Post Your Tabbed Dock

from JoeUser Forums

ObjectDock is one of my personal favorite applications from Stardock.  It is the best way to organize your desktop, and have quick access to applications.  ObjectDock Plus adds to that the ability to have tabs which can make organizing shortcuts into different section even easier.

Here is my current ObjectDock Plus setup on my laptop.

  • Stardock tab: Pretty much all Stardock applications
  • Office:  Microsoft Office 2007 applications, Expression Web, Live Writer, and Evernote
  • Games:  All types of games
  • Media: Applications like Windows Live Gallery, Roxio, WMP, etc.
  • Internet: Filezilla, Skype, MSN, Live Mail and TweetDeck
  • Graphics: Photoshop, Corel Painter XI, Camtasia Studio, SnagIt, and more
  • Applications: Parallels, CCleaner, etc.
  • General:  iTunes, Outlook, Browsers, etc.

tabbed_dock

Post your tabbed dock and show us how you are organizing your desktop.

30,683 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

I love that skin. Where did you get it?

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

That's the matching dock for Plastic Fantastic.  These were made by messiah1, and recolored to match the Christmas version of PF.  :)

https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=15106&libid=29

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

:wc:

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Admin: C Drive, CD/DVD Drive, Control Panel, Print utilities

Network: All of my varied network drives

Adobe: Adobe apps. (duh!)

Programs: The programs folder, CD Burner XP Pro, Scan utility, MS Word, MS Excel, CrossFont, AMP Font Viewer, 7-Zip, Snipping Tool

Stardock: All the Stardock Apps I use.

Man, do I love tabbers! :grin:

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Man...you guys are lucky...I don't have any of those! ;P

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:rofl: Man, you're pretty good at skinning something you don't have!

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Here are two of my tabs (set up as single's or drawers)  These are the Aero Midnight ones I did to match the skin of the same name released by Stardock Design.

 

I love that skin. Where did you get it?

 

Make munkeh feel good.  Although ID isn't using the custom Plus/Minus images that were included.  Which is weird because it should be.  Must be ID is using that pesky OD folder inside My Documents....

 

 

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

that pesky OD folder inside My Documents....

I rather like that "pesky" folder. Besides, I discovered how to keep your docks in that folder and utilize the custom +/- images. :grin:

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

They are nice docks Messiah - think i need to update my dock and icons - ive not changed them in so long

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I rather like that "pesky" folder. Besides, I discovered how to keep your docks in that folder and utilize the custom +/- images

 

I know it can be done, but it doesn't work as well as the original way.  You are an experienced user.  Most aren't, which is why the .dockzip came into play in the first place I think.  Just click and use.  But it messed up the way we code our ini files to use the plus minus images.

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

You are an experienced user.

:blush:

But it messed up the way we code our ini files to use the plus minus images.

Aww crap. You mean I found a work around for the work around? 8O

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Aww crap. You mean I found a work around for the work around?

Well...what's your workaround?  This:

 

Copy the enclosed "jawndo_minus.png" and the "jawndo_plus.png" files inside of the following directory:

C:\Program Files\Stardock\ObjectDock

 

That's a way of doing it, but it requires a shutdown of OD (if the user has a dock using the plus/minus images already running).  The easy way of doing it is to put the plus/minus images in the same folder as the actual dock background, then code the ini to point right to that folder.  (This is how Webgizmos and myself do it)  This way, the user never has to copy/paste anything each time they change a background, it would auto change upon selection of that background.  However, .dockzip files go into a different location, so it breaks the link that the ini is pointing to.

 

Now, if we were going to use .dockzip only, then we could change how we write the ini codes, but not everyone uses .dockzip.  So if I coded for .dockzip, then the folks that do it the old way wouldn't get all the features, and if I code the old way, the folks using .dockzip don't get all the features.  So which way do we do it?  Zoomba or ID or whoever should do a poll on how many use the .dockzip versus the older way of putting the files in C:\Program Files\Stardock\ObjectDock\Backgrounds.

 

Here's the code in my ini for the plus/minus images:

[Extras]
PlusImage = Backgrounds\Plastic_Fantastic\Tab_2\plus.png
MinusImage = Backgrounds\Plastic_Fantastic\Tab_2\minus.png

 

Notice it starts out at Backgrounds\...it's assuming C:\Program Files\Stardock\ObjectDock.  The location in My Documents has a different folder structure and so the ini doesn't work the way it should.

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Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

forget it. i found them. how did i miss those in the first place?

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

forget it. i found them. how did i miss those in the first place?

It matters not how you missed them, what matters is, you have found them. ;)

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

m1: Thanks for the detailed explanation. I remember seeing this topic in one of WG's threads, and I must say, it left me kinda confused. Thus how I found my workaround.

Your step-by-step instructions made it VERY clear. Thanks!

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Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Bryan, in the end, what works for one may not always work for another.  So you have to find a solution that works best for you and do that.  If the way you do it is working for you, don't change.  I try to make it easiest on the user (dockzip would def. be the easiest way, but like I said, certain things don't work the same.)  Basically, with this method, the user has to extract a zip file (which most people know how to do) and then place that folder inside another folder (which most people know how to do)and they're done.  Thanks fer the karma dude.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thanks fer the karma dude.

No, thank you! :thumbsup:

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The reasons I much prefer putting the Plus/Minus images right in the dock backgrounds folder they were made for...is for one...Like Steve said...it's easier than having to change your Plus/Minus images every time you change docks (gotta figure out how to make that work for the weather backgrounds as well)...and two...because I don't want all these extra folders in my "My Documents" folder...I have enough clutter going on in there as it is with all the dock backgrounds and now with all the Winstep/NextStart stuff I have in there now.

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Bryan, in the end, what works for one may not always work for another. So you have to find a solution that works best for you and do that. If the way you do it is working for you, don't change.

Just changed. Yours and WG's way is easier.

I just set up some tabs this way, and it's much easier, and makes more sense.

Thanks again, guys! :thumbsup:

Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just changed. Yours and WG's way is easier.

I just set up some tabs this way, and it's much easier, and makes more sense.

Thanks again, guys!

We Know!  ;) :-"

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

We Know!

Know-it-all! XD

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

;P XD   :P ;)

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Would anyone in this thread know if there would be a way to have the tabbed docks icons always show the full name of the folder/application?  When in the properties, and under the Size & Appearance section, the option "Entry Names: Show below each entry" doesn't work all that well, because it usually only displays 6-8 letters at most.  So everything shows up like this, "My Docum..."

, "My Compu...", "Shared Do...".

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Would anyone in this thread know if there would be a way to have the tabbed docks icons always show the full name of the folder/application? When in the properties, and under the Size & Appearance section, the option "Entry Names: Show below each entry" doesn't work all that well, because it usually only displays 6-8 letters at most. So everything shows up like this, "My Docum..."

, "My Compu...", "Shared Do...".

Longer names are not supported very well.  Changing the icons to a smaller size helps, but not much.