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How to adjust QuickLaunch icon order?


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I did a search on this but couldn't find anything on quick launch outside of the on-going 25-year-old debate in the regtweaks thread about whether or not the published "Show Quick Launch Bar" tweak works.

I'm looking to find a way to automatically sort the Quick Launch bar into the order that I want. I can't even seem to find out where this information is stored, much less how to duplicate/port it.

Does anyone have any ideas how to go about this? It's not a major issue, but resorting a QL consisting of 20 or so icons is a chore I would much rather automate if possible...

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The way I do it is to rename the shortcuts, adding a number at the beginning of the name equal to the order that I want them to be displayed in, i.e

01 Show Desktop

02 Internet Explorer

03 Explorer

04 IncrediMail

06 GrabIt

then when the links get copied during setup they are in the order I prefer.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok, I've taken some time and tried out a few different ideas on this. So far benners' posted solution of renaming all of the shortcut icons is the only one I have found that would be workable. I don't really want to sort it that way, though, simply because it would result in a modification of the tooltip for each icon to include it's assigned place in the order. (Tooltip for the first icon would be "01 Mozilla Firefox" Instead of "Mozilla Firefox.")

Does anyone have any other ideas about how I can accomplish this? I also tried CHANDER's suggestion of copying them in in the order I want them to show up, but that still resulted in them being organized alphabetically.

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Ok, I've taken some time and tried out a few different ideas on this. So far benners' posted solution of renaming all of the shortcut icons is the only one I have found that would be workable. I don't really want to sort it that way, though, simply because it would result in a modification of the tooltip for each icon to include it's assigned place in the order. (Tooltip for the first icon would be "01 Mozilla Firefox" Instead of "Mozilla Firefox.")

Does anyone have any other ideas about how I can accomplish this? I also tried CHANDER's suggestion of copying them in in the order I want them to show up, but that still resulted in them being organized alphabetically.

Do you copy the quick lauch shortcuts before creating the CD? i.e.: The shortcuts are pre-defined on the CD? Then you can modify them to show the right description (just look in the properties)

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Do you copy the quick lauch shortcuts before creating the CD? i.e.: The shortcuts are pre-defined on the CD? Then you can modify them to show the right description (just look in the properties)

No, I haven't been using pre-defined shortcuts. I have just been making use of the ones that are created by the installation programs. As to the description, I presume you are refering to the Description field on the General tab of the Properties dialog? I am a bit confused here, because that filed for my current Firefox QL icon is "Firefox," and yet the tooltip still reads "Mozilla Firefox," which is the shortcut's actual file name.

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I did a search on this but couldn't find anything on quick launch outside of the on-going 25-year-old debate in the regtweaks thread about whether or not the published "Show Quick Launch Bar" tweak works.

I'm looking to find a way to automatically sort the Quick Launch bar into the order that I want. I can't even seem to find out where this information is stored, much less how to duplicate/port it.

Does anyone have any ideas how to go about this? It's not a major issue, but resorting a QL consisting of 20 or so icons is a chore I would much rather automate if possible...

Ok simply set the icons in your quick launch bar the way you want them, and then do a complete restart of windows. [some of the settings will only be saved with a complete restart - not simply logging off]

