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Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get started?
- How do I move the Toolbar?
- What can I do with the Toolbar?
- How do I search?
- Can I change the search fields in the Toolbar?
- How do I create and add my own search fields?
- How do I clear my search history?
- What is the "Task Switcher" feature?
- What does the "Command" option in the Prefs menu do?
- What does the "Favorites" option in the Prefs menu do?
- What is X1?
- What is the "Auto Hide" feature in the Prefs menu?
- How do I access the Toolbar again after making it invisible with Auto Hide?
- What is the Toolbar highlighting feature?
- What is the "Hot Keys" function in the Prefs menu?
- What is the "Use New Browser Window" option?
- OK, so what's the gimmick? What do you guys get out of this?
1. How do I get started?
Click here to download and install the Desktop Toolbar. When installation (which only takes a few seconds) is complete, you'll see the small green Toolbar icon appear in the upper left hand corner of your computer desktop. Simply click on the icon to expand it, revealing the eight default search fields. To collapse it, click on it again. To get helpful tool tips, roll your cursor over the Toolbar. To turn this feature off, click on Prefs at the far right of the Toolbar, select the General Tab and uncheck "Display tool tips."
2. How do I move the Toolbar?
Click on the green "search" button at the far left of the Toolbar and drag it up or down on your desktop.
3. What can I do with the Toolbar?
- Easily access multiple search engines right from your desktop
- Quickly access your desktop applications
- Search popular shopping sites
- Search your browser favorites
- Search your iTunes music library
- Search your email, contacts or files (requires X1 installation)
- Search the latest news stories
4. How do I search?
Click on the field you want to search in. For example, if you want to use Google.com, click inside the Google search field and type in your search term. Hit "Enter" and a new browser will open with your Google search results. The Toolbar will remain in place at the top of your computer screen (or wherever you have moved it to), separate from the results, allowing you to continue searching using the same field or a different one - making your search experience smoother and faster. No more navigating back and forth with a browser from one search engine to another, opening up multiple windows and cluttering your desktop. Hint: scroll through the search fields in your Toolbar using the Tab key; Launch the most recent search within a search field by double clicking inside that field.
5. Can I change the search fields in the Toolbar?
Yes. The Toolbar is completely customizable. You can:
- Add and remove search fields -- On the far right of the search bar, click on "prefs" and a pop-up window will appear. Select the Search Fields tab to view search field categories and click on the plus icon to the left of each category to expand it and reveal all the options within that category. Checking a box will automatically add that search field to your Toolbar. To remove it, just uncheck it.
- Change the order of your search fields -- To change the order of items in your Toolbar, drag and drop them into place by clicking on the dotted blue "grabber" area to the right of each search field.
- Resize your individual search fields -- Hold down the shift key while dragging the blue divider between search fields to make an individual field wider or more narrow.
- Resize your incremental search boxes -- This is the white box that pops up when you start typing inside a search field. Resize it by dragging one of its lower corner borders.
6. How do I create and add my own search fields?
To add the website(s) of your choice to the Toolbar, click on "Prefs" in the far right of the Toolbar and select the Search Fields tab in the pop-up window that appears. Click on the "Create Your Own" button on the right. You will then be guided through a quick and easy step-by-step process.
7. How do I clear my search history?
Place your cursor inside the search field you want to clear and right click on it. Selecting "Clear History" from the menu will erase your search history from that field.
8. What is the "Task Switcher" feature?
This utility acts as a virtual desktop manager for your computer -- a souped-up version of Windows' Alt+Tab feature -- generating thumbnails of all your open applications with a keystroke or a click! First, make sure the feature is selected. To do this, click Prefs menu / Search Fields tab / Utility menu and check the Task Switcher box. Note: Requires Windows XP or later.
The Task Switcher can be activated in three ways:
- Hitting your Alt + Tab keys
- Double clicking inside the "Task Switcher" search field
- Clicking inside the "Task Switcher" search field and hitting Enter
Navigate through the thumbnails by using any of these keys: Tab, PgUp, PgDn, the arrow keys, Home - or by using your mouse and the scrollbar. Clicking on a thumbnail will bring that application to the foreground. Or, if an application is already selected in the Task Switcher, hitting Enter or the spacebar will bring it to the foreground. Exit Task Switcher by hitting Esc or closing the Switcher window.
