Classic Shell: Forum

I think that there might be a bug with Classic Shell's scroll navigation.
I'm using the classic style start menu, with single column sub-menus..
When scrolling a sub-menu, I'd like to perform quick jumps by the use of keyboard accelerators, even when launching the start menu with the mouse, like we could with M$'s start menus.
I've tried fiddling with a lot of settings, but I just can't get it to work properly..
Sometimes I can get it to work for a couple of times, but then it's back to no reaction at all.

What do you mean by "perform quick jumps"?

e.g. when scrolling 'Programs' in the start menu, I'd like to be able to quickly highlight the 'Windows Accessories' sub-folder (or whichever sub-folder starting with 'W' that comes first) simply by hitting "W" on my keybord.

So, is it a bug, or should i have posted it under 'Feature Requests'?

It should work already. Give me a screenshot of the menu and tell me which key you are pressing.

Here's a screenshot:



As you can see, I've got the 'Classic Shell' sub-folder selected under 'Programs'.
Now, say I was to hit "G" on my keyboard..
This should instantly move my selection to the 'Games' sub-folder, since that is the first sub-folder with a name starting with the letter G, right?
Well, nothing happens, no matter which letter I press on my keyboard!

The only way I can get it to work properly is if I move into the 'Programs' folder by the use of the arrow keys on my keyboard.
If I go there by the use of my mouse, it won't work (except on a few rare occasions).

When a sub-menu is opened, then the key is used to navigate that menu. Press Esc to go back to the Programs menu and then G will work.

Confirmed.

I do not consider this to be the expected behaviour though.
IMHO, it should be consistent with the behaviour in the old M$ start menus, where the keyboard accelerators would work in the active folder.
..But if some users really want it do act this way, perhaps you could make it configurable?

This is how menus are supposed to work. The top menu gets the keyboard. Try it in IE for example:
Open the View menu with the mouse, then hover over Toolbars. Inside the Toolbar menu there is "Favorites bar". Inside the View menu there is "Full screen". If you press F the favorites will be activated because it is inside the submenu.

All I know is that in WinXP, when scrolling 'Programs', I could hit a letter on my keyboard and it would function as an accelerator within 'Programs', not for any of its sub-menus.
..But hey, it's no big deal, really.
Classic Shell is just amazing, and this small 'issue' is something I can get used to.
I've been using WinXP for a very long time, and old habbits die hard I guess.

It's not an issue in Classic Shell. In Windows XP, if any submenu was expanded inside All Programs, the accelerator worked inside the submenu. If you close the expanded folder using left arrow key or Esc, only then it will work for the Programs folder.

_________________
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.

LOL!
Had to fire up my old XP computer to confirm this now..

You're right, but this is what I ment:
In WinXP, WHEN scrolling a menu, accelerators work within the menu that you're currently scrolling.
E.g. WHEN scrolling 'Programs', you can hit a letter on your keyboard, and the accelerator WILL work for the 'Programs' menu!
This won't work in Classic Shell, I guess because even when you're scrolling, it will STILL show the sub-menu for the last folder that you had highlighted.
Hope this clears things up.

Guess it's a feature request then, since you probably never intended it to work like M$'s old start menus in this particular way?

I don't fully understand the request.

You have one menu and you open one of its items as a sub-menu. Then you press a key. Currently that key is processed by the sub-menu. Do you want the key to be processed by the parent menu? If so, then you won't be able to navigate the sub-menu with the keyboard.

On Windows XP (which I still proudly happen to have), accelerators work for me even if I am scrolling. So I don't understand the request either.

_________________
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.

That's exactly my point..
In Classic Shell, accelerators doesn't work when scrolling!

Nope they work for me on Classic Shell too when scrolling, in all three cascading styles of the menu. So I am unable to repro what you are experiencing.

_________________
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.

That's strange.
For me, like I mentioned before, when scrolling, Classic Shell still shows the sub-menu for the last folder that I had highlighted.
Just a guess, but I think that's why I can't get the accelerators to work like they should.

--

EDIT:
Yes, that's definitely why it won't work.
I tried it just now..
If I enter the 'Programs' menu and start to scroll really fast, before it gets a chance to pop up a sub-menu, then the accelerators work!

How are you scrolling? With the mouse scroll wheel or by hovering over the pagers at the top/bottom ends?

_________________
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.

By hovering over the pagers.

Works for me here.

_________________
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.

Weird.
For you, does the sub-menu of the last highlighted folder still show when you're scrolling?

Yes.

_________________
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, so that's not what's causing it then.
I'll try to perform a clean install and see if I can get it straightened out.

I just performed a clean install, like this:
1) Uninstalled Classic Shell.
2) Rebooted.
3) Deleted the remaining folders and reg. entries.
4) Installed Classic Shell v4.0.6.
5) Changed ONLY these settings:
- Start Menu Style: Classic style
- General Behavior: Use single column (scroll)

Same thing..
Accelerators just won't work for me in that manner.

Precisely. If a sub-menu is open then it gets the key. That's the only correct behavior. Maybe you can try increasing the hover delay so the menus don't open so quickly.

Well, then I'll have to click to open sub-menus, and I would have exchanged one minor annoyance for another.
Besides, for GauravK it seems to work like I'd like it to.