Branding
You can have the deskbar branded with your own logo. You can use your corporate colors and text for background. Add your background image ("skin") and build a fully branded deskbar to be placed on the screen of your customers!
Unlimited buttons, images and menus
You can have an unlimited number of buttons on your deskbar. Each button can have a menu that pops-up when the button is clicked. Alternatively clicking on a button can take users to a predefined page on the Web. Each location can be opened in a new web browser window.
Flash integration
Deskbar allows using flash to design windows. You can fully change how your Flash windows look. For example, you can put branded flash-driven multimedia content on the users' desktop.
Search box
It allows your customers to perform a search from your deskbar. The users search using search engine of your choice (multiple search options are possible). Users can view their recent search history by clicking the down arrow on the right side of the search box. Your users can also perform search by selecting desired text fragment on any web page and then dragging and dropping that text into the Deskbar search box. Once the text is "dropped" into the search box, search for that text will be automatically performed (no need to click the "Search" button).
Dynamic menu contents and buttons
Deskbar menus and submenus can be created from the output of server side scripts (such as PHP, Perl, CGI or ASP). This can be "Top 10 items," "Hot list," "More search results" and so on. You can specify what buttons the Deskbar will have. You can also specify what menu content to show based on current browser URL or unique DESKBAR ID. You can use DESKBAR ID to give personal appearance and features to your deskbar customers. You can also have different features set for logged in users and those who are not logged in. The DESKBAR ID stays the same after deskbar is updated, even afer the deskbar was removed and installed again later.
Support for International characters
Several configuration files can be used for the deskbar. This allows you to create deskbar in different languages and provide several different appearances for your users .
Deskbar scripting
It opens a window into a world of new opportunities. The most recent DeskbarBuilder version you can script the deskbar with JavaScript.
Menus and submenus
Users can quickly access important sections of your website from the Deskbar drop-down menu. Providing quick links to the most relevant sections of your website right from the start you save your users' time. Each link can be opened in a new browser window. You can have unlimited menu items and submenus in Deskbar.
Hot icons / rollover effect
You can make your deskbar interactive by adding animated icons and images.
News ticker integration
If you want to keep your users informed and achieve a higher interaction level you can put a scrolling news ticker or flashing news notifications on the deskbar. You can implement server side scripts to deliver news to your deskbar customers.
Mini Web page
You can put a mini webpage on your deskbar. It is the open sesame to unlimited deskbar content. This way you can put notifications, banners, animations and sounds into your deskbar. You can put this page directly on a deskbar (BANNER feature) or as a mini-page that opens up when the user clicks a button in a deskbar (BUBBLE feature).
RSS feeds support
It is possible to use RSS feeds. You can notify your customers by adding RSS channel to your deskbar.
RSS reader integration
You can integrate RSS reader into your Deskbar. Your users can use your Deskbar as an RSS reader. They can subscribe to feeds, manage feeds, and receive notification about updates to subscribed feeds.
User customization
Allows your users to customize their deskbar. They can define what buttons they wish to have on the deskbar and select desired search options. Your users can also set their own preferences like whether they want text labels for buttons or icons only, to choose the width of the text box, colors for the menu and a font to use in deskbar menus.
Launch external applications
It is possible to run external application by clicking a button or menu item on the deskbar. You can run system commands, open Notepad to edit a file or you can launch .EXE applications that you distribute with the deskbar. You can pass the keywords into command line.
Edit and password boxes
You can put edit boxes on your deskbar. You can also put a password box on your deskbar that masks typed symbols with "*".
Automatic Installation
Once downloaded the deskbar gets installed automatically and integrated into user's browser.
Automatic Upgrade
Your dynamic Deskbar can include XML files from an HTTP server. By altering a single XTM file on your web server you can completely change the look and operations on your Deskbar without the need for your customers to upgrade it. All changes would be caught on the fly. No programming knowledge is required.
Uninstall feature
This feature allows your users to uninstall the deskbar. You can associate this feature to any menu item or button in your deskbar. After uninstalling the user will be redirected to a special page that can be defined in configuration file.
Clear Search History
The Deskbar remembers recent search queries. The search history can be accessed by clicking on a down arrow on the right side of the search box. The Clear Search History option allows your users to clear the history of the search box.
About box
Once the user selects "about" item in the menu, the popup window will show the latest Deskbar version information and your company details.
Dynamic configuration files
You can put the configuration .XML file within Deskbar distributive, and also on your web sever achieving truly dynamic Deskbar behavior. By altering a single XML file on your web server, you can completely change the look and operation of the Deskbar without the need for your customers to upgrade the Deskbar.
Distribute additional files with your deskbar
You can distribute static HTML pages, Music, Flash and even executable programs (.EXE) with your deskbar. Integrate your .EXE with the deskbar and provide unique functionality to deskbar users.
Additional visual elements for your deskbar
With the Deskbar you can add select-style combo boxes to your Deskbar, also static texts and buttons with custom graphics. Menu elements can have custom styles including the color for menu background and menu texts, and you can also specify colors used for highlighting menu items. The Deskbar can be configured with resizable edit and combo boxes which adapt to different screen resolutions and user preferences.
Mini browser
You can open any link in a mini browser that seems to jump right out of your Deskbar. Search results and any other information could be placed into the mini browser. You can build an interface consistent with the web.
Providing news/information
If you want to keep your users informed and achieve higher interaction levels you can put a scrolling news ticker or flashing news notifications on the Deskbar. You can implement server side scripts to feed news to your Deskbar customers.
External deskbar interface
Deskbar has an external program interface. You can access Deskbar properties (to read or write) via JavaScript. You can also pass this information to the server, forming a special response when the user clicks a button or menu item in the Deskbar. Available JavaScript properties include a current version of the Deskbar, Unique Deskbar ID, User ID that you can set/read, user name and user password. By using it you can implement authentication through the Deskbar, provide Deskbar users with exclusive content, etc