Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)
As you all know, whenever a background app has something important to
say, it flashes its taskbar button orange.
If your taskbar is normally hidden, this also covers up important status
lines and toolbars in your foreground window. And that the bright
orange flash is REALLY distracting.
I found out how to reduce the flash to just once.
I'd like to do the following, as well:
- cancel the flashing completely
- change the orange to something less in-your-face
- stop certain programs (especially Messenger) from EVER being allowed
to flash the taskbar for petty nonsense like some dummy from the next
office wanting to know whether it's raining outside your window too
- make the taskbar go back down again instead of obstructing my work.
Having the alert for a half-second would be enough!
The default flashing taskbar is, unfortunately, probably the single most
counterproductive 'feature' of XP's interface.
When a window that does not have focus is updated by its program, the
default setting prevents it from becoming the foremost (top) window,
instead, it flashes in the taskbar.
"anon k" <nospam@nul.nul> wrote in message
news:fXL0e.10706$ZB6.2842@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
> As you all know, whenever a background app has something important to say,
> it flashes its taskbar button orange.
>
> If your taskbar is normally hidden, this also covers up important status
> lines and toolbars in your foreground window. And that the bright orange
> flash is REALLY distracting.
>
> I found out how to reduce the flash to just once.
>
> I'd like to do the following, as well:
>
> - cancel the flashing completely
>
> - change the orange to something less in-your-face
>
> - stop certain programs (especially Messenger) from EVER being allowed to
> flash the taskbar for petty nonsense like some dummy from the next office
> wanting to know whether it's raining outside your window too
>
> - make the taskbar go back down again instead of obstructing my work.
> Having the alert for a half-second would be enough!
>
> The default flashing taskbar is, unfortunately, probably the single most
> counterproductive 'feature' of XP's interface.
Thanks for these suggestions, but they don't seem effective. My taskbar
buttons still flash five times (though I set them to flash only once
using TweakUI) and they still flash in the same "LOOK AT ME!" shade of
orange.
The taskbar still stays in the foreground instead of going away after a
second or so.
"anon k" <nospam@nul.nul> wrote in message
news:R%_0e.14357$DW.11061@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
> Kelly wrote:
>> TweakUI/General/Focus
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp [...] ertoys.asp >>
>> Prevent Programs from Stealing Focus - Undo (Line 66)
>> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm >>
>> When a window that does not have focus is updated by its program, the
>> default setting prevents it from becoming the foremost (top) window,
>> instead, it flashes in the taskbar.
>>
>> HeldUp is the easiest way to stop windows from disappearing behind other
>> programs. http://www.johnmacintyre.ca/HeldUp.asp >>
>> Programs May Start, Quit, Lose, and Gain Focus Randomly
>> http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] duct=winxp >>
>> Customize Auto Hide Taskbar Settings (Line 190) Right hand side
>> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm >
>
> Thanks for these suggestions, but they don't seem effective. My taskbar
> buttons still flash five times (though I set them to flash only once using
> TweakUI) and they still flash in the same "LOOK AT ME!" shade of orange.
>
> The taskbar still stays in the foreground instead of going away after a
> second or so.