Then after your restart open regedit and export the following keys

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Desktop]
"Toolbars"=hex:11,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
"TaskbarWinXP"=hex:0c,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,e2,2b,d8,\
 64,57,d0,11,a9,6e,00,c0,4f,d7,05,a2,22,00,1c,00,0a,11,00,00,1a,00,00,00,01,\
 00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4c,00,00,00,01,14,02,00,00,00,\
 00,00,c0,00,00,00,00,00,00,46,81,00,00,00,11,00,00,00,ee,1d,a0,f3,0b,10,c5,\
 01,ae,51,46,ee,12,10,c5,01,ae,51,46,ee,12,10,c5,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,e7,01,14,00,1f,50,e0,4f,d0,\
 20,ea,3a,69,10,a2,d8,08,00,2b,30,30,9d,19,00,2f,43,3a,5c,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,5c,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,4b,32,29,3c,\
 10,00,44,4f,43,55,4d,45,7e,31,00,00,44,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,32,ea,71,4b,\
 32,29,3c,14,00,00,00,44,00,6f,00,63,00,75,00,6d,00,65,00,6e,00,74,00,73,00,\
 20,00,61,00,6e,00,64,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,74,00,74,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,73,\
 00,00,00,18,00,30,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,4b,32,2a,3c,10,00,64,61,7a,00,1e,00,\
 03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,32,29,3c,4b,32,2a,3c,14,00,00,00,64,00,61,00,7a,00,00,\
 00,12,00,50,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,4b,32,2f,3c,10,00,41,50,50,4c,49,43,7e,31,\
 00,00,38,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,32,29,3c,4b,32,2f,3c,14,00,00,00,41,00,70,\
 00,70,00,6c,00,69,00,63,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,44,00,61,00,\
 74,00,61,00,00,00,18,00,42,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,12,31,76,4f,14,00,4d,49,43,\
 52,4f,53,7e,31,00,00,2a,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,12,31,04,4f,12,31,09,50,14,00,\
 00,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,00,6f,00,66,00,74,00,00,00,18,00,52,\
 00,31,00,00,00,00,00,12,31,0a,50,10,00,49,4e,54,45,52,4e,7e,31,00,00,3a,00,\
 03,00,04,00,ef,be,12,31,04,4f,12,31,0a,50,14,00,00,00,49,00,6e,00,74,00,65,\
 00,72,00,6e,00,65,00,74,00,20,00,45,00,78,00,70,00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,\
 72,00,00,00,18,00,48,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,12,31,0d,50,11,00,51,55,49,43,4b,\
 4c,7e,31,00,00,30,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,12,31,04,4f,12,31,0d,50,14,00,00,00,\
 51,00,75,00,69,00,63,00,6b,00,20,00,4c,00,61,00,75,00,6e,00,63,00,68,00,00,\
 00,18,00,00,00,60,00,00,00,03,00,00,a0,58,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,65,70,73,69,\
 6c,6f,6e,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2a,3a,3b,97,0b,da,1b,48,a7,46,ad,e3,c4,\
 17,bc,56,09,f7,cf,89,ff,7b,d9,11,ba,82,00,0c,29,0b,5e,e4,2a,3a,3b,97,0b,da,\
 1b,48,a7,46,ad,e3,c4,17,bc,56,09,f7,cf,89,ff,7b,d9,11,ba,82,00,0c,29,0b,5e,\
 e4,10,00,00,00,05,00,00,a0,1a,00,00,00,09,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,\
 02,00,00,00,ea,01,00,00,01,00,00,00,04,00,00,00,a0,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,92,\
 00,32,00,0b,03,00,00,4b,32,38,3c,20,00,4c,41,55,4e,43,48,7e,31,2e,4c,4e,4b,\
 00,00,76,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,32,30,3c,4b,32,30,3c,14,00,5e,00,4c,00,61,\
 00,75,00,6e,00,63,00,68,00,20,00,49,00,6e,00,74,00,65,00,72,00,6e,00,65,00,\
 74,00,20,00,45,00,78,00,70,00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,72,00,20,00,42,00,72,\
 00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,6c,00,6e,00,6b,00,00,00,40,78,70,73,\
 70,31,72,65,73,2e,64,6c,6c,2c,2d,31,31,30,30,33,00,00,1c,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,68,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,5a,00,32,00,28,06,00,00,48,32,e3,19,20,00,4d,4f,\
 5a,49,4c,4c,7e,31,2e,4c,4e,4b,00,00,3e,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,32,e8,42,4b,\
 32,e8,42,14,00,00,00,4d,00,6f,00,7a,00,69,00,6c,00,6c,00,61,00,20,00,46,00,\
 69,00,72,00,65,00,66,00,6f,00,78,00,2e,00,6c,00,6e,00,6b,00,00,00,1c,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,00,60,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,52,00,32,00,db,08,00,00,37,32,93,9d,\
 21,00,4d,59,43,4f,4d,50,7e,31,2e,4c,4e,4b,00,00,36,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,\
 32,29,3c,4b,32,29,3c,14,00,00,00,4d,00,79,00,20,00,43,00,6f,00,6d,00,70,00,\
 75,00,74,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,6c,00,6e,00,6b,00,00,00,1c,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,76,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,68,00,32,00,4f,00,00,00,4b,32,37,3c,20,00,53,48,\
 4f,57,44,45,7e,31,2e,53,43,46,00,00,4c,00,03,00,04,00,ef,be,4b,32,37,3c,4b,\
 32,37,3c,14,00,36,00,53,00,68,00,6f,00,77,00,20,00,44,00,65,00,73,00,6b,00,\
 74,00,6f,00,70,00,2e,00,73,00,63,00,66,00,00,00,40,78,70,73,70,32,72,65,73,\
 2e,64,6c,6c,2c,2d,36,31,30,30,00,1c,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,60,00,00,00,60,07,\
 00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,01,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,aa,4f,28,68,48,6a,d0,11,8c,78,00,c0,4f,d9,18,b4,\
 f6,02,00,00,60,0d,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2f,\
