Classic Shell: Forum

It is, what it is.
That's as far as I can take it.

Win 10 Concept [Classic 2 only] Use with CSM version 4.3.0

Skin can work at regular 100% (96 dpi) size, or 150% (144 dpi) HiDPI size.

HAVE TO LOAD XML FILE FOR IT TO WORK PROPERLY
The xml file turns second column to buttons feature.
It will look pretty ugly, until the xml file is loaded.
Unzip file, put skin in the skin folder of Classic Shell ( C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\Skins )
Right click on Start button to get settings window. Click on back up button at bottom. Click load from XML file.
Open "Win 10 Concept.xml" at your unzip location. If menu does not change, you might have to exit CSM, and restart it.


This skin is a concept for a simpler alternate Windows 10 start menu. Not for Win 7 Operating system, as it has Metro colors.
Can work on Win 8, results will vary.

It does work somewhat, as the fake tiles are linked shortcuts, just locked up positions.
The tile text is from screenshots.
Can't move tiles around, can't resize them, can't remove/add, and can't be live animated.
So many restrictions.

Edit: Another restriction. Second column can only be English language. Sorry.
The text emblem would have to be redone for another language. Not impossible, just would take some time.

The xml file is set to small icons at 16 size on 100% system size.
You can set to 24 size if you wish, to match better. Use CSM settings "Menu Look" tab.
On HiDPI small icons defaults to 24 size. Changing to 32 size might look better, as well.
Please don't change the large icon size in CSM settings,
for the right tile alignment will seriously go out of whack.
The alignments all will go every which way.


The second column has two types of tiles.
One of them, kind of resembles the Win10 tiles.
Both these types have smaller squares than real Win 10. Yes, they both look like calculator menus.
I reduced tile size to 80% of original size, because when tiles all same color,
they are too over powering, especially lime green color.
Second type is smaller tile, at 40% of original.
Last type has no tiles at all, with selector resembling on the desktop.


As above, tiles are burnt into the skin, which means the tiles and text are frozen in place.
The good thing is the links do work, when set up correctly.
If any of the links don't work on a different computer,
try making a shortcut and store somewhere. Link to that shortcut.
If it does not work, I'm sure Gaurav knows all the direct links, and can supply them.


Edit: Minor addition. Added extra color shade option. Now revision B
I realized afterwards why the normal color shade option is washed out, when transparency is on.
Original MS Win 10 changes the menu background from SystemAccentDark1 when opaque, to SystemAccentDark2 if transparency.
Was going to make it switch automatically, then decided to put as another color shade option.
Your choice, you pick.







Background notes.

At first, I was experimenting with the icon frame skin feature, pushing it out more. Was thinking this is great.
Then, when I made the text as an emblem, the text disappeared, because the text is behind the icon frame.
Emblems are like layers in photo editors. The top most layer is the most visible. I tried emblem 10 instead of emblem 1, no change.
I surmise bottom layer is menu skin, then emblems 1 thru 10, then icon frames, then icon, then selector, then text at top.
Back to the drawing board, to try different approach.

The only way to look like Metro, was I made a screen shot of what was made so far,
and used that as the bitmap, with the tiles on the bitmap.
Big honking bitmaps, that had to be exact, which was a pain.
Surprising though, due to fact that there is no texture in bitmaps,
when they got converted to png format, menu file size is small.

Because the tile text screenshot had to resemble font smoothing,
I had to do a trick to it, so it looks same on dark and light tiles.
First I set a different glass skin to grey color, in front of grey background. Took a screenshot.
Erased the surrounding menu, that left just the white text, with it's darker Clear Type pixels.
I adjusted the gamma of text lower, and used as the alpha layer. I made the gamma higher, and put in the rgb layer.
This roughly imitates the look, without having too white or too dark edges around text.

hello juniper7,
je commençais tout juste à m'habituer à votre thème Experiment: CLASETRO [7style]
!!!!
et voilà que vous avez travaillé sur un thème tout à fait différent, beau travail d'ailleurs

bravo en tout cas !

translation :


Hello juniper7, I just began to become used to your theme Experiment: CLASETRO [7style !!!!
and now you worked on a completely different theme, a beautiful work moreover !
bravo in any case !

