LaunchBar Contents

LaunchBar is a full-featured launcher for Windows 3.1 that will maintain extended properties for your programs and documents, allow you to launch them where and how you want them, and provide sophisticated task-switching power.  With four virtual desktops and a visual icon-based task-switcher, you can maximize your productivity while working with multiple programs at once.  To see detailed information about the features of launch bar, select a topic below:

Overview

The Resource Gauge

Launch Item Buttons

Building the Button Bar

Screen Switcher Button

Task Buttons

Right-click Context Sensitive Menus

Task Master Dialog Box

Preferences Dialog Box

Properties Dialog Box


Building the Button Bar

The button bar may be built more that one way:

Using the Preferences Dialog Box

This allows you to modify the button bar in a text-based format.

Using the "Add New Button" option from the Control Menu

This allows you to quickly add a new item using the properties dialog box.

Using Drag-and-drop

This allows you to add new buttons and modify the order of buttons using standard Windows drag-and-drop methods.

Loading Program Manager Group Items using the Preferences Dialog Box

This allows you to quickly load a Program Manager Group Members to speed button bar creation by allowing you to leverage your existing system configuration.

Creating Program Manager Group Buttons

A PM Group Button allows you to have a group dynamically loaded into a popup menu every time the Launch Bar is started.


Properties Dialog Box

The Properties Dialog Box allows you to supply extended properties to any launchable program or document.  In addition to the usual working directory, etc., you can launch the application maximized or specifiy Normal and set the X, Y, Width and Height coordinates also.  The X & Y only may be set, as well as the H & W only.  The Force Size selection assists in sizing obstinate applications that normally would not respond, such as Word Perfect 5.2 for Windows.

The browse button next to the name allows you to search for an application or document.

The browse button next to the Icon path allows you to specify the icon path separately.


Preferences Dialog Box

The Preferences Dialog Box allows you to set some of the visual preferences of LaunchBar, as well as edit the Launchable items of the Button Bar and Quick List (see Right Click Menus).

The Move Up, Move Down, Add New, and Delete buttons allow you to customize the Quick list and button bar items.  The Location (Button or Quick) selections allow you to move items from the Button Bar to the Quick List and vice-versa.  Items are indicated in the list as QL (for Quick List) and BB (for Button Bar), indicating their location.  Double-clicking on a list item will bring up the properties dialog box for that item.

The Load Group button will bring you the Group Load dialog box, where you may choose a Program Manager group to be loaded into the Launch Items list.  This is a one-time action, and will not be automatically loaded when group items change.

Checking Install as Task Manager lets you use the standard Ctrl-Esc key strokes to bring up the Task Master Dialog Box.

The Use Big Buttons item specifies whether you want bigger buttons to display icon text.  If this is checked, the Height and Width parameters specify the size of the buttons.  The font used in icon text may also be specified here.

The WallPaper section allows you to select which wallpaper bitmaps are displayed on each virtual desktop.

See Also:

Loading Program Manager Groups


Task Master Dialog Box

The Task Master Dialog Box provides you with a graphical overview of what programs are running on what virtual desktops.  This provides you with a more concrete view of the virtual desktop layout.

All top-level windows are displayed in the picture at the top of the dialog box.  Double-clicking on a miniature window will cause you to switch to that application.  The Task Master is smart enough to switch you to that virtual desktop first.

The listbox below it shows all applications as well as icons, which do not show up well on the graphical overview.

The Switch to button will switch you to the selected application, and the Close Window button will tell the selected application to quit.  The Cancel button exits the Task Master without any changes.


Screen Switcher Button
Screen Switcher

The screen switcher gives you one-click access to the ability to switch between available desktops.  The button gives you the same four-screen perspective as the Task Master Dialog Box.

Right Clicking on this button will bring up the Screen Switcher Menu.

See Also:

Task Master Dialog Box

Screen Switcher Menu


Task Buttons
Task Item Buttons

The Task Buttons give you access to running tasks the same way you access button bar items.  Any button below the Sceen Switcher button is a running task.  You can see your running tasks as their icons, with the accompanying text matching the Window text.  The list is updated once every second, to always be up to date.

Clicking on a task button switches you to the desktop and application desired.

Right-clicking on a task button brings up the Task Item Menu.

See also:

Screen Switcher Button

Task Item Menu


Task Item Menu

The Task Item Menu gives you access to many advanced features not offered by all task switchers.

