Classic Shell: Forum

Hello, I think I'm missing something, but I'm unable to widen the column of the start menu. This screenshot, the left column looks too narrow. I'm trying to widen it, but can't find where. Or is this hard coded in the skin?

vs

the width can be hardcoded into the skin, but it can also be tricked, by taking something from the column you want to widen, adding a bunch of spaces after the displayed name, and then finishing it with &

There is no setting to set the minimum width, only a setting to set the maximum width. The width dynamically changes depending on the length of the shortcut name. But there is a trick using which you can essentially force a minimum width as jcee mentioned.To widen the column width, go to "Customize Start Menu" tab, and double click any item defined for the left column e.g. Programs. In its Label field, add as many spaces as you want and add an ampersand after it (&). As for maximum width, that can be set from the "Menu Look" tab -> "Main menu width".

To pin "Getting Started", open Control Panel and drag it into the Start Menu's "pinned" area.

The Shutdown button/menu behaves the same even it doesn't look exactly the same. Are you having trouble accessing shutdown options? It's a split button meaning hovering over the left part of the button will expand after time in milliseconds specified in the setting "Delay multiplier for split buttons" (on the General Behavior tab). Hovering over the right part of the split button will expand it after the time in milliseconds specified in the "Menu Delay" setting (also on the General Behavior tab). Or you can click the right part of the button to expand it.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Thanks Jcee,
that was it exactly.
GauravK,
I should have been more clear with my screenshots, I was lazy and just copied an image from elsewhere on the internet and didn't mean to highlight those items (like getting started, etc).



GauravK, thanks for the context, I was very confused why this setting wasn't working.

If you are using the Windows 7 style of the Start Menu, there is a new hidden setting added in Classic Shell 4.0.4 to change the All Programs width: HKCU\Software\IvoSoft\ClassicStartMenu\Settings. DWORD value: ProgramsWidth. The value data should be entered in decimals. Delete the value to revert to the default programs width.

The same setting is also there in Classic Shell's Group Policy settings: "Programs pane width".

You must exit the Start Menu and start it again from C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicStartMenu.exe after changing the setting.

For the Classic style, the Main menu width is still only an upper limit and the minimum width is determined by how long the names of the items are in the menu.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.