I'm sorry to tell you Pipalou50,
the text language on second column can not be in French.
Is only English.

French.
Je suis désolé de vous dire Pipalou50,
Le texte sur la deuxième colonne ne peut pas être en français.
Est seulement anglais.

Man, I didn't know you could do tiles!
By the way, is there some way to recreate the Windows 8/8.1 Start Screen inside of Classic Shell? I'm just curious.
It would be a little bit hard to do, since you would have to find a way to make the skin larger than it should be.

Just like concept cars, skin is only partially functional.
Was made for kicks.

Making skins larger is easy with visible, or invisible image and/or increased paddings.

wow Juniper , it's just an amazing skin !
Would you mind if I share it on my youtube channel ?
Gratz my friend ^^

As long as you are aware of its limitations,
do whatever you want.

Thanks

see ya and keep nice inspiration :p

Hi Juniper

I have a question , where can I edit the labels as on screen ?

Thanks for help

Here are two pictures.
One is "IMAGE" 204 used for small/no tiles normal size menu.
Other picture shows how to add or replace .png in older Reshacker.




The main emblem .png images are qty 4, with qty 12 small single names emblems, for switching out name options:

Text is offset to left for large 80% tile variation 100% menu size:

Main_emblem10=209


Text is offset to left for large 80% tile variation HiDPI 150% menu size:

Main_emblem10=256




Text is centered for small tile/no tile variation 100% menu size:

Main_emblem10=204


Text is centered for small tile/no tile variation HiDPI 150% menu size:

Main_emblem10=257




Single name options text is used for all variations 100% menu size
with all different location placement numbers:

Main_emblem9=227 Downloads

Main_emblem9=228 Games

Main_emblem9=229 Internet

Main_emblem8=230 Defaults

Main_emblem8=231 Uninstall

Main_emblem8=232 Disk Cleanup




Single name options text is used for all variations HiDPI 150% menu size
with all different location placement numbers:

Main_emblem9=260 Downloads

Main_emblem9=261 Games

Main_emblem9=262 Internet

Main_emblem8=263 Defaults

Main_emblem8=264 Uninstall

Main_emblem8=265 Disk Cleanup




The text is from modified screenshots. It has alpha channel added for adaption to dark/light backgrounds.

I had trouble learning how to use newer versions of Reshacker when adding or replaceing IMAGE .png files. So I use older version.
All the emblems above are .png located in "IMAGE" folders in Reshacker.

Old Resource hacker:

download/file.php?id=2723




If there are a lot of people who wanted everything in say French, or other language, I will do it for them.

I'll let you tinker.
If you get stuck, I will help.

Thanks for help my friend !

have a nice week end

This is actually really cool. Well done Juniper7.

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

Yes, very impressive, indeed.

It's tempting me to start my computer with Windows 10 partition*, only to try it.

*Since I hate Windows 10, you can understand what it means...

Hi, I like what you've done with the start menu. I like the 80% tile feature, and the no tiles feature. Both look good.
I think I like the text centered in the middle better though. I like the separator beside system as well.

Its too bad that the emblems dissapear beneath the icon frame. It looks like you got that fixed so that the text is visible.

Great work! =)

Thanx redblade8

Had to give up with using icon frames for second column.
Only used on first column.

I purposely made the selector one pixel bigger on edge to animate it a bit.

The no tiles selector was all trickery. If its transparency was on full, the text would be obscured.

Time for me to hand over the baton to you, for taking it in a different direction. Dark tiles on light background menu?
Take whatever you want and make a better one.