 00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00
"Upgrade"=dword:00000001
"Default Taskbar"=hex:0c,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,e2,2b,\
 d8,64,57,d0,11,a9,6e,00,c0,4f,d7,05,a2,22,00,1c,00,0a,01,00,00,1a,00,00,00,\
 01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4c,00,00,00,01,14,02,00,00,\
 00,00,00,c0,00,00,00,00,00,00,46,83,00,00,00,10,00,00,00,a0,b0,48,5e,89,8d,\
 bd,01,00,d8,9e,e4,2a,8d,bd,01,00,45,fe,5e,89,8d,bd,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,13,01,14,00,1f,0f,e0,4f,\
 d0,20,ea,3a,69,10,a2,d8,08,00,2b,30,30,9d,19,00,23,44,3a,5c,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,cd,97,15,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,af,24,5c,\
 b9,10,80,57,69,6e,6e,74,00,00,20,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,af,24,a3,b9,10,00,50,\
 72,6f,66,69,6c,65,73,00,50,52,4f,46,49,4c,45,53,00,19,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,\
 c1,24,08,92,10,00,69,65,35,30,30,2e,30,30,30,00,00,28,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,\
 c1,24,08,92,10,00,41,70,70,6c,69,63,61,74,69,6f,6e,20,44,61,74,61,00,41,50,\
 50,4c,49,43,7e,31,00,21,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,c5,22,9d,91,10,00,4d,69,63,72,\
 6f,73,6f,66,74,00,4d,49,43,52,4f,53,7e,31,00,29,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,d3,22,\
 32,a6,10,00,49,6e,74,65,72,6e,65,74,20,45,78,70,6c,6f,72,65,72,00,49,4e,54,\
 45,52,4e,7e,31,00,24,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,db,22,76,ba,10,00,51,75,69,63,6b,\
 20,4c,61,75,6e,63,68,00,51,55,49,43,4b,4c,7e,31,00,00,00,8d,00,00,00,1c,00,\
 00,00,01,00,00,00,1c,00,00,00,36,00,00,00,0d,f0,ad,ba,8c,00,00,00,1a,00,00,\
 00,03,00,00,00,e7,18,2d,23,10,00,00,00,49,45,35,30,30,5f,58,31,43,00,43,3a,\
 5c,57,49,4e,4e,54,5c,50,72,6f,66,69,6c,65,73,5c,49,45,35,30,30,2e,30,30,30,\
 5c,41,70,70,6c,69,63,61,74,69,6f,6e,20,44,61,74,61,5c,4d,69,63,72,6f,73,6f,\
 66,74,5c,49,6e,74,65,72,6e,65,74,20,45,78,70,6c,6f,72,65,72,5c,51,75,69,63,\
 6b,20,4c,61,75,6e,63,68,00,00,10,00,00,00,05,00,00,a0,1a,00,00,00,a3,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,cc,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,\
 4a,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,40,00,32,00,e6,01,00,00,c4,24,15,9f,20,00,4c,61,75,\
 6e,63,68,20,49,6e,74,65,72,6e,65,74,20,45,78,70,6c,6f,72,65,72,20,42,72,6f,\
 77,73,65,72,2e,6c,6e,6b,00,4c,41,55,4e,43,48,7e,32,2e,4c,4e,4b,00,00,00,40,\
 00,00,00,02,00,00,00,36,00,32,00,48,02,00,00,c4,24,15,9f,20,00,4c,61,75,6e,\
 63,68,20,4f,75,74,6c,6f,6f,6b,20,45,78,70,72,65,73,73,2e,6c,6e,6b,00,4c,41,\
 55,4e,43,48,7e,31,2e,4c,4e,4b,00,00,00,36,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,00,32,00,\
 51,00,00,00,ec,22,46,39,20,00,53,68,6f,77,20,44,65,73,6b,74,6f,70,2e,73,63,\
 66,00,53,48,4f,57,44,45,7e,31,2e,53,43,46,00,00,00,52,00,00,00,e0,00,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,\
 00,00,00,01,00,00,00,aa,4f,28,68,48,6a,d0,11,8c,78,00,c0,4f,d9,18,b4,37,02,\
 00,00,e0,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00
"Default Taskbar (Personal)"=hex:0c,00,00,00,08,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,b0,e2,2b,d8,64,57,d0,11,a9,6e,00,c0,4f,d7,05,a2,22,00,1c,00,0a,01,00,00,\
 1a,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,4c,00,00,00,01,\
 14,02,00,00,00,00,00,c0,00,00,00,00,00,00,46,83,00,00,00,10,00,00,00,a0,b0,\
 48,5e,89,8d,bd,01,00,d8,9e,e4,2a,8d,bd,01,00,45,fe,5e,89,8d,bd,01,00,00,00,\
 00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,13,01,14,00,\
 1f,0f,e0,4f,d0,20,ea,3a,69,10,a2,d8,08,00,2b,30,30,9d,19,00,23,44,3a,5c,00,\
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 00,af,24,5c,b9,10,80,57,69,6e,6e,74,00,00,20,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,af,24,a3,\
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 00,00,00,00,c1,24,08,92,10,00,41,70,70,6c,69,63,61,74,69,6f,6e,20,44,61,74,\
 61,00,41,50,50,4c,49,43,7e,31,00,21,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,c5,22,9d,91,10,00,\
 4d,69,63,72,6f,73,6f,66,74,00,4d,49,43,52,4f,53,7e,31,00,29,00,31,00,00,00,\
 00,00,d3,22,32,a6,10,00,49,6e,74,65,72,6e,65,74,20,45,78,70,6c,6f,72,65,72,\
 00,49,4e,54,45,52,4e,7e,31,00,24,00,31,00,00,00,00,00,db,22,76,ba,10,00,51,\
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 00,00,1c,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,1c,00,00,00,36,00,00,00,0d,f0,ad,ba,8c,00,00,\
 00,1a,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,e7,18,2d,23,10,00,00,00,49,45,35,30,30,5f,58,31,\
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 72,6f,73,6f,66,74,5c,49,6e,74,65,72,6e,65,74,20,45,78,70,6c,6f,72,65,72,5c,\
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 e0,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,\
 00,00,00,01,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,aa,4f,28,68,48,6a,d0,11,8c,78,00,c0,4f,d9,\
 18,b4,37,02,00,00,e0,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
 00,16,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StuckRects2]
"Settings"=hex:28,00,00,00,ff,ff,ff,ff,02,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,3c,00,00,00,37,\
 00,00,00,fe,ff,ff,ff,23,02,00,00,22,03,00,00,5a,02,00,00

