Classic Shell: Forum

Hi,

I didn't see this forum before.
Maybe I would not made a skin if I have seen it...
I found the default standard skins of Classic shell look not very well in windows 8.
I prefer for example Start8 app skin, but I don't want to pay, and I'm used to use classic shell.
Then I made a skin like Start8 with a glass effect for Classic Menu.



There is 2 buttons img in the pack, one for standard taskbar, and one for little taskbar.
(preview pict shows the little button)

Regards,


EDIT: last version (V2.5) HERE

(click on the "here" blue link, start8.zip below is an old version)

nice:D it's similar to my skin D U gave me an idea to fix a little thing in mine btw i'm using thin explorer frames so my frame is smaller but i have to widen it 1 pixel xDD
your start button looks similar to mine as well mine looks like this but i havent uploaded it yet couse i only made it for wide upper taskbar

Nice skin.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Thanks

A way to disable shadow only for the main window (not for the submenu) in the script would be great...

I'd like to do it as well! Maybe we can add shadow manually to tha submenu background. I'll try this on my skin.

Edit: tried it but it's not perfect for me with opacity fullglass or glass. I'd like to change the main menu shadow for something more solid

Yep,

I already tried too to add shadow manually, but it's not possible to do something correct in fullglass mode.
It is only OK in fullAlpha mode (but it's not transparent with the desktop).
It's why I think it would be easier to control shadow display in the script...

Where are these images stored? like this shadow? And the quicksearch border for example?

Nice skin. Could you also make non transparent version?

Thank you.

Try mine, that is non transparent and looks like this: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=158

I have seen yours before. Not bad but I prefer dJuL's skin

Ok no problemo



I added 2 options :

* Transparent Background ON/OFF
* Large or Small border around the user picture.

A "White sub-menus" option needs to be there.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Ok

Cool. Now we just need the Start menu color to more closely match the Taskbar color.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Mine does that. By the way, why dont you like my skin? Should I also make a white submenu option?

i had problems with that in my skin, the best way i seemed to find was to have 3 variations with a dark gray, gray, and light gray coloring

I like your skin. I meant in general Classic Shell code needs to be tuned more so at hue, saturation, brightness, and color intensity, the taskbar color will be matched on Windows 8.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

I don't really understand...
You can define custom colors for taskbar and titlebars in the windows control panel.
There is infinite possibilities.
How can I do to match exactly with your color ?
When I did the skin, I did it for me, then it matches perfectly with my colors....

Of course I can add some new background colors (maybe you are speaking about that ?)
But if you want to match exactly, the easier way will still be to choose the color in control panel, to match with the classic menu skin...


Yes it could be a solution if we stay with one unique color for the skin.


Please speak about your skin in your topic, you didn't post one post here without mentioning your skin (my skin does it, my skin is the same, like my skin, my skin....)

Nope I meant if Ivo will update CS's glass to more closely match taskbar color. I didn't mean you have to modify the skin. Compared to Start8, the color doesn't match if the color intensity is reduced.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

even just adding a way to change manually change the color classic shell uses as the 'taskbar color' would work;

im thinking maybe a whole tab is in order with:
3 radio buttons, match taskbar color, no coloring(default, and only option on skins that dont support color?), and custom with (Hue,Sat,Lum, maybe with a color picker)
maybe a checkbox for "enable aero blur, on w8 (maybe for xp to idk)' if that project ever matures/ and ivo decides to add it..
and maybe a transparency bar that you can adjust transparency regardless of the skins transparency

Offtopic suggestion:
i would love an option to change titlebar font color to white (for the titlebar, and the preview when you hover over something in the taskbar), although themes can already do this, its a basic function that windows should already have (either an option, or have the system do it automatically with darker colors)

sorry :S

No problem skyli, I was angry this afternoon, a bad day...

But you were right, It's your topic and your theme is awesome I was stupid not you:oops:

Hi dJuL, this is a really cool skin! Thank you very much. Could you please include support for the "glass colors" so the start menu color matches the theme's color and can be customized by changing the Windows theme colors? e.g. like the built-in "Windows Aero" skin.

