of option, after clicked it will popup two option "Capture Dock" "Capture Full screen". It could be displayed in the same way as pictures in a "grid mode".

XWDock still needs to be fixed with many bugs I wrote about.

P.S. I am sending You Polish translation of XWDock. And in the next version please add an option to settings menu to let people set their language in easy way.

[none20]

I've found another bug. The "reserve screen" option doesn't work after You restart system or restart just the dock. After You restart it, You have to deselect the option, and select it again. Then it works until the next restart.

PS. I think that I know something more about the bug with not hidding the dock fully. After I putted the dock at the bottom of screen, and took the original start bar to the bottom, so XWD is at really bottom it works fine. But if the dock is on the bottom, but after the dock is still the original windows start bar - then it not hids fully. So in my opinion the XWDock should have a smart code to first, check how long it should go down until it hids fully. Or You have to manually give him an option to hide more, but that is not a solution for long, because there are a lot of people, that resizes the windows start bar.

Sorry for my English but I hope that You can guess what I mean... mostly : )

[Filandre1]

Thank you very much

I've fixed these bugs in version 2.0.3.14. You can also install it with polish language, I've added an option in the dock menu to return at english language if you want.

Regards,

Filandre

PS: This is unchanged: when "Reserve Screen" is on, the windows bar must be hidden or in other side of the screen than the dock.

[none20]

There is a bug in the new version 2.0.3.15. The clock plugin is opening and closing all the time. I mean, the dock shows the indicator and hids, that happens again and again. I noticed also, that in the tray shows and hids such thing like "XWindows Dock - Haali Media Splitter"... this may cause this problem

[Filandre1]

There is a bug in the new version 2.0.3.15. The clock plugin is opening and closing all the time. I mean, the dock shows the indicator and hids, that happens again and again. I noticed also, that in the tray shows and hids such thing like "XWindows Dock - Haali Media Splitter"... this may cause this problem

It's not a bug, it's a new animation !!! You can disable it with the icon menu: right click/options/enable indicator flash...

[none20]

ah, I didnt notice this option. That's weird option anyway. And I have noticed that there is no language file for the clock - months, days. They are all in the same language - English.

[none20]

Great update - its nice to see something clearly new in the dock. I mean the new "show folder" item in the popup "tooltip" menu. I am looking forward to see the scroll bar in the "GRID" view as we talked about and better icon quality : )

[h20ray]

wooa.. since windows 7 come out, i never comae to this site because i think xwd is die. ando now, i found this update thread. Great!

will try this ASAP. Im really glad to know this update. Thank You..

[none20]

After release update nr 17 I've noticed that the icons looks right now cool - I mean their quality is now ok. Good Job !!! Right now I am looking forward to see the scrollbars and minimizing windows, and tray support. Thank You a lot.

[none20]

Whats new in this version *.18 ?