vBar 2.1 Released

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.vieka.com/vbar.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.vieka.com/vbar.htm</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050727-vBar.jpg" /><br /><br />vBar, the 21KB Pocket PC task manager, has just been updated to v2.1. New vBar 2.x enhancements include complete support for VGA and landscape display modes, and Pocket PC Phone Edition support. Best of all, it's free! :way to go:

[Rod3]

It's very small, so I suppose it's not skinnable? :(

[ventivent]

One of my absolute favorites...very small, and does what it's supposed to do well. I used to use Wisbar, but then it became too much of a memory hog, and had all sorts of problems with Phone Edition. This is the very first piece of software I install on my JAM after a ROM upgrade.

[The Sarge]

Only 21 KB? All right - The Sarge likes coders who trim the bloat from their code. Nicely done, sir!

[huangzhinong]

The only complaint I have is vbar only close programs, not minimize. Otherwise, it is must-have for everybody.

Just checked their website, there are a lot of voices about this problem and they are working hard to fix it. :D

[SteveHoward999]

One of my absolute favorites...very small, and does what it's supposed to do well. I used to use Wisbar, but then it became too much of a memory hog, and had all sorts of problems with Phone Edition. This is the very first piece of software I install on my JAM after a ROM upgrade.

Wisebar just had some sort of a rewrite. It's way less resource hungry now. My E830 flies along with it instead of trundling like it once did ...

[JonMisurda]

It's very small, so I suppose it's not skinnable? :(

It isn't like Wisbar (advance or orig) or Icbar in that it doesn't cover the entire task bar, only the right 29 pixels (58 vga)

You are able to add your own ok, close, and dropdown menu button as seperate images though.

The only complaint I have is vbar only close programs, not minimize. Otherwise, it is must-have for everybody.

Just checked their website, there are a lot of voices about this problem and they are working hard to fix it.

Do you mean tap minmize, tap and hold closes? If I resynch my version of the source with their phone edition changes I may be able to add that soon. I'll talk to them about it.

Jon

[huangzhinong]

It's very small, so I suppose it's not skinnable? :(

It isn't like Wisbar (advance or orig) or Icbar in that it doesn't cover the entire task bar, only the right 29 pixels (58 vga)

You are able to add your own ok, close, and dropdown menu button as seperate images though.

The only complaint I have is vbar only close programs, not minimize. Otherwise, it is must-have for everybody.

Just checked their website, there are a lot of voices about this problem and they are working hard to fix it.

Do you mean tap minmize, tap and hold closes? If I resynch my version of the source with their phone edition changes I may be able to add that soon. I'll talk to them about it.

Jon

Exactly, Thanks in advance.

[JonMisurda]

I sent off an email to get the updated source, and managed to make the change on my copy (that I used for the VGA and landscape changes.)

We may have a release in the not too distant future depending on how it tests out and what other changes need made at the same time.

Just thought you might want to know.

Jon

[christak]

The only complaint I have is vbar only close programs, not minimize. Otherwise, it is must-have for everybody.

Just checked their website, there are a lot of voices about this problem and they are working hard to fix it. :D

I'm not trying to pick on you, but I don't see this as a "problem" -- it does what it was designed to do...and that is exactly what "I" want it to do, close my app. If I don't want my app closed, I won't tap the X on vbar -- rather, I'll just open the new app that I want to use... vbar will allow you to select whichever open app you want to work with from its menu.
8)

[MitchellO]

One of my absolute favorites...very small, and does what it's supposed to do well. I used to use Wisbar, but then it became too much of a memory hog, and had all sorts of problems with Phone Edition. This is the very first piece of software I install on my JAM after a ROM upgrade.

Mine too. I install it first as well. I used it even though it had a few incompatibilities with screen rotation and Phone edition, but they were not major. This new version fixes both!!

The only complaint I have is vbar only close programs, not minimize. Otherwise, it is must-have for everybody.

Just checked their website, there are a lot of voices about this problem and they are working hard to fix it. :D

I'm not trying to pick on you, but I don't see this as a "problem" -- it does what it was designed to do...and that is exactly what "I" want it to do, close my app. If I don't want my app closed, I won't tap the X on vbar -- rather, I'll just open the new app that I want to use... vbar will allow you to select whichever open app you want to work with from its menu.
8)

I agree. If you want to minimize, why would you use an app like this? Its design is to close apps. I also just open apps over the top of each other, no need to minimize. To "minimize" as it were, I just go to the today or phone screen.

[wouterk]

:D Vbar is always great. Very small en very stable.
Only one thing is missing in my honest opinion ( :lol: ): The abillity to go to the Todayscreen. A tab and hold to go to the Todayscreen would be great!
Wouter

[humayunl]

:D Vbar is always great. Very small en very stable.
Only one thing is missing in my honest opinion ( :lol: ): The abillity to go to the Todayscreen. A tab and hold to go to the Todayscreen would be great!
Wouter

These are EXACTLY my thoughts.... if i could go to the today screen, it would be perfect.

I just upgraded my Himalaya to WM5 and tried vbar. It worked but i think the graphics might need to be re-mapped cause the little arrow was cutting off the ok button (i think).

[MitchellO]

:D Vbar is always great. Very small en very stable.
Only one thing is missing in my honest opinion ( :lol: ): The abillity to go to the Todayscreen. A tab and hold to go to the Todayscreen would be great!
Wouter

These are EXACTLY my thoughts.... if i could go to the today screen, it would be perfect.

I just upgraded my Himalaya to WM5 and tried vbar. It worked but i think the graphics might need to be re-mapped cause the little arrow was cutting off the ok button (i think).

Yeah that would be a neat feature. Would mean that I could give one of the few buttons my Mini has to another program.

