Windows 7 Toolbar, how to create it

Microsoft, with its Windows 7, has removed one of the most useful features it had with XP and Vista. Previously, we were able to drag a toolbar and dock it to one of the sides of the desktop. This could also be achieved with dragging a folder to a side of the desktop to create a toolbar where we can place shortcuts and links for convenient use. All that was gone with Windows 7.

After searching for a solution, it just seemed that the only way to replace the missing feature is by using a third-party software. And with all the docking programs and software out there, one program was able to impress me. It allowed me to create just what that lost windows feature would allow me to. The presented image in this post just shows you what “True Launch Bar” software can do; it was just what I wanted!

So here are step-by-step instructions for creating a Windows 7 side toolbar:

1. Download True Launch Bar
2. During installation and when you reach the “Quick Start Guide” page, click “Next”. For the purpose of this tutorial, you don’t need to apply the steps they mention to add the toolbar using that way.
3. Uncheck the checkbox for updates button and click the “Finish” button.
4. To launch the application we need, click the Windows “Start” button and then type “Standalone True Launch Bar” in the search bar until you see it under Programs, then press “Enter” to launch it.
5. When the “Standalone True Launch Bar” dialog opens, look at the “Dock” section and for the “Dock side” drop down button, select where you want it to appear, I like to put it on the right side, so I select “Right”.
6. For the “Full Row” checkbox, I prefer to leave it unchecked (and later I drag its bottom side to set its length)
7. For the “Toolbar style” section, hit the “Taskbar” radio button.
8. At the bottom left, check the “Run on system startup” checkbox, so that you can have the toolbar always load when your computer starts
9. and then click the “Ok” button

You will notice that a bar appears on the top right of your desktop. It will contain links of what is in the Windows (actually Internet Explorer) Quick launch toolbar. Windows 7 by default has removed the Quick Launch from the taskbar, but with a tweak you can add that taskbar to it again. For this tutorial, we don’t need it at all.

Now, do the following to setup the folder of your choice as a toolbar to make it contain your links and shortcuts:

1. Create a folder. As an example, I have created a folder in “My Documents” and named it “My Links”
2. Right click over the toolbar, and select “Switch toolbar”, then click “Manage Toolbars…”
3. With the Toolbars tab selected, click the “New” button
4. Browse to your folder. In our Case, it’s in My Documents > My Links
5. click the “OK” button. Then click “Ok” again for the “True Launch Bar settings” dialog
6. Now, right click again over the True Launch Bar toolbar, and select “Switch toolbar” then click “My Links”

Few more steps to have the toolbar satisfy my needs!

When you right click over the “True Launch Bar” toolbar you will see a set of options, the following was done after right clicking…

1. click “Show Text” so that we can see the actual shortcut name next to its icon.
2. “Taskbar mode” , if checked , the bar will act like a sidebar in a way that when you maxmize a window, it cannot ovelap with it. Note: You might not see this behavior directly, but when you restart the PC it will act like that. If you uncheck it, which I like to set, a window can be maximized to its full. And also, it will allow you to put desktop icons below the toolbar.
3. click “Always On Top” to uncheck it so that you can see the full window when maximized.

And now, drag and drop whatever shortcuts you want to the toolbar, or go to its folder directly and add them there.

Final tips:

• You can expand the size of the toolbar by hovering the mouse cursor over its free borders (bottom for example in our case) and drag it.
• when you finish setting it up, it’s good to lock it by right clicking over it and selecting “Lock the toolbar”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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