Taskbar / dual monitors

[ltwally]

Anyone have a good way of stretching the Vista Taskbar across two monitors? I've seen it done on XP with NVidia's nView... but apparently that utility is not available under Vista.

 

[z3r010]

I use ultramon for this, it's good but it cost's - Realtime Soft UltraMon

 

[Dalork]

I use MultiMon Taskbar, it's free too

Oscar's Multi-Monitor taskBar

 

[ltwally]

I use MultiMon Taskbar, it's free too

Oscar's Multi-Monitor taskBar

I see nothing to suggest that it is Vista compatible, let alone a 64bit application...

 

[Dalork]

Well I'm using it on my computer and I use Vista HP x64 and have no problems

 

[ltwally]

Well I'm using it on my computer and I use Vista HP x64 and have no problems

Hmm. Is it actually a 64bit app?

 

[isaac]

MultiMon has problems with styling and neither actually stretch the taskbar - they just add a second (and not as good) taskbar on your second monitor. The clock etc. stays on the original taskbar.

Does anyone know of a way the actually stretch the taskbar so the clock etc. are *moved* (rather than duplicated - MultiMon).

Thanks!

Isaac

 

[ltwally]

I've been using UltraMon, recently. It can both stretch the taskbar and create extra taskbars.

I have discovered that I prefer the extra taskbars, though I do wish that they had the right-click menu of the standard taskbar.

The upside to multiple taskbars is that you can tell UltraMon to put applications that are on monitor #2 onto taskbar #2.

 

[isaac]

I have ultramon and I can only add extras, how do you stretch???

THANKS!!!

Isaac

 

[aksunder]

Isaac - I have exactly the same problem

With XP - I can stretch my taskbar (not two seperate taksbars). It is superior to any set up I have ever used. It allows you to see everything on one taskbar and maximize the utility of dual monitors.

My research has led me to believe that MS has no intention of supporting this in Vista or Windows 7.

It is the SOLE reason I downgraded to XP. It is the ONLY reason I continue to use a PC and will most likely go 100 percent mac if MS doesn't offer this.

I read on another page they thing the real issue is providing users with a better taskbar - not the kind of taskbar we are actually looking for. Typical. Looks like MS is heading the way of GM. New motto: who cares about what the customer wants?

 

[isaac]

hmm... I am writing this from my newish macbook, and I'm loving it! Vista is now confined to gaming, and I am so glad I switched to Mac for everything else. Coda is awesome for web dev and it just feels so much more organised. you can't strech the menu bar across 2 screens tho, which can be a little annoying, and the search shortcut is cmd+space, rather than just 1 keypress. but other than that... loving it. so much more stable.

On the thing about MS -> GM, absolutely. They actually had to make people redundant for the first time!! :D

 

[ltwally]

@aksunder,

As memory serves, taskbar stretching is not an option in any version of Windows.

However, it is an option in the nView Desktop Manager. nView is something NVidia created for WinXP and never got around to porting to Vista.


@isaac,

Ultramon only supports two modes for the taskbar: mirror, and "smart". I'm a big fan of "smart", where it puts the icons on the taskbar that belongs to that monitor.

I'm unaware of anything but the NVidia tool (nView) that will accomplish this - and as stated above, it's for XP only.

 

[MrNeeds]

Isaac - I have exactly the same problem

With XP - I can stretch my taskbar (not two seperate taksbars). It is superior to any set up I have ever used. It allows you to see everything on one taskbar and maximize the utility of dual monitors.

My research has led me to believe that MS has no intention of supporting this in Vista or Windows 7.

It is the SOLE reason I downgraded to XP. It is the ONLY reason I continue to use a PC and will most likely go 100 percent mac if MS doesn't offer this.

I read on another page they thing the real issue is providing users with a better taskbar - not the kind of taskbar we are actually looking for. Typical. Looks like MS is heading the way of GM. New motto: who cares about what the customer wants?

i dont see why people would want a big black bar spanning the bottom of an empty display anyway? familiarity? lost sense of wellbeing? im not sure, but if you got a problem with not having something at the bottom, why dont you take a screenshot of your current desktop and use that as a background on your second display, might feel more at home like that :/

 

[aksunder]

@aksunder,

As memory serves, taskbar stretching is not an option in any version of Windows.

