Object Dock Plus questions

I don't know about the totality of the systray support since I don't use it for that. I still use my taskbar on the bottom and use an OD+ tabbed dock up top for access to the stuff I use the most...basically replaces the XP quicklaunch and toolbars for me. You should buy it, well worth the price of admission

Yeah I'm sure I will at some point. The tabbed feature is tempting since my dock is kinda huge.

I've been thinking about it also. But, I love ObjectBar, and OD Plus seems kind of redundant. I use OD for some stuff, which is redundant to OB, but OD is SO PRETTY.

The other thing that makes me hesitate is that OD has a tendency to cause the CPU to go through the roof. Has that been resolved with Plus?

Another thing - As much as I like OB, I've been eyeing Hoverdesk, or Nextstart. I can't be using all of these things. Sheesh....... All I know is, I love not having to use the MS start menu. It's so limiting, that I just want to kiss it goodbye forever.

If money were no object..........

I need some things in the systray

I don't know exactly what kind of thigs you use in your systray so I can only relate my experience.

I have a OD+ systray and on the whole it works well. There are a few drawing issues with the network adapter icons. I have a built-in wireless NIC as well as the internal 100bT (on the laptop) and sometimes I get 'phantom' NIC icons i.e three or more icons instead of two. When you right-click on the phantom ones they will then disappear.

Also the offline synchronisation icon will at times not be displayed - there's just an empty placeholder for it (still fully functional however). Since there are options to customise the tray icons, it may be that I've not configured it correctly.

I run 3 docks: One tabbed (in drawer mode) at the top of screen for app launching, the system tray dock (always visible) bottom left, and an autohiding running tasks (bottom centre).

The windows task bar hasn't seen the light of day on my system for quite a few weeks now.

I haven't had any problems with the OD+ systray (well maybe a couple of trivial issues), I'm loving it!  
I have 5 docks........ running tasks, systray, one for weather, clock, and calendar docklets, one for my favorite programs, and a tabbed dock with 8 tabs for most of my other programs.

dabe... for what it's worth, I'm running HoverDesk, Samurize, and OD+ together.

I haven't used the Windows (dysfunctional) taskbar (other than when skinning it to finish a WB skin), since 1999. But I do have an shortcut that links to a little program called PresStart, that opens the XP startpanel, just in case.

Koasati, if you have tried Nextstart, how is it different, or the same, as Hoverdesk? I was just at the Hoverdesk website, www.hoverdesk.net, and it seems to not have been updated since 2003. This is not a good sign. But, Nextstart is current, and it is skinned and displayed by WC/SDC. And, as I said, I'm just worried about OD+ because of the docklets, and CPU issues.

Another thing.... are NS and HD more stable than DX? I really liked DX, but it's not what I'd call crash-proof. Not that anything is, but DX is particularly unstable, in my experience, and on my tired ol' machine (old BX440 board, running at 1.2ghz thanks to a Powerleap processor, and with 512mb RAM). As soon as I get some lousy debts paid off, I'm buying a new computer, maybe within a year.

I just looked at your profile to see your desktop. Is it current? Looks nice. And, it looks like how I'd like to set up my computer - that being customized to my liking, sans MS, and of course, FUNCTIONAL!!

ObjectBar is a great program, and I don't even have to pay more money for it. Someone mentioned plans for a new version, so I'm really looking forward to that. I'm presently running OB concurrently with OD, and I also want the systray, which some OB themes have, some don't. Bottom line..... I better start skinning soon, because that will be the way I get exactly what I want/need.

SWEET. OK you guys definitely made up my mind, I'll be buying it within a day or two. It sounds awesome, being able to have multiple docks with say, different kinds of programs, will be perfect for me.


Koasati , have to agree with dabe, that desktop is very nice and a great example of how skinning can enhance function and workspace, not just looks. Sometimes it's hard to get people to understand that I don't run ObjectDesktop just for it "to look pretty"....

