Classic Shell: Forum

Last week, on my 64-bit Win7sp1 laptop, I upgraded Classic Start Menu 4.0.2 to 4.0.4 while in an Administrator account. (I also upgraded Classic Explorer and Classic IE9.) All went well. But a few days later, when in a User Standard account, I was surprised to see that the Start Menu Programs list ended with an item that I had never seen before: A folder labeled <No Text> which was empty. It did not appear in my Administrator account's Classic Start Menu Programs list, or anywhere else.

I have been using computers since 1983 (although I'm not technically knowledgeable), and I can't remember ever seeing <No Text> before.

I tried to delete the <No Text> folder (selecting it and using the Delete key), but nothing happened. So I went to my Administrator account, temporarily changed my User Standard account to be an Administrator account, went back to my User Account (now an Administrator Account), but I the delete key still would not delete the <No Text> empty folder.

I also tried dragging <No Text> out of the Programs list (using a left click, and when that didn't work a right click), but again nothing happened.

I also used Windows Explorer to search for <No Text>, but I got no hits --- not even for the Classic Start Menu Programs <No Text> folder. And I searched the registry for "<No Text>" (without the quotes), and again got no hits.

And it is entirely possible that something other than Classic Start Menu 4.0.4 created <No Text>. For example, I have been extending my use of Acronis backups onto Western Digital Passport external disks.

Having <No Text> as the last item in Classic Start Menu Programs list is not a problem, because the <No Text> empty folder doesn't take up much space, and it doesn't do anything.

But it is a weird item, so I would like to remove it, or at least to know what put it there. If anyone reading knows anything about <No Text> (which I had never seen before, in any context), I would appreciate any information, including how to delete it.

R.N. (Roger) Folsom

This means that you have a blank custom item in the menu. Go to the Customize Start Menu tab and look for an extra item inside Programs.

I have done the following:

Went to Settings for Classic Start Menu 4.0.4
At that location:
Opened Customize Start Menu tab
In Left column, selected Programs

Clicked Programs, which opened Edit Menu Item (Programs)
Saw the following:
Command: programs.
Clicked on ... That opened C:\Windows\System32
Link: blank
Label: $Menu.Programs
Tip: $Menu.ProgramsTip
Icon: shell32.dll,326
Noted that in the list of optional Checks, only item checked is Track Recent Items

Clicked on Programs and Features. Got results similar to Programs.
... again went to C:\Windows\System32

I have no idea what to do with this. I did search for <No Text> with no results.

I don't know exactly where I should be looking for Ivo's suggestion.
And I don't know what a "blank custom item" is, or looks like.

R.N. (Roger) Folsom

There will be some item below Programs on the Customize Start Menu tab which does not have a Label. When the Label field is empty, it shows <No Text>. For example, you may have the "Recent programs" item added which might say <No text> because it has text no label by default.

_________________
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.

Download the Classic Shell Utility from here: http://www.classicshell.net/downloads/
Save a log file and send it to me.

GauravK:

That was an excellent example. Before I read your message, on my User (non-Administrator) account, the Customize Start Menu tab, in the left COLUMN PADDING column, Programs had only one item: Recent Programs. (The actual programs list, when I looked at my Classic Start Menu, had fifteen folders, two additional items not in a folder, and <No Text>.)

And when I clicked on Recent Programs, and open Edit Menu Item (Recent programs), Label has <No Text>, and Link, Tip, and Icon are empty. I tried deleting <No Text>, and it deleted but as soon as I exit Edit Menu Item (Recent programs) --- either by x or by OK --- I saw a quick flash of <No Text> coming back. Alternatively, clicking on Restore Defaults also restored <No Text>.

So I deleted Recent Programs. And then <No Text> was forced to disappear.

Programs remained in the left COLUMN PADDING column, but now nothing is listed in it.

My Programs list no longer ends with <No Text>.

In short, I think the problem is fixed.

Thank you very much.

R.N. (Roger) Folsom

Yeah. By default Recent Programs doesn't have a label because it doesn't correspond to any real folder from which to take name. You have to enter some text for the label.
BTW the purpose of the Recent Programs item is to show the recent (or frequent) programs in a submenu instead of in the main menu. If you delete the item the programs will show in the main menu.

Ivo:

As you know from my latest message to GauravK, I think that my problem is solved. However, I have downloaded ClassicShellUtility.exe, so if you still want a log file let me know. (It wouldn't hurt me to learn how to create a log file.)

R.N. (Roger) Folsom

No need. Since you found and deleted the problematic item all is good.

Thanks to Ivo and GauravK for solving my mystery.

R.N. (Roger) Folsom