[Windows Mobile Software Development] Chainfire:
What is this?

This is Taskbar Customizer! I have been watching several threads on customizing the taskbar icons and the end-results can be awesome. However, I keep running into several snags:

We have to replace DLLs with different versions which can potentially raise hell and may not work well on our different WM versions. Inconsistencies, incompatibilities, etc.

It's always one custom taskbar or the other, unless you manually customize, and I always want these icons from A, and those from B!

Manually customizing is a very tiresome job

There are no handy tools available for this specific purpose: "Nemo vir est qui mundum non reddat meliorem" (What man is a man who does not make the world better?)

And thus, I have decided such an application must be made. This is however easier said than done, and the primary problem is the best way to go at it and the information we need for it. Some icons are stored in resource DLLs, some are stored in BMPs, one resource DLL overrules the other, one image overrules the other, one package overrides the other. Different versions for different DPI's, etc.

What we need, is to figure out a proper system. I have thoughts about this, they are discussed further below.

Note that retrieving the right files from the device, patching them, un/resigning, putting them back, etc, is not an issue. Combinations of my own various tools do all this, and it will all be in Taskbar Customizer when done.

Who am I looking for?

Right now, I am mostly looking for the following people to join the discussion in this 'design phase' of Taskbar Customizer:

People with a lot of knowledge (and thus experience) in customizing the taskbar (tsowen and 12aon have already offered their full support, yay!)

People who may not be as knowledgeable but have multiple devices with different versions of WM and are willing to test and help research (and read well!)

Who we will need in the future (don't bother to post yet, just bookmark):

"Shredders" - people who can take the current taskbar packs, divide them into 'icon packs', and attribute the images to the right people

Testers

Who we definitely don't need at this stage:

Those who don't know what they are talking about meddling, asking questions we haven't arrived at yet, and generally be annoying

Anyone who can't call himself a dev and get away with it

My current thoughts on implementation

See next post.

Reference threads

These threads contain a wealth of useful information on the subject:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=424926 - FInixNOver (part 1/2)

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=437307 - FInixNOver (part 2/2)

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=3746654 - tsowen (the collection!)

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=54514 - tsowen

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=457173 - 12aon

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=441829 - rickou26 (QVGA)

... and many more ... if you have some must-reads to suggest, please post them.

Notes

This is a full community project. It will never be a commercial thing. Full credit to all people involved. Let's make this **** happen!

Gotta say however, that the time I will have to spend on this project will be "hobby". As some of you may know I have many projects here on XDA, and also commercial projects that pay my rent. I will of course try to make the most of it with the time I have. However, a good functional release may be some time away.

Also, I've never started a 'design phase' thread before. I am complete unsure how well that work, or if the discussion will likely still be mostly in PM's, MSN, or through e-mail. Bare with us :)