Windows 7 has a built-in clock that most users are familiar with. This allows them to see the date, the current time and they can be easily changed if needed. Unlike previous versions of Windows, where you could only have one clock, you can add up to two additional clocks to the Windows 7 taskbar if you so desire. This can come in handy for several reasons. For example, if you travel a lot across different time zones for work, it would be helpful to have a few clocks running in your taskbar to remind you what time it is where you will be or if you work with people from different parts of the world and in different time zones, extra hours can be more than helpful.
How to add additional clocks in Windows 7
In order to add your first additional clock, you must click on the time in the lower right corner of the screen.
This will open the watch and allow you to access its settings. Click on “Change date and time settings…” to open them. You can also change the settings for your primary clock, which is displayed on the taskbar. Depending on how you want your additional clock to be set up, you can change the clock before continuing.
To do this, you need to click on the “Additional Hours” tab at the top of the window.
Here you can add up to two extra hours. The first clock you want, click “Show this clock.” You can then change the settings for them. You can select the time zone you want to be the name of your new watch. Click the "Apply" button to save the settings.
If you would like to set a second clock, you can do so by clicking "Show this clock" a second time. Then fill in the same parameters as above for the next time zone. Click the "Apply" button again, and you have installed up to two additional clocks in Windows 7.
When you right-click on a time in the taskbar, all three hours will be displayed. Your primary clock will be larger than the other two times to differentiate between them.
Are there other ways to change the clock in Windows 7?
If adding an extra clock seems awkward, you can always add a clock through the various widgets that are attached to the desktop. Widgets can be installed in the sidebar on your desktop or wherever you choose to pin them.
Clock widgets can be useful depending on your desktop setup, as well as if you want to avoid crowding the clock and calendar features on the taskbar. There are many ways to add extra clocks to Windows 7, but the built-in feature is easy to set up to get started.
A free program to change the appearance of the clock in the Windows tray. With it, you can change the type and size of the font, add a shadow to the numbers, transform the calendar, and even create reminders of important things.
Today's article will again touch on the decorations and functionality of your operating system. Take a look at the lower right corner of your monitor;). What is there? That's right, hours!
We don't realize how many times a day we look at them. Of course, this thing is very useful, but functionally and aesthetically a bit poor. Small, white (or black in Windows XP) and inconspicuous - this is exactly what your watch is now. But you have a chance to change everything! After reading the article to the end, you will learn how not only to customize the appearance of the clock, but also to get additional practical benefits from them ...
So, now we will consider a new program, which has a modest name LClock.
Purpose and possibilities of the program
As mentioned above, the main purpose of LClock is to change the appearance of the clock in the tray. However, this program can also:
- display a beautiful calendar;
- work in the reminder mode of important events;
- perform alarm functions;
- hide or replace the standard Start button.
Among the paid applications in this segment, the most popular is the Atomic Alarm Clock program. Let's compare the capabilities of our two competitors:
Comparison of LClock with paid analogue Atomic Alarm Clock
Also, the approach to changing the appearance of the watch is somewhat different in our programs. So, if LClock works mainly with fonts, shadows and colors of the text of the clock, then Atomic Alarm Clock uses a system of skins that allow you to make the clock more colorful, but at the same time less integrated into the tray workspace.
Otherwise, the differences are insignificant (unless, of course, you count the built-in scheduler, which you can successfully replace with a more functional xStarter).
Installing LClock
In order to install the LClock program, you will need to download the archive with it and, having opened it, run the installer. Further, we agree with all the suggestions of the installation wizard by clicking the "Next" or "Ok" button. The only thing you can change (except, of course, the installation path and creating shortcuts) is the program bundle:
In this window, you can refuse to install a pop-up calendar and an add-on for fine-tuning the appearance of LClock, leaving only the clock itself. However, further we will consider the full version of the program.
Setting the clock in LClock
After the installation of the program is completed, the tray clock should change its appearance to the following:
If this happens, then we can congratulate you on the successful completion of the installation of LClock. And if so, then it's time to consider the program in more detail and customize it to your needs. To do this, call the context menu of the utility by right-clicking on the clock:
In this context menu, we see the possibility of setting the time, the properties of the taskbar, calling the task manager and, most importantly, the item "Setting LClock". Let's work with the last one:
Unfortunately, Russification did not go beyond the context menu, so all program settings are in English. But this does not prevent us from making the clock and calendar, about which a little later, display the Russian names of days, months, etc.
In the first “Clock” tab that opens, we find the “Day of Week” field. It lists the English abbreviations for the days of the week separated by a slash. All we need to do is to replace them with their Russian equivalents, then in the “Show” drop-down list, select the “Day of Week” item, and then click the “Apply” button:
You should have something like the screenshot. You can check the checkboxes with additional settings at the top according to your own preferences. For example, in my case, I removed the 12-hour time format, and also indicated that instead of 12 at night, 0:00 should be shown. Also pay attention to the item "Start with Windows". It must be active if you want LClock to start on system boot.
This tab contains almost all the functions that allow you to control the appearance of our watch. By default, you can change the clock font (Font list), the size of each element (hour, minute, AM/PM), as well as the character style (bold and/or italic).
However, that's not all! If you activate the "Custom Text Style" checkbox, then you will also be able to change the color of the clock and add a shadow to it (also of an arbitrary color).
To fine-tune the placement of the clock in the tray, the next tab "Clock Metrics" is used. We will not dwell on it in detail. It will be enough just to know that, if necessary, with its help we will be able to adjust the vertical and horizontal position of the clock, as well as the indents between their elements.
Additional features of the LClock program
After the appearance of the watch is configured, it will be interesting to look at the "Other" tab:
Here are collected additional features of LClock. Activating the first item will allow you to use your own Start button. You can draw it in any graphics editor (for example, in this one) by creating a picture in BMP format with an image of three button options (inactive, hovered and pressed).
