Windows XP: Scripting taskbar icons?
Scripting taskbar icons?
by Sageth - 8/5/08 6:39 PMI'm wondering if there's a way to script the taskbar icons to "always show" or "always hide" without using a program like auto-it. Ideally, this would be a command line function or module that could be executed via Perl.
The reason I ask is that I have one particular icon that gives me trouble and no matter how many times I choose "always show" through the interface it always disappears when I close and re-launch. As such, as part of the script used to execute this program, I'd like to set the options so that the task bar doesn't hide.
Any thoughts?
Probably more trouble than it's worth
by Jimmy Greystone - 8/5/08 7:35 PM In reply to: Scripting taskbar icons? by SagethProbably more trouble than it's worth, since I doubt there's a command line way to do that, which means you'd need to learn how to use the Win32 Perl extensions, and hope they are fleshed out enough to allow you to access that setting.
You'd probably also either need to have this program running all the time, and constantly watching for that program's process to pop up, or write a wrapper script which then might interfere with things like error reporting should the program ever crash.
So in the end, it's really in all probability, far more trouble than it's worth.
On a small final note, the taskbar is the part of the bar where different open windows and programs show up and create buttons you can use to switch between them. What you're talking about is commonly known as the system tray, though its actual name is something else, I just forget off the top of my head.
(NT) Notification area.
by MarkFlax
- 8/6/08 5:10 AM
In reply to: Probably more trouble than it's worth by Jimmy Greystone
Try This
by Tufenuf - 8/6/08 7:15 AM In reply to: Scripting taskbar icons? by SagethSageth, After you have that problematic icon showing aside of the clock go to the link below and scroll down to line 54 (right column) and click on "Save Settings on Exit" to download a reg file fix. Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt. It may correct your problem.
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Tufenuf
Thanks!
by Sageth - 8/8/08 9:17 PM In reply to: Try This by TufenufNice find! I was actually on that site at one point, but missed that entry. I tried a few others that were listed there but they didn't work.
I'll post back with the results in the next few days, once I can determine if it worked or not.
Thanks!
Spoke too soon
by Sageth - 8/8/08 9:24 PM In reply to: Try This by TufenufI set this icon to "Always Show" and ran the reg fix. After a reboot, it (and a few others) were set back to "Hide when inactive."
The strange part is that some of the icons DO save. Obviously, this isn't critical, but it is bugging me!
More detail
by Sageth - 8/8/08 9:43 PM In reply to: Spoke too soon by SagethSorry for the triple post, but let me be more specific here. Maybe this will help some.
My perl script is used to make a backup of various applications from my C: drive to another drive that I have (T:)
Since some of the files could be in use when the script initiates, I use "taskkill /f /im processname.exe" before each backup section. The general process is as follows:
1. Kill task using above method
2. Backup files to T:
3. Start applications and use auto-it to enter passwords where applicable
4. Move to next application.
The two applications that are giving me the most problems are Thunderbird and Pidgin.
However, I literally just found an entry from the Sysinternals forums:
"And what's even more irritating is that the remembered show/hide status of systray icons is destroyed if a new one is created alongside the old ghost before you mouse over the old one."
This sounds like it may be the problem since the systray icons are indeed ghosted when the process is killed. Their suggestion is to use the PID rather than the name so that it removes the ghost icon. However, my tests do not seem to agree with their findings.
Does this help? I should have been more specific in the first place, but that post I just found really helped point in a direction.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
