Smartbar

[msarhank]

Dear Mr. A.,

Thank you very much. Done already!

Please do keep up the good work and the superb applications. I will surely be expecting more to come.

Best regards,
msarhank

[kaplah_jones]

I can't find a URL that works to d/l Smartbar. All are broken. Is it available? If so what is the cost or are you just beta testing at present?

[radhoo]

Hi kaplah_jones,

you can download a trial version from www.teksoftco.com , section Smartbar.

[admin]

Dear All,

A newer version of Smartbar, 1.2.009 has been released.

A snippet from the release notes:

Build 1.2.009
-Smart.exe error fixed
-White-bar-bug when Start menu was opened fixed
-Non phone edition devices compatible
-VGA Theme added
-user asked wheter to install the smartbar theme

Feel free to comment about this release. Feedback helps

Mr. A.

[UKenGB]

Several issues regarding this.

Download link indicates it is the 1.2.... release, but it actually sends 1.0.010.

From where can the correct latest release be obtained.

In use.

I have looked for something that would put running apps in the bar at the bottom of the screen and SB looks like the answer. But...

Biggest gripe is that it's not configurable enough. Maybe I don't want the 2 'special' icons on the left, maybe I'm not interested in a Screen grabber (I'm not) and Ultra Keyboard is by your own admission worthless on a device without a hardware keyboard, so why force me to accept this clutter?

Disabling the Date plug-in is arrogant. I DEFINITELY want that to display and an app that makes such decisions for itself is BAD.

The System tray area should include those items in the std. WM5 system tray. Addition of others a possibility, but there doesn't seem to be much. However, including the std items should at least be an option as well as being able to turn OFF the date and time display (which is different from the Today plug-in, go figure).

Did I say it should be more configurable?

The Close/minimise/etc button in the top right is a disaster. Something like iLauncher KNOWS what is required for whatever is the active app. This idea of the user having to make the choice as to what action is taken is hopeless. Quite frankly, I have NO idea what app requires what, can it be 'closed' or does it have to be minimised? I don't know and I shouldn't be required to know. If I set the default to be 'Close, then SB should do that, or the nearest closest equivalent. Don't just BEEP at me.

Regarding the above, how can I actually 'Close' a system window? If I use Start/Settings/whatever, I cannot then 'Close' it. I just get an icon in the task bar that I cannot get rid of. It MUST be possible to really close a system window. Even WM5 cannot be that stupid.

Apart from these issues, SmartBar has GREAT potential as I love having running apps in that otherwise underused bar/system tray. But, it needs some work.

Oh, yes, greater configurability would be nice:-)

[radhoo]

Thanks UKenGB,

Several issues regarding this.

Download link indicates it is the 1.2.... release, but it actually sends 1.0.010.

From where can the correct latest release be obtained.

In use.

I have looked for something that would put running apps in the bar at the bottom of the screen and SB looks like the answer. But...

Biggest gripe is that it's not configurable enough. Maybe I don't want the 2 'special' icons on the left, maybe I'm not interested in a Screen grabber (I'm not) and Ultra Keyboard is by your own admission worthless on a device without a hardware keyboard, so why force me to accept this clutter?

Disabling the Date plug-in is arrogant. I DEFINITELY want that to display and an app that makes such decisions for itself is BAD.

I agree with you, these all need to change in a future release.

The System tray area should include those items in the std. WM5 system tray. Addition of others a possibility, but there doesn't seem to be much. However, including the std items should at least be an option as well as being able to turn OFF the date and time display (which is different from the Today plug-in, go figure).

Well I'm not sure this is a good idea. WM5's system tray contains some system icons and other third party icons, but Smartbar should stay together: why to separate the Desktop icon from the Taskbar icon when they are all part of the same application? OK, but from this comes another idea (I'm sure you will like it): Why not offering an option to autohide the left menu (the 3 icons): this way you can use the entire bar for displaying Task Icons (like hiding the quickmenu in Windows XP).

The Close/minimise/etc button in the top right is a disaster. Something like iLauncher KNOWS what is required for whatever is the active app. This idea of the user having to make the choice as to what action is taken is hopeless. Quite frankly, I have NO idea what app requires what, can it be 'closed' or does it have to be minimised? I don't know and I shouldn't be required to know. If I set the default to be 'Close, then SB should do that, or the nearest closest equivalent. Don't just BEEP at me.

All the buttons are in the manual, please have a look:
http://www.teksoftco.com/index.php?sect ... losebutton
Actually you only need to use Minimize and Close. Minimize also Does OK when needed, automatically.

