ObjectDock

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ObjectDock 2

ObjectDock allows users to organize their shortcuts, programs and running tasks into an animated, attractive and fun Dock Developer: Stardock Latest release: 2.0 / October, 2010 OS: Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista/w:Microsoft Windows 7 Genre: OS Customization License: Freeware Website: ObjectDock website

ObjectDock is an application that puts an animated, customizable dock on your Windows desktop. This dock can be used to organize shortcuts, runnings tasks, programs, and much more.

There are two versions of ObjectDock, a freeware version and a Plus version. ObjectDock Plus adds features such as tabbed docks, multiple docks, system tray support, task grouping, and more.

Contents 1 User Experience 1.1 What Objectdock Does 1.2 How to Use ObjectDock 1.2.1 The Basics 1.2.2 Advanced Settings 1.2.3 Plus Features 2 History 2.1 Current Version 3 Links 3.1 Product Information 3.2 Downloads 3.3 Documentation & Help 3.4 Tutorials 4 Notes & References

User Experience

What Objectdock Does

Objectdock is a smoothly-animated, customizable 'shelf' on which you can place shortcuts, docklets, system tray icons, and view running applications. The program is available in two versions: Plus and Standard. The Plus version offers multiple docks, tabbed docks, and a unique feature called flyout menus. The free version, while still demonstrating the capabilities of the 'zoomer' docks, limits you to only one dock. You can customize ObjectDock to be anything from a taskbar replacement to a fancy docklet-filled information center.

How to Use ObjectDock

The Basics

The easiest way to learn about ObjectDock is to install the free version. The application is simple in concept, and easy to use! When you first install ObjectDock, and run the application, you'll see an animated 'tray' appear, which zooms larger as you move your mouse over it. This is a 'Zoomer' dock, and is the only type of dock available in the free version of ObjectDock. In the Properties dialog of this dock, you can customize the appearance of the dock background, as well as the animation mode for the mouse-over reaction.

In addition to these settings, you can also adjust whether your system tray icons or taskbar items appear on the dock, and in what positions. These settings really unleash the power of ObjectDock as a taskbar replacement, allowing you to do away with the standard Windows taskbar entirely. With the stardard taskbar gone, and a more appealing (and functional) replacement, the options to fully enhance your user experience expand greatly.

Advanced Settings

Depending on your hardware, you can also change some advanced settings regarding performance. ObjectDock makes it easy for you to specify how much RAM should be used as well as the speed/quality of transitions and animations. These tweaks allow ObjectDock to perform well under many different hardware configurations. The defaults generally are set at an 'average' level, so depending on your needs or desires, you can alter them to suit your hardware configuration.

Plus Features

In the Plus version of ObjectDock, a number of powerful enhancements are introduced. The most notable of these is the addition of Tabbed Docks. These docks veer away from the normal 'Zoomer' docks in appearance, and instead offer the functionality of different tabs of shortcuts/docklets/systrays/etc. This allows you to cram many shortcuts or other objects into the same amount of space, while still displaying on an attractive and customizable background.

In addition to the tabbed docks, you can also have as many docks (in either type) as you like, instead of being limited to just one zoomer dock (as the free version is limited to). This allows you to have complex and multi-functional docks. For example, its a simple matter to configure your docks to have one zoomer-dock showing currently running tasks in the middle of the bottom of your screen, with a zooming system tray in the lower-left corner. In addition to these, you could add a tabbed dock to hold shortcuts for all your commonly-used applications.

Additional features are introduced on the Product Page

History

Current Version

2.0, October 2010

• Brand new UI
• Folder-View Tabs
• AeroPeek-like task-switching feature
• New background features: Reflections, blur-behind, true-streth mode
• Over a dozen new professionally-created backgrounds
• Shows shortcuts to running applications on dock, allows for pinning/unpinning
• Icon-transparency setting with new "Ghost" mode
• New background browser & icon chooser
• New "Bubble" mouseover effect
• Imports quicklaunch/pinned shortcuts (fresh installations)

Links

Product Information

• ObjectDock
• ObjectDock Plus 1.9: Feature Tour

Downloads

• Freeware Version
• Plus Version Product Information
• ObjectDock section at Wincustomize

Documentation & Help

• ObjectDock+ Introduction Screencast

Tutorials

ObjectDock 2

• ObjectDock Plus 2: Changing Background Themes
• Backing Up ObjectDock Plus 2
• ObjectDock 2 Video Demo
• ObjectDock Plus 2 Walkthrough

• ObjectDock: Changing the Background Theme
• ObjectDock: Installing and Using Docklets
• Working with ObjectDock 101
• OD+: Creating a non-tabbed dock
• OD+: Editing a non-tabbed dock
• OD+: Creating a tabbed dock
• OD+: Creating a system tray dock
• ObjectDock: Creating a Tile Dock Part 1: The Regular Tile
• ObjectDock: Creating a Tile Dock Part 2: The Perspective Tile
• ObjectDock: Creating a Zoomer Dock Part 1: The Regular Zoomer
• ObjectDock: Creating an ObjectDock Dock Background From a WindowBlinds Skin
• ObjectDock: Configuring and Using Flyout Menus
• Creating a Dock as a Drawer
• ObjectDock: Single Tabbed Dock Drawers

Notes & References

For most written communication this program's name is abbreviated as OD for the free version, and OD+ for the full featured version.