Adding Items to a Toolbar

For a new toolbar to be functional, you need to add items to it. For my toolbar, I want to add a menu to the taskbar that allows me to start my programs because it will function as a substitute for the Start menu and taskbar. This will be a substitute for the Start menu.

Select the new Startbar toolbar or the toolbar you created in the Theme Editor. Then select the Create menu, point at New and then select Container. This is a container in which you place your program or Start menu. Now with the new container selected, click Create, point at New and select Shortcut (to run a program). Type a name for the new Shortcut on the Display tab (such as Start).

You can display the new shortcut using both text and an icon, using text, or using an icon. You can also select any icon or BMP file to use as the icon for the shortcut. In Figure 14.11, I have named the shortcut Start and have chosen to use an icon only. I then browsed for an icon I had created. The icon size was changed to 32 ¥ 32.

Figure 14.11. Set the display properties for the new shortcut.

Next, you need to configure the shortcut so it actually does something. In this case, we'll make it open the Programs folder and provide a list of available programs. Click the Behavior tab in the Theme Editor window.

Click the Open a Folder option button and then click the Use Special Folder option button. In the Special Folders drop-down list, select Programs (see Figure 14.12).

Figure 14.12. Set the behavior for the shortcut.

Now you have a Start button with a custom graphic that lists the programs installed on the computer. At this point, you can add other items to the toolbar via the Create menu by selecting Create, New, Select an Item. For example, you can add a taskbar item that enables you to see open programs, a system tray, and a clock. These are all added as new items.

You can also add a new pop-up item that pops up a list that exists as a floating toolbar. Just select Create New list. So, the new Start menu and taskbar provide all the features of the Windows standard taskbar, but it also provides a list of recently used programs (see Figure 14.13; note the taskbar at the top of the desktop).

Figure 14.13. Add items to the custom toolbar.

Up to this point, we have left the standard Start button and taskbar on the Windows desktop. This has enabled us to access programs while we were creating our new taskbar. After you get the commands you want on your various toolbars that replicate and expand the possibilities provided by the standard taskbar, you can hide the standard taskbar.

In the Theme Editor window, click the Information icon (the i icon) in the lower-left corner. The Theme Options dialog box opens; you can edit information related to your ObjectBar theme in this dialog box. To hide the standard Start button and taskbar, click the Hide Windows Taskbar check box. Then click OK to close the Theme Options dialog box.

Now your toolbar(s) is the command center for the Windows desktop. You can fine-tune your toolbars at any time by right-clicking the ObjectBar icon in the system tray and selecting Configure Theme

Tip

Make sure you save the changes you make to your ObjectBar theme; click File, point at Save, and then select Save Theme.