Classic Shell: Forum

Xbox XtremeXP port [Classic styles]

For CSM 4.3.0 or higher versions of Open-Shell.
Requires exact 100%/96dpi,125%/120dpi,150%/144dpi display sizes.

This start menu port was made from the green only earlier version with wider menu separators, and closer vertical middle shadow:

https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/windowblinds/2635/

All credit goes to the theme maker AquaJack.
He carried over the green somewhat muted colors of the first Xbox.

I ported over his work to Classic Shell for that nostalgic feeling of the early 2000s when the Xbox was born.


Wow, that was a challenge to see if it was possible to get most of the same looks like the original.
It was tough, but thanks to Ivo adding the "Emblems" skinning feature,
I ended up using wide emblems behind masks for the thin vertical green bars texture to accommodate the stretching menu.

It will be disappointing for anybody wanting to try out this skin using other than the exact
hypercritical display settings (100%/96dpi,125%/120dpi,150%/144dpi) and default icon pixel sizes (100% s16,L32/125% s20,L40/150% s24,L48).

Further, the more items (search box, All Programs, shadow, etc) that are outside of the green main menu area,
the user will have to make changes not just in the skin options,
but also in the other general settings tabs for the skin to work correctly.
If those specific settings aren't done, the skin elements will be a jumbled mess with parts overlapping,
or just a lot of grey space at bottom of the menu!
The skin can't control what the user does or doesn't do with those general settings.


***THE EASY SOLUTION***
If you just want to try out the skin without all the extra settings,
just set the "Search box type and location and Programs bar options" to "White search box inside menu".
THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT WORKS FOR USERS WITH IN-BETWEEN DISPLAY AND ICON SIZES.
*******************************


For anyone with more time wanting to toy with the other search box, All Programs, bars texture locations,
I've added a display picture in the next post with the similar original look
with all the settings required in Skin options, and the general settings tabs.

For most of the other menu looks, the search box is usually enabled.
Any option that has programs text on the grey programs bar has to use small icons on the left column.
The other options can use small or large icons on the left column.

Further notes\issues:

The start button is for small taskbar size.
The reason I made different Win 10 taskbar-sized images was to cut down on the uneven lines
that show up when just using a one-size-fits-all image. Just leave on default taskbar settings "Border sizes;0,0".
Setting "Horizontal stretching" to "Tile" will make it a tiny bit smoother.

Shrinkage.
Due to having to use weird slices to protect the middle shadow and the offset top middle border of the two-column style,
the menu is sensitive to shrinkage. Say what?
If the second column is not wide enough(less than 4 vertical green bars texture next to the yellow orb),
the menu will shrink and distort!
If your 2nd column only has short-named items, or no icons, or bold font disabled, this distortion may happen to you.
In this case, it's best to add some blank spaces in between the &&, for example, "Pictures&put blank spaces here&"
to the user picture "Label" of the "User pictures" item in the "Customize Start Menu" tab.


No pseudo logoff/Shutdown.
I did not bother with the Logoff/Shutdown text area as there's not enough room for icon buttons and fake text.
I did leave the green LEDs showing.


The issue with replicating an XP type start menu is there was no search box and the All Programs selector
had its own small size/area to fit on a programs bar, which Classic styles can't have.
As mentioned earlier, to get around that, an option that has text placed on top of the grey programs bar,
one needs to select "Small icons" skin option.
I did try having an option where the programs bar was made big enough to accommodate large icon size selectors,
but it looked so enormous that I skipped that look.

The Windows 10 "Apps" shortcut gets in the way too.
You need to relocate the Apps location somewhere in the second column.
To do that, open the "Customize Start Menu" tab, then drag the "Apps" item to a lower area, for example in-between "Run" and "COLUMN PADDING".




Any skin with a User picture option.
Just a reminder about the bright lines that Microsoft adds to the top and left sides of the user picture image.
To get rid of them, select the "General Behavior" tab, go to the "User picture" option, and set your picture location.
Only works with .png or .bmp images, not .jpg. You will find that your image looks sharper than the default way.

Well, this might be the last skin I port or make. I recall saying that many times before.

Happy Holidays to all.
See ya!

Nice. You certainly have the best skill among us all for making Classic Start Menu skills.

_________________
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.

I just opened the forums for the first time in a long while, and checked the skins page for old times' sake. Lo and behold, 4 new themes from Juniper7, complete with links to old WindowBlinds themes that I can still use!

Thanks so much for still making these. You probably don't get much appreciation these days, since all the users are gone, but I want to let you know I appreciate you still making these. They're all fantastic!