by Rob Tidrow
The taskbar was one of the most fundamental changes to Windows 95 (see Figure 9.1). The taskbar sits at the bottom of the screen (by default, but you can move it to other screen positions) and enables you to switch between open applications, displays the time, and provides access to other items. The taskbar is intended to make 95 percent of what you want to do in Windows 98 easy to accomplish. In Windows 98, the taskbar is still relatively the same as it was in Windows 95, but it does include a few new features.
FIG. 9.1 The taskbar is a simple yet powerful tool.
The taskbar includes a few items of interest--namely, the Start button, toolbars, and task buttons. The Start button is discussed in detail in "Setting Start Button Options," later in this chapter. Toolbars, which are new to Windows 98, sit on the taskbar and give you quick access to folders, Internet URLs, and other tasks. Task buttons represent all the open applications you are using in Windows 98 (see Figure 9.2). Task buttons appear on the taskbar even when an application is not minimized, giving you a quick way to switch between tasks.
Items that appear on the far right side of the taskbar are in the tray area. In this area, you can find the clock and the applications running in the background, such as the Task Scheduler, modems, printers, and volume controls. You can quickly modify the configurations of these items by right-clicking their icons. Next, choose an item from the context-sensitive menu, such as Adjust Audio Properties to set the properties associated with your sound card (see Figure 9.3). This brings up the Properties dialog box of that device.
FIG. 9.2 Task buttons, such as the Exploring, CompuPic 32, and Microsoft Word buttons, make it easy to switch between open applications.
TIP: Move the mouse pointer over the clock to see the day and the date.
Some of the ways to customize the taskbar follow:
These items are discussed in the following sections.
FIG. 9.3 Use the taskbar to access properties of the devices running in the background, such as your sound card.
TROUBLESHOOTING: I changed the time in Windows 98, but my system clock displays a different time. Can you help? On some systems, you must start your system startup utility during the boot process to change the system time and date on your computer. To do this, refer to the manual that came with your computer to see how you can start the system utility. On some computers, you can press Ctrl+Alt+Esc or a function key assigned to the utility. After you are in the system settings screen, use the navigational commands, such as the arrow keys and Page Up and Page Down, to navigate the screen and make changes to the system time and date. The way you make changes depends on your system.
If you don't like the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, grab it with your mouse pointer and drag it to another location on your desktop. Don't try to put the taskbar in the middle of the screen; it only sits on the edges of the desktop--on the left, right, top, or bottom. Figures 9.4 and 9.5 show how the taskbar looks on the top and right sides of the desktop.
FIG. 9.4 Having the taskbar at the top of the screen is not a bad option.
CAUTION: Depending on the width of the taskbar, you might see only the application icon and its first two letters when you move the taskbar to the side of your desktop. This can make it difficult to recognize your open applications.To see the full description of a button, place the mouse pointer over the button. A ToolTip appears with the name of the button.
FIG. 9.5 But having the taskbar on the side requires you to get familiar with your application icons to understand which application is which, because you can't see the words describing each icon.
Another way to customize your taskbar is to resize it. Move your mouse pointer over the exposed edge of the taskbar--the side that is closest to the desktop, such as the top edge if the taskbar is at the bottom of the screen. After the mouse pointer changes to a double-sided arrow, press and hold your left mouse button and drag the taskbar to the size you want. Figure 9.6 shows a taskbar diagnosed with elephantiasis!
TIP: You can resize the taskbar to at least half the size of your desktop by dragging it with your mouse.
By default, the taskbar always appears. Even when you maximize an application, the taskbar still is visible at the bottom of the screen. Microsoft refers to this state as being always on top, and this is probably the most efficient way to use the taskbar. When the taskbar is on top, you can quickly see which other applications are open, the time of day, and the status of your printer or modem; and, you can readily access any of these items.
You can make the taskbar disappear when you are not using it. To do so, you need to set the Auto Hide feature, as shown in the following steps:
CAUTION: Don't right-click a task button, or you will display a context-sensitive menu for that button.
