Program groups side by side and act as one when 2 or more are launched and moved

[Torin]

Hello,

I have Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit. When I launch more than one of the same program let it be a built in program like notepad, Internet Explorer or a third party program like Microsoft Excel 2010 or Firefox, they always are attached side by side and move as one when dragging to another location in the Taskbar. I need my opened programs to act as separate entities for example, I open two notepads and then I need to be able to grab one of them with my mouse in the taskbar and drag it away from the other notepad to a location next to another program while leaving the other notepad still in its place. I am looking to do this not for a two monitor usage but for the same one monitor. I know the trick to be able to drag let us say a Microsoft Excel 2010 program to the next monitor separate from other Excel sheets already opened is to open a new Microsoft Excel manually and open your file manually. This trick does not work for what I am asking. The next trick everyone seems to post online is right click on your taskbar and choose never combine. This only allows the non stacking of the same program like more than one notepad open and stacked within each other represented by one icon on your taskbar. I need the answer as I am asking it and not an alternative like so many people are posting. Many people are asking my specific question and no one seems to understand, or if they do they don't seem to have an answer. The last best answer I was able to find online was to find a third party program that can do this. How do you even write the question properly in a search engine to even pull up such a program. I have tried and search engines are not getting the concept of what I am asking, so no third party program is coming up in the results that say they can do what I am and others are asking. Can anybody help?

[BC_Programmer]

I need the answer as I am asking it and not an alternative like so many people are posting. Many people are asking my specific question and no one seems to understand or if they finally do they don't seem to have an answer.

If you're question is that you want ot be able to separate  grouped taskbar elements into different groups, than what you want is impossible.

1. The first step is to understand how groups work.

Starting With Windows 7, Windows uses a "App User ID" associated with applications to determine if windows in those applications are grouped. Applications can define their own, or the System will assign them.

You cannot manually change the "App User ID" of a Window or Process while it is already running.

The reason the "trick" allows you to separate groups to different Monitors is because each is it's own desktop and each has it's own taskbar that is populated with the windows within that desktop.

[soybean]

I need my opened programs to act as separate entities for example, I open two notepads and then I need to be able to grab one of them with my mouse in the taskbar and drag it away from the other notepad to a location next to another program while leaving the other notepad still in its place.

Why?  If you hover your mouse over the program icon on the taskbar when multiple instances of the program are open, thumbnail views of all open windows for that program appear and you can select from them.  Also, keyboard shortcuts Alt/Tab and Windows Key/Tab can be useful in changing from one open program to another.

[Torin]

BC_Programmer, thank you for answering my question. Yes that is what I am asking except that I am not looking to create a new group for a program to belong to. For example, if I open the calculator and then I open a notepad, they are not in groups. I want none of the programs that I open to belong in groups. For example, I do not want my second opened notepad to separate its grouped self with the other notepad to then belong to the calculators group and have them then moved together when dragging that new group to a new location. If there is away to not group any of the programs to allow free movement, then please let me know. I would prefer to not allow any programs to group to get the freedom of my needs. If your answer still applies to my question, then again thank you for answering. For whomever who answers this refined query, please keep the answer to the question because again, this question has been asked so many times online and it always gets diverted to others sub-queries.

[BC_Programmer]

I want none of the programs that I open to belong in groups.

Never combine means windows are never grouped. I don't understand how that isn't what you want. Let's go over your "requirements" so far.

I need my opened programs to act as separate entities for example, I open two notepads and then I need to be able to grab one of them with my mouse in the taskbar and drag it away from the other notepad to a location next to another program while leaving the other notepad still in its place.

Using the "Never Combine Option prevents windows from grouping, allowing their taskbar buttons to be moved separately.

The next trick everyone seems to post online is right click on your taskbar and choose never combine. This only allows the non stacking of the same program like more than one notepad open and stacked within each other represented by one icon on your taskbar.

Then explain how this isn't what you want, because not allowing any buttons to stack at all seems to be what you are after.

I want none of the programs that I open to belong in groups.

Which is exactly what the "Never combine" option does.

If there is away to not group any of the programs to allow free movement, then please let me know.

Never Combine. in Taskbar Properties.

