Toolbar menus

[dbarrow]

Tired of searching through Start\Programs to find the things you use everyday?

Once you start installing a bunch of stuff, Start\Programs can get really confusing and very large.
If you really don't like icons splattered all across your desktop, and I don't, you can create custom menus to easily access your most commonly used items.

Toolbar popup menus are one easy place to put them.
Start by creating a new folder in %\OS partition.
Let's name this one WEB for all programs we use for web surfing and internet functions.
Drag an exe to it and create a shortcut there, ie: find the Firefox.exe and create the shorcut for it in WEB. Do the same with Internet Explorer and all your other Web tools or programs.
Rename the shortcuts ... as you don't want shortcut to Firefox.exe, just rename to Firefox.
If you have a particular URL you want to open without going into your bookmarks, create that as well and name it.

Next, right click on your taskbar
In the popup, go to the top and see Toolbars> and sub-menu New Toolbar. Click on that and point it at your WEB folder you created.
The WEB toolbar will appear on your bottom toolbar. Slide it over to the right until it compresses. You should now see WEB[>>]. When you click on the box, your WEB menu will scroll up

You can also customize your START menu.
Open Documents and Settings
If you want the custom menu available to all users, you are going to place it in All Users, if not, go to your user\Start Menu
If you copy the WEB folder you created for the toolbar her, it will now be in your START menu.
Create any folders you wish.
I have a UTILITY with subs of Sound, Graphics, System each of which are broken down further by the associated shortcuts ie: UTILITY\SOUND\CD TOOLS

You can create START menu items to open Explorer to specific folders.
MUSIC is a START menu item
E:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n, /e, C:\Music

The shortcut tells it to go to E:\Windows and launch explorer.exe with the flags to full screen expand and explore c:\Music

I use a multitude of these in my START menu to navigate to Documents =E:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n, /e, C:\DOCUMENTS
or my master music repository on a network machine = E:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n, /e, \\BEAST\MUSIC

It is much easier to create custom menus and shortcuts in your START menu than to root around Programs or open Explorer and dig down to what you want to get to!

[tonyd]

Nice - thanks
-td

[PeteF]

If you really don't like icons splattered all across your desktop, and I don't, you can create custom menus to easily access your most commonly used items.

Toolbar popup menus are one easy place to put them.
Start by creating a new folder in %\OS partition.
Let's name this one WEB for all programs we use for web surfing and internet functions.


I'll have to experiment with some of your techniques.
I happen the think that Microsoft had it right in the first place with the
concept of using "groups" on the desktop. Going with your basic concept above, I currently
use a similar technique for organizing my Icons on the desktop, but I use folders on the
desktop to do it. For example, I have some desktop folders named as follows...

* Graphics
* Sound
* Office&Prodictivity
* Internet
* MyWebsite
* Programming
*....and various other folders

Inside each folder I have all my Icons for the various programs I
use to do a particular category of tasks. Once it's all setup I hardly
ever go to START -> All Programs unless I'm running some infrequently
used program.

The desktop remains relatively clean by keeping those folders closed.
When working on a particular project I might open 1 or 2 folders that
provides easy access to some 30 or 40 Icons/applications.

---pete---

[dbarrow]

I took exception to the way MS builds START menus from the very start.
I don't like having to hunt through four columns of Programs to find what I need and refuse to have any icons blocking the nice background desktops I choose.

For the sake of order and function, I have all custom menus broken down by function or task, ie: if I want to get to my vid controls/programs Start\Utility\System\Video.
To get to my games, Start\Games

Every time you install a program, it wants to create a pile of shortcuts somewhere, with its own folder, and uninstall, readme, website, etc. or 5-7 entries I don't want cluttering up my turf.

I simply move the shortcut for the program exe to the correct custom menu and delete the rest.

The Toolbar menu is a 2 click process which makes it very fast to get to items you use frequently.

The Start menu can be done similar but I don't let it grow beyond one column tall and use it for main and sub folders by function.

The Explorer shortcuts are a real + to open directly to a particular folder, expecially network folders on another machine where you don't want to spend a week navigating to them. I use a bunch of them to navigate my network without even bothering to think of which machine the folder is on or digging down to get to it.

