Author Topic: [request] Taskbar Displayed Only On <Win> Keypress (Read 71,486 times)

tinjaw · « **on:** March 17, 2008, 04:44 PM »

I would like the Taskbar to autohide and not popup when the mouse cursor goes to the bottom of the screen. I would like the Taskbar to popup when I hold down the <Win> key. IOW, I don't want <Win> to activate the Start Menu like it does by default.

Summary:

Windows Taskbar is hidden by default.
Moving the mouse cursor to the edge of the screen doesn't activate the taskbar.
Balloons from the Taskbar Notification Area popup as normal.
Pressing, and holding, the <Win> key brings up the Taskbar.
Releasing the <Win> key autohides the Taskbar.

kartal · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2008, 12:54 AM »

I think that should be possible with "http://powerpro.webeddie.com/"

skrommel · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2008, 02:16 AM »

Try PushToShow!

PushToShow - Completely hides the taskbar until the Windows key is pushed.

You'll find the downloads and more info at 1 Hour Software by Skrommel.

Skrommel

tinjaw · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2008, 02:15 PM »

I was looking for an existing application that did this and Mr. AutoHotkey himself shows up like it's the Make A Wish Foundation or something and POOF!! I get a custom built app.

Thank you skrommel.

seether295 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2008, 06:24 PM »

What setting in the code needs to be modified to allow this to work if the taskbar is docked to the left, right, or top of the screen?

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2008, 06:36 PM »

By the way here it is compiled with autohotkey for those who don't have ahk installed:
[attachment 1 not found]

kartal · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2008, 06:50 PM »

thanks Mouser. But ahk version somehow did not work for me. Exe works.

edit:
it did not work in my autohotkey collection script. I copied and pasted in my ahk script collection. It works fine if I run as seperate script.

kartal · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2008, 06:58 PM »

One thing thou, I use alot of win+ key combinations to run my softwares. Everytime I press on win+e or win+r for example task bar shows up too. I is it possible to limit only win key?

tinjaw · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2008, 07:25 PM »

Quote from: kartal on March 18, 2008, 06:58 PM

One thing thou, I use alot of win+ key combinations to run my softwares. Everytime I press on win+e or win+r for example task bar shows up too. I is it possible to limit only win key?

skrommel is good, but he's not that good.

skrommel isn't a mind reader. All he can do is determine if you are pressing the <Win> key. He has no way of knowing what you intend to do next.

kartal · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2008, 07:40 PM »

well he can limit amount of time that key is pressed or not. If I am pressing 2 keys in less than .5 sec then that means I am not trying to unhide the taskbar?

tinjaw · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2008, 08:09 PM »

Quote from: kartal on March 18, 2008, 07:40 PM

well he can limit amount of time that key is pressed or not. If I am pressing 2 keys in less than .5 sec then that means I am not trying to unhide the taskbar?

Which is fine from a programming point of view, but from a usability point of view I would introduce a latency of equal duration for the taskbar to appear if that is what you did want.

Currently there is no delay if I just want the taskbar, and if I want <Win> + something, the taskbar pops up and then goes back down. I would rather have the temporary popup than the delay.

The great thing about skrommel's program is that we have the source script and can modify to our personal choice.

lanux128 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2008, 03:51 AM »

this thread just got picked up by gHacks.net.

[attach=#]
• http://www.ghacks.net/2008/03/18/display-windows-taskbar-only-when-key-is-pressed/

ghacks · « **Reply #12 on:** March 20, 2008, 08:45 AM »

don't say you run Adblock Plus on my blog Lanux128, shame on you

iphigenie · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2008, 11:16 AM »

I don't use adblocking but your blog would tempt me to do.

Vibrant media ads are a pain and freeze the mouse while vibrant thinks about it (and the words it chooses are so general as to be useless - an "Act database migration tool" popping up on the word "software" is unlikely to get a click)

I am also unlikely to ever click on the stuff adsense chose to show - how the heck did it come up with

Quote

Heat Pressed Clothing
Add Your Logo, No Set-Up Fee For Text Embroidery, Order Online Now!

to go with that article?