FIG. 9.6 Do you get frustrated when you can't find the taskbar? Just make it a little bigger.
FIG. 9.7 You can choose how the taskbar behaves by changing its properties.
Now when you move the mouse pointer off the taskbar, the taskbar disappears by "sliding" off the edge of the screen. To make it reappear, move the mouse down to the bottom of the screen (or wherever you have the taskbar). The taskbar automatically "slides" back into view, unless you have an application covering that part of the screen. If you disabled the Always on Top check box in step 3, the taskbar does not appear on top of the open application. You must move or resize the application's window to see the taskbar. Use this option when your real estate is limited and you want to use the entire screen for your applications. Otherwise, leave the default as is.
NOTE: Generally, if you run in 800x600 or higher resolution, and you use the taskbar or Start button a great deal, you should have no problem keeping the taskbar visible at all times.
You can change the time the clock displays by double-clicking the clock on the taskbar. This displays the Date/Time Properties dialog box (see Figure 9.8).
FIG. 9.8 Set the time, date, and time zone by double-clicking the clock on the taskbar.
On the Date & Time page, you can adjust the following properties:
On the Time Zone page, you can specify the time zone in which you live or work. Use the drop-down listbox to choose the time zone. If you live in an area with Daylight Savings Time, click the option at the bottom of the screen to have Windows automatically update your clock during these time changes. Click OK after you configure these options.
If you don't want the clock to show at all, follow these steps:
With Windows 98, you can add or remove toolbars from the taskbar. These toolbars provide quick ways to launch applications, open folders, show desktop items, and access an Internet or Web resource. When you first install Windows 98, the Quick Launch toolbar is displayed by default. The Quick Launch toolbar includes the following four buttons:
To turn on or off taskbar toolbars, follow these steps:
Figure 9.9 shows an exaggerated view of all the toolbars displayed on the taskbar. Although this is probably not the way you will display your toolbars, you can get an idea of how they look on the taskbar.
To remove a toolbar from the taskbar, repeat the preceding steps and click the toolbar you want to remove to hide it.
To create your own toolbar, use the following steps:
FIG. 9.9 Windows 98's taskbar toolbars make it easy to access folders, Internet resources, and desktop items.
FIG. 9.10 The New Toolbar dialog box enables you to create your own toolbar.
TIP: To quickly add items to a toolbar, drag the items onto the toolbar. Shortcuts will be created for these items. Also, if you add a shortcut to a Web address on a custom toolbar instead of a folder, an image of the Web page appears. Finally, the Address toolbar can be incredibly useful. You can type Internet addresses to launch Internet Explorer, but you can also type a path to open a folder, document, or application, such as C:/My Documents.
You can delete a custom toolbar by turning it off. You cannot turn off a custom toolbar and turn it back on, though, as you can the built-in toolbars. When you turn off the custom toolbar, you delete it and must re-create it to display it again.
Also, you can resize toolbars by pressing the left mouse button while grabbing the vertical line on the left side of the toolbar. When you do this, a double-sided resizing arrow appears. Slide the toolbar to the new size you want and release the mouse button. Notice in Figure 9.11 how the Quick Launch toolbar has been enlarged compared to the one in Figure 9.10.
FIG. 9.11 You can resize taskbar toolbars.
Each toolbar has a context menu you can access by right-clicking the toolbar (see Figure 9.12).
FIG. 9.12 You can configure a toolbar by right-clicking it and choosing commands from its context menu.
The context menu contains the following menu choices:
By default, the Start button resides on the far left of the taskbar. The Start button's purpose is to give you a leg up on getting your work done. After you click the Start button, a menu pops up that contains several items (see Figure 9.13). You can use the Start button to launch programs, start Help, shut down Windows 98, and find files. You also can access the Control Panel to configure many of your system settings and devices.
FIG. 9.13 The Start button's menu gives you access to all your files, applications, and settings.
TIP: You can quickly display the Start button on the taskbar by pressing Alt+S or by pressing the Windows key found on some newer keyboards.
