What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

Brian_EE — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:48:23 GMT

@alegr1: A quick (your favorite search engine) search to get the complete URL to the old article, followed by a Wayback archive searc (at www.archive.org) yielded the following historical snapshot of the page you're complaining about being missing:

web.archive.org/.../282066

Wayback is your friend.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

alegr1 — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 18:27:42 GMT

[Um, no, that's not what happened. Documentation links are filtered because the same code that does Start menu filtering also does Taskbar filtering. I like how you assume that something you don't like is the result of a conspiracy. -Raymond]

The KB 282066 was conveniently retired from circulation. Thanks, Microsoft, for deciding what we don't need anymore. Meanwhile, MS DOS 5.0 articles are still there.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

Joshua — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 01:38:58 GMT

If Microsoft hadn't seriously messed-up their C libraries, I'd just build a native DLL to do the P/Invoke to COM inversion, but too bad really.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

Dave Bacher — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:45:21 GMT

@joshua,

Microsoft's shell folks are deathly allergic to C#. If they even use managed c++, they will have hives for a month. As a result, typically all shell, dwm, etc. involves interop. Additionally, the dev div guys have painted a line down the center of the hall, and if a shell guy crosses the line, then they run screaming to Ballmer. It's as annoying as the almost but not quite COM utilized by windows media that requires a wrapper library to work. Some of these are available in the windows 7 API pack on codeplex (on my phone right now and can't easily pull the URL), which is a volunteer effort by people on the API teams, as well as others, to cover managed code.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

Joshua — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:31:43 GMT

OK Dumb Question: How do I set task button by API call rather than COM interop to some library that calls in 100MB of dependencies for .NET applications.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

Dave Bacher — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:26:07 GMT

@voo,

If you read through the examples -- Java and Silverlight, for example, each use a single executable to run multiple programs. The program is determined by which JAR/XAP is loaded. Going down that line, you have Python, Ruby, WSH, etc. that also work that way (one host app, but many different real applications running under it).

Similarly, there are times when you might use multiple apps -- for example one way to deal with a hybrid console/windows app is to compile the app as a console app and compile the app as a Windows app, and have the console app launch the Windows app when required. Or maybe you want to have a patcher that runs before a game, etc.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

David Walker — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 19:31:21 GMT

For anyone who doesn't like grouped icons, remember that a two-row-high taskbar gives you a lot more room for taskbar icons. I set the option to disallow grouping completely, and I like it that way.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

alegr1 — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:24:35 GMT

There was a manager who decided: "Users should never be able to pin SDK/DDK documentation viewer on the taskbar." So he applied all his influence to make a special case for a shortcut with "Documentation" in it. Never mind -100 points. I guess they have things they could use to bully devs around at MS.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

Adrian — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:56:23 GMT

I wish the grouping behavior was more directly under control of the user.

Many applications today are web-based. I see no reason why the browser instance I have open for email (er, webmail) should be glommed to the browser instance where I do my MSDN searches, the one I use for accessing the bug database, or the one where I read blogs during long compiles. The only way to handle this today is to use a different browser for each task.

re: What if my application is really two applications bundled into a single file, and I want them collected into two groups on the taskbar in Windows 7?

BZ — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:47:31 GMT

I think some web browsers segregate developer windows from actual web pages in this way.