File Details |
|
| File Size | 0.4 MB |
|---|---|
| License | Freeware |
| Operating System | Windows 2000/Server 2003/XP |
| Date Added | March 22, 2006 |
| Total Downloads | 3,316 |
| Publisher | Microsoft Corp. |
| Homepage | Microsoft GroupBar |
Publisher's Description
GroupBar is lightweight desktop tool that offers enhanced window management capabilities in a Windows taskbar-like setting. The basic concept is that through simple drag-and-drop operations on window tiles within the bar, users can create lightweight, transient grouping relationships that allow them to perform certain higher-level window layout functions on multiple windows at once. In addition, windows and groups can be persisted in a "Snapshot" which attempts to remember the position and contents of each window in a way that allows the Snapshot to be recreated at a later time, even if the windows have been rearranged or closed.
Latest Reviews
Pariah reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 24, 2007
This just got added to C-net Last month. Not sure how long this has been around in non beta version if it is non beta, However.
Then beginning of Multi-Window Dynamics.
A MUST Have for Anyone with a big monitor or multiple monitors. This is the future of windows management (amazingly its taken so long to arrive). -Soo why did Microsoft take so long to figure out how to arrange & group multiple open windows & applications??. Duuh.____
Groupbar does what you've always wanted with Multi-window & Multi-application Activation, arranging, save group, close group, etc... For all types of browsing experiences, working environments, and multi-window projects. Nothing comes close, And it 100% free.
Unlike other Microsoft products this application is Tiny & doesn't rob your system resources. . IF you multi-task your computer or workstation in any form check this out. There are also a couple helpful video tuts online. ps - if you like this also check out Objectdock+.
Pariah ps. i can only assume Microsoft riped the idea from some poor little company trying to get off the ground... Well actually there starting to come out with there one ideas.
Its not the best looking dock but very powerful. App for large, or multi-monitors. I hope they keep working on this.
gcbetaman reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 7, 2006
What "research project" y que la chingada? This is the old "workspace" under MS-Works, but now it applies to all of your applications and documents. Hell, this should have been part of Windows from the beginning. For project oriented people, GroupBar makes a lot of sense; especially if you work with different types of documents or applications as a "group" -- get it? Groups? Damn. I've been looking for this for a long time. Thanks MS. As usual, always late to the party. PS: I hate it when you test me.
skizatch reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 7, 2006
Well it's just a research project (note the URL of the project's webpage). It's not really something they're pushing as part of the MSN Messenger installer, or even as a Powertoy.
EdanStarfire reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 6, 2006
Well, the main features I like are these:
Groups - Persistent. You can create them (easily using the snapshot feature) and then restore them. It's quite useful for my job searching quests...
Button Reordering - Nice feature. Why couldn't we do this earlier?
Minimize all else when clicked - You click on a button or group and anything not in that button or group is minimized away. Good for keeping your screens (2 in my case clear).
Some issues:
It gives you the option to create another bar - but there's no way to close only one bar, you have to close them all.
Also, I'd like to have an option to hide the main menu anyways...
If improved this would be a nice program.
The MAZZTer reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 6, 2006
Needs alot of work. I expected more from Microsoft.
- Does not integrate with XP Theming. Is hardcoded with only the default, ugly Luna Blue theme. And in fact the groupbar is uglier than the Luna Blue taskbar.
- Shows buttons on the groupbar that should be hidden... such as one of Microsoft AntiSpyware's forced minimized windows that isn't very useful on the taskbar/groupbar.
- If this is a taskbar replacement, it's a bad one. No system tray, so you need the original anyways. Clock is in a weird spot and you can't move it.
- Grouping seems sort of useless to me. Perhaps if it acted more like XP Taskbar's grouping, where you made one button popup into a menu for multiple windows. Then I could define all my chat programs to group into one button, for example. Grouping system tray icons in a similar manner might be cool too.
- I like the reordering of buttons. That's about it.
- In a collapsed grouped button the last window icon is often hidden.
- No integration with the taskbar's toolbar option, which might help imo.
- Plenty of better sidebar apps and taskbar replacements are out there.
- Possible to launch multiple instances when it shouldn't be. Weird things happen when dragging buttons from one instance to the other.