Windows 98 gives you several Start button options to customize according to your tastes. You can set up the Start button menu with the programs or files you use most often to give you one-button access to them. You might use WinCIM to dial into the CompuServe Information Service, for example. Place WinCIM on the Start button to quickly start it each time you want to dial CompuServe.
NOTE: Windows 98 places items in the Programs folder in alphanumeric order. If you want to change the order of an item on the Programs folder, you can change the name of that item so that it appears in the order you want. Or you can rename the item and include a numerical value in front of the name. If you want an item named Zipper to come first in the folder, for example, rename the item 1. Zipper.
Another way to take advantage of the Start button menu is to add documents or specific files that you use all the time. This may be a daily spreadsheet you fill out or a document template in Word for Windows.
By default, the Start menu shows large icons and a Windows 98 logo. You can reduce the size of the menu by using the Show Small Icons option on the Taskbar tab, as shown in the following steps:
FIG. 9.14 You can configure the Start menu to use small icons to reduce the amount of space the menu uses.
The Start menu contains programs that are placed there during the Windows 98 installation. If you install Windows 98 over your existing Windows 3.x or Windows 95 setup, Windows 98 automatically places all your installed applications on the Start menu. As you use Windows 98 and install new applications, you can add these programs to the Programs folder on the Start menu, much like you can add program groups to Program Manager in Windows 3.x.
If you upgrade your system from Windows 3.x to Windows 98, Windows 98 automatically converts your old program groups to folders. You can locate these programs by choosing Start, Programs and looking at the folders that appear.
Another way to see the contents of the Programs folder is to view it in Windows Explorer. You can view the Programs folder by opening the folder in which Windows 98 is stored and then choosing Start, Programs. You then can view items, delete items, and drag and drop other items to the Programs folder.
TIP: You can use Windows 3.x's version of Program Manager from within Windows 98 if you installed Windows 98 to its own directory (for dual booting). Launch the PROGMAN.EXE file from the Windows 3.x directory to start Program Manager. The only difference you might notice is that the groups are not arranged in the same fashion on the desktop as they were when running under your previous Windows 3.x configuration.
You can add items to the Start menu by following these steps:
FIG. 9.15 Use the Start Menu Programs page to add new programs and program folders to the Start menu.
TIP: Click the Browse button to search for the program or file you are trying to find.
NOTE: To add a program or shortcut to the Start menu, add the program or shortcut to the Start Menu folder in the Select Folder To Place Shortcut In listbox.
FIG. 9.16 Specify the folder in which you want to place the program or shortcut.
FIG. 9.17 Accept the default name or change it according to your tastes.
If you want to add more programs or shortcuts, click the Add button on the Start Menu Programs tab. If you are finished, click OK to close the Taskbar Properties dialog box.
TIP: Like in Windows 95, you also can add a shortcut to the Start menu by dragging the item onto the Start button. With Windows 98, however, if you drag an item onto the Start button but do not release your mouse button, the Start menu will open up. You then can continue dragging the item to any location in the Start menu--even subfolders.
You also can rearrange your Start menu this way. Click the Start button and drag any item on the menu to a new location with your left mouse button.
TIP: Click the plus sign (+) next to a folder to expand it.
You can remove a program, file, or folder shortcut by clicking the Remove button on the Taskbar Properties dialog box and following these steps:
FIG. 9.18 You can remove a program or shortcut from the Start menu as quickly as you add one.
NOTE: You can click the Advanced button on the Taskbar Properties dialog box to see your Start menu in Explorer view. You can add items to the Start menu using this view by clicking the Advanced button and then opening another session of Explorer. Next, from the Explorer view that contains all your directories, drag items into the Start Menu Explorer view.You also can remove items from your Start menu using this view. To do so, click the item you want to remove and press Delete. After the Confirm File Delete message appears, click Yes to send the item to the Recycle Bin.
Another feature available on the Start menu is the Documents folder. This folder contains shortcuts to the last 15 files that you worked with in Windows 98, giving you quick access to these files for editing or reviewing. You can click on a document name to launch the application associated with that document and display the document.
To remove the items from the Documents folder, use these steps:
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