Amiga TaskBar - By Robert Ennals

Please read this document to the end, as it contains important
information.



What is it


More observant Amiga users may have noticed that Windows 95 has
a nice little bar at the bottom of the screen called the Taskbar.
This bar allows you to switch between active programs.

Although I prefer AmigaDos to WimpDos (Windows) I rather liked the
taskbar and so I decided to write an Amiga version. I hope you
like it.

TaskBar is Freeware. You may use it and distribute it freely, but if
you like it, pass it on.



Features

Only 13k
Completely font and screenmode sensitive
Recognises new windows when opened
Nameless windows given name of owner task
Customerisable number of buttons



Functions


Amiga Taskbar can bring to front, maximise and panel any windows
on the workbench screen.


Bring to Front
> Simply left click on the window's button.


Maximise
> Click on the window's button with the right mouse button held down


Panel
> Click on both windows' buttons with the right mouse button held down


Select a non listed window
> Click on 'Other' and a button can be created for a window


Change the number of buttons
> Select the Icon from Workbench and enter your desired number as
the value for BUTTONS. For a normal Hires or DblPal screen I recommend
4 or 6 buttons.

Quit
>Select the window. If you want to be sure not to click on a button
then use the right mouse button. Once the window is selected hit a key.




Known Problems

Most problems that you may experience with TaskBar are due to the
owner of the window rather that taskbar. I am afraid that some
applications just do not like other tasks such as TaskBar taking
control over their windows and fiddling with them.
There aren't any serious problems, but some windows simply will not
panel or maximise properly. I am afraid that there is no way around
this. Fortunately most recent programs that handle windows cleanly
will work perfectly with TaskBar.

Possible problems

A button does not do anything
> The owner task may have closed or changed the pointer to the window

A window is not added to the list when I open or select it
> Due to limitations of the OS TaskBar cannot always tell when a new
window is created or selected.
If you want to add it to the buttonlist, simply click on 'Other'

I realise that my buttons look a bit odd when you click on them.
This is because, due to limitations of gadtools, I had to write the
text manually over the buttons. In the next version I will probably
bypass Gadtools altogether.





The Author

This Program was written by Robert Ennals.
Contact me if you find a bug, have an idea for an improvement, or just
want a chat.

Email
JaNET : ennals@kingston.ac.uk
  AOL : ennals@aol.com

  Tel : England-(01)81-941-5201

  Postal Address

  19 Belgrade Road, Hampton, Middx, England, TW12 2AZ


It would be nice if you could inform me if you release TaskBar in
a collection, publish it on a coverdisk, or review it in a magazine.




Future Updates

If I get mail telling me that you want me to do an update then I do it,
otherwise not. I'm not going to waste my time putting in a feature if
nobody want it.

> Open on every screen - Not just workbench
> Show windows form other screens on the taskbar
> Include a Win95 style Start button?
> Iconise or hide windows
> Shanghai windows to different screens
> Handle MUI windows via Arexx
> Patch intuition for window close notification
> Allow more than one row of buttons
> Make Buttons prettier