Placing URLS in the WEB toolbar is faster than opening the browser, opening bookmarks, navigating to correct bookmark. Just popup the WEB toolbar and click on KH and the browser opens to KH.

You have plenty of room in the taskbar to add many short toolbar menus.
I made one for daughter for all the programs she uses for her medical transcription studies. She only has to click that toolbar to bring up all her programs w/ explorer shortcuts that take her directly to all her documents. That way, she never has to go into the Start menu and navigate to what she needs.

Don't forget BATCH programs!
Have not done it in a while but... you can create a small .bat program in Notepad to run/open numerous programs.
Just create the line entries for each exe, save as a .bat, put the .bat in your toolbar menu, right click OPEN and it will run the string.

[mylanta]

Seems like a lot of work DB. I buy keyboards with at least 5 power keys for what I use most. Most of them have Browser and email keys standard, with My Documents etc...then I put one folder on Quick Launch for DB's I use daily.
Much easier...

[PeteF]

I don't like having to hunt through four columns of Programs to find what I need and refuse to have any icons blocking the nice background desktops I choose.

Ok, I agree about the All Programs columns issue but we differ in that
I could care less about background images. I have pictures on the wall
for that sort of thing. :) My background is plain blue. My main goal is to
launch the needed apps using the fewest number of motions and clicks.
Most times, on my system of desktop folders & icons, that means 2 steps;
one mouse movement and one double-click. At most it is 4 steps;
a movement to the dektop folder, double click it, movement to the
desired Icon, and double-click to launch the application.

In contrast to my 2 step or 4 step process above, MS will
have us doing an 8 step process...

1.) Movement to activate the hidden taskbar
2.) Movement to START button
3.) Click START
4.) Movement to All Programs
5.) Movement to the desired Group
6.) Movement to context menu
7.) Movement to selection of desired Icon
8.) Click Icon to launch application

If you are lucky you will not overshoot on any of those
movements which would cause you to have to start all
over again, making it a 16 step process. :doh:

Ok with all that in mind, I have often found that the truth can be
determined by converting a real life situation into numbers and using
very simple math you can come to a final number that represents
the truth. In other words, whatever your menuing system is, count
the number of steps required to launch the desired application and
note the total count. If you have less steps you have a more efficient
system. To me that's what matters most. That's why I say folders
or icons directly on the desktop is the most efficient method.

---pete---

[dbarrow]

There are a multitude of ways to organize and tame XP to your personal style. That is the beauty of XP!
Be it toolbar menus, custom Start menus, desktop shortcuts, or keyboard hotkeys (which I do use), you have the freedom to organize any way that works for you.

The point of the exercise is, many "average users" never learn these tricks and end up with a very bloated Start menu or a hundred icons all over their desktop with no logical order. How many machines do you see where just finding Word is an exercise in futility? It almost makes me cry to watch some of these people hunt and hunt while muttering " I know it's in here somewhere!"
Their desktop is a pure eyesore of garbage they never use.
And, how about those programs (Like anything related to AOHell) that plaster 20 icons on your desktop?

Yes, the collapsing menu tree is one of the most frustrating! Slip the mouse off the edge of the box and start from scratch!

I remember the first install of XP and how revolted I was at the eye candy, balloons, and other annoying crap. My first few days were spent getting rid of all that.
My desktop is MY turf and I get very sensitive about any intrusions!

[casey]

How about some tips on taming the program files?

[dbarrow]

How about some tips on taming the program files?


as in?
What do you want to tame?

[casey]

As I have two many programs and I must keep the fonts big so I can see easier. The programs go off the screen and I would like to organize them like on the desktop...I deleted a lot just to cut down on the amount.

[dbarrow]

Casey... you lost me.
Are you trying to organize the links to the programs?
Do you need to reduce the PROGRAM menu?

You can adjust the size of the FONT for a MENU in appearance/advanced

[casey]

I was thinking more like having to put all Microsoft programs in the same folder. But now that you mention it as I was the one to increase the size of the Menu font
maybe I'll just go back and try a smaller font and see how that works since I deleted some programs...

[casey]

Okay, I changed the menu font size as it was 24 but I couldn't go any lower then 21, Maybe I'm not explaining myself clear enough. I have three rows of programs and when I open programs the third row is mostly hidden off the screen. MY thought was having Microsoft word, Access, individual programs combined to just one that would take up less room. I know I could just change all the font sizes but then I have a harder time reading.