However, it is an option in the nView Desktop Manager. nView is something NVidia created for WinXP and never got around to porting to Vista.

quote]


The way Nvdia explains it on their website - Vista architecture does not allow them to bring it over. When I used the term "support", I meant that Windows supported the feature because its architecture did. Using that definition - vista does not support the feature because even if Nvdia wanted to respond to the numberous complaints, it couldn't.


@Mr Needs
Clearly you have never used the set up. For academic work - when you have multiple PDFs, Docs, web pages running, it is nice to be able to quickly see up to 16 running windows simply by glancing down. I don't have to run my mouse over anything - I just have to look down. I have one massive taskbar with so much real estate - yet get to maximize windows to the size of one monitor. It's great!

 

[MrNeeds]

@aksunder,

As memory serves, taskbar stretching is not an option in any version of Windows.

However, it is an option in the nView Desktop Manager. nView is something NVidia created for WinXP and never got around to porting to Vista.

quote]


The way Nvdia explains it on their website - Vista architecture does not allow them to bring it over. When I used the term "support", I meant that Windows supported the feature because its architecture did. Using that definition - vista does not support the feature because even if Nvdia wanted to respond to the numberous complaints, it couldn't.


@Mr Needs
Clearly you have never used the set up. For academic work - when you have multiple PDFs, Docs, web pages running, it is nice to be able to quickly see up to 16 running windows simply by glancing down. I don't have to run my mouse over anything - I just have to look down. I have one massive taskbar with so much real estate - yet get to maximize windows to the size of one monitor. It's great!

im sorry if ive offended you, i just dont see the need in having anything on the bottom, my monitor is sufficient for what i need it to do, but if you need the extra space and taskbar then i wish you luck, 16:9 aspect FTW

 

[ltwally]

.... 16:9 aspect FTW

Your monitor is a TV?

 

[MrNeeds]

.... 16:9 aspect FTW

Your monitor is a TV?

its a dell 16:9 aspect ratio 1920x1080 monitor. model S2409W
i also have a secondary monitor, its a HP w2207h

 

[aksunder]

I think it is fantastic you like two very large tv/monitors. For my purposes, I have found two 19 inch monitors is ideal. Almost like two large book pages. Anything bigger and my eyes spend too much time searching.

The point is - Windows should be customizable for a variety of uses and users. That's what makes it superior to any Mac OS. Windows can handle an amazing number of hardware combinations. Fair - windows developers can't predict every use - but this something that a lot of people complain about.

And here is how MSFT replies to this concern:
The key thing to recognize is that the problem is not necessarily that the taskbar doesn’t span, but that more room is required to show more information about windows. So, it stands to reason that we should come up with the best solution to this problem, independent of how many displays the customer has. We thought it would be good to just offer a brief discussion on the specifics of solving this design problem as it is one we have spent considerable time on. One of the approaches in general we are working to do more of, is to change things when we know it will be a substantial improvement and not also introduce complexities that outweigh the benefits we are trying to achieve.

 

[ltwally]

Aaaah. At home I've got a pair of Samsung SyncMaster 226BW's. They look great... but neither is capable of taking a 1080 source. I have been seriously pondering adding a 24" for just that purpose.. the only problem is where the heck to put three large widescreen monitors

 

[ltwally]

I think it is fantastic you like two very large tv/monitors. For my purposes, I have found two 19 inch monitors is ideal. Almost like two large book pages. Anything bigger and my eyes spend too much time searching.

The point is - Windows should be customizable for a variety of uses and users. That's what makes it superior to any Mac OS. Windows can handle an amazing number of hardware combinations. Fair - windows developers can't predict every use - but this something that a lot of people complain about.

And here is how MSFT replies to this concern:
The key thing to recognize is that the problem is not necessarily that the taskbar doesn’t span, but that more room is required to show more information about windows. So, it stands to reason that we should come up with the best solution to this problem, independent of how many displays the customer has. We thought it would be good to just offer a brief discussion on the specifics of solving this design problem as it is one we have spent considerable time on. One of the approaches in general we are working to do more of, is to change things when we know it will be a substantial improvement and not also introduce complexities that outweigh the benefits we are trying to achieve.

Sounds like a politicians response.

But, really, I wouldn't expect them to spend lots of dollars on improving something that less than 1% of people use. In fact, I doubt that even 0.01% of people use multimon. And of those people, how many want a taskbar that stretchs? Half of them? So, can you really blame MS for not putting valuable resources into this?