grouping

[Jack Sons]

Hi all,

Below in my screen is a bar with the minimised programs (I hope you
understand wahat I mean, I use a Dutch version of XP and Office Pro 2000).
Left is the START button and to the right of that each minimised screen has
its own blue rectangle (functions like a button) with its name in it. If
clicked it becomes full screen.
There is only room for a few (6 to 8) of these rectangles/buttons. When
there are more minimised programs they will be grouped. A rectangle/buttonl
then represents more than one program; when clicked you see the vertically
stacked names of the different programs (also in blue rectangles/buttons).
If one of them is clicked it unfolds to full screen.
Once I saw a program that results in two bars at the underside of the
screen, so that the double number of programs can be minimised before the
grouping and stacking occurs.
I often work with a rather large numer of programs at the same time. I might
have 16 or even more progams active, of which only one is fuill screen and
the others are available with a mouse click from the "minimised programs
bar". I would like to have two or three of those bars, the second
automatically appearing when the first is fully occupied and the third when
the second is full.
I hope you will understand what I mean, despite my peculiar English. I know
that what I want is perfectly possible, because I saw it before (to my
regret I didn't copy it and I don't know where I saw it, I think it was some
six months ago, could be more).
I would appreciate your help very much, thanks in advance.

Jack Sons
The Netherlands

[Tom Porterfield]

Jack Sons wrote:

> Below in my screen is a bar with the minimised programs (I hope you
> understand wahat I mean, I use a Dutch version of XP and Office Pro
> 2000). Left is the START button and to the right of that each
> minimised screen has its own blue rectangle (functions like a
> button) with its name in it. If clicked it becomes full screen.
> There is only room for a few (6 to 8) of these rectangles/buttons.
> When there are more minimised programs they will be grouped. A
> rectangle/buttonl then represents more than one program; when clicked
> you see the vertically stacked names of the different programs (also
> in blue rectangles/buttons).
....
> I would like to have two or three of those
> bars, the second automatically appearing when the first is fully
> occupied and the third when the second is full.
....

You want to turn off grouping. It won't have additional bars
automatically appear, but it will prevent the taskbar entries from
grouping together. You can then adjust the height of the taskbar to
accommodate the number of programs you typically run. To turn off
grouping right click on the Taskbar and select Properties. On the
Taskbar tab remove the check from "group similar taskbar buttons" and
click Apply.

--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Windows XP & Smart Display
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tp.porterfield/support

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[Ken Blake]

In , Jack Sons wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Below in my screen is a bar with the minimised programs (I hope
you
> understand wahat I mean,


It's called the Task Bar.


> Once I saw a program that results in two bars at the underside
of the
> screen, so that the double number of programs can be minimised
before
> the grouping and stacking occurs.
> I often work with a rather large numer of programs at the same
time.
> I might have 16 or even more progams active, of which only one
is
> fuill screen and the others are available with a mouse click
from the
> "minimised programs bar". I would like to have two or three of
those
> bars, the second automatically appearing when the first is
fully
> occupied and the third when the second is full.


I don't know of a way to have its size expand automatically only
when needed, but you can make it two or three lines high if you
like. Simply put the mouse on its top edge until it turns into a
two-headed arrow, then drag it upward to the size you want. Note
that you may have to unlock it first (right-click on an unused
part of the task bar and uncheck "Lock the Taskbar."

Also you probably want to get rid of grouping. Right-click on the
task bar and choose properties. On the Taskbar tab, uncheck
"Group similar taskbar buttons."

--
Ken Blake
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