[Hint | HowTo] Quickly bring TC window in front of Windows floating deskbands (toolbars) with keyboard

[DrShark]

On Vista I use floating deskbands (toolbars/sidebars; how to setup), a feature removed in newer Windows versions. I like to have their auto-hide setting disabled, however, in this case sometimes such bars cover windows of other applications, mainly those launched maximized.

For example, with registered (without splash screen) version of Total Commander it's easy to reproduce such situation with following steps:
1. Open 1st instance of TC with maximized window by LMB-dblclick on its desktop LNK icon:
TC will start as expected on top of bars.
2. Open Lister window (to make sure at least TC's children window will be minimized to taskbar button if main window will go to notification area in next step).
3. Having Lister window active, press Win+D to make all windows minimized.
4. Put focus on a desktop TC shortcut (icon) using mouse.
5. Start 2nd TC instance using Enter key or a mouse left doublclick:
new copy of TC will start with main window active but behind side bars, like on screenshot.

Bringing TC window to foreground and continuation of work in maximized TC using mouse is easy: by making its window to restore (brings TC to front) and maximize again with two double clicks on TC title with left mouse button.
With keyboard, the quick way uses same approach: when TC is behind deskbands, call context menu with Alt+Space to restore/bring to front and then again to maximize TC window.

Sounds simple, but it's not that intuitive, because Alt+Tab is a usual (default) way to switch between windows with keyboard, but in above case Alt+Tabbing will be a pain if many applications are launched, while other keyboard ways like pressing Total Commander's task taskbar button with Win or Win+B and following Tab, Arrow keys, then Enter, or switching to it from Task Manager also require too many keyboard actions.

[bogordo]

Don't know if i understand correcly, but did you try having TC in taskbar as (for example) first icon and calling pressing "Win+1"??

[DrShark]

Don't know if i understand correcly, but did you try having TC in taskbar as (for example) first icon and calling pressing "Win+1"??

I just tried it (by putting TC icon first in Quick Launch bar), and if first TC instance, launched with Win+1, have Lister window active, then they minimized with Win+D, second TC instance launched with Win+1 also starts in background of deskbands, so no difference with launch from desktop.