Creating an ObjectBar Theme

You can also create your own ObjectBar themes and toolbars. Right-click the ObjectBar icon in the system tray and select New, Start New Theme. The Start New Theme dialog box opens (see Figure 14.8).

Figure 14.8. Provide a name for your new theme.

Provide a name for the new theme and then click OK. Folders for the new theme are created (providing a place for the toolbars you create), and the new theme is applied to Windows. Because the new theme doesn't include any toolbars, your Windows interface is returned to the default XP Start menu and taskbar.

Now you can create new toolbars, including docked and floating toolbars, for the new theme.

Right-click the ObjectBar icon in the system tray; select New, Create Bar. The Create New Bar dialog box opens (see Figure 14.9).

Figure 14.9. Provide a name for the new toolbar and select a toolbar skin.

Provide a name for the new toolbarfor example, Startbar (or another descriptive name). You also need to select a skin for the new toolbar. To make things easy, select a WindowBlinds skin for your new toolbar (make sure that WindowBlinds is running). Select the Use a Skin from Another Theme option button. Then in the Theme drop-down list, select Use WindowBlinds Skin. In the Skin drop-down list, select a skin provided by WindowBlinds. For example, I am going to apply the WinXP Copper taskbar to my new toolbar, which will serve as my Start menu and taskbar). I'm picking a simple skin that really replicates a typical Windows taskbar so you can see how the toolbar is configured.

Tip

You can also apply a skin that is used by another of the ObjectBar themes included with ObjectBar or that you have downloaded from the Web. Select the theme in the Theme list and then select a skin from that theme in the Skin list.

You can also select the orientation of the new toolbar. Use the Bar's Orientation list to select Horizontally or Vertically. Then click OK. This opens the Theme Editor and shows the new toolbar in the Bars list. The new toolbar is a floating toolbar by default (see Figure 14.10).

Figure 14.10. The new toolbar is listed as a floating toolbar.

Now you can set the configuration settings for the toolbar and then add sections to the toolbar so that it actually does something. First, you must set the toolbar's position; I'm going to dock my horizontal toolbar at the top of the desktop. Click the Sizing & Positioning tab and then click the Docking drop-down list. Select Dock to Top Edge. Your new toolbar will now be listed in the toolbar list as a docked toolbar.

You can also adjust the other configuration settings, such as height and width of the toolbar, as needed. Next, you need to add items to your new toolbar so it can function as your alternative to the default Windows taskbar.