Solved Quick Launch Bar: icons don't wrap even though there is room

[chillz]

I created a quick launch bar for the taskbar. My taskbar is two rows high. When the icons reach the border it's supposed to wrap to the next row below it but it doesn't do this even though there is clearly enough room. I have to make my taskbar three rows high in order for it to wrap. Here are some pics to show you:













Maybe it's the space in between the rows of icons that's wasting the room? Is there a way to fix this? Possibly shorten the gap in between. It just looks awkward with that empty row on the bottom. I know if I change to small icons then they will fit on a two row taskbar but small icons are too small for me.

 

[Brink]

Hello Chillz,

Are you using large icons for the taskbar buttons? If not, then that could be why there's not enough space for the larger icons in Quick Launch to fit in only two taskbar levels.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/741-taskbar-use-small-large-icons.html
​

You could also set Quick Launch to use small icons (step 7 below).

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/888-quick-launch-enable-disable.html
​

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[chillz]

Yes I'm using large icons for taskbar buttons. I tested it with small icons just to see and it didn't make a difference. I'm aware that I can make the quick launch icons small also but like I said it's too small for me.

Does this problem happen to you?

 

[Brink]

Yes, when Quick Launch is set to have large instead of small icons.

 

[chillz]

It's stupid because you can clearly see there is room for the icons to go on the bottom. Lazy programming by Microsoft, as usual.

 

[Brink]

It may look like there is, but it's most likely off by only a few pixels for there to actually be enough room for a second row of large icons in Quick Launch. Otherwise it would carry over to the second row like it does with small icons.

 

[chillz]

Ya I think it's because of the space in between the two rows. If they made it narrower it would fit. That's why Microsoft is stupid! Sorry but I feel like hating Microsoft today

 

[chillz]

I think I've verified that there is some kind of bug with the quick launch bar. I was messing around with the taskbar--moving it to the different sides of my screen, resizing the taskbar, resizing the borders of the quick launch bar, etc.-- when I noticed the icons in the QL bar didn't have the wrapping problem when the taskbar is on the left/right side of the screen:




I also noticed I can freely resize the taskbar to any length I want when it's on the left/right side of the screen. When it's on top/bottom I can only resize it in set increments (1 row in size).

Then when I dragged the taskbar from the side back to the bottom the QL bar remained wrapped:




Unfortunately if I restart my pc the wrapping problem returns but this proves that it is possible for the quick launch bar to wrap the icons properly. I wonder if there is a way to fix this. The solution is probably connected to how the taskbar freely resizes when it's in a vertical position. If we could have the taskbar in the top/bottom position resize the same way maybe that could solve it?


Anyone have any ideas about this? It is puzzling why Microsoft did not fix an obvious problem like this.

 

[Kari]

I think I've verified that there is some kind of bug with the quick launch bar.

That's the reason I started to keep my Taskbar vertically on left already in early pre-release versions of Vista, for not only does the wrapping not work, but also I get so much more space on Taskbar having it vertically left.

This one from Win 8 but it looks the same on my Sevens. Quick Launch = big icons, Taskbar = small icons, not combine.

 

[chillz]

That's the reason I started to keep my Taskbar vertically on left already in early pre-release versions of Vista, for not only does the wrapping not work, but also I get so much more space on Taskbar having it vertically left.

I've tried using it vertically but it's hard. I'm just soooo used to having the taskbar on the bottom. Been using almost every version of Windows since '95 and it's always been on the bottom.

I wish someone could make a program to mimic the functions of the vertical taskbar and apply it to the horizontal taskbar. Sounds like it would be easy, but what do I know?

 

[Brink]

Chillz,

The free program 7stacks may work for you for this when using it with "icons only" mode like below.

7stacks | Alastria Software

 

[DavidE]

Try creating your own toolbar and not use the Quick Launch toolbar.
I use my own toolbar rather than the Quick Launch toolbar.
I tried a lot of settings and mine always wraps the icons without the extra 3rd row.
I re-booted, and the settings still worked.

With my toolbar I see the Toolbar name, in my screen print it's "W 7 32".

I prefer my toolbar over the Quick Launch for:
- I don't want a System Restore to replace MY latest toolbar
- I have several systems, and I can glance at the toolbar and know what system I am using

It's free to try, with no 3rd party program needed.



To create a new toolbar for a "Quick Launch replacement":
- Copy your Quick Launch folder to a new folder
- The name of the new folder will be used for the Toolbar Name
- Right Click on the Taskbar, then Left Click Toolbars > New Toolbar...
- Browse to your new Toolbar folder and select it

 

[chillz]

Brink: thanks it looks like a nice program. It would be very useful if I have lots of shortcuts. I will definitely keep it in mind.


DavidW7ncus: it doesn't work. It has the same problem as the QL bar. You probably don't notice it because you're using small icons and a 2-row taskbar. If you change your toolbar to use large icons and then resize the border it will probably not wrap properly.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome chillz.

 

[DavidE]

Use the suggestion by Brink if that fixes your issue.

My screen print in post #12 was with large icons.

Here are screen prints with large and small icons - either one works for me.
I chose a 2 row taskbar because that is what i thought i saw in your screen print example in the OP (post #1).

Large icons


Small icons

 

[DavidE]

I just tested this on a 7 x64 OS and I still don't see the issue you do...
I changed the taskbar color to Blue so the Black SF image area is more obvious in my screen prints.

I can't believe I am the only one not having this problem if it is a W7 issue/bug.

It's interesting that when I use Large Icons, the Toolbar and Notification area are still small icons...
Not a problem for me as I use Small icons...so i never noticed this before.

Do you have any items pinned to the taskbar?
I can't be sure based on the OP and screen prints.
I do, maybe that makes a difference.

These screen prints are full screen width, with the address toolbar, to force wrapping "taskbar areas"...

large icons


small icons

 

[chillz]

Your open program and pinned icons are using Large icons. Your toolbar icons are still using small icons. If you right click in the toolbar (unlock taskbar first if it's locked), View, Large icons. Then resize the border and see if it wraps. Most likely it won't.