Author Topic: How to have docked launchbar not take up entire edge? (Read 24617 times)

winds350 · « **on:** May 21, 2010, 09:24 AM »

I've been playing with LaunchBar Commander a little bit, but there is one thing I can't figure out. As soon as I dock a bar, it expands in size to take up the entire edge of the screen it's docked against. Is there any way to prevent that, so that it only uses the space it needs? I didn't find anything in a forum search.

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** May 21, 2010, 07:32 PM »

There is no way for it to dock and not take up the entire height or width.
However, there are other options for if you dont want it always occupying the space on your screen:

Have it hide/slide out only when you move mouse near edge.
Keep it minimized in system tray and have it only pop up as a menu from there.
Configure a hotkey to bring up a menu at your cursor.

winds350 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 21, 2010, 07:47 PM »

Unfortunate. I already use auto-hide, but the entire top edge of a 23" screen is a bit much. Is it something that might appear in a new version some day?

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** May 21, 2010, 07:58 PM »

It's not something i can change for the case where it is always docked, but for the sliding/hiding case, it could be done.. though it's a little hard for me to see why it would be very useful since it's only temporarily sliding out on rare occasions, so is it really important in such cases how big it is?

winds350 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 21, 2010, 08:10 PM »

Partly, I suppose it's what I'm used to from the docks I'm looking to replace with LaunchBar Commander. The practical aspect is that with a dock that is only large enough to contain the icons, your mouse is near the icon you want as soon as the dock unhides. You can center or offset the dock to either side. Also, if it behaves like most docks and only a mouse over/edge bump in the area actually occupied by the dock unhides it, there is less 'collision' between unhiding a dock and say minimizing a window.

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** May 21, 2010, 08:46 PM »

those are good points.. let me think about it.

pmoore · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2010, 03:05 AM »

I would also find this behaviour useful. At the moment, I use a PowerPro docked icon bar, which takes up about 1/4 of the top edge of my screen, and it auto-hides so that it only pops up when I bump that part of the screen. With a full-width "standard" docked bar like LBC uses, it pops up whenever I bump anywhere on the top of the screen.

I guess it's mostly "just what I'm used to", but to be honest I prefer the PowerPro form...

solar wind · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2011, 02:20 PM »

Any news about this feature request? Been a year since Mouser replied...
I know most people don't care if the dock is taking the entire edge of the screen, especially in autohide.
But some of us may have several (more or less) dock-able tools fighting for one edge of the screen, and while there is the Coral tool to reserve space on screen, it's not exactly the same thing.

Currently this is my desktop, and i want to get rid of them multiple launchers and get it all centralized in LBC, i'm only looking for this feature now...
http://oi52.tinypic.com/1qrfwi.jpg

Jewook · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2011, 09:22 PM »

I'd also like this feature implemented in LBC. I only have four items on the dock, so it's slightly eyesore-ish that it spans the entire edge.

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** November 23, 2012, 03:19 AM »

I just figured out I can implement this -- bars that don't take up full edge width/height. I'll be adding it as an option in next release.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** November 24, 2012, 11:59 PM »

New beta is up with the ability to configure docks to not be full size, please give it a try and let me know what you think:

Hope you like it!

Here's the option you want:
Screenshot - 11_24_2012 , 11_57_55 PM - cap 00078.png

NOTE:

This feature is most useful when you have your bar set to AutoHide/AutoSlide. If you have your dock reserving space on the screen it's still going to reserve the full space.

mouser · « **Reply #11 on:** November 25, 2012, 12:08 AM »

One other comment -- you can "move" a non-full size bar to different locations along the edge of the screen, but you have to do so by resizing it at the edges. To automatically center such a bar, right click and choose the option to Center it.

Also remember that you are free to resize the other dimension of the "bar" to make it multiple rows/columns, and create a square-shaped dock.