[casey]

I guess my problem was I had Large Fonts set in appearance. I changed that to normal and that reset the
size to 24 and changed the font size from 10 to 8 but it brought my third row back where it should be. I guess that;s the best I can do for now, Thanks...

[dbarrow]

If you are talking about 3 rows in the Start\Programs menu..
I would find that very busy and hard to navigate.

You can DRAG & DROP in here!
First, start by figuring out some type of indexing system that works for you.
I like to group by function, ie: anything related to system, system tools,etc. lives in my SYSTEM folder
Anything WEB related would live there, etc.

Create new folders with the major headings you want in your Documents & Settings\(My User)\Start Menu, if you want them in the first column of START or \Programs if you want to go START\Programs\

If you have multiple users and want the same menu available for them, do this in Documents & Settings\All Users\...

Once you have your main index of folders, no more than one column, go to the taskbar START and open the menu.
You can then Drag & Drop items there into the new folders by function or your chosen index method.
Leave out all those unecessary shortcuts that come with most of them like uninstall, readme, website, ect.
If they have their own folder, with all that junk, just drag out the exe shortcut and can the rest.

Once you get familiar with the process, it is very simple to customize the START menu to something easy to live with and well organized according to your needs and preferrences.

Don't let Windows dominate you! Have it your way!

[casey]

It seems we are talking about two different things. I went into Doc & Set./programs and counted 17 programs. I came back to start and went into programs(where I am having the problem) and counted 90 programs. Now this might be an excessive amount of programs but this is a collection over the years. Like I said I already deleted many programs. It seems my biggest problem was the "Large Fonts" setting in appearance. Bychanging this to "Normal" I can now see the third column...

[dbarrow]

Many of those shortcuts DO NOT go away when you uninstall the program.
You may have 70 leftovers.

[mommalina]

.....I happen the think that Microsoft had it right in the first place with the concept of using "groups" on the desktop. Going with your basic concept above, I currently use a similar technique for organizing my Icons on the desktop, but I use folders on the
desktop to do it. ....

Is it true that too many desktop icons cause a slow startup and wear and tear on the computer? And desktop folders to reduce the number of desktop icons do not reduce these negative effects?

Lina

[mylanta]

Is it true that too many desktop icons cause a slow startup and wear and tear on the computer? And desktop folders to reduce the number of desktop icons do not reduce these negative effects?

Lina

Yes same way with program shortcuts in Start menu that are no longer there...remember when you boot up, everything on your desktop has to be ready to use...so want to boot up faster, empty the desktop!

[dbarrow]

Another debatable subject...
Icons require loading a small graphic. Numerous icons, depending on size, will therefore exert a certain memory usage requirement.
XP has a function to delete unused or no longer valid icons so there must be a valid reason for this.

Each icon and shortcut will have registry key(s) associated with it. How much overall effect this has on system resources is hard to tell especially on a powerful system.
Yes, a bloated registry does load slower than a lean and mean one, a visible difference I have noted after thorough scrubbing with JV16 to remove unecessary or no longer valid keys.
Maybe not so much the memory requirements to load the registry but the processing involved as a false result has to be skipped requiring dedicated processing as the registry loads and goes down the list of keys.

It all happens so fast, can you really see any difference?
I have always been a relentless cleaner and will remove anything no longer of value or validity. Can't help but believe that excess left over garbage and invalid items must have some eventual impact on performance.

[PeteF]

Is it true that too many desktop icons cause a slow startup and wear and tear on the computer? And desktop folders to reduce the number of desktop icons do not reduce these negative effects?


Lina,
On my desktop, I have a total of 291 Icons, some of which are in 19 different
folders. I have a combo of about 54 Icons & Folders showing upon startup and
my system starts up within a minute or so. I have never experienced a slow
startup that I attributed to having too many desktop icons. I really don't
understand this obsession with Microsoft, the way they want us to clear
off our desktop Icons all the time. I have that Icon clean up wizard disabled.

Anyway, even if having so many desktop Icons did slow down the startup by
30 seconds or so, the amount of efficiency and convenience gained by far,
outweighs it.

Lina, good question about folders reducing any negative effects.
I really don't know the answer to that.

---pete---