Classic Shell: Forum

Experiment # 7 NeX-P
Novelty bliss-like picture menu, with a couple remnants of xp.

Warning alert
* Will produce expansion & compression ratio distortion.
* Super long names in main menu will use up the bitmap picture,
and start duplicating pixels(streaking).
* Don't download, unless you are prepared to twiddle with CSM settings.
* It's a larger 1.8 meg file to download.
* Picture is freely available on internet, but don't know if copyright?
I ate some of the clouds, and blew others around in sky, so it's modified.
* Might be too busy looking for some people.


Tried with CSM 4.0.4 on Win7/8.1
Not compatible with most older versions of CSM. Will only partially work.
After downloading file, paste in skins folder. Exit CSM, restart CSM,
and go to "Start Menu Style" tab. Pick Classic or Classic two columns.
Pick "NeX-P" in Skin tab.

The small icons menu works differently than with regular icons menu.
The slices arrangement had to be different, or the bottom padding would not work.
Kept bobbing up.

The regular menus expand up into more blue sky.
Horizontally, it's a different story, as each column will shrink, and expand
along with the text.
If one wants to make each column stay wide, one needs to customize the start menu in CSM settings. One menu item for each column, needs to have the label changed.
Example. For the programs item, change the label "$Menu.Programs" to
" Programs& &" so it has spaces in between the "&". Put in too many spaces,
one will notice the streaking appear. Have to back off some spaces.

I added the tint feature, to be able to use white text.

The 3/2 slice feature puts more bitmap pixels on left main column to even out the ratio,
if there are lots of split selection buttons on left column.
Turn this off if adding spaces in item labels, as it will interfere with process.

Adding spaces in labels affects all of one's menus. Would have to reset CSM, when changing.

ps. Bye Bye XP. I Wuv U for ever .

Footnote.
If it got you thinking, yes.
People, animals, flaming evil eyed skulls.

I have a number of personal picture menus for some time now.

The biggest problem is, if you put a picture of your girl/boyfriend in there.
It will turn them into a frankenhuman, distorting them badly. Be very carefull.
They won't be happy.

I try to just use two types of menus.
One like original xp menu, so picture is at top only.
Or like NeX-P menu.
Both types are prestretched, with limits,
so it can't change the ratio.

This relative's picture used the same bitmap dimensions as NeX-P skin.
I pushed the columns apart to have a clear view of person.
The inside padding was 130+ for each column.
Other settings were made in CSM settings.
Like changing the "main menu width" from 60 to 15
and maxing the recent programs to 6.

It does open up one's mind to menu possibilities.
Make your own game theme menu, etc.

Thanks for CC4 and the Limbo menu for inspiration,
for having images in menus.

And thanks for Ivo and the team, for making CSM "crazy customizable" .

hello juniper7

Beautiful work, the idea is to dig

thanks

My comp can't read '.skin' files. Is there any way someone can link a '.exe' link for this? Or possibly a '.zip' link?

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"A book is a mirror. If an ass peers into it, it doesn't expect an apostle to peer out." - E.M. Forster

To use .skin files, you must extract (or copy-paste) them to C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\Skins. .skin files are for the Classic styles of the menu (Classic single or two columns). You can't use them with the Windows 7 style of the menu. Windows 7 style uses the .skin7 format.

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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.

Okay, thanks. took a bit for that info to sink in rofl. I'm rather slow in the head, rofl. Figured it out a couple days ago,(or was it yesterday??? I'm so confused... O_o) Either way, got it working.

_________________
"A book is a mirror. If an ass peers into it, it doesn't expect an apostle to peer out." - E.M. Forster