Windows Vista Security: Praxisorientierte Sicherheit für Profis

Customizing Windows Vista’s Desktop

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Getting Around the Taskbar

The taskbar in Windows Vista has several key features:

Start button

Displays the Start menu, as previously discussed

Quick Launch Toolbar

Displays quick-access buttons for programs

Program buttons

Provide access to running programs

Notification area

Displays system notifications and the current time

Each area has feature enhancements. The sections that follow discuss the enhance-

ments for the Quick Launch Toolbar, program buttons, and the notification area.

Figure 2-6. Searching your computer

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Chapter 2: Optimizing Windows Vista’s Interface

Navigating and customizing the Quick Launch Toolbar

You’ll find the Quick Launch Toolbar to the right of the Start button. The Quick

Launch Toolbar is displayed by default in Windows Vista with two buttons:

Show/Hide the Desktop

Shows the desktop by hiding all open windows, or unhides the desktop and

shows open windows

Switch Between Windows

Displays the Flip 3D view for switching between open windows

You can work with the Quick Launch Toolbar in several ways. If the toolbar is cur-

rently displayed and you want to hide it, right-click an open area of the taskbar,

point to Toolbars, and then select Quick Launch. Simply repeat this procedure if the

toolbar is hidden and you want to display it.

A new feature in Windows Vista is the ability to easily add any program to the Quick

Launch Toolbar. To customize the toolbar by adding programs, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Find the program you want to be able to quickly access in the menu.

3. Right-click the program’s menu item.

4. On the shortcut menu, select Add to Quick Launch.

To remove a program from the toolbar, right-click its icon and then select Delete.

This removes the program’s button from the toolbar.

Navigating and customizing taskbar buttons

The taskbar displays buttons for open programs that allow you to open their win-

dows. You’ll find taskbar buttons to the right of the Start button and the Quick

Launch Toolbar.

You can customize taskbar behavior using the Taskbar Appearance options found on

the Taskbar tab of the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box (see

Figure 2-7). To display this dialog box with the Taskbar tab selected, right-click an

open area of the taskbar and then select Properties. Once the dialog box is dis-

played, select or clear options as preferred and then click OK.

Table 2-2 details how you can use the options provided to customize taskbar behav-

ior. By default, all the options are selected except Auto-Hide the Taskbar.

Customizing Windows Vista’s Desktop

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Figure 2-7. Customizing the taskbar

Table 2-2. Options for customizing the taskbar

Taskbar option When selected... When not selected...

Lock the Taskbar Locks the taskbar in place to prevent

accidental moving or resizing.

Allows you to move thetaskbar to dock

it to other sides of the screen and to

resize the taskbar to display fewer or

more rows of buttons.

Auto-Hide the Taskbar Allows the taskbar to automatically

hide when you aren’t using it and dis-

play only when you move the cursor

over it.

Ensures that the taskbar is always dis-

played on the desktop (though not

necessarily on top of other windows).

Keep the Taskbar on Top of Other

Windows

Ensures that the taskbar, when active,

is always displayed on top of other

windows.

Allows other windows to be displayed

on top of the taskbar when it is not

active.

Group Similar Taskbar Buttons Groups similar taskbar buttons by type. Ensures that each program has its own

button.

Show Quick Launch Displays the Quick Launch Toolbar. Hides the Quick Launch Toolbar.

Show Window Previews (Thumbnails) Displays window preview thumbnails

when you move the pointer over task-

bar buttons.

Disables display of window preview

thumbnails.