If you are going to put ads like google or vibrant to monetise your blog, a bit more optimisation of their setting could allow you to make a lot more with less ads

jgpaiva · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2008, 08:29 PM »

Someone just reported the following:

Quote

the file is resulted Trojan by "antivir personnal" antivirus

About the file mouser posted above.

Obviously, that's antivir being idiot, since mouser only compiled the script skrommel posted.
Unfortunatelly, it's becoming quite frequent for antivirus programs to flag ahk scripts as viruses

nogojoe · « **Reply #15 on:** March 21, 2008, 12:43 AM »

Hi Skommel

Like this AHK immensely

Just have one small query though : when PushToShow is running and when I want to pause the script for a short period through the icon in the taskbar , the taskbar stays active until you click on something on the desktop then reverts back to hiding the taskbar although the icon still shows that it should be paused (ie showing red instead of green).

Failing having actually to close and exit the program is there a remedy you can effect

Thanks nogojoe

Armando · « **Reply #16 on:** March 21, 2008, 02:00 AM »

I like it.

I was also secretly hoping that is would forbid my task bar to ever appear again with its flashing blue windows tabs (you know, when an app wants the focus)...
I wonder if AHK could make that dream come true (through Skrommel's magic wand).

skrommel · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2008, 12:47 AM »

kartal: I've made a version that shows the taskbar when the windows key is released, it will work better with Win+E and other hotkeys.

nogojoe: I could add a proper pause action. When you pause now, the taskbar is still set to autohide and so it hides completely.

Armando: Try downloading TweakUi from microsoft, I think it has an option to disable button flashing.

Skrommel

Armando · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2008, 06:37 AM »

Quote from: skrommel on March 24, 2008, 12:47 AM

Armando: Try downloading TweakUi from microsoft, I think it has an option to disable button flashing.

Thanks Skrommel. I tried that in the past but found it to be unreliable. I might try again and pray...

steven0451 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2008, 09:50 AM »

Wow...

There are very few programs that peak my interest, but this one is my new best friend.

Keep up the good work!

Nxqd3051990 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 26, 2008, 11:13 AM »

Great, my favorite app

nogojoe · « **Reply #21 on:** March 29, 2008, 09:03 AM »

Quote from: skrommel on March 24, 2008, 12:47 AM

nogojoe: I could add a proper pause action. When you pause now, the taskbar is still set to autohide and so it hides completely.

Skrommel

Hi Skommel

I would be grateful if you could do that as I have the program in the startup folder .Its when I leave the comp and someone else uses it they wonder what’s the hell is wrong with it when they can‘t see the taskbar .
Occasionally I am only away for a few minutes and someone else takes over not necessary the same person each time.
If you could post the code on here I could take from there.

Many thanks
nogojoe.

kartal · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2008, 09:22 PM »

Thanks, but the version in this topic does not do that? Did you put it somewhere else?

Quote from: skrommel on March 24, 2008, 12:47 AM

kartal: I've made a version that shows the taskbar when the windows key is released, it will work better with Win+E and other hotkeys.

nogojoe: I could add a proper pause action. When you pause now, the taskbar is still set to autohide and so it hides completely.

Armando: Try downloading TweakUi from microsoft, I think it has an option to disable button flashing.

Skrommel

skrommel · « **Reply #23 on:** August 10, 2008, 08:13 PM »

I just updated the post above to show the program instead of the code, and I think there's some improvements, too.

Skrommel

tinjaw · « **Reply #24 on:** August 11, 2008, 11:10 AM »

Quote from: skrommel on August 10, 2008, 08:13 PM

I just updated the post above to show the program instead of the code, and I think there's some improvements, too.

Skrommel

Thanks again for this Skrommel. This runs on my laptop 24x7.