System tray and Taskbar management.Comments on:

By: Susie

Susie — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:07:37 +0000

Great info, I will need to research it, as we continue to grow our “responsibilities” it seems like it would be more necessary! Thanks for the info!

By: Ty

Ty — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:00:28 +0000

This Captain Tray Pro is just a toy.

I manage my files by creating shortcut folders in my “C:\Documents and Settings\Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx\Favorites\Links” Folder:

Accessories Folder
File Management
Creative Folder
Media
Web
Email etc.

If you right click on the task bar and tick “toolbars” then “links” the folders will be visisble there.

When I install a program I select “create a shortcut on desktop”. Then, I click open a folder on the taskbar and drag the shortcut from the desktop into it. Finally, I delete the shortcut left on the desktop.

You can either choose a new icon from the the web, or capture the original program icon from the desktop with a screen capture program. Paste it into Paint Shop Pro, Animation Shop or similar and resize it to 32px X 32px and save it as an icon. Simply right click on a folder in the task tray, choose “change icon”, browse for the icon, choose “apply” then “OK”.

You can leave new program shortcuts on your desktop untill you want to keep them.

It’s amazing how tidy your computer desktop can be.

When the desktop gets too cluttered just tidy up. Make a few more relevant folders. Remember, a folder on the task bar can hold dozens of program shortcuts just a click away from being opened.

Oh, some final points: 1) Right click on the task bar, select “View” then “Small Icons”, and, 2) if you don’t want to see which programs you have running choose “Customize Notifications” and hide them.

I hope this helps some of you out there in cyberspace.

Gidday!
Ty

By: Messenger

Messenger — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:50:15 +0000

#34 CaptainYippeee
Love your art of sarcasm. Had me thinking the same thing when people should be using programs that do the opposite.

I take it this program would be mainly for people that use like office and accounting style work programs that don’t tap too much into your processor or memory ram. One way to keep your computer running fast is never to allow unnecessary programs to load in the taskbar except your volume, network, USB disconnect icons and whatever computer utility program you might be using at the moment. Every time you allow a program to load in the taskbar while your using another program you’re using up memory and processor resource slowing down the computer and may lead to unwanted freeze ups and crashes. I wouldn’t use this if using heavy ram load programs like video editing, DVD ripping or compression programs, or a resource hog photo editor like LivePix at the same time in the taskbar.

I can’t give a thumbs up or down. Might be good for some office workers, but not for the types of programs I use. I’d be afraid over heating my processor.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:55:16 +0000

Love it! And yes, I’ve got Anvir which I normally allow to minimize my tray icons. But it’s not foolproof. A lot of progs leave shadow taskbars that don’t always move over the way I want them to. I like having a tool to “kill” them in my workspace. I don’t have 1000 programs open at once, but I do like to keep a clean taskbar with only the items open that I want. I support any tool that will give me more control.

Captain — you’re a keeper!

By: J-Mac

J-Mac — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:15:22 +0000

#31: No, I think maybe you are assuming too much. It IS the same company, and the person who is pushing the book is most definitely the developer of Multiset. Still doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong here. I know that Multiset does indeed do as it claims, though you may find it is not that much easier than a regular, 0old-fashioned slipstreaming to reinstall Windows, etc.

As for the spamming accusation, I don’t know where that is coming from. I haven’t seen any personally.

By: theuber43

theuber43 — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:37:07 +0000

@#25:

Did you even notice that Microsoft ended extended support for 98/Me 2 years ago? Get with the times, please.

For this software… Doesn’t really seem to do much and screws up things. Sorry but I’ll pass on this one.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:17:23 +0000

I use PowerMenu – it’s free and easy to use.

http://www.brothersoft.com/powermenu-63743.html

By: Stephen Cohen

Stephen Cohen — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:14:06 +0000

To #38: In XP, you can (usually) hide icons that are in the system tray:
1. Right-click on an empty spot on the task bar. A menu will appear. Click on “Properties” at the bottom of the menu.
2. A screen will appear. Near the bottom of the screen, make sure that “Hide inactive icons” is checked. Then click on “Customize.”
3. A second screen will appear with a list of task bar icons. For each, choose “Hide When Inactive,” “Always Show,” or “Always Hide.”
Then click “Apply” and “OK.”
NOTE!!! This is not perfect. Some icons will decide to show anyway (such as “two ‘wire’ connected computers”.) Also, in the customize screen, sometimes the wrong icon is shown for a function. But,overall, this does work rather well.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:59:16 +0000

Very poor interface design. Couldn’t get past problems with the manager (there were about 20 items from ObjectDock in the panel). Help is not up to date

By: marinius

marinius — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:53:57 +0000

To #30 and #33. I have copied part of the ReadMe note from Captain Tray’s downloaded file. It refers to the “ctp.key”:

“…register it by using ‘ctp.key’ file which is included in the
installation package.

This file should be copied into the program’s folder, typically it’s
C:\Program Files\Almeza\Captain Tray Pro.

Overwrite existing file if necessary.

Run the software once the file copying process is over.”

I hope this will help you.