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JTaskBar — A Vertical Taskbar for Windows 11

A lightweight, configurable vertical taskbar for Windows 11, designed for power users in restricted environments.

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Why This Exists

Windows 11 removed support for vertical taskbars. This project restores that functionality with the following constraints:

• Must not require administrative rights
• Cannot rely on Microsoft Store distribution
• Must be usable in secured enterprise environments

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Core Features

• Bring a window to focus on click
• Minimize a window if it already has focus
• Show date and time
• Use a JSON config file to control date/time format and other settings (Not yet implemented)
• Desktop button - Minimize all windows with a single click
• Show tooltips on hover
• Provide a context menu for window actions
• Support additional toolbars (planned)

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Current Features (as of September 2025)

• Enumerates and displays open windows
• Click-to-focus and minimize-on-reselect
• AppBar-style docking (left or right)
• Adjustable width (via property - setting interface not yet created)
• Tooltips on hover
• Foreground window is auto-highlighted
• Ghost/utility windows are filtered out
• Icons displayed for most windows (with fallback for legacy applications)
• Desktop button to minimize all windows
• Context menu with:
  • Restore
  • Minimize
  • Close
  • Open file location
  • Open Task Manager
• Responsive to screen resolution and monitor layout changes
• Auto Sort Windows list by name and process ID
• Changed list container from ListView to DataGridView
• Calendar view on click of clock

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To-Do List

1. Background Color Property

   • Configurable background color for the taskbar and/or window list

2. Config File

   • JSON-based config (jtaskbar.json)
   • Properties:
     • DockSide
     • BarWidth
     • ClockFormat
     • BackgroundColor
     • Opacity

3. Config Window

   • Lightweight UI to edit and save config settings
   • Optional: live preview of changes

4. Multi-monitor

   • Add mechanism to add toolbars to additional monitors
   • Filter windows to their taskbars on their windows
   • Save settings to config file

5. Additional Toolbars

   • Add method for adding and configuring custom toolbars linked to a folder
   • Save configuration to config file

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Nice-to-Have Features

• Keyboard navigation (e.g., arrow keys, Enter to focus)
• Multi-monitor support (dock to specific screen)
• Auto-hide or pin/unpin behavior
• Logging/debug mode toggle
• COM-based icon support for UWP/system apps (e.g., Settings, Media Player)

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