XP system tray size

I just upgraded to a different HD and XP Home. I installed a tray clock which I had used previously, said to work fine in XP. So far it does, except the tray won't automatically adjust horiz. to the size of the new clock; it tries to adjust to the size of the original clock. Also, since I removed a couple of icons which were never used at all, I've also lost that expand arrow.

How can I get the tray to adjust in horiz. size to allow the full expression of the new clock?

Does this have anything to do with the "Always hide" choices in Properties?

Thanks.

 

Try right clicking on the taskbar and unlock the taskbar. Once you get it set like you want, you can lock it back if you wish.

I hope that is what you are asking about.

 

The taskbar was already unlocked, I've never locked it before...

If the tray expands properly, I'll try locking the taskbar.

Any more suggestions, just in case?

Thanks.

 

Which clock program are you using? I've always been partial to TClock

 

At the present, I'm using TClockEx, by Dale Nurden, at http://www.rcis.co.za/dale/tclockex/

I'll take a look at your TClock program.

But I still need to know about enlarging the SysTray so TClockEx will show properly.

Thanks.

 

Right Click on the tray clock >"TClockEx Properties...". Under the Clock tab put a check in "Fixed width" and set it to accommodate the particular clock display you have set up.

 

Hi, I've been using LClock recently. I just closed it and tried TClock and it did exactly as you described conforming to the original Windows clock size. TClockEX displays time the same way. :confused

I wonder if this has to do with SP3? Does your Windows clock display the day of week? Mine does now, but I don't remember that ever being part of the Windows clock. I've got some cosmetic Vista theme things going on here so I can't be sure if they are affecting my display. Does your Windows clock have the time on the top row and the day of week underneath? If so I don't think it is a taskbar problem but a Clock properties problem but I'm unsure where to adjust them.

 

Tried it... It doesn't affect the clock display box in the systray. It does seem to affect the configured setup within the fixed systray box, but nothing else.

I don't have SP3 installed, so that shouldn't be a concern.

My "Windows clock" (without TClockEx or its configurations) shows only time, nothing else, not even on two lines.

I experimented with TClockEx's “|” element (a vertical bar)(the pipe?.. can't find a vertical bar on my keyboard) to act as a line break. but there was no visible affect except that the display within the fixed systray clock window was adjusted to reflect some almost incomprehensible TClockEx influence - the number of lines didn't change.

In short, the suggestions and experiments so far lead me to believe that XP fixes the size of the clock display to its own rules and ignores anything set up by TClockEx. This has not always been the case with this copy of XP; since I removed some icons from the systray, the whole systray box is normally "fixed", not needing expansion. And I didn't have this problem at all with Win98SE. So maybe it has something to do with XP's interpretation of the Expand function of systray? Even when it was expanding (or expandable), it didn't always accomodate the full expression of TClockEx.)

I don't know how to force the systray to provide an Expand arrow... I hate to have extraneous icons there...

But I refuse to accept that there's not some Registry entry, fix, or patch! I've written the author but haven't had a response yet. He admits that he's about through with TClockEx, and he might not be paying as much attention nowadays as before. But to live is to hope...

I'm still open to suggestions!
Thanks for trying!

 

Are you using the zipped stand-alone version of TClockEX or the installer version?

I downloaded the zipped version and it expands the taskbar whether it is locked or not. I've also ticked Hide inactive icons and unticked it and either way the taskbar expands to any size to accommodate the font I choose. In other words TClockEX works fine on XP. (I hadn't actually tried EX last night when I saw TClocklight wasn't working properly).

I can't get TClockEX to duplicate your problem. How did you remove icons from the system tray? By closing programs? Removing programs from Startup?

 

I aint' fer sure... It's a zip file titled tclocklight-040702-3.

I used a combo of this action - < Start>Run>type "msconfig">Services tab>uncheck Network Location Awareness > and Always Hiding the icon in the Taskbar properties. I did both in the same session. This was the only way to remove the LAN icon; I didn't have LAN checked in the Dialup box.

I should go back to the website and download the installer version, just to make sure. I'm probably confusing things a bit when I used the original version from my Win98 days, just re-installed (the original zipped file) that one when I got to XP. Frankly, I can't recall which type of file I had back then.

Thanks. The question is still open...

 

Those screenshots were from TClockEX zipped...here
TClocklight isn't working on my XP.

 

I went back to look at the two versions on his website, read a comment about the difference between the two. Other than the obvious difference about the size, I don't remember which program offers the install/uninstall routine, and his comment didn't specify!

But I think I recall using the Install routine...

The dust is getting thicker...

 

Turns out I had used both versions, in different OSs! This last time, w/XP, I must've used the zip version. I went back, downloaded the EXE version, installed it, and VOILA! It works properly - at least the majority of the time. There are instances when it shortens to the standard width, but then it corrects to the configured width.

Some difference between the two versions...
On to the next problem....

Thanks to all for your input and suggestions!