- You can add multiple bars, but each and every bar has the snapshot buttons, the start button, and the clock. This is in addition to the fact that, since if you need the systray you still need the original taskbar, you already have the start button and clock on both bars.
My verdict: MS should put button reordering into the normal taskbar feature set, and maybe add the ability to declare custom groups (as in the type of groups the taskbar already has). But right now I wouldn't use the groupbar app itself under any circumstances.
Pariah reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 24, 2007
This just got added to C-net Last month. Not sure how long this has been around in non beta version if it is non beta, However.
Then beginning of Multi-Window Dynamics.
A MUST Have for Anyone with a big monitor or multiple monitors. This is the future of windows management (amazingly its taken so long to arrive). -Soo why did Microsoft take so long to figure out how to arrange & group multiple open windows & applications??. Duuh.____
Groupbar does what you've always wanted with Multi-window & Multi-application Activation, arranging, save group, close group, etc... For all types of browsing experiences, working environments, and multi-window projects. Nothing comes close, And it 100% free.
Unlike other Microsoft products this application is Tiny & doesn't rob your system resources. . IF you multi-task your computer or workstation in any form check this out. There are also a couple helpful video tuts online. ps - if you like this also check out Objectdock+.
Pariah ps. i can only assume Microsoft riped the idea from some poor little company trying to get off the ground... Well actually there starting to come out with there one ideas.
Its not the best looking dock but very powerful. App for large, or multi-monitors. I hope they keep working on this.
gcbetaman reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 7, 2006
What "research project" y que la chingada? This is the old "workspace" under MS-Works, but now it applies to all of your applications and documents. Hell, this should have been part of Windows from the beginning. For project oriented people, GroupBar makes a lot of sense; especially if you work with different types of documents or applications as a "group" -- get it? Groups? Damn. I've been looking for this for a long time. Thanks MS. As usual, always late to the party. PS: I hate it when you test me.
skizatch reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 7, 2006
Well it's just a research project (note the URL of the project's webpage). It's not really something they're pushing as part of the MSN Messenger installer, or even as a Powertoy.
EdanStarfire reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 6, 2006
Well, the main features I like are these:
Groups - Persistent. You can create them (easily using the snapshot feature) and then restore them. It's quite useful for my job searching quests...
Button Reordering - Nice feature. Why couldn't we do this earlier?
Minimize all else when clicked - You click on a button or group and anything not in that button or group is minimized away. Good for keeping your screens (2 in my case clear).
Some issues:
It gives you the option to create another bar - but there's no way to close only one bar, you have to close them all.
Also, I'd like to have an option to hide the main menu anyways...
If improved this would be a nice program.
The MAZZTer reviewed v1.3.0.0 on Feb 6, 2006
Needs alot of work. I expected more from Microsoft.
- Does not integrate with XP Theming. Is hardcoded with only the default, ugly Luna Blue theme. And in fact the groupbar is uglier than the Luna Blue taskbar.
- Shows buttons on the groupbar that should be hidden... such as one of Microsoft AntiSpyware's forced minimized windows that isn't very useful on the taskbar/groupbar.
- If this is a taskbar replacement, it's a bad one. No system tray, so you need the original anyways. Clock is in a weird spot and you can't move it.
- Grouping seems sort of useless to me. Perhaps if it acted more like XP Taskbar's grouping, where you made one button popup into a menu for multiple windows. Then I could define all my chat programs to group into one button, for example. Grouping system tray icons in a similar manner might be cool too.
- I like the reordering of buttons. That's about it.
- In a collapsed grouped button the last window icon is often hidden.
- No integration with the taskbar's toolbar option, which might help imo.
- Plenty of better sidebar apps and taskbar replacements are out there.
- Possible to launch multiple instances when it shouldn't be. Weird things happen when dragging buttons from one instance to the other.
- You can add multiple bars, but each and every bar has the snapshot buttons, the start button, and the clock. This is in addition to the fact that, since if you need the systray you still need the original taskbar, you already have the start button and clock on both bars.
My verdict: MS should put button reordering into the normal taskbar feature set, and maybe add the ability to declare custom groups (as in the type of groups the taskbar already has). But right now I wouldn't use the groupbar app itself under any circumstances.