Dragthing For Xp

Hi all,

I just found another util to make our cloning of OS X more complete.

There's an OS X util called "DragThing" that is basically a multi-tabbed Dock replacement/compliment.

I was looking around/reading some sites a few days ago where someone mentioned "WorkShelf" as a program very similiar to DragThing.

WorkShelf Info

After reading all I could about the two programs and actually running WorkShelf here on my PC, I must say it's quite a nice program.

Both DragThing and WorkShelf seem to have their roots in NextStep, OS X's parent, so to speak.

Here's a screen shot of WorkShelf in action at the bottom of the desktop:

Zoom in

Peace,

Grusic

P.S. That's not my desktop, by the way. It's a screen shot taken from WorkShelf's home page showing a user created theme for it and NextStart. And it is not necessary to run NextStart in order to use WorkShelf.

#8632

By the way...I found this hilarious icon for DragThing.

Zoom in

I'm not homophobic, I just found the icon extremely amusing!

Peace,

Grusic

#8633

Nice find, Grusic. Thanks for the info.

That config dialog does look alot like Next...your right.

#8637

Duckie, you're welcome

#8640

Nextstep is the ancestor of OSX, yes.

I have the fontbrowser from them (winstep) cause I find it usefull. They made next style controls for their programs.

I never really tried that workshelf thing though. Does it have an option to collapse to the tabs?

Drag thing also has transparency for the BG which I don't think this has.

#8645

I tried it and I don't think it's bad at all. It doesn't have seperate transparency for the tabs and bg but you can set it to be different transparencies when it is collapsed to the tabs and when it is not collapsed. All it needs if it doesn't have it already is 32-bit support for it's bitmaps. It looks pretty good though with the nextstep skin and collapsed, a bit like how some OSX users screenshots look who pick a similar skin for drag thing.

#8652

In case anyone is interested. There's an Aqua inspired skin for WorkShelf here: H2O Skin for WorkShelf

Latah,

Grusic

#8653

Hi all,

Here's a quick screenshot I put together of my desktop running WorkShelf docked to the bottom like DragThing would be in most cases.

It's displaying my active task on one of it's shelves.

Although it can't be seen in the screenshot, I have WorkShelf setup to auto-expand/collapse on mouse overs. Just like DragThing would behave.

Zoom In

About the only I don't like about it so far, is it's inability to set icons for running task. So it uses what ever icon the *.exe contains. While this generally isn't a problem. For a more complete OS X look, I feel it needs to be able to set it's own icons for running task, as we all know most default XP icons are not that attractive.

Latah,

Grusic

P.S. smoke, it does support 32 bit bitmaps. I using one in a quick skin mode I did of the H2O skin I posted eariler.

#8658

> About the only I don't like about it so far, is it's inability to set icons for running task. So it uses what ever icon the *.exe contains.

Actually that is 'kind of' correct, but not totally. NextSTART allows you to customize the icons of the running tasks. WorkShelf, in turn, automatically uses NextSTART's customization list (try it, run NextSTART, customize the icon of a running task and watch WorkShelf automatically pick it up the next time you open the Tasks shelf).

Although both programs can be used separately, they are intended as a 'suite' of applications and work best when used as such, since they nicelly complement each other. For instance, change a theme in WorkShelf and NextSTART automatically picks it up (and vice-versa). WorkShelf's context menus can also be made to use the current NextSTART theme and so on...

Anyway, glad you guys have been enjoying WorkShelf. Remember you can always contact us at support@winstep.net if you have any questions.

Jorge Coelho

NextSTART 3.0 - A user interface you can actually use!

http://www.winstep.net - Winstep Software Technologies

IRC Chat: #winstep on AustNet

#8762

Originally posted by JcRabbit@Jan 8 2003, 02:14 AM
> About the only I don't like about it so far, is it's inability to set icons for running task. So it uses what ever icon the *.exe contains.

Actually that is 'kind of' correct, but not totally.

It was correct in the context in which I was discussing the program.

I mentioned nothing about NextStart, nor did I intend to.

I really don't like being corrected.

Anyway, now that I have said that, would you be open to including the option to set a running task's icon from within WorkShelf?

All the best,

Grusic

P.S. Nice program!

#8764

It was correct in the context in which I was discussing the program.

I mentioned nothing about NextStart, nor did I intend to.

Ok, just pointing out the fact that the possibility exists.

I really don't like being corrected.

Sorry, it wasn't intended as an insult at all. Personally I have no problem whatsoever in being corrected as long as the person knows what he/she is talking about. That's how one learns, heh?

Anyway, now that I have said that, would you be open to including the option to set a running task's icon from within WorkShelf?

Maybe, I would have to think about it though. I don't like the idea of overlaping NextSTART and WorkShelf functions much, that's all.

P.S. Nice program!

Thanks!

Jorge Coelho

NextSTART 3.0 - A user interface you can actually use!

http://www.winstep.net - Winstep Software Technologies

IRC Chat: #winstep on AustNet

#8767

Hi Jorge,

You're welcome and thanks for considering the option I mentioned.

As a former developer myself, I can understand not wanting to overlap program functionality.

Things tend to get messy that way.

If you decide to keep the previously mentioned functionality out of WorkShelf, I wont be disappointed.

Peace,

Grusic

P.S. I tend to be sensitive about being corrected because I have a wife that *tries* to do that to me all the time, much to my annoyance!

#8775

Grusic, i love that WP, what is it and where do i get it. And what is that dock on the right hand side of the screen? looks like nothing ive run across of yet;

TIA.

#8777

Originally posted by essjay@Jan 8 2003, 05:28 AM
Grusic, i love that WP, what is it and where do i get it. And what is that dock on the right hand side of the screen? looks like nothing ive run across of yet;
TIA.
sj

Hi essjay,

The wallpaper is called "Dying Embers", if you can't find it on the Web, please PM me and I will arrange to send it.

The dock on the right hand side of my screen shot, is actually not a dock at all, sorry.

What I did was place my hard drive icons there and then wrote a Samurize script to display the HD/System status on the screen, taking care to make the text overlay carefully so it looks like it's actually part of the desktop.

Samuize is a system monitor program that is able do text overlays on the desktop.

If you'd like more info about Samurize, please go here: Samurize

If you'd like the script I'm using, please let me know.

You may want to hold off a few days though, as a new version of Samurize, called Serious Samurize, is about to be released. When that happens, all my current scripts will need to be ported to the new version.

They will run fine with the the current version, 0.63c, though. So if you decide to go with that version, they're all set.

All the best,

Grusic

#8894

The OSX dock ported in XP (mobydock, y'z.. etc) was very attractive, but I can't see why such apps like Dragthing & Workshelf etc are superior to Windows Start menu.

I guess it's more a matter of personal taste, but I don't like clutter on my desktop... as few icons and thingies as possible.

#10545

well yea ken its basicaly by perferred taste.. i mean come on.. the dock is much more attractive and cooler to use then the XP taskbar.. they both do the same thing basically.. but one is just better to look at!

-bolero

#10547

I was not referring to the dock, rather than to other app launchers that aren't even part of OS X. And, furthermore, try to replace the specific part of OS X (the dock).

I appreciate everyone's work, but having n shareware programs with n aqua skins for each one, is a little bit too much for me (especially when I haven't found an Aqua or Jaguar skin for Netscape 7 yet)

Have a nice day!

#10567

ohh lol okay got ya ken.. i didnt read your post long enough... i personaly dont like this "dragthing" for os x and wouldnt like it anyways for XP.. but .. the dock rules al.. heheheh

-bolero

#10576