Since the IconBar was released I've deployed customized IconBars for each portal (when necessary). This is a a slight modification of the files iconbar.ascx and iconbar.ascx.vb and respective the styles which are stored in the portal.css file.
Now I've a rising need for a completely customized IconBars in the means more specific functionality (more buttons, etc, ...) for each portal. I was tracing the code how the controlpanels but did not found all of my answers in the code. Maybe can anyone finish this 'puzzle':

1. When I insert 
      <TD id="ControlPanel" runat="server" class="contentpane" valign="top" align="center"></TD>
   in the skin and I'm logged in as admin the IconBar is displayed at the designed place. When this is omitted the IconBar is displayed with 100% width at the head of the page. Where do I find the responsible passages which decide when and how the controlpanel is displayed.

2. An attempt to create customized Iconbars was (actually when possible interesting and maybe an option for the community) to write a more modificated version of the IconBar. I've added some properties and functions so I was capable to insert a token [ICONBAR]  respective the tag/control <dnn:IconBar runat= ....> in the skin file. In the quintessence I can control the particular iconbar files (xy_iconbar.ascx) for the portal. The problem is I don't know how to prevent the display of the standard IconBar???

Any help is welcome!