I am just now trying out NextStart for the first time today. I like what I see, but I am having a very annoying issue with the system tray. Specifically - it likes to disappear, or parts of it do.

When editing the menus, if I'm not careful with the delete button, it will crash NextStart. When I restart it, there is no system tray. A reboot of windows returns the system tray. This is repeatable behaviour.

Second, when there is no crash, icons disappear after a while. I THOUGHT this was simply the same behaviour as XP - ie, auto-hiding of inactive icons. However, I can't make them come back. Right now, for example, I can't access 8 of 12 systray items. 4 are showing, but none of the 4 are anything I really need to use! I can't get to my Yahoo tray item, GAIM, or any others.

I have tried everything, and the only way to get all my tray items back is to reboot windows. Right-clicking the clock on the tray only hides/shows the 4 visible tray items, but not the others.

If there is some way to make them come back, it is not readily apparent. Any clues on how to prevent this problem?

(EDIT):

I found the source of the problem (I think)... The windows system tray was configure to auto-hide inactive tray icons. Works fine if you have a way to show them when you need them. Winstep LACKS this functionality. When windows hides the tray icons, there is no way to show them if you have the windows taskbar disabled. So, when using winstep, you have to disable the hiding feature in windows.

It would be nice if WinStep were to add a control to show hidden tray items.

Looks like you already found the cause and solution for this one. I think NextSTART should just disable this XP feature while it runs since it has the (to me) more convenient auto-hide systray button.



This has already been fixed for next version. Since we had a major hard disk crash in here with some loss of data and release of the official 3.2 version got pushed back a bit, I guess it's better to give the URL of the latest NextSTART beta:

http://winstep.skwire.net/winstep/ns3-beta.zip

Just install it on top and read the history file (history-ns3.txt) afterwards to have a full description of fixes and new additions.

Ditto, ditto, ditto!!!!!!!

This is the number ***1*** reason I do NOT ise NS's startbar.

I guess something has to be done about it, then.

is there eny way I can just get a tab on the work shelf that way can access my system tray when I need it or maybee make a menu for it. I would be perfectly happy to just get rid of it and do it that way so I could just access it when I need it and not have it there the rest of the time.

Workshelf does not handle the systray in any way, only NextSTART does. And, in NextSTART, all you have to do is enable the systray button (see NextSTART's Systray and Tasklist Preferences tab) - you can then set the systray to auto-hide and re-appear only when you click on the systray button.

well you used to be able to Jorge, but not in this new release. I like to have my systray auto collapse to the button and stay on top so i can clik the button ( clock actually it is ) to access systray items. cant now.
Also the task list will not stay on top like it used to. any ideas there ?
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It's not clear from what you say if the systray button's auto collapse function isn't working anymore (seems to be here, just tried it) or things not staying always on top.

The later case I fixed already - try downloading

http://www.winstep.net/ns3-beta.zip

Jorge, you are a genius !!
that did the trick, thank you so much ))
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