(EDITED: UKenGB, I came back to this message after a few tests with Smartbar and BlueMusic. Sorry, but I'm starting to be unhappy about what you wrote. Your feedback is most welcome, but you need to document yourself better before posting. Why? Because if you don't do this and simply jump to conclusions, your feedback will be useless, users will only run into trouble after reading your input: You've tried to install BlueMusic using the Close button in smartbar. This is like trying to install something in the PC and pressing X to quit the installation before its complete. Now why did you do that? Please, please, please, check the Smartbar's manual. You'll see that it offers many answers to your questions, its quite big and comprehensive. And my advise: Use only X and Minimize. Minimize presses OK automatically, so don't worry about the OK anymore. And if you want to close a task (wipe it from memory) use the close, but don't do this on installers or you'll terminate them!!!!!!)

Regarding the above, how can I actually 'Close' a system window? If I use Start/Settings/whatever, I cannot then 'Close' it. I just get an icon in the task bar that I cannot get rid of. It MUST be possible to really close a system window. Even WM5 cannot be that stupid.

If you close a system window (close like with the Close button in Smartbar), the result would be the termination of the process that owns that window = meaning your device will restart or hang up if you terminate a system process.

What about the Desktop (you didn't say anything about it)?

[radhoo]

UKenGB, I came back to this message after a few tests with Smartbar and BlueMusic`s installer.

Sorry, but I'm starting to be unhappy about what you wrote. Your feedback is most welcome, but you need to document yourself better before posting. Why?

Because if you don't do this and simply jump to conclusions, your feedback will be useless, users will only run into trouble after reading your input:
You've tried to install BlueMusic using the Close button in smartbar. This is like trying to install something in the PC and pressing X to quit the installation before its complete.

Now why did you do that? Please, please, please, check the Smartbar's manual. You'll see that it offers many answers to your questions, its quite big and comprehensive.

And my advise: Use only X and Minimize. Minimize presses OK automatically, so don't worry about the OK anymore. And if you want to close a task (wipe it from memory) use the close, but don't do this on installers or you'll terminate them!!!!!!

[UKenGB]

I would also say that the Desktop ... Hiding the special icons would be good, but I still want to see the existing System tray icons shown in SB's bar.

I guess what I want is a utility that simply puts running apps (unless specified as 'hidden') onto the existing System Tray (starting from the left preferably) - nothing more, nothing less.

[admin]

So, as a conclusion, all what the user need to decide is wheter he wants to Close a task, or Minimize it to the background.

WM2003/5.0 by default only minimizes the Applications, so they are still in memory, consuming system resources.

This is what Smartbar's CloseButton brings new: Instead of only Minimizing, one can also press Close when he knows he wants to terminate that program.

(Like on the PC when you read something in an Internet page, you minize it to go to the page behind, but when you don't need it anymore you press the X).

[bsabuktr]

had installed smartbar on to my imate jasjam(wm5).Its working fine except the "SORT" option.
No action when I click on SORT.

[radhoo]

Hi,

Could you attach an image with how your smartbar desktop looks?

Thanks
Radu

[bsabuktr]

Hi,

Could you attach an image with how your smartbar desktop looks?

Thanks
Radu

Hi,

PLease see the attachment of my smartbar desktop

[Rambler]

It seems the only I can get out of the "Settings" screen is to switch to the Today Screen. The "X" won't close it. Is there a way to close the Settings screen any other way?

Also, I found that the OrangeSkin taskbar icons don't change when you switch to another theme. I had to reinstall Smartbar to get the original taskbar icons back.

Thanks,
Ron

[Rambler]

It seems the only I can get out of the "Settings" screen is to switch to the Today Screen. The "X" won't close it. Is there a way to close the Settings screen any other way?

Wow... No one can tell me if there's a way to exit the Settings screen other than having to switch to the Today screen? And again - "X" and "OK" are not available to close this. Wierd...

[radhoo]

It seems the only I can get out of the "Settings" screen is to switch to the Today Screen. The "X" won't close it. Is there a way to close the Settings screen any other way?

Also, I found that the OrangeSkin taskbar icons don't change when you switch to another theme. I had to reinstall Smartbar to get the original taskbar icons back.

Thanks,
Ron

Hi Rambler,

"X" cannot be used on system windows - if we would allow this, it would hang your device.
"OK" only works with some of the windows, mainly dialogs.
So for settings a good choice would be to use "Minimize".