<othercredit role="translator"><firstname>Malcolm</firstname><surname>Hunter</surname><affiliation><address><email>malcolm.hunter@gmx.co.uk</email></address></affiliation><contrib>Conversion to British English</contrib></othercredit>
<para>The taskbar is a quick way to switch between applications. The taskbar can be located in the panel (default), or outside the panel on the desktop.</para>
<para>This module has options to control how the taskbar operates:</para>
<para><guilabel>Show windows from all desktops</guilabel>, determines if all open windows are included in the taskbar or not. By default, the taskbar only shows the open windows <emphasis>on the current desktop</emphasis>. If this option is enabled, the taskbar will show all open windows <emphasis>on all desktops</emphasis>.</para>
<para>Using the <guilabel>Show window list button</guilabel> option, you can enable a little button to be shown in the taskbar: this button will open a popup menu offering access to applications on other desktops as well as some useful actions, like <guilabel>Unclutter Windows</guilabel>.</para>
<para><guilabel>Sort tasks by virtual desktop</guilabel> changes the sort order of the icons on the taskbar, so that windows on virtual desktop 1 are shown first (to the left, or at the top of the taskbar), followed by windows on virtual desktop 2, and so on.</para>
<para>You can disable the application icons, and show just the text. You might want to do this to save space on your taskbar, for example.</para>
<para>You can have the taskbar <guilabel>Show only minimised windows</guilabel>. In this case, when you minimise a window, it will show up on the taskbar, and when you open it again, its taskbar entry will disappear.</para>
<para><guilabel>Group similar tasks</guilabel> allows you to save some space on your taskbar, by only showing one icon for each running application, no matter how many windows are shown. You can click on the icon to display a menu of all the windows that are available. This is most useful when you have enabled <guilabel>Show all windows</guilabel>.</para>
<para>Show the list of tasks grouped under the icon you have clicked on. If there is only one task or window for that icon, it will become the active window.</para>
<para>This is the default action for the &LMB;.</para>
<para>If there is more than one task grouped under the icon, switch from one to the next, until you release the button (&ie; when you have reached the window you are looking for). If there is only one task or window for that icon, it will become the active window.</para>
<para>Show the operations menu for the application. This allows you to minimise, maximize, &etc;, move windows between desktops, and close windows. You can perform these actions on all windows grouped under that icon, or on any single window, by choosing it from the submenu.</para>
<para>This is the default action for the &RMB;.</para>
<para>These three options make sense only if window grouping is disabled. They are fairly self-explanatory. Raise means to make active, bring to the front, and give focus. Lower means, send to the back, and give focus to whichever window is now on top.</para>