I'm too busy with other things now.
Like today. I'm up a tree, using a Sawzall to cut off what's left of a large snapped limb from too much snow.
The sawing was the fun part.
Getting my steel toed boot stuck between branches for a couple of minutes, not so much.

:/




Also uh, I guess I'll just leave this mockup I made a while ago here, for if you guys are interested:

_________________
TILES WOOOOOO

That's a good idea too, Splitwirez.
Homogenize it, so the tiles don't stand out anymore.
Adjust tile alpha transparency 128 to 200.

Hmm..2014.
I've seen something like this before, when I googled Win 10 concepts.
Maybe it was yours?. I saw redblade8 screenshot for sure.

Actually, I did it by making the background a translucent colour and making the tiles translucent white...works better with darker or duller colours.



Oh? I've always wondered where I got the idea for that tile style, as I don't recall having seen it anywhere before, yet a friend of mine described it as being reminiscent of Windows 10 Mobile...which I had never seen in my life at the time of making the concept .-. (and after looking up some screenshots, I don't see the resemblance .-.-. )



Definitely not, I hadn't made a Windows concept in my life by the end of 2014, bar a few paper-and-pencil drawings from 2012 - 2013 which were terrifyingly reminiscent of the final Windows 10 Start Menu, but none of those made it onto the internet.



Which one?


OH OOOOOH MOM GET THE CAMERA

_________________
TILES WOOOOOO

I don't remember the exact words I used for search back then.
Results always going to change.
Could not find the one I remember seeing a couple weeks ago, that looked like yours.
One of the ones I see now looks like they took image from mobile, and put on desktop.

Looks like I unknowingly copied part of Stardock.

No problem. Oh. So you didn't use icon frames on the second column? I'll download and check out your skin later today.
I saw the emblem text picture. I was wondering how you got the text centered and to the left.

I don't think that I can make a better start menu than you can. Yours is pretty good.
I was thinking that if I did make one though, I could add the windows 98 start menu too.

That sounds dangerous to do. It's good that you got your foot out of there though.

Splitwirez, I like your mockup start menu. It looks nice.


edit: That stardock menu looks weird.

redblade8
If you do happen to look inside the skin file,
you might be surprised how many main menu bitmap images got used, for such a plain looking menu.
The no tile variation uses total of 4. I could have got it down to just 2,
by having program draw the solid opaque bitmap for me.

The squares variations a total of 32.
It had to be so large qty, for the different size square, opaque, transparent, glass, metro, high dpi, no user picture, with user picture.

Try out the HiDPI feature, even if your monitor is a just a standard 1920x1080 96dpi size.
Leave Windows system size at 100% size.
Go into CSM settings, "Menu Look" tab.
Change "Override system DPI" setting to 144.
Click OK, exit CSM, restart it, so bigger icons get applied.
This will now make the tile squares 1.5 times bigger, for in your face start menu.

redblade8
One more thing, you might want to experiment with-icon frame.

Do you notice the icon frame on the left side disappears when selector button is at same location?
I could have made a modified selector button, to make it look like same frame, as in past, but has to be exact to fit icon size,
so I gave up.
Now I find Ivo was very smart with one of his skins. Instead of just a square bitmap used for the icon frame,
he put another bitmap to the right, and combined it into one.
Along with some sort of coding in his program (I don't see or would understand coding if I saw it), the icon frame will show with, or without the selector button.
Freaken Amazing. I only just found out about this, and is not in the skin I made.
Did not try it out fully, but this could also mean the color of the icon frame could be changed too, as it has two states!

Hi, O.o its almost 80 images in the image folder in res hacker. I tried 125 % high DPI, and it didn't load right. I tried 144% high DPI, and it worked. The only thing is that its missing help, run and windows defender. There are no icons for it. I have a 1366 x 768px screen.

Color chaos seems to be the default option when you first load the skin.