[wouterk]

That is a good point. My MDAII has too little buttons and I don't have that good experiences with all the button programs around. :cry:
Then I could free up another button and use it for something else like.....like.....like...... D#@mn! I don't even know what to do with another free button :devilboy:
Wouter

[MitchellO]

For my mini, I use a prog called AE Button Plus. Its great, as it offers up to 3 buttons for each button on the front (a total of 12!!!!). I have it set on the calender and contact buttons for a total of 6, and thats just fine for me.

[MitchellO]

btw, its free!!!

[wouterk]

Yeah I know that little prog. It is OK but still has some downsides. I used it for a couple of months but I removed it because of ....(I forgot :oops: ). I have used Vito, AE, and a lot of other programs for that purpose. Most of them work fine (especially Vito and AE) but they all cause some trouble and most of them won't notice a double of hold press when turning the PPC on using the buttons. That's the main reason why I don't use them anymore.
Wouter

[MitchellO]

I disabled the buttons when off so it isn't a problem for me.

[huangzhinong]

One of my absolute favorites...very small, and does what it's supposed to do well. I used to use Wisbar, but then it became too much of a memory hog, and had all sorts of problems with Phone Edition. This is the very first piece of software I install on my JAM after a ROM upgrade.

Mine too. I install it first as well. I used it even though it had a few incompatibilities with screen rotation and Phone edition, but they were not major. This new version fixes both!!

The only complaint I have is vbar only close programs, not minimize. Otherwise, it is must-have for everybody.

Just checked their website, there are a lot of voices about this problem and they are working hard to fix it. :D

I'm not trying to pick on you, but I don't see this as a "problem" -- it does what it was designed to do...and that is exactly what "I" want it to do, close my app. If I don't want my app closed, I won't tap the X on vbar -- rather, I'll just open the new app that I want to use... vbar will allow you to select whichever open app you want to work with from its menu.
8)

I agree. If you want to minimize, why would you use an app like this? Its design is to close apps. I also just open apps over the top of each other, no need to minimize. To "minimize" as it were, I just go to the today or phone screen.

MS gives me the option to minimize, vbar gives me the option to close, but I want both. Am I wrong? That's what wisbar, wisbar adv, navbar and other task switch program are doing. In other words, if there is any mistake MS didn't close programs, I can say the same program exists in vBAR which doesn' t minimize programs.

You are not picky, this program may be perfect for you, but not good enough for me. Although it is freeware, it doesn't mean I can't make any requirement.

[Jason Lee]

For the lot of you that isn't happy with Vbar's functionality you may want to look at Magic Button (http://www.trancreative.com/mb.aspx).

I used it for along time to replace wisbar. You get more wisbar functionality yet with a tap the whole thing is hidden but still works. :)

i carry the cab file around to beam to new ppc users i meet to make their lives better. ;)

Oh and you can get to the today page in one tap.

[christak]

...MS gives me the option to minimize, vbar gives me the option to close, but I want both. Am I wrong? That's what wisbar, wisbar adv, navbar and other task switch program are doing. In other words, if there is any mistake MS didn't close programs, I can say the same program exists in vBAR which doesn' t minimize programs.

You are not picky, this program may be perfect for you, but not good enough for me. Although it is freeware, it doesn't mean I can't make any requirement.

In general, I am very picky... and I like vbar -- the "Today screen" option would be nice, but I'm happy with the app... As I may have mentioned before, I'd rather use Icbar, but it doesn't do well on the x50v.

...and IMHO, you are NOT wrong for saying you prefer to have both options (close and minimize)... All I was saying is that "I" don't consider vbar to have a "problem". I would say it is not as "full featured" as some of the other app's out there... It is also much smaller than the others too... which is a positive to some folks...
8)

[MitchellO]

MagicButton looks quite good! Might have to give it a try.

[ctmagnus]

I used to use MagicButton. But then I tried the drug known as Spb Pocket Plus and got seriously hooked on it.

[MitchellO]

I tried PocketPlus, but it was just too bloated.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, i don't actually use magic button much anymore either. Pocket plus does a lot but thanks to that i could uninstall 6 other programs. :) So in the long run it has saved me space. But i still have magic button installed for the ocational use. It is much faster to switch tasks with MB. Just tap the task you want. no tap and hold to get the menu then tap the task to switch. So for those few times that i need to swap back and forth between apps lots and fast i still use magic button. :) It actually works with plus' close button still active. very nice.

I did use vbar for a while because it was so fast, small, and stable. Until i got a 2003se device and it didn't rotate well. :) Guess that means i need to play with the new version. ;)
Makes me wish i could bring up plus' menu in one tap and not a tap and hold.

[ctmagnus]

Makes me wish i could bring up plus' menu in one tap and not a tap and hold.

I agree. Pocket Plus has minimize, show menu and close options for tap-and-hold and gesture actions, but only minimize and close for tap. I'd like to have all three options available to all three actions.

[MitchellO]

Yeah, i don't actually use magic button much anymore either. Pocket plus does a lot but thanks to that i could uninstall 6 other programs. :) So in the long run it has saved me space. But i still have magic button installed for the ocational use. It is much faster to switch tasks with MB. Just tap the task you want. no tap and hold to get the menu then tap the task to switch. So for those few times that i need to swap back and forth between apps lots and fast i still use magic button. :) It actually works with plus' close button still active. very nice.

I did use vbar for a while because it was so fast, small, and stable. Until i got a 2003se device and it didn't rotate well. :) Guess that means i need to play with the new version. ;)
Makes me wish i could bring up plus' menu in one tap and not a tap and hold.

Rotation was the only prob I had with this app, but because I don't use the rotate function a lot it wasn't really a problem. With this version my only gripe is fixed!!