Thats it. They are long keys, however they contain all the information about your taskbar, quick launch bar and the order of icons. So for example if you wanted to have a 2 line taskbar as i have - then these steps would be the same.

Now all you need to do is include them in your default user NTUSER.DAT hive and then all users will get the order you have set. If you want to know how to do this - see my guide link below.

Enjoy! :)

Edited by prathapml
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anyone confirm the results on this?  how about the amount of icons that appear?  does this fix that as well?

Thanks!

Yep - as I said the reg keys control the look and feel of the taskbar, including Quick launch - the order, the amount of icons visible in quick launch the taskbar height etc. Give it a try you will see yourself.

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anyone confirm the results on this?  how about the amount of icons that appear?  does this fix that as well?

Thanks!

I haven't had a chance to test Felix's keys yet, but I've found a slightly different registry tweak to correct the size of my QL bar. I don't have the exact tweak on hand with me here at work, but you should be able to find it in the registry tweaks section. Find the tweak from that thread that is labeled "Enable QL Bar." After reading through the thread, I discovered that this tweak is actually "Make my Taskbar look like 'this.'" Where "this" is defined by the values in the key. Simply set your Taskbar up the way you want it, and then export that reg key from your registry and apply it @ T-12.

I'm hoping to get a chance to test Felix's suggestion for myself when I get home tonight. As always, I will post back with results. :)

(Nothing personal Felix. I have little doubt that your fix will work. I just like to verify things for myself before confirming.)

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