I'm not sure what to do to experiment with icon frames. Yes, I did notice the icon frame disappearing. I didn't know that icon frames can have two states . Putting the bitmap to the right, I'm not sure how that works, it sounds interesting though.

I tried to make mail on your start menu have a text label to show. It didn't work. I also put a shut down button on the right side of the start menu.

-Red.

I did not make an option for 125%. Getting very lazy .
Only 100%, or 150%. It would take another large set of bitmap images to do 125%,
and it is not going to auto switch on, like Ivo made for 150%.

The height of menu at 150% is 744 pixels plus possible 40 pixel taskbar= 784
If your screen height is 768 pixels, then parts of menu will be chopped off.
It happens with all skins if too many entries on menu.

Color chaos was set on purpose that way. I had another version where the selector color inside the tile changed a different color.
Really was chaotic. The one I left in is quite tame.


Don't know why mail text label won't show.
I never made a split selector for right column. Program will borrow and use part of the tile selector, but it's huge.

About the icon frames. New to me too.
I think Ivo has something like this for the search arrow too, where instead of an arrow with states above each other,
It's to the right.
Never figured it out yet though.

Here is another option that got removed.
It was an emblem which only showed, if lots of entries in left column.
It filled the empty space below the tiles.
If I had a lot of time, I could have shrunk the pictures more to fit properly.
They are not user replaceable, so I chopped them out.

You may not hear from me for the next few weeks. Bye.

Oh, ok. I only put 125% because I thought that that's what you had wrote here. 144% works though.

Yeah, its weird that the mail label won't show.

I didn't know about the search arrow too.

I do like those emblems that filled the empty space.

I'll see ya for now =)

I would like to up this suggestion. I would like to see a "tablet friendly" alternative to the start menu.

Hi Juniper, Tried Your Skin.
Lovely. I cannot suggest anyone of anyother way to get the feel of windows 10, if he is using any other OS.
Your brilliant expertise and stability and speed of Classic Shell, made this skin a lovely experience.

Then, I got idea to do some tinkering with the skin as I have not anything to do these days.
So, Started Reshacking.
Too many Images And Bitmaps and a long script.
But I lifted my confidence and digged in.

Firstly I sorted out the script in my way.
Uff Too many cut, paste and scroll.
Took about Half an Hour. Still OPTIONS And VARIATIONS remaining.
Left the idea. Shut off my PC.

Still Thinking How Juniper built the skin.
I gather that much that you used Emblems and tiles burnt in the Main_bitmap by reading the posts.
I didn't understand how you managed the second columns items to be present in rows.
Kept Thinking but can't understand.

Filled With Curiosity, I started my PC and loaded the default metro skin but with your XML settings.
And What I see. Second Columns Items automatically arranged in that form.
Searched thru menu settings and learnt how this is done in Customize Menu Items Section.

So, I left the half-edited skin of yours,
Done changed to Omni-Pic Skin to get the look.
Slowly Slowly I get a windows 10 style.
It is not complete yet, even not started properly.
Tile names are remaining and I think it is essential part behind the use of emblems.

Here's a screenshot. Currently skin don't use the any emblems.
I actually liked the screenshot posted by splitwirez of transparent menu.
I was browsing the post on my phone which have OLED Display. There It look like a diamond. Not that good on my ugly LCD display.
I tried to get that look by doing changes alpha channel and even taken the screenshot with same desktop background behind.

Waiting for any advice.

Here's new screenshot with improvements to selectors and some other areas.

I also saw that Search box cannot use the search_background in classic style.
Is it true? I am not sure.
Although I do some trick to get a bigger search box.

Also noted a problem with that much transparency.
It looks good on desktop but not when a windows is opened.
I tried to add the pattern style from omni-pic but it is not ready yet.

Seeya.

Yep, too many bitmaps, but I should have made even more to satisfy the 120dpi crowd, with the 125% size, as size has to be exact.

To get in calculator button rows, there is an option to have sub items as buttons, in Customize Start Menu. You found it anyway.