After saving, you will only need to specify the created image in the field under the inscription "Custom Start Button". Your start button is ready!
In addition, here you can hide the “Start” button altogether (second checkbox) and transfer its functions to the clock in the tray (third checkbox) (result - see screenshot above). Also in this tab you can set the sound for the alarm in the "Alarm" field.
Calendar settings
We have completely figured out the clock, but LClock also has a calendar function with reminders of the necessary events. To call the calendar, just click on the clock with the left mouse button:
The calendar, like the clock, is not Russified by default. In order to give it the desired look, call the LClock settings window again and go to the “Calendar” tab:
The structure of this tab resembles the structure of the “Clock” tab: at the top there are checkboxes with various options for changing the appearance of the calendar, below the list of days and months, and even below the calendar transparency slider and fields for background settings and navigation buttons.
By analogy with setting the clock, for Russification we need to translate the abbreviations of the days of the week (start from Sunday) and months (full names can be used). The result should be something like this:
From the screenshot, we can see that in addition to translations, we changed the transparency of our calendar, and also set Monday as the starting day of the week (“Start week on Monday” checkbox).
If you do not intend to change the background and navigation buttons, then you can proceed to further customizing our calendar - the “Calendar Style” tab. Here you can customize the appearance of the highlight of the current date, the font, size and color of the inscriptions, as well as additional color settings for some elements.
For more fine-tuning of the calendar parameters, you can use the Calendar Metrics tab:
Here, by analogy with the clock settings, you can adjust almost any gaps and indents in the appearance of your calendar, thereby giving it an exceptional design.
Built-in event reminder
There is one more not too obvious, but, nevertheless, useful function connected with the calendar in LClock. It can serve as a simple reminder or alarm clock, signaling pre-entered events with sound and text notifications.
To call the reminder management window, just double-click the left mouse button on the desired date in the LClock calendar:
In the window that appears, in the "Message" field, you can enter the text of your reminder, and in the "Time" field, specify the time of its activation. After pressing the “Ok” button, the message will be added to the list on the left and will be displayed on the screen of your monitor at the specified time:
In addition, with the help of the LClock reminder, you can create not only one-time reminders (by default "Single"), but also recurring ones. To do this, in the “Type” list, you will need to select one of the appropriate repetition options (per day, week, month, year), as well as specify the frequency of repetitions (“Every” item) and the date until which the action will be valid (“Valid Until ").
What pleases is the ability to create several independent alerts for one day. To do this, just click the "New" button and set a new message. Old and unnecessary notifications are easy to delete by selecting them in the side list and clicking the "Delete" button.
Note: If you want, the window for working with notifications can be made in Russian! To do this, either independently, for example, using the program, translate the file Calendar.dll, or use the ready-made translation made by me, simply replacing the standard file in the program folder with the file from the archive you downloaded.
Advantages and disadvantages of the LClock program
- small size;
- the possibility of partial Russification;
- the ability to fine-tune the clock and calendar;
- the presence of a built-in event reminder;
- interesting possibilities for working with the "Start" button.
- original English;
- lack of a full-fledged task scheduler;
- there is no option to display times for multiple countries.
conclusions
Despite the fact that the latest version of LClock was released back in 2004, this program remains one of the best free applications for replacing the Windows system clock to this day. Therefore, if you are tired of their standard appearance or you want to expand their functionality, but do not know how, then LClock is exactly what you need!
P.S. It is allowed to freely copy and quote this article, provided that an open active link to the source is indicated and the authorship of Ruslan Tertyshny is preserved.
Atomic Alarm Clock is an application that allows you to replace the standard tray clock with a more functional analogue. It is able not only to show the time in different cities of the world, but also to work as an alarm clock and business planner. After the update, the full version of the program is compatible with the following operating systems from Microsoft:
- Windows 7;
- Windows 8.1;
- Windows 10.
64 bit and 32 bit systems are supported.
Interface
Seeing the name, users are interested in what kind of program it is and what it has to do with nuclear physics. The developers are probably implying that their tray clock tells the time as accurately as an atomic clock.
The program interface follows the visual style of Windows 7 windows: a light blue header and a red button with a cross to close the window. All menu tabs are located in the left frame of the screen. The Russian version allows you to quickly deal with all the settings.
Clock
The standard tray clock will be replaced by one of the options available in the application immediately after clicking on the program shortcut. However, it is possible not to replace, but to place only the software icon in the tray.
Together with the clock and day of the week, the application can show the computer's operating time and the percentage of RAM used. Next to the current time of the user's location, the utility is able to display the time in other cities.
The user can choose from 25 skins in various styles. About 70 more design themes can be downloaded additionally.
Alarm clock and reminders
Adding an alarm or reminder occurs in the menu of the same name, after clicking on the icon labeled "New". Atomic Alarm Clock has a wide range of actions for editing text and sound alerts.
- Reminder can be made one-time and regular.
- Selecting the notification time with an accuracy of up to a second.
- Installing a melody from the program directory or downloading a file from a PC in MP3 or WMA format.
- Adjust the volume and playback time of the song.
Performing actions at the specified time
In the "Actions" tab, the user can program the launch of a program or document at a specified time, as well as shutting down the computer. In the first case, you need to enter the file name and the window state. The second position of the checkbox is responsible for:
- shutdown PC;
- reboot;
- switching to standby or hibernation mode;
- Sign Out;
- turn off the monitor.
Calendar
In the context menu of the application in the tray, additional functions are hidden, among which is the installation of a calendar widget on a computer, or rather on the Desktop. By right-clicking on the calendar, you can personalize the widget.
The activation code for unlimited use of the Atomic Alarm Clock can be downloaded from this site.
