ExplorerBar - Windows Taskbar Style Functionality

Innovasys ExplorerBar is based on the 'Taskbar' navigation menu bar introduced in Windows XP.  An ExplorerBar provides a visually attractive and versatile way to present a grouped list of options.  Common usage scenarios would include providing access to multiple areas of an application or presenting multiple 'pages' of information. 

An ExplorerBar is a visually appealing, modern looking alternative to an 'Outlook Bar' or 'Tab Strip' control, particularly where there are several logical groups of options to display, as the ExplorerBar can show many groups at once whilst still making effective use of screen space.

Download the evaluation version and judge for yourself

Feature Overview

• Windows XP Themes: Full support for Windows XP Visual Themes, rendering the look and feel of the ExplorerBar according to the active theme.  Theme support can be disabled or overriden if required;
   
• Background: The ExplorerBar background can be Theme controlled, solid or gradient filled, or show the contents of a custom picture;
   
• Images: Images can be used in both group headers and group items.  Group headers can have a custom header image, expand / collapse and exanded / collapsed images.  Group items can also have images.
   
• Persistence: ExplorerBar layout data and / or user data (which groups are expanded or collapsed) can be easily saved to and loaded from a file;
   
• Group Formatting: The text color, background color and background fill style of groups and group headers can be specified;
   
• Item Formatting: The color and formatting of items can be individually specified;
   
• Custom Control Items: ExplorerBar groups can host your own controls, for the maximum in flexibility.  Once attached, ExplorerBar will take care of resizing the control to fit the boundaries of the GroupItem (or you can set the Height property to set a custom size for the item). The enabled and visible properties of the custom item will follow the state of the GroupItem and Group it is attached to.
   
• Full Keyboard Support: The ExplorerBar fully supports keyboard navigation, including navigation shortcuts (up, down, home and end) and expand collapse shortcuts (enter, space, left/right arrows, - and + keys).  A focus rectangle can be optionally shown to enhance keyboard usability.
   
• Sounds: ExplorerBar has built in support for playing sounds for the Item click, Collapse and Expand events.  Sounds can be disabled, or customized.

Comprehensive on-line help and demonstration

The comprehensive on-line context sensitive help provided with ExplorerBar gives you instant access to reference information whilst you are working.  Get a quick overview by working through the provided Demonstration.