Splitwirez one is nice. I had tried with the tile buttons as transparent, but figured MS has them as solid opaque, I'll do same.

Yours look very nice too. Maybe does not even need fake text. Looks good as is. I don't even remember the technique.
Damn, I should have at least kept the note how I did it.
I think it was have an incorrect bitmap slice to show a total invisible menu, then have it show the white menu text in front of a black desktop background, then screenshot it.
I remember making it with Clear type colored pixels, but clear type never looks good with a transparent menu,
which is probably why MS does not use it either on their menu.

I had everything ready to change if someone wanted in French, or whatever. Waited for a long time, then deleted everything.
It still sucks, because screenshots don't change with other language.


I think it is true about search background not available in classic style.
In most skins, it does not really matter except the magnifier search bitmap has to have the white halo around it, and the x, arrows.
Or have a white and black set for black and light menus.
If you figured a way to extend the box, that is great trick.

It's always the problem with transparent menus. You can get it to look beautiful with a particular background,
only for it to turn into a washed out hard to read, put on the sun glasses menu.
Could always have option to switch to darker version for bright backgrounds,
or copy the transparency amount that MS made with the tiles transparent for Action center. (right side of desktop).
See ya.

Hey meetHG.

Now that you are so good with patterns, you could try for a Creators Update look for start menu.
I had tried and gave up on near white menu, coz it just looked like a dusty menu.
But if menu is darker as in picture, the random alpha noise in the pattern has a better character.
Have it for the tile menu you have made.
I don't have time to try myself. Most Adobe photo editors have options to add random noise.
Just have it on alpha channel, as a pattern image, so it does not stretch.

Hi tries Alpha Noise with the pattern.
Looks good at low levels.
How do you feel about it?

For search box background, I meant that It become large like in the omni-pic.
I don't understand by what you mean by extension.

Now Currently Working on Tile Text Labels.
Is the above mentioned in the quote is true i.e. Emblems get hidden behind Icon frame.
I thought a trick to get around if the above is true.
Try to finish it soon to show you.

Oh meetHG.
You are so clever, how you used same desktop background as Splitwirez.

Low levels noise looks better than high levels. Looks like there are different types of noise in photo editors:
Uniform, Gaussian, dither, monochromatic.
My sample picture was not a good reference. It had modified dither noise with vertical gradient.

I wonder if MS has a sample noise image in one of their files somewhere, or is it just code that makes the noise?
If I open the "Photos" app, and make a screenshot of its active title bar in front of white/black background, this picture is what it looks like.
I duplicated bar below to see better.

[How do you feel about it?]
You are going to hate me now. If I look at it too much, I want to wipe my monitor to get rid of the dust, but it's not dust,
it's the noise.
I hope I did not waste your time on a wild goose chase. If anything It looks better without the noise, or just have it on either the tiles part, or background part, but not both.


[ search box extension]
Same thing, same difference. Here, I try different words. You made the search bitmap elements show inside the white search box, rather than outside.
How did you do that magic? or keeping trick safe. A good magician never reveals his tricks.

[Emblems get hidden behind Icon frame.]
From what I remember, yes. I think I tried highest priority emblem numbers too, but that is just for emblem layers, not icon frame/selectors.
What is your trick? more transparent?

Yeah. If Ivo could find some way to have real text show for buttons/fake tiles, like Start 9 menu, then everything would be a lot simpler.
Would not need so many screenshots.
Time to go, bye.

Maybe one of you guys could rewrite my feature idea for naming/ using the label area for sub-items as buttons, for text below the tiles. I'm not good at writing I guess, no replies. You can find it here: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7720

Hi redblade8
You are one of the Win 10 tile menu pioneers.
I saw that request, but only Ivo can program that in, if it 's even possible.

Can you make fake picture of what it could look like, under different conditions.
A visual is always good to get the idea to sink in.

Hi Juniper and Redblade.




