Objectdock is a wonderful program... I've been keeping my eye on it and like where it is going! However, Objectdock does take system resources. If I am going to be able to use it, I need to be able to use it as a complete start menu replacement. I don't want to have them both running.

I know that you can have a start button and system tray with other Stardock products but I don't want to have anything else running besides Objectdock really.

I hope that these features are added in in the future. I know that Stardock really listens to it's users so I'm sure they will be eventually. But until they do so, Objectdock is really just a toy. You can't access all your programs, and you can't use instant messaging. And like I said, if I have my windows taskbar open too, then why would I need Objectdock?

yea i agree with kingsky, objectdock should have a start button, that would be extremely usefull. Im looking forward to the next version if it ever gets implemented

One other thing I forgot to mention is the clock. If it is going to remain a clock, it should show the TIME!

it does show the time king

Perhaps one idea for offering "skinning" capabilities, is to do pretty much what every other Stardock program does... rename a zip file to something like "mytheme.dock", and just unzip it to a folder in the ObjectDock install directory. Then instead of modifying background.ini to accommodate changes to the background or separator PNGs, it would just contain the name of the directory where it can find a new background.ini as well as supplimentary appimages.ini & dockitems.ini files.

Then, as a user, you'd just have the option to say "My INI files take precendece over skin INI files" or "Skin INI's take precendence over mine". That way, if a "skin" contained some images, the author could create additional dock images or application/class images which could override the defaults (or not, depending on the selection you make above).

In fact, they could probably just allow dock items specified in the skin to add on to the end of your own dock items, if you select that option. And if not, you could just choose some images from the skin manually to replace your own. ObjectDock already reads any images from all subdirectories, so it doesn't seem like it would be too hard to group the images according to the skin name.

is anyone else having the problem that the recycle bin object doesn't accurately reflect whether the recycle bin has items in it or not?

::oneiros::, would it be too difficult to explain how you made the docks semitransparent? E-Mail me if you like. [email protected] If you don't have the time, no problem I understand.

Thanks,

jarget

::oneiros::, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Doesn't ANYBODY know what wallpaper that is ? please ?!

I'm having problems with the dock showing up over my cursor whenever I come out of a D3D app (such as Unrel Tournament 2003). Then, whenever I press an icon, it goes behind the dock bar . Also, it seems to crash very often when exiting Outlook (not express).

Aside from that, this is a great app!

Forgot to mention: I'm also using cursorXP plus.

jarget:
the easiest way to do transparency is to open the PNG file in Adobe Photoshop, and in the "layers" window, just decrease the opacity (85% is reasonable, depending on the background), then resave the file back as a PNG and restart ObjectDock.

If you have Corel PhotoPaint, it's a little more complex - you have to open the image, go to the Mask menu and pick "Select All", then Edit->Cut, and then Edit->Paste>as new object, then right click the image, select Object Properties and decrease the opacity, and resave. (That's with version 11 - in previous versions, I believe you have to increase transparency, rather than decrease opacity).

As for any other program, like PaintShop Pro - I'm not sure off hand, but it will likely be something similar to one of the above methods.

Also, MogWaEE: I have the same problem, but I'm not running cursorXP plus. However, I have also applied a registry patch that allows Outlook to minimize to the tray instead of the taskbar - when I disable that option, it doesn't seem to crash any more. Perhaps you have a similar configuration?

DixonHill I tried it in Paintshop Pro 7 but couldn't get it to work. Oh well thanks anyway for your help.

Jarget:

It does work! Under the "Layers" menu, you should see "Properties," and the opacity slider is there. I just set it my new background and seperator PNGs to 52% (for MY taste ) and it looks GREAT.

DixonHill:

Thanks for the info! I, too, have PSP7, have used PSP for years, but mostly just for simple photo cleanup, etc. As a result, I wasn't sure about layers usage. Glad my previous post wasn't as dumb as I thought!

Dang, now I got it. Thanks Floyd R. Turbo and Thanks DixonHill. I am quite the happy camper.

Rock The Nation.

jarget

objectdock still crashes when u minimize winamp .It be cool if artists can start making skins for Objectdock like icons etc

iOn, try setting winamp to minimize to taskbar only in Winamp preferences. Works for me on my WinXP HE PC.

ObjectDock keeps getting better...

I would like to add a feature request, though. Right-clicking on an icon in the pseudo-taskbar brings up the config for that icon...I would find it a LOT more useful to have the standard right-click menu for that app show up, with maybe a "Config" option on the menu.

Also, a system tray that works exactly like the task bar and supports filtering would be pretty groovy.

Oh, and a million dollars.

Ah...got it transparent...now I'm a happy camper...

ok Jafo : I'm a happy camper

KLW: The wallpaper is "Cogs", by me. Click on my name and you will find it.

OK, I've reverse-engineered the two "skins" for Object Dock, and I've gotten the hang of making the .png's for the background transparent. I can also get the corners fully transparent to give the bar a rounded look, but I can't seem to do both at once (I'm using photoshop 5). What I've got in mind is to combine both styles into a blue, rounded, semi-transparent, metallic bar.

If someone who actually knows what they're doing could help me out, I'd really appreciate it. (I'm sure it's something simple like "just change this one setting..." )

Been waiting for something like this for a while...excellent.

I have dual monitors and the dock sits inbetween the two screens, this makes using it a little difficult, I'd like it if I could reposition the dock to where I like, not just top, bottom, left & right.

I too would like to be able to get rid of the Windows task bar other than just hiding it, so a Start button and a System tray "object" would be quite usefull.

But so far...very impressed!!

Forgot to ask:
anyone know the 'path' for the 'Show Desktop' in the Quick Launch bar?

Thanks.

Kuma san: just drag the "Show Desktop" icon straight from your Quick Launch toolbar right onto the dock. Then customize it from there. You might have to drag using your right mouse button instead of your left in case Windows tries to move the icon instead of copying it.

The only problem with this method is that ObjectDock won't read the shortcut and create a link to the hidden 'path'. All it does is create a link to the shortcut - so if you later delete the shortcut from your quick launch bar, it will become a dead link in ObjectDock. To avoid that, you could always drag a copy of the shortcut to your Windows folder first so that you'll always have it, and then drag it from there to ObjectDock.