Author Topic: Registry hack needed: Full date in the tray clock (Read 30665 times)

Edvard · « **on:** May 05, 2008, 01:09 PM »

OK, here's what my tray looks like now:

I want it to say the full date like "5-5-2008" instead where it says "Monday"
I know this can be changed in the registry, (I figured out how to put seconds in the time field once, but I've since forgotten how...) but Google has not enlightened me.
I know there are a bazillion tray clock softwares out there, but I don't want yet another software running.

Anybody got a solution or any other interesting hacks for the tray clock?

Deozaan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2008, 01:25 PM »

Not sure. My task bar shows the date just fine when it's 2 levels high.

Taskbar Date.png

Edvard · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2008, 01:35 PM »

Ooh, 3 levels :cringe:
Ok, mine will do that too, but I don't want to go that tall on my taskbar.
There must be a way to show the 5/5/2008 at level 2.
I just checked in Control Panel > Regional and Language Options which has lots of options, but none that I need.

Deozaan · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2008, 01:49 PM »

Ooh, 3 levels :cringe:
-Edvard (May 05, 2008, 01:35 PM)

No that's only 2 levels. The tray icons are just small enough to fit 3 in that same space.

Taskbar Date 2.png

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2008, 02:14 PM »

I used to use tclockex for that, it's a great free utility that let's you customize what's shown in your system tray -- I use it to put full day of the week, date, year, etc.

But when i moved to Windows XP Pro 64bit, I found that tclockex would not support it, and neither would any of the other free tray clock tools.

Until I stumbled upon t-clock which is free and was upgraded to Win64bit compatibility and is now maintained by stoic joker, who hangs out here at the DC forums. It works perfectly and I love it

Daleus · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2008, 02:15 PM »

Darn that mouser and his fast fingers.

I second tclock.

Edvard · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2008, 04:08 PM »

Fair enough, T-Clock it is.

Stoic's got some DC credits flowing his way, methinks.

superboyac · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2008, 05:46 PM »

I would argue that BetaClock is better. I think it is more flexible, includes a flexible popup calendar, and has been updated recently more often. The website has been completely stripped down, but the program is the best. I'm ashamed to admit that I once spend several weeks looking for the best system tray clock utility, and I settled on Betaclock because it was perfect.

Edvard · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2008, 05:58 PM »

Thanks for the suggestion Super, I'll check that out as well, though my original intent was that I needed to see the full date without constantly hovering my ~~systray~~ notification area or installing yet another thingamabob cluttering my desktop.

superboyac · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2008, 06:47 PM »

Thanks for the suggestion Super, I'll check that out as well, though my original intent was that I needed to see the full date without constantly hovering my ~~systray~~ notification area or installing yet another thingamabob cluttering my desktop.
-Edvard (May 05, 2008, 05:58 PM)

The calendar pops up on a mouse-click (one or two-click depending on how you set it up). You can do really fancy things with the display. I wanted to be able to see seconds, hours, minutes, full date, weekday name.

By the way, see the way I have the time in green and slightly different font? That's a little trick that most people wouldn't be able to do from first glance!

FYI, when I single-click on the clock, this calendar pops-up (if I double-click, I open up the settings dialog):

kartal · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2008, 07:12 PM »

Edit: Just found that windows can remember their position. Very cool

Beta clock looks very nice. However I cannot make it show calendar or other items show up any other place rather than right bottom of the screen. My taskbar stays on top generally.

Loonier · « **Reply #11 on:** May 16, 2008, 09:18 AM »

Super, how does BetaClock (now Freeware) relate to AlfaClock Free in features? The latest BetaClock install file is ~42% the size of that of AlfaClock 1.99 (on download.com; shows 1.90 on alfaclock.com), but that does not necessarily mean anything... BetaClock may just be "leaner & meaner".

rjbull · « **Reply #12 on:** May 16, 2008, 09:49 AM »

I want it to say the full date like "5-5-2008" instead where it says "Monday"
-Edvard (May 05, 2008, 01:09 PM)

Edvard, have you given up PowerPro? Something like a button with "*Info ddd dd-MM-yyyy, HH:mm" on it?

epopuI · « **Reply #13 on:** May 16, 2008, 10:29 AM »

Another tray clock I've used for years is LClock by Ying Han found on neowin.com - has a calendar that pops up on a left click - can be customize - small and neat

tomos · « **Reply #14 on:** May 16, 2008, 11:09 AM »

Another tray clock I've used for years is LClock by Ying Han found on neowin.com - has a calendar that pops up on a left click - can be customize - small and neat
-epopuI (May 16, 2008, 10:29 AM)

I thought the problem with LClock was that it doesnt show the date (only the time?)
I remember liking it a lot but not even installing it cause of that (or was it that it doesnt show the day $:-\$ )

stewcam · « **Reply #15 on:** May 16, 2008, 07:55 PM »

Have tried the above mentioned but a better solution is 1st clock from:

http://www.1stclock.com

Sadly it is not freeware and arguably quite pricey for a relatively minor desktop refinement.

