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This is a small action plugin (less than 600 KB for 32-bit, and less than 800 KB for the 64-bit version) that allows you to show a progress bar inside the taskbar button.
This feature is available on Windows 7 or newer operating systems, and the appearance of the progress depends on the version of the operating system and cannot be customized.
Use Resources > Plugins… and add the Taskbar plugin to the project. Make sure using the correct version (32-bit or 64-bit) for the platform you are building.
For showing the same progress displayed in the installer main window, add a line to the On Preload event script of the While Installing screen:
-- initialize the progress in the taskbar button Taskbar.ShowProgress(0, 100);
At the end of the On Progress event script, add a line to update the progress bar in the taskbar:
Taskbar.ShowProgress(e_StagePct, 100);
In the On Preload event script of the first screen of the After Installing sequence, add this:
-- hide the progress in the taskbar button Taskbar.HideProgress();
Your installer will now show progress in the taskbar during while deploying the files to the target system.
You can use these features anywhere you like, but typically you would replicate the progress of an existing Progress object on the page. This sample will change the position of a Progress object and update the progress in the taskbar at the same time.
Use Project > Plugins… and add the Taskbar plugin to the project.
In the On Preload event script of the page, set up some global control variables:
nCount = 0; bIncrement = true;
In the On Click event script of a Button, you could have this:
-- initialize taskbar progress
Taskbar.ShowProgress(0,100);
-- initialize Progress object
Progress.SetRange("MyProgress", 0, 100);
Progress.SetCurrentPos("MyProgress", 0);
-- start a timer for animation
Page.StartTimer(50, 10);
In the On Timer event script of the page, you could then update both progress bars simultaneously, making the progress increase and decrease repeatedly, until the timer is stopped:
-- move progress up or down
if bIncrement then
nCount = nCount + 1;
else
nCount = nCount - 1;
end
if (bIncrement and (nCount > 99)) then
bIncrement = false;
elseif (not bIncrement and (nCount < 1)) then
bIncrement = true;
end
-- update progress
Progress.SetCurrentPos("MyProgress", nCount);
Taskbar.ShowProgress(nCount, 100);
Shows the progress bar in the taskbar button.
(number) The current position of the progress bar.
(number) The maximum position (range) of the progress bar.
Nothing. You can use Application.GetLastError to determine whether this action failed, and why.
-- show the progress at 50% Taskbar.ShowProgress(50, 100);
The progress indicator does not grow in size, but cycles repeatedly along the length of the taskbar button. This is typically used to show progress of an unknown duration.
Nothing. You can use Application.GetLastError to determine whether this action failed, and why.
-- initialize the progress progress bar on the taskbar button Taskbar.ShowProgress(0, 100); -- now start a cycling animation Taskbar.CycleProgress();
Hides the progress bar from the taskbar button.
Nothing. You can use Application.GetLastError to determine whether this action failed, and why.
-- hide the the progress bar on the taskbar button Taskbar.HideProgress();
Pauses the current progress bar in the taskbar button. This will change the color to yellow.
Nothing. You can use Application.GetLastError to determine whether this action failed, and why.
for i = 0, 100 do
Taskbar.ShowProgress(i, 100);
Application.Sleep(50);
if (i == 72) then
-- suspend the the progress bar in the taskbar button
Taskbar.PauseProgress();
Dialog.Message("Pause", "Press any key to continue.", MB_OK, MB_ICONEXCLAMATION);
-- resume the progress
Taskbar.ShowProgress(i, 100);
end
end
Taskbar.HideProgress();
Shows an error state in the current progress bar in the taskbar button. This will change the color to red.
Nothing. You can use Application.GetLastError to determine whether this action failed, and why.
-- show that an error occurred
Taskbar.ErrorProgress();
Dialog.Message("Error", "The operation failed!", MB_OK, MB_ICONSTOP, MB_DEFBUTTON1);
-- close the progress bar and exit
Taskbar.HideProgress();
Application.Exit(1);
16001 - Could not create instance.
16002 - Could not obtain handle of application window. (Make sure that the application window is visible on the desktop before attempting this action.)
16003 - No handle to taskbar button. (Make sure that a progress was shown before setting Pause or Error states, or hiding the progress bar.)
16004 - Could not set button state.
Ulrich Peters
upeters@mindquake.com.br
Plugin is copyright © 2026 Ulrich Peters