_________________
MB-Wallpaper.de

Ok, I will look what I can do.
I didn't do it because it doesn't match properly with the windows color.
Like GauravK said some tweaks like hue, saturation, brightness controls would be great to do this...

Hi,

New version !



- 2 variations : Start8 Grey, and Now possibility to use windows color.
- two different levels of transparency
- black text option for second column

When I will have a little time I will work on borders, separators, and selection on 2nd column, for a better integration when choosing windows color variation.

Hi,

Done.
New version !

* Add a new variation (windows taskbar color, more dark)
* Option black text in second column now is also for arrows and selection border

in Windows taskbar color variations :
- Borders, separators and selection are now in the same color theme as windows color.

Now it is possible to match properly taskbar color, values should be set like this :
- windows taskbar color (normal) and More transparency option
- windows taskbar color (more dark) and transparency option

Some screens :

Many thanx. Me likey. I find the options "Windows Taskbar Color (normal), "Transparent Background" and "More Transparent Background" checked give me the results I want. I also turned off the option "Enable Menu Shadow" on the "Menu Look" tab so more closely match Windows 8's style.




Nice.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Ok I will do it

Great work! Thank you very much That's just the way I wanted it to be

_________________
MB-Wallpaper.de

There is already a skin named Windows 8.
Then I think I will name it "Classic Start 8" (in reference to Classic start menu)
Is it ok ?

Sure. I made some changes to the skin on my system:
- Made the top portion of the main bitmap transparent and centered the user picture in the right column so it appears like it's jutting out
- Adjusted the bitmaps so when color intensity is reduced and transparency options are checked, the Start menu color matches the taskbar color.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Great
but I think it needs modifications.
At first it is a little bit too dark I think.
And the selection in the right column is not ok, color is the same as the background.
If you want to make the background more dark, you need to change the selections bipmaps too.
Good idea for the user picture, but I think it is a little bit too centered (something like 5px down would be better)
With little icons options selected, there is also a problem with the text padding.
But great work !

You're right. The shade is darker. I must tweak it. Nice suggestion about the user picture too.

I did change the padding as well for small icons and all the changes you observed with a sharp eye . I made the changes with also another intent: I am trying to make the same skin look/work well on Windows 7 (with glass rendering), so that only a few options need to be changed but the same skin can be used. Okay, we will do this. I will fork my skin in a separate thread. You are free to make modifications to this one or continue with the last version of your own skin, discarding the modifications. No problem. Thanks for your skin though. It was useful for me in creating my skin.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

hi
i really love them
but why i can not have this skin like you?
look

It's too bad when older skins don't work properly anymore with newer versions of Classic Shell.
Windows 8 skin is probably best similar skin to use in updated CSM.
With that one, you get that neat extra text shadow feature on second column.

Could uninstall new version, download, and install an older version from years back?
V3.6.8 was popular back then.
Then the old skin should work.

If wanting to update for exact look,
probably some text requires changing in the file, to work in new CSM version.
Could be as simple as one letter, or number change, or big overhaul.
Anywhere from five minutes, to hours long fix. Who knows?
Difficult to tell when the unexpected default white menu shows. No clues.
I will have a look at only the last version V2.5 skin in post on the weekend,
or original maker could, unlikely though, probably moved on.

ok i will try it
where can i get the old version?
thanks

Look up, way up to top of Classic Shell page. Look in the "Home" tab,
or here is direct link to old 3.6.8 install package:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/classi ... urce=files

If you don't like uninstalling, reinstalling, I fixed skin to work in CSM 4.2.5
There were a couple of separator/pager reference errors,
and the search bitmap was out of registration on HDPI.
There is the simple quick fix v2.5 2 column only, and the bigger fix v2.6 1 & 2 column for CSM v4.2.5

dJuL made it to work in Windows 8. If using in Windows 10, the grey menu might be too bright, or have residual glass blur color on it.
To fix, uncheck the "Enable menu glass" in the "menu Look" tab of CSM settings.
Glass system color on Win 10 will be stronger on menu.

Let me know if something was missed.