[Salmon Trout]

On my W7 x64 SP1, setting the "Never combine" option creates a separate button for each instance of an application, but it still groups all the running instances together. For instance, all Explorer Windows are grouped together beside each other, and they can only be dragged around as a group, not as individual items. I just applied "Never combine" and then opened Notepad three times, and minimized them all. The taskbar icons were next to each other at the right hand end of the row. When I dragged one to the left hand end, the other ones loyally tagged along, i.e. they moved as a group. I was rather touched by this. Am I missing something? AIUI, XP allowed both to have their way, with 7 it is one way or no way. My own preference is "Always combine, no labels", which seems to suit me just fine.

[soybean]

In addition to what Salmon Trout said, no option exists to set "Never combine" with no labels.  So, when files are opened, the taskbar shortcuts are much wider than when taskbar properties are set to "Always combine, no labels" and the taskbar quickly fills up.  It seems cluttered to me and I'm still puzzled about why someone would prefer this to "Always combine, no labels", especially since multiple instances of an open program cannot be separated on the taskbar with taskbar properties set to "Never combine". 

[BC_Programmer]

I see, now I understand what the OP is after.

XP allowed both to have their way, with 7 it is one way or no way.

XP could group or not group as well. The main difference between XP and 7 in this context is that XP doesn't let you move any taskbar buttons, and instead their ordering is entirely arbitrary based on when you launched them or when you changed the option.

Even so this is interesting because if I was to say "never combine" I'd also expect them to not group as they do.

I found this article on the subject. It recommends an application called "Windows 7 Taskbar Tweaker" which is found here. It seems to provide the specific option required here, Through the "Grouping" option. I gave it a go and when I set the taskbar properties to never combine, I was able to watch as the taskbar buttons for applications that were "grouped" (such as a set of notepad windows) would clearly separate when I chose the radio button. I was able to then drag each taskbar button for them independently as I desired, rather than as a group as would occur by default.

[soybean]

I found this article on the subject. It recommends an application called "Windows 7 Taskbar Tweaker" which is found here. It seems to provide the specific option required here, Through the "Grouping" option.

I watched a video on the second link you mentioned.  Due to its fast play speed, absence of voice narrative, and small images when viewed on my laptop, I could not decipher all the settings they demonstrated but it did indicate the Windows 7 Taskbar Tweaker offers many options.  The video even shows multiple instances of Chrome open with two icons to the left appearing without labels and more Chrome icons further to the right (separated from the two on the left by other program icons) which showed labels.  But, I could not see how that was accomplished in the Windows 7 Taskbar Tweaker control panel.  Any thoughts?

[BC_Programmer]

But, I could not see how that was accomplished in the Windows 7 Taskbar Tweaker control panel. 

The "Don't Combine" and "Don't Group" Options in the "Grouping and Combining" section are a good start. I installed it and was able to get what appears to be the functionality you want.

Normally, I have my options set to show labels and with small icons. That is my personal preference. A Grouped set of icons looks like this:



Notepad is "grouped" here. When set to never combine, they aren't combined, but Notepad still forms a group:



They would move as a group when dragged.

With Taskbar Tweaker, I could change the Grouping option from "Group by Application ID (default)" to "Don't Group". This resulted in this:



Each Notepad button could be dragged around, and separated from the other notepad windows. Note that again the option to use small icons and title text is purely my preference and this works also for options where you just want to see the individual icons in your taskbar as well.

[Torin]

Thank you BC_Programmer for the answer. 7 + Taskbar Tweaker works exactly as I need it to work. I hope this thread reaches everyone online who is asking the very same question. The need for the taskbar to work this way is high regardless if others cannot imagine why. The only important thing is that it got answered and the solution works. Thank you, I cannot express myself enough on this one. Thank you Salmon Trout for understanding what I am trying to say and helping to explain to others. I read a whole thread on this person desperately needing this solution regarding work. The question got so side stepped with the "why" and not understanding the question or the need that the thread got diluted and was never answered. I will try to find that thread and provide the answer. I will set this topic as solved.

[jason2074]

Just wondering if the Ultimate Windows Tweaker's taskbar appearance provides the same function as the Windows 7 Taskbar Tweaker?
Been using this for quite some time now. http://www.thewindowsclub.com/ultimate-windows-tweaker-v2-a-tweak-ui-for-windows-7-vista