Start menu stretched

from WinCustomize Forums
Hi

Nearly finished the start menu and taskbar of my first skin, but the start menu keeps stretching a lot taller than it should be. It's not the image size, as its just stretching the image out of proportion. And it's not the amount of items in the start menu as I 've taken it down to the usual amount now. Any ideas?

Any words of wisdom from anyone when it comes to making the start menu? All tips welcome!

Thanks
skinning
3,726 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
screenie?

and maybe of your sizing and margin settings?
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You are looking for something called sizing margins. This controls what part of your image gets stretched. For example: If you have rounded corners, you want to have your sizing margins inside them. Otherwise SS will stretch the entire image, distorting your rounded corners.

TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
bah... you beat me I.R. :p
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Shouldnt be any margin issues, because I'm just adapting a theme thats already been done. Pretty much just painting over the top of the other images. Would it be any of the size measurements in extra settings?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you can post a screenshot, It would give us an idea of what you are talking about
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
These tutorials may help

A complete guide to the start panel
Part 1
Part 2
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What settings would I put in to tell it not to stretch anything? Is that even possible?
End of quote


Anything inside the sizing margins will either stretch or tile...unless you specify 'true-size'
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top


As you can see its about 1 cm taller than it should be, and as i have text in the background of the start menu (which is probably not a great idea I admit!) it makes it really noticable.

I'll have a flick through the tutorials thanks!
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That is a very Vista behavior...you have to set the bottom content margins of the two sides really low...like into the negative numbers.(then the text will start to move on down.)I think the issue is mainly the right hand side...but play with both sides and see.

This dosnt happen on XP. :) 
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Your right its definatly the right hand side. When I tell it not to stretch the left hand side goes to actual size, leaving blank spaces that show the desktop below, but the right has the none stretched image and stretched one underneath, not really sure whats going on there!
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION YOUR ISSUE WASNT REALLY ONE OF STRETCHING,BUT THAT THE WHOLE MENU WAS TOO TALL DUE TO WASTED SPACE UNDER THE MENU ITEMS...ooopss,sorry about the caps.

which is it?

I explained the wasted space...content margins for the bottom of those sections...most specifically the places side.Specifying 'true size' on a graphic that needs to tile or stretch is a bad idea.(Menus change sizes all the time) ;) 
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Having text or even textures that line up across the 2 sections will always look distorted to someone...not everybody will have their menu set up exactly like yours...if you must do this...you need some part of both sides that can be stretched or tiled without distortion(a plain area)with your parts you dont want distorted inside the sizing margins.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeah good point, looking at something more stretchable now.

The only reason I was having it set at actual size was to see what the hell was making it stretch. Its not too many menu items, in aero the menu isnt that tall, it just seems to add blank space at the bottom of start menu for some unknown reason.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You know what I just realised I have the run command at the bottom of my startmenu, and that isn't default in vista and thats pushing the whole lot up! It seems aero just puts it in the blank space at the bottom of menu, but windowblinds just pushes the whole lot up! So glad to have finally worked that out!

Makes you realise who flexible your theme actually needs to be!
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thats why you need negative content margins for the bottom of the image.(places side,not sure about the progs side...I'm not on Vista)
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Set ur bottom right hand content margin to -30..or -45 one of those should work.