Start Menu skinning... issues...

from WinCustomize Forums

Hello there, everybody. Ben having some issues lately. Actually, it's always been like this for me.

 

First of all, I can't seem to change the font for each side of the start menu independantly. The option is there, and I changed them... but all that changes is the color. The only way I can change start menu font is if I change all of the font options (except for color) to the exact same thing. Including the right side (places) the left side programs or whatever, and the mouseover button fonts to the same font and size. Then it works.

 

The other problem I'm having is making the Start menu logoff/shutdown buttons for Vista (and probably W7) line up correctly. Here's a pic:

 

 

Only the more options arrow is displaying properly. The other two are overlapping each other and they're stretched one pixel down and cut off. I've played with the margins all day and even set them to "Center, true size, no margins"... nothing works. When I tried making round buttons for them, it just stretched them out and fit them into the space. Quite annoying. I'm probably not doing something correctly, so some instructiones would be appreciated. :p

 

Thanks in advance!

1,848 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

make sure that the height sizes of all elements are equal. It looks like your's are but....

could also be a problem with your alpha channel?

I like to use a template of the buttons that I'll use which allows me to see/plan for what I'd like.

top graphic is the template and the lower one is the resultant. allow yourself spacing between the buttons of the graphic to give you space between on the presentation.

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Alrighty, I seem to have "fixed" the problem with the buttons being stretched out of frame vertically. But they're still off by a few pixels horizontally. I know nothing about what it takes to actually code Skin Studio but might I suggest for a future update that a "position" tab is added to the shutdown button menus? Almost exactly like the cloze/minimize/etc buttons for the windows?

 

It seems like it could really help fix problems like this:

 

 

 

 

Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Your buttons need to be a fixed size or they will stretch badly. When I say fixed size, I mean the buttons and the blank cavas surrounding them. Each state of the buttons should be 53x24 px.You may have to shorten the lock state button within the canvas area if they overlap....trial and error.

If you have a shadow of any kind around the buttons, you will need to check the box the alpha channel in this image is premultiplied.

Likewise, the logoff arrow button should be the same height as the other buttons and it should line up correctly. Do not check the premultiplied box for these button.