where is the control for this

I think you need Skin Studio for that.

BDBF - a yodu moment   - but of course, that's what I meant. how to/where is SS6 can I change this??

lol That I don't know.  I don't use SS6.  Might some day if I ever got the notion that I just had to tweak a blind.  Sounds like what you want to do.  In any case maybe a SS6 regular will see this and answer that ? for you.   

now that's funny, thanks

It's under 'Edit Start Menu and Taskbar/Start Menu Pop Up Menus/Menu Item.

I'm not sure we are on the same page. I have changed the start menu pop up, this is the blue highlight where the "more programs background" and "more programs arrow" shows up. I'm looking at your "organic" blind and see no highlight there so, I'm just not sure. is the file that your mentioning the "startmenutoolbarbutton"?

Ah, I know what you are talking about. Skinning that is a pain in the behind. Read this post and decide if you really want to attempt it.

BTW, when I did that for Organic, I did it in SKS5 and then moved the blind to SKS6. I think it can be done in SKS6 entirely but I have not done it yet. Even in the Organic blind, it's not perfect. If you set the start menu icons to small, it shows the flaw.

Open it up and look at how things are set and it will give you an idea of how it's done. The easy way out is to edit the color of the highlight the same as your start menu and leave it at that.

Wow, I think the quote button is finally working.

Okay, I see the how the offset works (same size, same size) and if I choose to change color where is that setting controled. I changed the "classicXP" highlight but the highlight color remained the same.

Oh, and Xiandi, thanks for your help. (K4U)

thanks AVMAN, I will look at these settings, I think I understand what I'm looking for now.

that actually helps with some other issues as well. thank you, thank you, thank you all.

No problem!!