Mobydock Ideas & Feature Requests

Hello!

The days that Mobydock was just a cosmetic change for Windows are gone. But more features bring more feature requests for versions to come.

I'd like to share ideas for Mobydock and check "what the public wants", as well as check what Moby is willing to do (Many thanks for whatever you've already done, Moby! We are all greatful).

1. Vertical dock on the sides of the screen, or even on top.

Lots of people want that. I noticed the threads about multi-monitor support and problems with icons going off the edges of the screen. A setting for "dock maximum width" would force the dock to appear on one monitor and keep all icons visible all the time.

2. Separators. Drag the separator to move it around, or Ctrl+drag it to create a new one... just a thought.

3. Taskbar. When i see my taskbar disappear for a couple of seconds on MD startup, I feel that something weird is going to happen. Is this necessary? Will it be solved in DX9 version of MD?

Also, about the option to show taskbar... maximized windows do not use the space of the taskbar. Can be fixed?

4. Dragging things off the dock... I'd like to drag the icon of a running application (with arrow underneath) off the dock to close it, or drag the recycle bin off to empty it. Dragging again a non-running application icon, or an empty bin, could remove the icon completely, as usual.

5. Settings Window. A bit crowded, but I'd welcome the addition of text labels indicating the Icon sizes. I want icons to maximize to 128x128, and the slide bars don't help for precise selection.

6. Mail Check. I hate it when I'm prompted for a password every time I run Mobydock. MD tends to slow down very often and I have to restart it, and it's not cool to have to enter password all the time. Option to save passwords maybe?

As for the mailoverlay icon... Why stretch it and not use it at full size (i.e. 128x128), over the underlying icon? E-mail count font, colour, size and placement (top right of the icon, etc.) and other details, could be inserted in settings.ini file (Don't think it's worth to add them in settings dialog window, but worth to be able to change them)

7. Plug-in architecture. Features like WMP and Winamp popups, don't have to be in Mobydock core. Plug-ins will let users choose which features they want and some programmers add more cool features to MD. (CPU Usage, Internet connection status, IM status/message alerts, Battery level etc)

LOL! I think I've been asking for too much already!

Anyway, these are just thoughts I'd like to share and I'd like to receive comments from other users as well.

Have a nice day, all!

Ken

#9487

hi ho,

thanks for your suggestions.

maybe we can use this thread as a database for ideas etc. !

i will get back here sometimes to get ideas to what has to be/ can be done next !!

moby

#9528

My idea to have an option to show just minimized tasks in the snapshot area still stands.

#9530

Originally posted by Ken@Jan 12 2003, 04:41 PM

6. Mail Check. I hate it when I'm prompted for a password every time I run Mobydock. MD tends to slow down very often and I have to restart it, and it's not cool to have to enter password all the time. Option to save passwords maybe?

Hi Ken,

I agree 100% your suggestions. But perhaps one GOOD idea is:

* Make MobyDock compatible with Yz'Dock plug-ins. When Mr. Yakamishi publish they interface, it's posible to support THE SAME PLUG-IN SDK in MobyDock.

With this solution, both: Yz'Dock & MobyDock will have many plug-ins in a short time.

What you think, Moby?

Obssesion.

#9631

I need to be able to place Mobydock in my startup folder.

Don't know if that happens in my PC, but whenever I place a MD link in startup folder, try to run MD from a batch file, WSH or whatever, it just crashes.

It will also look cool if icons turned darker when clicked on. Not only it will be more Macish, but it will reassure the user that he clicked at the right place.

#9652

8. Eject CD.

I don't know If somebody knows, but if you have a shortcut to your CD drive on your desktop and drag it to ObjectDock's recycle bin, it won't be deleted but your CD drive opens it's tray. I think that's a genious feature but ObjectDock don't recognize multiple CD drives - it opens only the first drive. Maybe Moby can add this feature and make it functionally with multiple drives.

Greetings,

Cassiel

#9654

Originally posted by Ken@Jan 13 2003, 06:50 AM

I need to be able to place Mobydock in my startup folder.

Don't know if that happens in my PC, but whenever I place a MD link in startup folder, try to run MD from a batch file, WSH or whatever, it just crashes.

It will also look cool if icons turned darker when clicked on. Not only it will be more Macish, but it will reassure the user that he clicked at the right place.

Hmm, I run a shortcut to MD from the startup folder and it starts up fine.

#9655

9. Drag and Drop hierarchical menus.

For shortcuts to folders, and running folders (open).

I would switch from Yz Dock to MobyDock if I could drag and drop items from my desktop through the pop-up folder listings, and also drag and drop to the Recycle Bin to delete.

I'm very excited to see the DX9 version of MobyDock. It looks like it will be faster then the Apple Dock on even lower spec PC's then equivalent Mac's. I know I was pushing for an OpenGL dock but I just found out the Mac I've been using was a dual 750Mhz G4 with 1GB or RAM so I'm not surprised it was silky smooth. Then I played around on an iBook and saw what it's really like. Ouch.

I totally agree with Ken's ideas on the settings window, and dragging and dropping running apps to close them. I think the Recycle Bin should remain with it's right click menu to empty though.

10. Overlay icon settings.

To customize my overlays I had to quit MobyDock and replace them manually. It would always be nice to have this ability from the settings window.

11. SCROLLING DOCK!!!

I like the relational re-sizing, but the Mac Dock doens't do this. It just scrolls left or right acting as normal then jumps back centered when your mouse leaves the dock. That way your icons don't change sizes increasing the magnification effect when you have a lot of apps running, or shortcuts, or both. PLEASE PLEASE ADD THIS!

All that said and done I would like to extend some prop's to Moby on a fine fine product!

#9659

hi,

thanks for all your suggestions.

