Windows XP [Electronic resources] : Visual Quickstart Guide, Second Edition

Chris Fehily

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Using the Notification Area

Windows XP changes the name of the

system tray (or just

tray ) to the

notification area, which lives at the right end of the taskbar, holding the clock and small icons that monitor activities on your computer or network (Figure 2.33 ).

Figure 2.33. Notification-area icons give the status of background programs, tasks, and services. The number of icons grows as you install more programs.

Windows and other programs use icons here to let you know thingsthat you've received new email, for example. Some icons flash to get your attention, whereas others appear for the duration of an event (such as printing a document). Hover the pointer over an icon to find out what it represents (Figure 2.34 ).

Figure 2.34. The tool tip for this icon shows internet-connection statistics.

These icons have no standard controls. Some, you click; others, you double- or right-click; and some ignore clicks.

Tips

Programs can display what they please in the notification area (and some abuse the privilege). You can dismiss some icons with a right-click, whereas others cling like barnacles. A program's options or preferences (usually found in the Edit or Tools menu) may let you control tray settings.

If you hide the clock, you have more room for icons.

To show or hide the clock:

1. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar or notification area; then choose Properties (Figure 2.35 ).

Figure 2.35. The Taskbar tab lets you change the notification area's appearance and behavior.

2. Check Show the Clock to display the time, or uncheck this box to hide it.

3. Click OK (or Apply).

Chapter 4.

Figure 2.36. A tall or vertical taskbar displays the day, the date, and more icons.

Windows manages the notification area by watching you work. If you don't use an icon regularly, Windows calls it inactive and hides it, but you can control icon display rather than accept the default behavior (Figure 2.37 ).

Figure 2.37. A < button indicates that Windows has hidden some notification-area icons (refer to Figure 2.33). Click the button to expand the notification area and display all icons, as shown here. (Note that the button becomes a >.)

To control icon display in the notification area:

1. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar or notification area; then choose Properties.

2. To show all icons, uncheck Hide Inactive Icons; click OK; then skip the remaining steps.

3. To customize the behavior of icons, click Customize.

The Name column shows the programs (Figure 2.38 ).

Figure 2.38. You can specify the notification behavior for items displayed currently as well as in the past.

4. In the Behavior column, click each program that you want to customize; then choose Hide When Inactive, Always Hide, or Always Show in the list box.

Click Restore Defaults to restore the icons' standard behavior.

5. Click OK in each open dialog box.

Tip

If Hide Inactive Icons is checked, you can customize notifications directly. Right-click an empty area on the notification area; then choose Customize Notifications.