BetterTaskbarMemory

A tray app that keeps your "show this icon in the system tray" choices across app updates.

Windows stores tray visibility per executable path in HKCU\Control Panel\NotifyIconSettings\<id> (ExecutablePath, IsPromoted). Apps whose install path contains a version (Store apps like Spotify, Squirrel-style app-1.2.3 folders, …) get a fresh entry after every update and the icon falls back to hidden.

BetterTaskbarMemory watches that key. When an entry appears without IsPromoted and an older entry for the same app (same path once version numbers are ignored, same icon UID/IconGuid) has an explicit value, it copies that value. Entries with an explicit IsPromoted are never changed.

Build

Requires Visual Studio 2026 (v145 toolset) with the Windows SDK. NuGet packages (Nerdbank.GitVersioning, WiX Toolset) are restored automatically by VS/Rider; on the command line pass -restore:

msbuild BetterTaskbarMemory.slnx -restore -p:RestorePackagesConfig=true -p:Configuration=Release -p:Platform=x64
bin\x64\Release\Tests.exe

Output in bin\x64\Release\:

• BetterTaskbarMemory.exe (static CRT, no redistributables needed)
• BetterTaskbarMemory.msi (installer)

Versioning

Versions come from Nerdbank.GitVersioning: version.json holds major.minor, and the git height (commits since version.json last changed) becomes the build number. The exe's version resource is generated at build time; nbgv get-version shows the current version. Bump major/minor by editing version.json (or nbgv set-version 1.1).

Installer

installer/ is a WiX Toolset v7 project producing a per-user MSI (no UAC prompt):

• installs to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\BetterTaskbarMemory with a Start Menu shortcut;
• enables "Start with Windows" and offers to launch the app when setup finishes;
• closes a running instance on upgrade/uninstall; uninstall also removes the autostart entry and HKCU\Software\BetterTaskbarMemory (the log folder is kept).

The MSI version is taken from the exe, so every commit produces an upgradable installer. If you turn off "Start with Windows" in the app, repairing the MSI turns it back on.

CI and releases

Both workflows build on the windows-2025-vs2026 runner.

• .github/workflows/build.yml runs on every push to main and every pull request (or manually). It builds, runs the tests, and uploads BetterTaskbarMemory-<version>-x64.msi and a portable zip (exe + license) as workflow artifacts.
• .github/workflows/release.yml is triggered manually: Actions → Release → Run workflow on main. It runs build.yml, then publishes a GitHub release tagged v<major.minor.height> with those files and notes generated from the commits since the previous release. Re-running on the same commit fails because the tag already exists.

Use

• BetterTaskbarMemory.exe --dry-run prints what it would change and exits without writing.
• BetterTaskbarMemory.exe runs in the tray. Menu: Fix now, Recent fixes, Pause watching, Show notifications, Start with Windows, Open log, Exit.
• Log: %LOCALAPPDATA%\BetterTaskbarMemory\log.txt. Settings: HKCU\Software\BetterTaskbarMemory.

Back up before the first real run: reg export "HKCU\Control Panel\NotifyIconSettings" backup.reg.

Layout

File	Purpose
src/PathNormalizer.*	version-independent path identity (pure)
src/Fixer.*	grouping and fix planning (pure, unit-tested)
src/NotifyIconStore.*	registry read/write
src/FixPass.*	read → plan → write → log
src/Watcher.*	RegNotifyChangeKeyValue worker thread with debounce
src/TrayIcon.*, src/main.cpp	tray icon, menu (App::BuildMenuItems is where new features plug in)
res/make-icon.ps1	regenerates res/app.ico
installer/	WiX v7 MSI project

License

MIT