This mod tries to improve compatibility of taskbar mods with StartAllBack due to recent changes in Windows - https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk-mods/issues/1698

taskbar-view-dll-early-loader.wh.cpp

// ==WindhawkMod==
// @id              taskbar-view-dll-early-loader
// @name            Taskbar.View.dll early loader
// @description     This mod tries to improve compatibility of taskbar mods with StartAllBack due to recent changes in Windows
// @version         0.1
// @author          m417z
// @github          https://github.com/m417z
// @twitter         https://twitter.com/m417z
// @homepage        https://m417z.com/
// @include         explorer.exe
// @architecture    x86-64
// ==/WindhawkMod==

// ==WindhawkModReadme==
/*
# Taskbar.View.dll early loader

This mod tries to improve compatibility of taskbar mods with StartAllBack due to
recent changes in Windows.
*/
// ==/WindhawkModReadme==

BOOL Wh_ModInit() {
    Wh_Log(L">");

    constexpr WCHAR dir[] =
        LR"(C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core_cw5n1h2txyewy)";
    auto cookie = AddDllDirectory(dir);

    constexpr WCHAR p[] =
        LR"(C:\Windows\SystemApps\SxS\MicrosoftWindows.55182690.Taskbar_cw5n1h2txyewy\Taskbar.View.dll)";
    HMODULE module = LoadLibraryEx(
        p, nullptr,
        LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_SYSTEM32 | LOAD_LIBRARY_SEARCH_USER_DIRS);
    Wh_Log(L"Taskbar.View.dll: %p", module);

    RemoveDllDirectory(cookie);

    return TRUE;
}

void Wh_ModUninit() {
    Wh_Log(L">");
}

I've tried using this and it is not working
I am attempting to use this with the "Taskbar Clock Customization" mod

On my system C:\Windows\SystemApps\SxS\MicrosoftWindows.55182690.Taskbar_cw5n1h2txyewy\Taskbar.View.dll does not exist and the output log from this mod is showing Taskbar.View.dll: 0000000000000000

I have dlls with the same name at these locations:

• C:\Windows\SystemApps\SxS\MicrosoftWindows.57242383.Tasbar_cw5n1h2txyewy\Taskbar.View.dll
• C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core_cw5n1h2txyewy\Taskbar.View.dll

I have attempted to replace the path with both of these but neither worked (the dll was loaded, non 0000... output, but no change in behaviour)

Additionally, since this mod is labelled as a "pre-loader" I did another check to see if the DLL was loaded without the mod, I used process explorer to view the loaded dlls of explorer.exe without this mod installed and did not see any dlls named Taskbar.View.dll though I did see a DLL with that name when using the mod with one of the paths I listed above.

The path C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core_cw5n1h2txyewy does exist on my system so I am assuming that is not the issue.

This mod is a workaround for a very old problem. Most likely, it's no longer relevant, unless you're using a 1-year-old Win11 build and a 1-year-old StartAllBack version. If that's not the case, you most likely don't need this mod, and if you're having an issue, it's probably unrelated to this issue/mod.