Classic Shell: Forum

Welp, we did it - the Windows Longhorn Hillel Demo Start Menu, now available as a Classic Shell skin

DOWNLOAD

Also matching start button:



Credits:
-Splitwirez (For the actual skin)
-juniper7 (For setting me on the right track regarding a few issues I was facing, and for setting a standard of quality high enough to challenge me to create something like this)
-dejco (For the menu background which I based mine on)
-bingxuemei (For the screenshot from which the Ruby and Amber shutdown glyphs were derived)

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The left main background is very nice to look at.
Shows some of glass color. Lots going on. Like an XP bliss hill, or planet of some kind.
Or layers of fog on the peat moors in Ireland. Keeps changing to something different, with color.

Mmhmm, just like in the original demo ^-^


lol wut .____.


Paint.NET makes great gradients, I just didn't make it wide enough
Will fix for v2.


Darn. I'll look into that as well ._.


Eh...wasn't planning on changing that, but I guess I can add an option...


Yeah, not really a fix, but atleast you can read it now ._.


D:


Not sure about that.

It's a bit confusing to me as the search box has "Search_text_color", but it aint nothin to do wid da search menu area![/quote]
Yeah, I put that in there while swinging around in the dark...


Fingers crossed... ._.


Deliberately invisible. I'll try to add a hover state and such...


Maybe. We'll see.


{ABOVE COPIED FROM THAT OTHER THREAD}


Yeah...glass colour needs some work, though >.<

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Okay, updated to address the above issues, improve a few things, and add a few much-needed options P:

TBH, with this skin, I was aiming to create something of sufficient quality that it wouldn't feel out of place among the skins included in Classic Shell by default. Can someone give me a shout when I'm there?


But in all seriousness...does that actually happen? Do usermade skins ever end up being included in future releases of Classic Shell if they're good enough? And if so...what are the criteria?

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Wow, big difference with color turned on and off.
Nice submenu.
I don't understand what the line means at the shutdown button.
Is it part of the button, or overall design?

It would be a nice thought to have a modded skin included in CSM set.

I'm guessing here, as I used to work in QC.
Forgetting about what a finished skin looks like,
it would need to pass very high standards.
It has to be able to work in all types of systems, and configurations, without failure, again and again.
Would probably need to pass visibility standards for handicapped people too.
Copyright issues can arise as well.
Who knows. I'll lick a bug if it happens.

Any way, if you are still interested in making the programs background transparent in Win 7 style.
set Main_opacity=fullglass, which you did already, and ...

Example Add this text:

Programs_background=#82323232

The first two numbers means 130/255 alpha
The last 6 numbers means the rgb color 50/255 for the background

You can add a red mask to get glass color Example

Programs_background_mask=#4B0000

What you do is match the alpha, rgb , and mask values to match the main bitmap values,
or you cold make it different on purpose.

Making programs area transparent does not blend the main menu bitmap with alpha and desktop.
Will be a rectangle with same alpha value all over.
I don't know if a real bitmap can be used or not.



The other thing about if it's possible to have text and selector buttons different on jump and search results area.
I could not find a way.

Background.


Really? :3


Huh...


Wut


Oh...I thought that had to be RGB. Didn't know ARGB was supported ._.
(The bitmap was just a workaround TBH)
Also I just realized that I'm going to need to add an option to invert the white text colours to black, for use on a pale glass colour ._.



Huh ._.

BTW...did you see the new "stone 'all programs' arrow" and "flat selectors" options? The latter was made in response to your request :3

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Updated again.
-Changed the "All Programs" list to use glass colour which tries its absolute best to match the surrounding bitmap (with partial success, seems to work better with a harsher glass colour)
-Fixed a few mistakes in the high DPI settings (can't test those, anyone here mind helping? .-. )
-Added numerous options to invert all the text in the glass regions and the shutdown box, as well as options to invert the hue of the jumplist/all programs separator text colour

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I've grown up now.
I don't eat bugs anymore with bets.
Hardly any protein.

Was taught in art, that curves are female, sharp corners male.



About text color.

The aero skin has:
main left menu -black text on white background
jump list menu-black text on left white background, and black text on near white right background
search menu -black text on white background

on your original: I don't remember if there was screenshot?
main left menu -guessing white text on black background
jump list menu- guessing white text on black left background, and I don't know, black text on right white jump
search menu- white text on white background (the problem)

on skin I downloaded you fixed it by changing the backgrounds:
main left menu -white text on black background
jump list menu-white text on left black background, and white text on black right background
search menu -white text on black background

I was thinking about changing just the text. I don't think it is possible for every combination.

On a recent upgrade skin clearsharp1 7 style, I managed this:
main left menu -black text on white background
jump list menu-black text on left white background, and black text on right light background
search menu -black text on light background

and

main left menu -black text on white background
jump list menu-black text on left white background, and white text on right dark background
search menu -white text on dark background

Confused? I am



About the rounded cornered button.
Just the shutdown button with big round corners.

The option for the other buttons nice. The original are ok when small. On main menu, the indent gets stretched too big.
What would happen if the stretching slice pixels start higher, keeping the indent same size?
Later, no really later tonight, if I have time, I want to try inverting button image.

Stone arrow with its shadow, is better than default, but has chunky edge.

Submenu, maybe give extra 1 pixel padding around edges.

About including a user skin.

