Dual Batteries

[HarryRodgers]

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I recently received a Dell Inspiron 8200 which will accomodate two batteries. Does anyone use Battery Bar with a dual battery laptop? How does it work? Does BB display readings for both batteries combined or justy one?

[Chris]

I develop BatteryBar on a system with two batteries, so I assure you it works well. Basically when two batteries are in the system, the status window shows aggregate information. In other words, it shows the combined capacities and generates a percent based on the capacity remaining from both batteries compared to the total maximum capacity.

It does store a separate battery profile for each battery, so if you remove one it'll still show a proper time remaining for just that battery.

[Guest]

Hi,
I use HP Envy 14 which also has the capacity to accommodate 2 batteries. I like the fact that the windows battery information tells me % of every battery separately upon hovering on the icon. Is there any chance to have such a feature in BatteryBar? E.g. to have separate information for percent, capacity etc. and some joint information for the remaining time?

Thank you for information.

Best,
Theriel

[Chris]

I'd have to redesign the popup status window for that. To tell the truth, I find myself using the Windows meter to see the percent remaining individually for each battery, so I know what you mean. I just have to figure out how to display both concisely. Perhaps I just add an additional percentage bar but leave the rest of the information as aggregate. There's also a software architectural issue in that the data is consolidated before making it to the status popup for display, so I have to figure out how to rework that part as well.

[Guest]

Great, if you could do something about it in the foreseeable future (preferably in the next 28 days, i.e. before my trial lapses - so that I can see the updated version and decide to buy the full product ;]) that would be great. I think that your suggested solution sounds good: separate percentages for batteries + maybe one line of separation (so that people know that the information which follows is an aggregate). I really like the BatteryBar but being a bit pedantic I hate having two icons doing the same thing...

P.S. A small suggestion - you might consider also adding option buttons in the context menu of the icon, the same as one can find on the original icon: "power options", "windows mobility center". Some people (including me) are potentially used to using these shortcuts... This way your BatteryBar will be 100% replacement.

Best,
Theriel