The full widow title bar text is displayed here and may be used to switch to the desktop/application.

The Stick Window item is displayed if the window is on the current virtual desktop.  This allows you to take a specified window from screen to screen with you as you switch desktops.

The Always on Top selection allows you to make ANY window always on top, including File Manager, etc.

The Close Window allows you to request the selected task to terminate.

Finally, the Hide Button selection allows you to hide certain buttons that you normally would not switch to (such as Clock, etc.).  This reduces the size of the button bar and saves space for more tasks or launchable items.

See Also:

Task Item Buttons


Right Click Menus

Right click menus give you an object-oriented approach to manipulating the button bar.  Right clicking on any button will give you a list of the valid actions that may be performed on it.

Right-clicking on the LaunchBar Logo ( the top button), brings up the:

Control Menu

Right-clicking on the Resource Gauge brings up the:

Resource Menu

Right-clicking on a Launchable Item brings up the:

Launch Button Menu

Right-clicking on the Screen Switcher button brings up the:

Screen Switcher Menu

Right-clicking on any Task Item button brings up the:

Task Item Menu


Resource Gauge

The Resource Gauge gives you a constantly updated view of your available Windows Resources.  Right-clicking on this button brings up the Resource Menu.

The leftmost graph is the System resources.  This is an indication as to how many windows are open at the time.

The middle graph is the User resources.  This is an indication as to how much memory your applications are using.

The rightmost graph is the GDI resources, which is an indication of how many bitmaps and icons are held by your applications.

Finally, the number below the graphs is the total memory free in kilobytes.  It includes any swap space free.

If any of the three resource graphs falls below about 50%, they will turn Yellow, warning you of the low memory.  If any of them fall below about 30%, they will turn Red, which indicates to you that you should close one or more applications, or restart Microsoft Windows (using the Control Menu), to compress available memory.

See also:

Control Menu

Resource Menu


Program Manager Groups
Loading Program Manager Group Items

The Load Program Manager Group Dialog Box allows you to load a Program Manager group into the Launch Item list, where they may then be manipulated using the Preferences dialog box, Properties dialog box, and drag-and-drop.

The Load As radio buttons allow you to specify how the group items should initially be added to the Launch Items list.

Clicking on individual group members will select which items should be loaded.  Select All will select all group members for loading, Select None will un-select all members.

Additionally, Program Manager groups may be loaded dynamically by using PM Group Buttons.

See Also:

Preferences Dialog Box

Properties Dialog Box

Drag-and-Drop Interface

PM Group Buttons


Drag and Drop Interface
Drag-and-Drop Interface

Using standard Windows Drag-and-Drop, you can drag files from File Manager, and move buttons up and down the button bar.

Dropping a file from File Manager anywhere on the button bar will add a new button at the bottom of existing launch buttons.  The new button may then be dragged to any new place in the list by pressing the button with the mouse, and moving it to a new location before releasing the left mouse button.  The cursor will switch to a finder sight when the button may be dropped.

Additionally, a button from the task list may be dropped on the Launch Items.  Doing so will add a new button with the window's title bar text as the icon name, and the task's executable will be the path.  Any properties of the running task will be carried over, such as minimize/maximize, as will as the X, Y, H, and W dimensions of the application on thedesktop.  Documents may not be dropped this way, they must still be dropped from File Manager.


Launch Button Menu

The Launch Button Menu gives you the full name of the Launch Item, as well as a selection to launch the application, view the Properties Dialog Box for the Item, move the item to the Quick List, and delete the button from the Button Bar.

Moving a PM Group Button to the Quick List will cause it to become a cascaded popup menu off the Quick List Menu.

Selecting Properties for a PM Group Button will bring up the PM Group Button properties dialog box.

See Also:

Properties Dialog Box

Group Button Dialog Box

Accessing the Quick List from the Control Menu


Launch Item Buttons

There are two types of Buttons, Launch Item Buttons and PM Group Buttons.

Pressing any Launch Item Button with the left button will cause the application to be launched.  The icon displayed for this type of button is the icon for the application.

Pressing any PM Group Button with the left button will cause a popup menu to be displayed with all members of a Pgrogram Manager Group.  To see how to add a PM Group Button, see Building the Button Bar.

Right-clicking on any button will bring up the Launch Button Menu.

See Also:

Launch Button Menus

PM Group Buttons

Building The Button Bar


Resource Menu

The resource menu gives you exact numbers for the available system resources, and allows you to hide the resource gauge.

