Vista Flip and Windows Flip 3D

by Peter Y. Moss.
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In earlier versions of Windows, the taskbar displayed a button for each running program. Clicking the button allowed you to display the program window in front of all other windows. Windows XP included an enhancement that grouped similar taskbar buttons. For example, if you opened eight folders in Windows Explorer, these items would be grouped together under one taskbar button. Clicking the taskbar button would then display a dialog box with an entry for each folder window, allowing you to select which folder window to display.

Windows Vista significantly enhances the taskbar by modifying taskbar grouping and also providing the following taskbar improvements:

  • Live taskbar thumbnails

  • Windows Flip

  • Windows Flip 3D

Using Live Taskbar Thumbnails

When you move the mouse pointer over a taskbar button, Windows Vista displays a live thumbnail of the window, showing the content of that window. The thumbnail is displayed regardless of whether the window is minimized and regardless of the type of content. If the content in the window is being updated, such as with a running process or a video, the thumbnail continuously updates to reflect the live state of the window. For grouped taskbar buttons, Windows displays a thumbnail of the most recently opened window and makes the thumbnail appear to include a group of windows.

Using Windows Flip

When you press Alt+Tab, Windows Vista displays a flip view containing live thumbnails of all open windows. Holding down the Alt key keeps the flip view open. Pressing Tab while holding down the Alt key allows you to cycle through the windows. Because the thumbnails are live views, the thumbnails continuously update to reflect their current state regardless of the type of content. When you release the Alt key, the currently selected window is brought to the front. You can also select a window and bring it to the front by clicking the thumbnail.

Using Windows Flip 3D

When you press the Windows logo key and Tab, Windows Vista displays a 3D flip view. The Flip 3D view provides a skewed 3D view of all open windows. Holding down the Windows logo key keeps the Flip 3D view open. Pressing the Tab key while holding down the Windows logo key allows you to cycle through the windows. Because the 3D window views are live, the windows continuously update to reflect their current state regardless of the type of content. When you release the Windows logo key, the currently selected window is brought to the front. You can also select a window and bring it to the front by clicking the 3D window view.

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