I worked in QC dept in telecommunications industry for more than 2 years.
Criteria is probably similar for any product.
Are all known bugs fixed?
Does it pass testing and visual inspection.
Does it pass all safety etc.
Most important in lean manufacturing,
Does the customer want it?
Pulled, instead of Pushed.
Including that dark colored Metro mod would be good.
Stats show there is demand for it.
That's a "Pull"



The High dots per inch in CSM options can run independently.
Set to 120 and 144 for regular 125% and 150% increase, if default is 96

I have to go bye.

Hi Splitwirez.
I never got around to playing with the button images.
I did play with the text for the big left main button.

Was this:

Main_selection_slices_X=3,26,3
Main_selection_slices_Y=3,23,3

Changed it to this:

Main_selection_slices_X=13,6,13
Main_selection_slices_Y=3,13,13
In my eyes, it looks smoother.
For the other areas, the same/similar button is used, looks ok, without change.
It's probably better in the long run if button was prestretched 8 times longer to keep your original proportions,
but would make it look smoother.

Hope you don't mind if I ask for improvements to make it gel.

The split main button brightness is opposite position, from reg button.

When glass color is on with jumplist menu, the grey area behind shutdown text moved to the right.

I was thinking, if you still want to use invisible shutdown button,
can at least something be added to give feedback to the user, if they hit the sweet spot?
Like having the shutdown text and shutdown arrow, change to dark red, or black, when mouse hovers over area?
I like the screenshot where the dividing line for shutdown is further away from shutdown arrow.
The download skin not the same.
I pushed the arrow away using higher first number:
Shutdown_arrow_padding=15,9,100%

Hi Splitwirez

Can you put some changing revision letter or number for each new update download.
Getting mixed up here.
I think I'm using an older one.

Just updated the skin again.
-Added the "Ruby Orb" and "Amber Orb" options for the shutdown arrow (see credits for source) (Yes, the arrow is still available)
-Fixed a bug where the All Programs list would take the glass colour even if "Reduce Glass Color" was checked

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Hi! I'm trying to compile a Longhorn pack of all of the builds, including skins, start menus, and taskbar textures, and I know you (Splitwirez) and Juniper7 have been working on some of those skins. Could it be possible to get the taskbar textures for not only the Hillel demos, but the pre-reset demos? (The ones before hillel).
Also, how did you guys get the start button as well as the windows start button?

Yeah, I made a bunch of really crappy ones a while ago (before I knew what I was doing), but I intend to redo those at higher quality.


Um...Hillel was still Pre-reset. That having been said, Taskbars attached. More coming in the next post (annoying attachment limit is annoying)



...what?

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Moar attached (Moar coming after this)

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Even moar

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oh god taht's a lot.

Also, 1. I wasn't aware that Hillel was pre-reset.
2. Like, where did you find the start button for Hillel and Plex?

Also, turns out there's a different start button for 5219. Gonna try and find that.

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...sorry?



Um...the look is waaay closer to the late M7 builds than anything post-reset...

I ripped the images straight from the leaked builds and reassembled them into working CSM Start Button images.


Just put the pieces back together. See attached

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Hey, I'm fairly new here! I downloaded the Longhorn Hillel skin and had one question. Is there a way to get the User Picture using this skin in the right-hand column of the start menu, as in Windows 7? I'm still using 7 and the only thing about the skin I'm disappointed about is that there's no option to have a user picture up there. Any possibilities to resolve that?

Well I'd certainly be happy to can take a crack at it. However, I should ask...is having it in the right column a must? Because going off of the concept this menu was based off of, it seems the plan at the time was for it to be in the left column, as shown here:

Is that okay with you, or is the right column a must? Maybe I'll add both, but if I'm not able to...well...that's why I'm asking.

...

Honestly I'm pretty rusty at CSM skinning...it's been quite a while since I seriously messed with Classic Shell, as I've been focusing more on a menu application of my own design, Start9:

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Hey Splitwirez. Well, it seems (if you posted an example image or link) I wasn't able to view it from your reply. So I'm not sure what having the pic in the left-hand column looks like. I am used to the Windows 7 menu which obviously has the pictures at the top right. But the main reason I would like that option is because with the way I've set my menu up, there's just the right amount of space on that side to have it at the top, and I just think it would complete it for me. Like I said I'm just getting into Classic Shell so there's probably a lot I'm not aware of. I mainly got it to change my start button but have been exploring all its features and very happy with it... this is the only thing I feel it's missing.

Here's what it looks like... https://i.imgur.com/XfnTz4D.png

On the right column... there's a bit of space at the bottom for the items to move down and make space at the top for the images. Similar to... https://dt.azadicdn.com/wp-content/uplo ... -5.jpg?200

May seem small but with all the features to customize in Classic Shell, I looked everywhere for a way to add that.

Any word on the user picture issue?

That would require me to not forget lol

...sorry ._.

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Splitwirez

I want to help out a bit. I downloaded your skin and find there are user picture frames in the skin file.
All it needs is to copy text from aero skin, so they show up again. In fact, I just did it.
I desaturated the frames to match skin.
let me know if ok to upload it. Your skin still needs bigger orbs for HiDPI.
I would not know where to get them.

The user frame images in the skin were just leftovers from the Aero skin I built it off of. You're fine to release what you have...although personally I was thinking of trying to fake the 3D user picture using a weird mask and a "frame" containing a fake shadow

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Nothing stopping you with that extra shadow thing. Do you mean like using the submenu bitmap, only bigger, with a hole for the picture?
That could work.
This upload is just a temp fix. The original frames are still there.
One thing. To make it smaller upload I made the menu bitmaps as .png

I just got back to find this. I'll give it a shot and let you know if I have any questions.

That works! The picture actually looks more striking with your skin and the color scheme I use. I like it Thanks Juniper and Splitwirez for taking the time to help.