Tip: Customize your Task Switcher window by selecting the order of your thumbnail display. Use the radio buttons at the top of the Switcher window to select your sort order preference: by application, name or time.
9. What does the "Command" option in the Search Fields menu do?
The "Command" field allows you to search for and launch any application on your computer by simply typing in its name - saving you time by avoiding the cumbersome task of navigating through the layered "Start" menu structure. For example, as you type in "calculator", a list of matches will appear, usually within a few keystrokes. Selecting and hitting "Enter" will automatically launch the application. This same method can be used to launch any of your Control Panel utilities such as Display, Network Connections or Add or Remove Programs. The Command option is located in the Utility category.
10. What does the "Favorites" option in the Search Fields menu do?
The "Favorites" field allows you to instantly access your bookmarked favorite web sites - the only known application with this functionality! The Favorites option is located in the Utility category.
11. What is X1?
X1 is a desktop search tool that indexes and searches the contents of your hard drive, allowing you to search for old emails, files or contacts on your computer as easily as you'd search the web. The Desktop Toolbar adds another level of convenience when using this useful search utility. A trial version of X1 can be downloaded for free here.
12. What is the "Auto Hide" feature in the Prefs menu?
Auto Hide allows you to make the Toolbar invisible when not in use. This feature manifests itself in two ways:
- Full Screen Auto Hide: This feature automatically hides the Toolbar when you select the full screen mode of an application such as PowerPoint or Windows Media Player. This feature is always active.
- Focus Auto-Hide: this feature automatically hides the Toolbar when it loses foreground focus, i.e., by clicking in another application window. This feature can be turned on and off by checking or unchecking "Auto Hide When Not in Use" inside the General tab of the Prefs menu.
13. How do I access the Toolbar again after making it invisible with Auto Hide?
After you select "Auto Hide" your Toolbar will turn itself into a one pixel tall stripe that's as wide as it was before it hid itself. When you want to view/use the Toolbar again, move your cursor over it and it will appear. It will auto hide again when you move your cursor away.
- Entering a hot key that is assigned to a field will cause a hidden Toolbar to become visible.
- The Toolbar will attempt to stay in auto-hide mode if screen is resized.
- Auto-hide will only function when the Toolbar is positioned at the top or bottom of your screen; conversely, the Toolbar cannot be repositioned while in auto hide mode.
- Auto hide cannot function if another toolbar occupying the same desktop space is also in auto hide mode.
14. What is the Toolbar highlighting feature?
This helpful feature highlights keywords to more easily see the relevancy of search results. It is on by default, but can be toggled on/off by going into the General tab of the Prefs menu and checking or unchecking "Highlight Words in Internet Explorer." Highlighting currently functions with Internet Explorer only.
15. What is the "Hot Keys" function in the Prefs menu?
The Hot Keys functionality makes searching via the Toolbar even faster by assigning a keystroke shortcut to each of your selected search fields. For example, if you select Google and assign it a hot key combination of "Ctrl+3", you can search Google without having to open the Desktop Toolbar or select the Google field in the Toolbar. You simply type in "Ctrl+3" and immediately begin typing in your search term. You can use the default assigned hot keys, or customize your own. For additional information and instructions, select the "Hot Keys" tab inside the Prefs pop-up window and click the "Help" button at the bottom.
16. What is the "Use New Browser Window" option?
When this is selected, each new search result will be launched in a new browser window, rather than refreshing the previous one. This feature can be turned on or off by selecting the General tab inside the Prefs menu.
17. OK, so what's the gimmick? What do you guys get out of this?
This is a first release of a work in progress. We think we have a really useful product on our hands, and want to see if others agree, or if not, what we could do to improve it. The best way to do that is to get it out there and see what people think. We'll worry about how to make a business out of it later, but for now, here it is. Hope you like it, hope you'll tell your friends about it, and above all, we hope you'll find it useful.
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