I don't get it. How difficult is to set a Picture as desktop background?

Yup, You are right. I used the monochromatic uniform Noise.
If you want dither noise, I can put in and show you the screenshot. Your Call.

Well, same feelings here. This noise is not appealing. Looks like Dust.

It is about the same trick you played with tiles.
Yes, I embed the extension in the main_bitmap.
Well, it was working nicely for sometime. But when some menu entries are removed, the alignment goes out of balance.
Might Menu height should be fixed at some value to check alignment, but classic style don't have that option.
And I didn't tried to find the exact cause and solution to the problem. Busy with tile labels.

I tried emblems. They don't get hidden.
They might get hidden in your skin beacuse tiles were solid. May be not. Not Sure.

One Question. Are you Windows Insider?
From the screenshot, I see the elements of Microsoft's new Fluent Design System.
Well, I am also on Creator's Update, But My Apps don't have that blur and noise.
Also I remember the screenshot of Groove Music you send earlier to me during omni-pic development. It also have FDS elements.


I don't understand what you are talking about.
juniper's right, screenshot might help.

Now, Time For surprises.

1] Tile Text Labels are done. Well, It is not very big surprise.
2] You can change the color of text labels.
3] You can change the Size Of Text.
4] You can change the Text Labels. I mean Change the Name from My Documents to My Pictures according to Which tile is shown.
5] You can change the Text Font VERY VERY Easily. Even a guy who don't know how to replace bitmap in reshack, can change the text label.
6] You can change the alignment: left, center or right.

In Simpler Words, You can change labels as you want and easily. .

Have a Question?
Yes You will surely have And Question will be "How did you do it?"
Well, I am not telling that this soon.
Give you a day to guess how I did that.

Hints:- Well You need one software to do the trick. Classic shell alone can't handle it. But almost every person who buys the Computer, have it.
Only Two Emblems are used.
Tiles are not embeded in the Main_bitmap.
As I stated above, You can change the labels as he want, Text labels don't get changed automatically.

And If You don't believe me,see below yourself


Next thing to work on:- User name and User Picture.

Bye.

User Picture And User Name is done alongwith minor huge time taking improvements.

Next thing is to clean up the useless and redundant code.
Then if you ask, I will upload the skin file.

I have no questions.
These are your glory days.

I will now crawl into corner crying myself to sleep.
Upon waking, the screams will begin.

Not in any MS beta bug club. Only standard forced downloads.

I'm not into computers that much.
When I Googled adding text to desktop, I got Rainmeter, and Bginfo.
Maybe something like that, or even more common like some hidden feature of MS Office.
I don't know. Please keep us in suspense for a few days.
It will drive us bananas.

Well, If you say so, I will keep it secret for few more days.

Another Hint:-Y H A F T P B F I N H.
Try to open up letter into words.

Well, I am myself very curious to present the trick, but looks like I have to wait.

Bye, Have a nice day.

Cleaning of useless code is complete.
Bitmaps are also arranged according to order of appearance.

I will upload the skin file tommorrow, and also disclose the trick

OK. It must be a very small file now.

Beats me about additional program. Only played Scrabble a couple times. Tried a letter sorting website, and got this:
hint, tip, path, hypahint

Some kind of program that can show a text label with a transparent background in , I guess a menu window,
or using Visual studio in some way, with text boxes?
Text strings, Controls?
Shows how little I know about computers.
What would be great is if the same program code for the text labels (if free to use),
be included in CSM, (all inclusive).

Will come back in a few days to see what's happening.
Bye.

Here is the image you guys suggested.

Ok Below is the zip having all files.
29.7 Kb.

And trick is: MS Office, particularly MS Excel And MS Powerpoint.
You were quick to guess about it juniper. Words open like; " You Have Already Found The Program But Feature Is Not Hidden."
So, follow the steps below to get the text labels to your liking:-

Note1:- I tried with MS Office 2013. Don't know older versions have the features required to do the trick or not. If someone using older version, tell me about your experience.
Note2:- Nevertheless, If someone is using older version, go to bing.com and use online office. I had not used it but pretty much sure, they will have required features.