[Message Edited]

 

oH geez........... I really need to update my desktop screenie. That's from January, and other than the WB skin, that's all HvD. But now I have 2 monitors, and I can't decided what to display in the shot.

dabe, I used to run NS, I made several themes for version 2.x, but around the time NS 3 came out, I got hooked on HvD. They both have free 30 day trials, so you should check them out, see for yourself.
There is the problem with HvD updates. version 3 has been in beta for more than a year due to personal matters that has side-tracked the developer. I'm one of the beta testers. He has made lots of improvements, and told me he was working on the finishing touches a couple of months ago. I need to write and ask him wazup. 

 

[Message Edited]

I bought it simply for the fact i can now have as many docks as i want. . . well it was free for so long i had to get it when it got good enough to sell. in fact it was good enough to sell when it was free.

timbo

I bought it simply for the fact i can now have as many docks as i want

Me too!

So, I still have a question about OD+. Does it affect the CPU in any significant way? No one has yet commented on that. TIA

dabe - The only time I see any sort of CPU hit with OD plus is when it is animating. That is to say, yes, the CPU jumps when a tray slides out or back in, or when I wave my mouse over the zoomer dock. But it really doesn't affect performance at all because it really is only for that brief instant. Otherwise it sits nice and calmly at 0 CPU usage.

Now, I'm looking at LiteStep. Judging from the themes, Jafo is a LS fan. Any thoughts, Jafo? I just registered at their website, so I can get a better look, though it does look less user-friendly, in that it's billed as more of a programmer's shell. I'm gonna try them all, I suppose. I did try NextStart when I first found WC/SDC, but I had no idea what I was doing. I'm wondering if they'll give me another 30 days to review the software.

I also suppose that maybe I should be starting another thread. I kinda hijacked this OD+ question thread.

Thanks, BlueDev. I guess that issue has been resolved, then. It definitely was a biggie when I was running docklets. Come payday, I think I'm gonna hafta spring for it.

So, I still have a question about OD+. Does it affect the CPU in any significant way? No one has yet commented on that. TIA

Sorry I meant to comment on this earlier. I'm not even getting that problem with OD anymore so I thought it had been resolved. Used to be a problem on my old installations, docklets would spike CPU to 100%.

I also suppose that maybe I should be starting another thread. I kinda hijacked this OD+ question thread.

Well my questions were all answered so go for it.
[Message Edited]

dabe..... as far as CPU useage with OD+ goes, I see the same thing as BlueDev.

LiteStep is a "shell replacement" (it replaces the Explorer shell). Don't even think about using it until you've read everything you can get your hands on, and then read some more. I'm serious....... this is not a desktop enhancement proggie like DX, or HvD that you can just turn off when you decide you don't want it. You have to know how to switch back to the explorer shell. I've seen a lot threads over the years started by people thinking LS has broken their computers, when it's was merely a case of them not understanding what they were doing.  )

LiteStep is a "shell replacement" (it replaces the Explorer shell). Don't even think about using it until you've read everything you can get your hands on, and then read some more.

This cannot be emphasized enough. I've known people who messed up their LS theme, couldn't figure out how to get back to the explorer shell (it's not hard, you just need to know how to do it), and ended up formatting.

THANK YOU! You both talked me right outta LS for now. Possibly, forever. That's the kind of info I need to read. I'm not really into hunkering down and reprogramming my 'puter.

oops

I took the plunge this evening. I purchased OD+ It's very nice. Now, I'm going to figure out how to apply themes. I'm havin' fun.

I used litestep for a bit - was kinda cool, but a LOT of effort. I built my own theme, but it's not so much for eye candy which is what I use these programs for really.

dabe - No problem. It really has become a great program. I never really used the free version of OD simply because there were irritating things like that (CPU usage) and such. But for me OD+ has really become stable enough that, at certain times depending on my desktop flavor of the week, I disable the windows taskbar completely.

As far as litestep I have used it a couple times, thought it was cool, but far beyond my current abilities. So I stick to Windowblinds, OD+ and Desktop X to customize my desktop.

Not to ask too dumb a questionbut how do you the OD+ in a tabbed form? I have downloaded themes/ tab backgrounds and it does not seem to allow me to tab.

Guh... open the My Docks dialog, and use the "Create new tabbed dock" button.