MIRC's Display options allow you to select how and where to display such things as the toolbar and switchbar, (the switchbar is where minimized windows within mIRC are placed). The sub-pages of Display Options are 'Windows' and 'Tray' options.
The display options let you elect to minimize selected types of windows to the Windows taskbar, rather than mIRC's switchbar. You may further choose to have mIRC minimize to the tray rather than the taskbar.
The main page of mIRC's display options deals with the placement of buttons and tool-bars etc. The 'Toolbar' Check-box merely toggles display of the toolbar itself. I use the toolbar a lot so leave this checked. The 'Tooltips' check-box enables and disables the little hint text that appears when you hover the mouse pointer over a button.
The 'Show Switchbar' option toggles display of the switchbar which is similar in function to the Windows taskbar. Minimised channels, chats and dcc's will minimise to the switchbar. I always have the switchbar displayed. You can set the size of the switchbar too. 24 is a fair size.
The radio buttons control the position of the switchbar. When at the top, the switchbar will be just below the toolbar. This is a good option since that way all controls are in the same area. When the switchbar is set to the left or right side it uses more space, but is easier to spot changes in.
The other check-boxes are pretty obvious in function. I disable the 'Stretch Buttons to fill switchbar' option unless I have the switchbar positioned at the left or right side. All other options are best checked, and select the colour that the button text will change to on highlight.
This section of mIRC's display options lets you set some windows to open as standard 'desktop' windows, rather than mIRC windows. This means that when minimised they will appear on the windows taskbar rather than mIRC's switchbar.
The final checkbox makes the minimised desktop windows hidden, thus not appearing on the taskbar. To maximise the hidden windows again, you can use the 'Windows' menu on the mIRC menubar.
Causing windows to open as desktop windows can reduce clutter on the mIRC switchbar, and hiding minimised desktop windows can prevent clutter on the Windows Taskbar. If you tend to send/get a lot of files it may be well worth you setting mIRC to open DCC Send/Get windows as desktop windows, and choosing to hide minimised desktop windows. In this way, DCC transfers will be all but invisible to your session.
Many people love to have icons in the tray it seems. The tray is that indented part of the taskbar where the clock is. MIRC can be set to be a permanent icon in the tray. MIRC can minimise to the tray either on startup or when minimised in the normal way. MIRC can even have an animated tray icon, to show when there is activity in the minimised session.
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