Screenshot - 11_25_2012 , 6_03_49 PM - cap 00084.png

Screenshot - 11_25_2012 , 6_03_49 PM - cap 00084.png

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** November 25, 2012, 01:28 PM »

Tip:

For visual aesthetics you may want to create some extra space at the top and bottom of your dock bar; i'll probably add an option for this at some point but until then you can create your own "spacers" at the start and end of the dock like so:

Screenshot - 11_25_2012 , 1_24_42 PM - cap 00083.png

Screenshot - 11_25_2012 , 1_24_42 PM - cap 00083.png

mouser · « **Reply #13 on:** November 25, 2012, 03:23 PM »

I've pushed the latest beta to an official release.

mouser · « **Reply #14 on:** November 29, 2012, 06:51 PM »

Anyone using a non-full size bar yet?

MysticalOrchid · « **Reply #15 on:** December 02, 2012, 01:39 AM »

Hello Mouser,

I'm using a non-full size bar. What I've done is make a few menus splitting up my shortcuts/icons in order to minimize the length of the bar and make it easier separating work from "play". Then I set it to either auto hide or remain visible (when needing to access it often).

http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u544/MysticalOrchid/LaunchBarAppandRocketDockApp.png

How to have docked launchbar not take up entire edge?

The only thing I've noticed is I have to set the bar to force sizable in the configuration/settings as well as toggle the dock to unlock from edge each time I need to re-size it. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 attempts or so to get it to stay at the desired size.

There are no grab bars or way to do so as shown in the tutorial videos. Within the program itself when right clicking on the bar it states to click then Ctrl and drag to re-size...haven't had any luck getting that to work. This is the case when it is a full size bar as well. Possibly I'm missing some setting or configuration?

Otherwise the non-full size bar works great!

In case it helps or the info is needed... running Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

Thanks for a great program!

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** December 02, 2012, 01:43 AM »

Once selected, you should be able to use Ctrl+Arrows to resize some dimensions, but i think i need to add the ability to modify the non-fullsize dimensions now.

Glad to hear the new feature is being used by someone

ps.
your screenshot was too small to see! you can ATTACH images to forum posts.

MysticalOrchid · « **Reply #17 on:** December 02, 2012, 01:51 AM »

Ah yes fixed the screenshot, sorry about that. I had thought it would allow a click for larger image by posting a thumb.

I may be doing it wrong then when clicking and using the Ctrl+ Arrows. Or possibly my laptop is the problem. Either way I'll see if I can figure it out. -smiles-

Lolipop Jones · « **Reply #18 on:** December 05, 2012, 09:06 PM »

If I minimize the launchbar to the tray and then shut down the computer or exit LBC, the launchbar forgets it was docked. When restarting, it opens up as an undocked window mid-screen.

When I shut down the computer or exit LBC while the launchbar is visible and docked, this behavior does not take place. Upon restarting, the launchbar is in the proper docked location.

Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit, LBC 1.133.01

mouser · « **Reply #19 on:** December 05, 2012, 09:08 PM »

does this happen even if the dock is full width?

Lolipop Jones · « **Reply #20 on:** December 06, 2012, 06:34 AM »

Yes, just confirmed that it does. I toggled the "Do not stretch to full size" check box, and whether it is on or off, LBC does not remember its docked position if I exit the program while minimized to the system tray.

Where can I download a copy of the immediate preceding version 1.132? Would like to check that this problem does not occur in that version and therefore it's not in my Windows setup, and I (facepalm) did not keep the earlier version before fully testing the new.

Lolipop Jones · « **Reply #21 on:** December 06, 2012, 11:13 AM »

Mouser:

Tested on another machine running WinXP, and same problem. Minimize LBC and then exit the program, it forgets that it's docked.

So I do not think it's my computer.

LJ

mouser · « **Reply #22 on:** December 06, 2012, 12:01 PM »

Try:
https://www.donation...nderSetup_041912.exe
or portable version
https://www.donation...rPortable_041912.zip

Lolipop Jones · « **Reply #23 on:** December 06, 2012, 01:19 PM »

Thanks.

Just a thought, when a new version goes up could you keep a link to the old version for a few weeks?

Grebbler · « **Reply #24 on:** March 27, 2013, 06:02 PM »

YAY! I have been hoping for this.

I run over/under multi-monitor and really needed dead areas, especially around all my extended titlebar icons on the right (Extend, Move to other monitor, minimize, float and close) where the launcher would stay hidden.

Thanks, Mouser, for making the launcher even better.