See Also:

Resource Gauge


Screen Switcher Menu

The Screen Switcher menu gives you access to the Task Master Dialog Box, allows you to consolidate all virtual desktops to the current screen, and to hide the task list and screen switcher button altogether.

Hidden Task Buttons appear in the Show Hidden Tasks popup menu.

See Also:

Task Master Dialog Box

Screen Switcher Button


Overview
Launch Bar Overview

The Launch Bar is a full-featured launcher for Windows 3.1 that will maintain extended properties for your programs and documents, allow you to launch them where and how you want them, and provide sophisticated task-switching power.  With four virtual desktops and a visual icon-based task-switcher, you can maximize you productivity while working with multiple programs at once.

You can start using the button bar by starting it up.  It is convenient to place it in the Start Up group of Program Manager, or on the run= line in the win.ini file.  Launch Bar should not be used as shell, however, and works well in conjunction with Program Manager or File Manager as Shell.

Move it around by grabbing on to the Logo button and moving the mouse.  After you have placed it where you want it, you will immediately have access to the powerful screen and application switching power of the Task Master.

Currently running tasks are displayed at the bottom of the button bar below the screen switcher.  Pressing any button will give that application input focus.  Right-clicking on any button gives you access to context-sensitive menus that display the valid actions that may be performed on any item.  Selecting the Task Master item from the Screen Switcher button will bring up a graphical overview of the Virtual Desktop layout.

Open File Manager and immediately start dragging applications to the Button Bar.  Once they are on the button bar, you may drag them into desired order by pressing down on the left button and moving the mouse to the desired place on the button bar (Applications may only be displayed between the Resource Gauge and the Screen Switcher).  The cursor will change to a locating sight when the button may be dropped.

New Buttons (such as PM Group Buttons) may also be added by using the Control Menu >> Add New Button items.

Finally, pressing any Launch Button will open the application.  Accessing the Launch Bar's many dialog boxes (Preferences, Properties, and Task Master) will give you a text-based interface to the power of the Launch Bar.

See Also:

Contents


Control Menu

The Control Menu gives you the ability to configure Launch Bar and access the  Quick List, Preferences Dialog Box, as well as the ability to add new buttons quickly.

The Quick List gives you access to not often used, but still important items.  It may be configured using the Preferences dialog box.

New buttons may quickly be added here also by selecting Add New Button, and selecting Program Button for a launch item button, and PM Group Button for a Program Manager Group Button.

If Always on Top is checked, the button bar will remain atop all other applications.  This is recommended due to the small size of the display.

The Vertical option (the default setting) determines whether the buttons will be displayed vertically or horizontally.  Horizontal orientation will generally allow more buttons to be displayed, especially if button text is displayed.

The Show/Hide submenu allows you to selectively hide the Resource gauge, Launch Buttons, Screen Switcher, and Task Buttons, or all at once.  This can be used to alter the size of the button bar non-permanently.

Finally, help is available here as well as selections to exit Microsoft Windows, restart Windows, and Reboot the entire system!

See Also:

Preferences Dialog Box

Properties Dialog Box

PM Group Buttons


Group Button Dialog
Group Button Dialog Box

The Group Button Dialog Box allows you to set up a button to access a Program Manager Group using a popup menu.  All group items will be displayed, and all Program Manager properties apply (except hot-keys).

The group members will all be loaded dynamically every time the Launch Bar is started.  This allows you to fully utilize you investment in setting up group members, and also makes sure changes to the group members are reflected in the Launch Bar.

The Group Name is selectable from a drop-down list box and an optional Name to be displayed on the buttons may be entered here.  The individual group items are displayed for informational purposes.

A Group Button appears on the button bar with a Program Manager group icon.  Left-clicking on the button brings up a menu of the group members by name.  If the button is moved to the Quick list, it becomes a popup submenu.


PM Group Buttons

Program Manager Group Buttons allow you to select a Program Manager Group to be dynamically loaded into a popup menu each time the Launch Bar is started.  Any changes made to Program Manager Group Items will be reflected in the PM Group Button the next time Launch Bar is started.

A PM Group Button may be added from the control menu by selecting Add New Button >> PM Group Button.  The dialog box shown here will appear, and a group name may be selected.  The new button will appear on the button bar with a Program Manager Group icon.  Clicking on the button with the left mouse button will cause the popup menu with all group items to be displayed.

See also:

Group Button Dialog