I believe there are a number of third party start button images around the web which will work with Start8 which are similar to the flag used before.

Unfortunately Microsoft are very sensitive over the use of their flag and will not allow any application to use it no matter how it is achieved (such as repurposing the 8.1 button).  Any application still using it will almost certainly stop doing so shortly as Microsoft are now obligated to take action in all cases or risk the loss of their trademark.

Of course anything a user does is up to the user and we cannot stop you downloading a third party image, or even creating your own from any image shipped in the OS...

The last version of Start8 to offer the flag was 1.2 which does work on Windows 8.1 apart from the calendar, mail and people apps not showing up in the Modern UI applications list.

For optimal results the file should be named ending with _x1.png as this should make Start8 auto create the pressed and mouseover states which will fit the taskbar better than a fixed size image, though this requires Start8 1.3 and higher.

WinCustomize has a Start8 button gallery where you can download additional buttons from.

https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/start8_buttons

It has also come to our attention that there is a small issue in Start8 1.3 with it not using the mouseover and pressed states from custom images.  This has been fixed internally and an update will be pushed out ASAP.

Neil, quick question. You said to postfix it with "_x1.png", is this in the usual format that I see posted, 3 actual icons in 1 PNG? I exported resource 7320 from twinui.dll and it loads the top 1/3 of the image as the start menu instead of all of it. So where did you guys get the icons for the mouseover and pressed states? I don't think the mouseover/pressed states show any darker background (transparent background color) so I'm guessing it's the same icon and the darker background and effects come from something else.

Also, what is the format for the custom png file?

P.S. Here is the link to Resource 7320 (hosted offsite so it is not going to be a copyright issue for Stardock) for if anyone wants to re-create the true W8 flag: http://i.imgur.com/PPe1Zfq.png . I unpacked it manually but you can probably use something like Resource Hacker and just export it in case this link gets removed.

All Start8 images should be three images stacked vertically above each other.

Once the _x1.png thing works correctly (as noted above we need to push an update as it is working backwards!) in order to make a suitable start button you would simply make all three the same image.  So for example a start button of your wife would be resized to 32 pixels tall for each frame with each frame being identical and stacked together.  Then you would use Start8 1.3 and name your image mywife_x1.png.

Start8 would then correctly add the darkened background areas on mouseover and pressed for you.  This auto darken and pressed system is used by our new default image and by the Start8 logo option, though both of those are hardcoded.

As it happens we have a start button editor in development to make life easier for people so they can make more start buttons of their choosing as aligning images can get tricky and one of the options is to make Start8 add the mouseover and pressed states as while people can make one state, it is much harder to go and make other states as it requires more artistic talent.

As mentioned above the update later today will fix the _x1.png thing so that works correctly.  Right now any image without _x1.png gets the mouseover and pressed button states replacing the current ones in the button image which is not what was intended.

While I cannot stop you using trademarked and copyrighted images, I would of course urge you to obtain permission from the rights holder if you were to go down that path.

Thanks for the reply. Any idea why the images at http://i.imgur.com/4N0noVu.png actually generate a smaller than expected start menu icon? The actual icon is smaller than stock Windows 8/8.1. It is due to a margins issue? I get same problem if I just copy and paste the export of the resource 3 times.

Installed 1.30 yesterday. Checked for updates and it says one is available for 1.30 again? I assume this is the new fix?

Yes. There was no point updating the version in the config UI.

I am hopeful our editor which makes it easier to build start buttons will be downloadable via these forums on Friday.