Tool Belt

Version 1.2 · Dialsoft LLC · dialsoft.com/toolbelt

Tool Belt is a bar that locks across the top of your screen, like a second taskbar. It holds 12 slots for the programs, folders and websites you use every day. One click opens them.

Installing

There are two ways to get Tool Belt from dialsoft.com/toolbelt:

Installer
(recommended)

Run ToolBeltSetup.exe. It installs Tool Belt just for you, with no administrator password, and lets you choose:

Start Tool Belt when Windows starts (on). The belt is there every time you sign in.
Start menu shortcut (on) and Desktop shortcut (off)

Hover over any option in Setup to see what it does. Tool Belt shows up in Settings > Apps > Installed apps, where you can uninstall it. When you uninstall, it asks whether to keep your slots and settings.

Portable

Download ToolBelt.exe and double-click it. Nothing is installed. Good for a USB stick or a PC you don't own. To start it with Windows, use the belt menu's Start Tool Belt when Windows starts.

To change your Setup options later, just run ToolBeltSetup.exe again. If Tool Belt is running, Setup closes it for you and keeps your slots.

Getting started

Start Tool Belt (it starts by itself after Setup). The belt appears across the top of your screen.
The first four slots start out with File Explorer, Notepad, Calculator and Task Manager so you can see how it works.
To fill an empty slot (the dashed boxes with a +), click it and choose a program, folder or website.
Want it every time? Click the belt button at the far left and check Start Tool Belt when Windows starts.

Hover over anything on the belt and wait a moment. A tooltip explains what it does.

It stays put

The belt can't be dragged or resized. Windows treats it like the real taskbar, so maximized windows stop just below it and nothing covers it up. When a game or video goes full screen, the belt steps behind it and comes back when you're done.

Putting tools in slots

To add...	Do this
A program or shortcut	Drag it from your desktop, Start menu folder or File Explorer and drop it on a slot. Or right-click a slot and pick Change to a program or file.
A folder	Drag the folder onto a slot, or right-click and pick Change to a folder.
A website	Drag the address from your browser's address bar onto a slot, or right-click and pick Change to a website.
A document	Drag the file onto a slot. Clicking it opens the document in its normal program.

Right-click a slot for options

Open or Run as administrator (just this once)
Rename - change the name on the belt (leave blank for the automatic name)
Command-line options - advanced extras for a program, e.g. /v:server01 for Remote Desktop
Always run as administrator - marked with a small blue dot on the icon
Open file location - shows where it lives on your PC
Move left / Move right - or just drag a slot onto another to swap them
Clear this slot - removes the button only, nothing is deleted from your PC

A red ? icon means the program can't be found any more (moved, uninstalled, or on a drive that's unplugged). Click it to pick a new one.

The belt menu (far-left button)

Bar size	Small, Medium or Large. Changes instantly.
Show names next to icons	Turn off for an icons-only belt.
Center the slots	Slots sit in the middle instead of the left.
Show clock	Time on the right end (plus date on Medium and Large).
Show on monitor	Pick which screen the belt sits on.
Start with Windows	Opens the belt every time you sign in.
Check for updates now / automatically	See Updates below.
Release notes	What changed in each version.
Clear all slots	Start over (asks first).
Open settings folder	Shows `ToolBelt.ini`, where your setup is saved.
Exit Tool Belt	Closes the belt and gives the screen space back. Your slots are saved.

Every setting takes effect the moment you click it. You never need to restart.

Updates

Tool Belt keeps itself up to date. Shortly after it starts, and every 6 hours after that, it checks dialsoft.com for a newer version. When one is ready you'll see what's new and three choices:

Update now	Downloads the new version, checks it is genuine and complete (exact size, SHA-256 fingerprint and version number), then swaps it in. The belt disappears for a few seconds and comes back on the new version with all your slots. The release notes open so you can see what changed.
Remind me later	An ● orange dot appears on the belt button. Click the belt button and choose Install update whenever you're ready.
Skip this version	You won't hear about this version again. You'll still be told about newer ones.

Nothing is ever installed without you clicking Update now. In the belt menu, Check for updates now checks right away, and Check for updates automatically turns the automatic checks on or off. Release notes lists what changed in every version.

Keep ToolBelt.exe in a folder you own, like the Desktop, Documents or C:\Tools. Windows doesn't let programs in Program Files replace themselves.

Moving your belt to another PC

Everything is saved automatically in %APPDATA%\Dialsoft\ToolBelt\ToolBelt.ini. Copy that file and ToolBelt.exe to the other PC, put the .ini in the same folder there, and your belt comes with you. (Programs must be installed in the same place on the new PC, or their slots will show the red ?.)

Requirements

Windows 10 or 11 (uses the .NET Framework 4.8 that's built into Windows). Under 100 KB installed. No administrator password needed.