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** May 16, 2008, 08:19 PM »

I tried and liked 1st clock as well, and mentioned it in my thread here:
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=11562.0

It was the only other tray clock i found which supported winx64 until i found the free and great t-clock.

Deozaan · « **Reply #17 on:** May 16, 2008, 09:36 PM »

Until I stumbled upon t-clock which is free and was upgraded to Win64bit compatibility and is now maintained by stoic joker, who hangs out here at the DC forums. It works perfectly and I love it
-mouser (May 05, 2008, 02:14 PM)

That link doesn't work.

superboyac · « **Reply #18 on:** May 17, 2008, 01:44 AM »

Super, how does BetaClock (now Freeware) relate to AlfaClock Free in features? The latest BetaClock install file is ~42% the size of that of AlfaClock 1.99 (on download.com; shows 1.90 on alfaclock.com), but that does not necessarily mean anything... BetaClock may just be "leaner & meaner".
-Loonier (May 16, 2008, 09:18 AM)

This is a strange story, let me explain:

BetaClock used to be called AlphaClock and was always free. Then someone apparently ripped it off and made AlfaClock which was shareware. As you can see it was really confusing to try to find the original and what was actually going on. You couldn't tell if the shareware was the true version or the free one was the true version, or even if maybe they were all by the same author. Anyway, so the original guy renamed his Betaclock and it is still free (and the best). Alfaclock is still around, but I would consider it a ripoff.

The unfortunate thing is that the Betaclock author has the most minimalist webpage, I think it just has a link to the program and that's it.

I looked around pretty intensely for clock software and I think Betaclock is the best, hands down.

tomos · « **Reply #19 on:** May 17, 2008, 02:20 AM »

Until I stumbled upon t-clock which is free and was upgraded to Win64bit compatibility and is now maintained by stoic joker, who hangs out here at the DC forums. It works perfectly and I love it
-mouser (May 05, 2008, 02:14 PM)

That link doesn't work.
-Deozaan (May 16, 2008, 09:36 PM)

it worked last night so must be a problem with site

Loonier · « **Reply #20 on:** May 17, 2008, 04:37 AM »

That's weird... especially since alfaclock.com shows BetaClock on the page as if there is a connection, linking to the latest version.

wr975 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 17, 2008, 07:04 AM »

@superboyac
Thank you for the info about BetaClock.

This program is great. Good looking interface, good features, many configuration possibilities... A sure keeper!

superboyac · « **Reply #22 on:** May 17, 2008, 05:47 PM »

That's weird... especially since alfaclock.com shows BetaClock on the page as if there is a connection, linking to the latest version.
-Loonier (May 17, 2008, 04:37 AM)

Really!? I don't see where the betaclock reference is. Can you show a screenshot of it?
Maybe I'm wrong about the history, it's just what I've been able to piece together in the past. Maybe the author for both softwares is the same guy. it would make sense because the two programs are almost exactly the same. but then, why does he have betaclock (which is free), alfaclock classic (which is free), and alfaclock II (which is shareware). It's really weird, strangest thing I've ever seen.

Curt · « **Reply #23 on:** May 17, 2008, 06:35 PM »

I agree that BetaClock is The Best and ~~what Edvard was asking for~~:
Edit:
[Sorry, Edvard - You specifically said you "don't want yet another software running".]

- the BetaClock code is: %longtime~|~dd-MM-yy

Loonier is sort of right, as AlfaClock USED to host the BetaClock file
- but that was before AlfaSoft got this new ~~homepage~~ site.

Loonier · « **Reply #24 on:** May 18, 2008, 05:41 AM »

Here's the page (no "USED to" about this one):
http://www.alfaclock.com/default.html
If the page belongs to the same guys as www.alfasoftweb.com, you would think they would be smart enough to have a URL redirect to their new site, rather than leave the old page up as is...