Windows – Script/Tool to Auto Hide/Unhide Windows Taskbar

If you're so annoyed by the Windows 7 Taskbar, why not getting rid of it altogether? :)

Aviassin Taskbar Eliminator is a great utility which will simply and efficiently remove the taskbar from Windows XP or Vista.

With just the click of a button or a hotkey, the taskbar is disabled from any side of the screen, providing the freedom to use any dock application, increase computer security, or allow all sorts of Windows customizations. The taskbar can be toggled on and off in real-time, providing the flexibility to quickly view the taskbar to perform an action.

The application interface is simple and easy to understand, allowing it to be used by even the most novice of users. Simply press and hold Control+Alt+T to bring up the Preferences window, from which all options can be adjusted. Press and hold Alt + T to immediately show or hide the taskbar directly.

Supported Operating Systems:

Windows 98 Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Beta & Release Candidate

Download

Aviassin Taskbar Eliminator is freeware and portable.

when you click 'Hide Taskbar' it will disappear but the start orb remains visible, however, if you set the the taskbar to 'Auto Hide' before eliminating the taskbar, it works like a charm. the start orb will not appear if you hit the bottom of the screen, ONLY if you press the windows key.

... and then use VistaSwitcher to toggle conveniently between open applications and folders.

Here is an AutoHotKey script to make Win+b into a hotkey that toggles the taskbar auto-hide setting:

VarSetCapacity(APPBARDATA, A_PtrSize=4 ? 36:48)

#b::
   NumPut(DllCall("Shell32\SHAppBarMessage", "UInt", 4 ; ABM_GETSTATE
                                           , "Ptr", &APPBARDATA
                                           , "Int")
 ? 2:1, APPBARDATA, A_PtrSize=4 ? 32:40) ; 2 - ABS_ALWAYSONTOP, 1 - ABS_AUTOHIDE
 , DllCall("Shell32\SHAppBarMessage", "UInt", 10 ; ABM_SETSTATE
                                    , "Ptr", &APPBARDATA)
   KeyWait, % A_ThisHotkey
   Return

If you wish to use a different key or key combination than Win+b, change the #b before the double colons in line 3 to whatever hotkey you want (using the syntax in the AutoHotKey documentation).