Linkbar

[Llewelyn]

Linkbar - Windows desktop toolbar

Linkbar will come in handy for users that need more than one taskbar on their desktop.
The application is totally customizable, from Icon size, padding or position on the screen.
Moreover, Linkbar provides users with an Autohide option and the ability to open multiple instances.

Note:
1) Linkbar support Windows Vista and above
2) Linkbar work with .lnk, .url and .website files



Homepage: https://github.com/ATGH15102AFMLD/Linkbar
Download: https://github.com/ATGH15102AFMLD/Linkbar/releases

Run the program and on the first screen leave the default option for all users. It does not require admin rights and it is portable as it is, you don't have to do anythin else. If you chose current user needs some extra work. Stealth

[Midas]

Great.

Alas, not entirely stealth -- without the "-f" command line parameter, bars are saved to '%APPDATA%\Linkbar\'. It also doesn't seem to pick up folders to display their content. Its memory footprint is about 10MB for one Linkbar.

I make do with Windows 10 default taskbar toolbars; Linkbar would improve that functionality somewhat.

Now, if only it could be shrunk to a floating toolbar, I wouldn't even mind the eventual lack of stealth...

Here's how my test Linkbar looked with 48px icons:

Drop this in a BATch file to make Linkbar portable and stealth (note the relative path to the LBR file):

Code: Select all

@start "" Linkbar64.exe -f.\Data\user_bar.lbr

[Llewelyn]

If you create linkbar only for you (current user), you have to move the lbr file from %Appdata% to application folder and then run linkbar with the command Linkbar64.exe -f.\^.lbr with the actual name of the lbr file in place of wildcard *

[Midas]

@Llewelyn: yep, I eventually got there, too (see the code box above)... Thanks.

Apparently, you don't even need to mention the SBR file in the given path. Yes, you do -- I just hadn't deleted my '%APPDATA%' folder yet, and Linkbar silently retrieved its settings from there...

[Llewelyn]

Added to the database: https://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=3105
Please vote

[Andrew Lee]

When starting Linkbar, the following dialog appears:

dialog.png (6.3 KiB) Viewed 3815 times

What value should I choose for the folder?

[Llewelyn]

Create a subfolder inside application folder (where it will store the shortcuts of the linkbar you' ll create) and browse for that

[Andrew Lee]

Create a subfolder inside application folder (where it will store the shortcuts of the linkbar you' ll create) and browse for that

I see.. that threw me off a bit.

So here's my take on portability. For the "All users" case, any linkbar that you create will result in a corresponding {GUID}.lbr file in Shared bars folder. Each .lbr file will contain the settings for that linkbar, as well as a pointer to the data folder:

Code: Select all

[Main]
dirlinks=x:\Linkbar-1.6.9\lbdata1

The above example assumes I have the app extracted to x:\Linkbar-1.6.9 (where x is my memory stick containing my portable apps), and I have created a subfolder called lbdata1 to store my first linkbar (and presumably lbdata2 if I wish to create another linkbar etc.)

So by default, relative path is not used, which means if I try to run it on a different PC and the drive letter of my memory stick is not longer x, the program will fail to load the linkbar.

Thankfully, I found that by manually editing the dirlinks param to be a relative path:

Code: Select all

[Main]
dirlinks=.\lbdata1

the program still works and now I have better portability.

Did I miss anything?

[Llewelyn]

So, in the Path portability field i choose manual relative path?

[Midas]

When starting Linkbar, the following dialog appears...

Yes, that dialog can be downright confusing when you're striving for portability.

So by default, relative path is not used, which means if I try to run it on a different PC and the drive letter of my memory stick is not longer x, the program will fail to load the linkbar.

Thankfully, I found that by manually editing the dirlinks param to be a relative path:

Code: Select all

[Main]
dirlinks=x:\Linkbar-1.6.9\lbdata1

Looks like you edited the INI file but I'm failing to grasp how entering an absolute path there solves the issue...

Isn't the BATch file method I posted above easier?

[Llewelyn]

DEL

[Llewelyn]

There's also a beta version at sourceforge
https://sourceforge.net/projects/linkba ... .0%20beta/

[Andrew Lee]

When starting Linkbar, the following dialog appears...

Yes, that dialog can be downright confusing when you're striving for portability.

So by default, relative path is not used, which means if I try to run it on a different PC and the drive letter of my memory stick is not longer x, the program will fail to load the linkbar.

Thankfully, I found that by manually editing the dirlinks param to be a relative path:

Code: Select all

[Main]
dirlinks=x:\Linkbar-1.6.9\lbdata1

Looks like you edited the INI file but I'm failing to grasp how entering an absolute path there solves the issue...

Isn't the BATch file method I posted above easier?

My apologies, that's me being my muddle-headed self again

It should be:

Code: Select all

[Main]
dirlinks=.\lbdata1

I have updated my original post to correct this mistake.

[Midas]

NP.