BTW, drag & drop to trash to delete files already works. also, you can open files by dropping them on the appropriate item !

moby

#9672

Originally posted by Cassiel@Jan 13 2003, 04:04 PM

8. Eject CD.

I don't know If somebody knows, but if you have a shortcut to your CD drive on your desktop and drag it to ObjectDock's recycle bin, it won't be deleted but your CD drive opens it's tray. I think that's a genious feature but ObjectDock don't recognize multiple CD drives - it opens only the first drive. Maybe Moby can add this feature and make it functionally with multiple drives.

Greetings,

Cassiel

Never tried that before...will have to when I get to my machine that's running MD...thanks for the tip!

#9683

Originally posted by moby@Jan 13 2003, 01:27 PM

BTW, drag & drop to trash to delete files already works. also, you can open files by dropping them on the appropriate item !

VERY nice, I didn't know that.

I think it's time to install MobyDock again and give it another shot at replacing my Yz Dock

#9696

Originally posted by hallf+Jan 13 2003, 07:57 PM-->

QUOTE(hallf @ Jan 13 2003, 07:57 PM)

#9697

Originally posted by hallf+Jan 13 2003, 10:58 PM-->

QUOTE(hallf @ Jan 13 2003, 10:58 PM)

Originally posted by hallf@Jan 13 2003, 07:57 PM

#9699

No, your English is fine...I was reading what I "wanted" the dock to do, not what you wrote

I was putting the shortcut to the CD on the dock, not on the desktop. Thanks for replying, so I could pay attention this time.

#9705

I dont agree with adding anything to the dock that isn't there in the real one. Thats my opinion. As far as the first post goes, (item number 2) holding the seperator already has a function. It does not drag the dock around, it adjusts the size of the dock. I thought this was a known feature but I guess not everyone has actually used the "real thing". But just stick with the real features please. And please dont add anything that is not directly inhereted of the real dock. Looking forward to it Moby. Dont take too long!

#9740

My idea is a real dock function...

#9746

Yes, that is true smoke. I like your idea. Just not the one where your drag the separator to move the dock around and a few others...

EDIT: That idea was not yours though. I believe it was Kens idea to drag the seperator to change the position of the dock.

#9753

About the separator:

Mobydock currently keeps 3 icons on the right of the separator, no matter what, and you can't have more than this one.

Resizing the dock from the separator would be cool. I just suggested Ctrl+dragging (or any other way considered "harmless" by Mac users, Ctrl is used to copy items in Windows) as a way to add a new separator in your dock.

In Mac, dock icons, separators etc. are set up via a fully graphical settings dialog. I'd love to have it, but can compensate for something that will have the same result.

It's true that our desire is a Mac OSX dock replica. But PC docks, however good they may become, will never become 100% similar to OSX dock (and honestly hope that dock programmers prove I'm wrong).

That's why some workarounds and tricks are acceptable, in order to have a dock that:

- resembles as much as possible to the original

(have as many features as the real dock)

- behaves as much as possible to the original

(doesn't confuse OSX users)

- is useful and attractive to Windows users!

(if we can't have the real thing, let's have something we can make good use of, not just a cool looking toolbar with icons)

Have a nice day!

Ken

#9763

There are functions which are possible yet so far people haven't had the desire to implement them. It's not a question of if it's possible it's a question of when someone will decide to do it.

I bet hardly anyone before these docks where released thought they would be possible.

#9767

A simple way to use "plug-ins":

Have mobydock "quietly" refresh all icons at a specific interval, or when called with some command line parameters (i.e. "mobydock.exe /refresh")

If moby adds such a feature, anyone can write his own program, switch the appropriate pngs and refresh mobydock.

#9900

What I am interested in is basically the following:

1) A Dock to start things (surprise;)) I would love a feature like it was possible witht he old DesktopX docks, where you could have more icons jump out of one in the dock. Like with Office, point on the Office icon, and a new line of Office Apps jumps out and you can click on Word, Excel, powerpoint, etc.

2) A Taskbar replacement, showing the ruinning tasks - not only by an indicator, but with a line of icons rowed up besides each other. And an option to choose wich icon to show and which not show, i.e. for a few icons I'd prefer only the indicator.

3) A few plug-ins like with Y'z dock where you could show the CPU usage, for example.

4) Right-click functionality - and be it only to pass through the original right-click menu offered by windows. Oh, and don't cry "OS X doesnt have that!" Well, the applemouse doesn't have a right button, so what apple does is to use the control-key to emulate the right click. Way to go, apple... Well, if you could configure the right-click for each item in the dock would be awesome. For example: WinAMP. Build a list with Play, pause, stop, next, etc. items showing up on right click!

5) I couldn't care less about seperators. Have the, or not, i dont care.

6) A nice little clock (I love the way Yz's dock draws it, its really great)

Thats my dream of a Dock.

I am afraid I have to wait for DesktopX 2, though, I am afraid...

#9963

Hi McTrinsic!

If you right click in Mobydock icons, you may find a few interesting things, like:

Play, Pause, Stop etc pop-up menu for Winamp and Media Player (You have to drag winamp.exe in mobydock)

Pop-up menu with files contained within a folder, if you drag any folder in mobydock.

Have a nice day!

#10029

Just to let you know moby, I'm really excited about the dock you've got in the works right now, once again your leading the world of docks into it's next stage of evolution.

#10119

@Ken

Heh sounds great, just what i've been looking for.

Unfortunately, I also have to wait for a Mobydock that runs on my PC (weird bug from the bug thread)

In case it ever will, I am more than eager to try it out!

Anyway... does MobyDock feature a task-dock, like ObjectBar where it shows the running processes??

#10168

Yes, MobyDock can show running processes

#10194