The most interesting and useful feature of Windows 7 is the new "Superbar". Superbar is a redesigned form of the old Taskbar. It shows only icons of running programs (Iconized Taskbar buttons), it allows to re-arrange taskbar buttons, its height is a bit larger than the old Taskbar.
We have already posted a small tutorial to get the iconized Taskbar buttons in Windows XP and Vista:
Get Windows 7 Iconized (Icon Only) Taskbar Feature in Windows XP & Vista
You can also use a small utility to get iconized taskbar buttons:
Taskbar Iconizer: Utility to Iconize Taskbar in Windows XP & Vista
Even though you can get the iconized taskbar buttons but you can't get big program icons like Windows 7. No need to worry, now its possible with the help of "ViGlance".
Our friend "Lee" has created an excellent utility "ViGlance" which provides a Windows 7 look-a-like Superbar in Windows XP and Vista. Its a portable application so you don't need to install it. Just run it and you have done.
Following is a screenshot of "ViGlance" in action:
As you can see, it shows big icons in taskbar buttons. Following are a few features of ViGlance:
- True 48x48 Vista Icon Support
- Dynamic Process Grouping
- Dynamic Thumbnails
- Pin Items and Move Items
- Fading Start Orb
- Glide transitional effects
- Resource PNG skin support
- Native Right-Click support
- Dynamic taskbar transparency
- x64 and x86 Windows Support
You can download it using following link:
This article was posted by VG in following section: Software, Windows Vista, Windows XP.
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kira08
ViGlance is still buggy though.
It conflicts with the VistaPerfection Start Orb, and my Quick Launch and taskbar buttons were still 16x16 as opposed to the 48x48 icons in the screenshot. I tried unloading my WB skin but they remain as 16x16 icons. So I killed the app for now.
Other than these, ViGlance is a wonderful app. I'll just wait and check out a better version of this in the future.
As a side note, was Lee the creator of ViCon? That app which gives a Vista-like mouseover effect on icons?
slizz
i installed ViGlance, but when i hover my mouse over my icons, it shows no text. the box where the text is supposed to be is there, but no text inside. any help?
Garetty
^^^^
Lol, I have that same problem. It is getting annoying. Could you fix that for us?
Hami
But you guys should now that using this will not let you use the "Quick Toolbar" in your XP, so I won't recommend for those who aren't ready to opt out Quick Toolbar thingy.
Doc
@Hami: You mean "QuickLaunch"? I wonder if it's been incorporated into ViGlance, like the Windows 7 taskbar does. Win7 lets you "pin" icons to it, mixing the QuickLaunch toolbar with the Taskbar seamlessly...does ViGlance?
JJ
Hey Vishal =)
When I use ViGlance my minimized taskbark icons return to the default windows icons. I want my icons to be big but they just change to windows xp default icons. How can i make it show the Windows 7 icons theme I used in IconPackager in the minimized windows part.
For example the icon for My Documents is the Windows 7 one but in the taskbar it shows as the default Windows XP My Computer one.
JJ
Oh yeh i just noticed that with the ViGlance anything that opens in Windows Explorer eg Control Panel, My Documents, My Computer all appear as the same My Computer Icon in the Taskbar.
Is there anyway to fix this ?
VG
^^ Sorry. No idea about that. You should contact the developer.
Luis
wow i love this it looks good i download it for my xp and i try ut on the windows 7 rc and it works and am not runing aero and it actually looks good cuz it as transperency wow i love make one for vista to! great joob =]
Dragon
Well,I Like The 48 X 48 Icons In The Taskbar But I Hate That Glide Efect.
That Is Not All It Crashes Sometimes Like Their Brothers:Vistart,ViOrb And ViSplore.