1] Open the Tile Text.xlsx file in excel.

2] There you will see Documents written everywhere. Delete the Document and Put the text what you want.
Caution:- Don't try to mess with width and height of columns and rows, otherwise alignment go out of bounce.
Check:- Check if the grid-lines are shown or not. If shown, then go to "VIEW" button in the Ribbon and uncheck the Gridline option.


3] Once all the text labels are done,select the cells upto row "E" And Column "15".
Note3:- Currently arrangements are made for 3 X 5 Tile Menu only.

4] Ok, now in the HOME Button, select arrow in the copy button, and then "Copy As Picture". Select the As Shown In Screen And As Picture.

5] Once copied, Open the Powerpoint and Paste there.

6] Right Click and then "Save As Picture". Give the name what you want and select file type as PNG.

Ok, now load the skin file. Open Menu Settings-->Skin and point to the above created file in the "Tile Text" Option and and Point to "Tile Background.bmp" [present in the zip] in the "Tile background" Option.

Change Large Icon Size to 24.

Choose other settings to your liking.

Menu Settings.xml is also present in the zip, Well, most of options are set defaults in the XML. Load it if something is not getting right.

Note4:- If alignment is still not getting right, check the file dimensions of newly created Tile Text.png file match with the already present the Tile Text.png file.
If these are not matching, then you have to wait. Actually there is little problem with Powerpoint Right Click "Save as Picture" Option. It's export DPI seems to change due to some conditions which I don't know. I will try to find the solution.

Note5:- Skin is surely not adapted to high DPI. But coming soon.

Note On Icon And Tile Sizes:- Microsoft Tile Size is 100 px. I am using 90 px. Separation between the tile is same 4 px.
Microsoft is using 24 px icon size in the All Apps list. Same here but second column have larger icons in MS Menu.

Do You Know how to change the icon size of second column separately?

So that's all. Use the skin and tell what are glitches or features you want.

Here's some screenshots

Hi Redblade,
I was trying to understand what you meant.
I tried to adjust settings as you shown in the screenshot.
Firstly I created a Custom Item. Right Clicked It And Renamed it as "Sub Items As Buttons".
Then Open its Edit Dialog Box And Entered Command As "user_documents" And Label As "Label Text".
Press OK And Custom Item changed to Documents with No Label Shown In the Menu.
Still thinking what you meant.
Then I thought to re-read your original post. Read it, but don't get it.

And Then I saw that your post is in Feature Request Sub-forum.
And I understood all what you meant.
And Why after following above Steps, I don't get the result.

Ok, If that is what you want, try the above skin.
You can change Tile Labels as you want.
Reply with your experience and any suggestions.

Hi, this is a cool trick. Yes, it's a feature request for the label field to work with sub-items as buttons. I thought that if text was trundcated if the text is too long that the buttons would remain the same size too.

Does this work with open office? I don't have microsoft office, or powerpoint. Open office is free, while microsoft office is paid only. I'll try your .skin out soon. I currently can't download the .skin, the forums won't allow me. I get the error "You haven’t selected an attachment to download or view."

14 Downloads. Pretty Soon.

Well, I don't have Open Office. So, I don't know whether it have the required features or not.
I tried online Office. Well, that's not good. It don't have features to create the "Tile text.png".
Looks like I have to do some another trick for this trick to work.

And Oh, Why forum don't allow you to download .skin file?
Plus All the Files Are in .zip, so you can still download it if .skin is only restriction.

And as you have open office, can you tell me if tricks work there or not.

Hi Redblade,

I found another trick to do the things. Well, It is in my mind yet and implementation will take some time.
In this trick, you don't need anything new, only old MS Paint.

Will come back with new trick.
Bye.