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Classic Shell

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23 Feb 2010MIT33 min read 967.4K   10K   195  
Classic Start menu and other shell features for Windows 7 and Vista.
===============================================================================
== Version 1.0.1 general release (Feb, 2010):

- This is a bugfix-only release. Fixes a few rare crashes in the start menu


===============================================================================
== Version 1.0.0 general release (Feb, 2010):

- Added Up button to the Explorer title bar

- More options for the start menu and for the Explorer toolbar

- The installer supports command line options for logging or unattended install

- Fix for the scroll problems in the Explorer navigation pane (Windows 7 only)


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9.10 release candidate (Jan, 2010) - make your own toolbar:

- The Explorer toolbar can be customized with new icons and additional buttons

- Fixed a crash bug when Windows is restarting

- Fixed a crash bug when Explorer is restarting

- Fixed a bug that was failing to replace the copy dialog for French, Hebrew,
  Croatian and Slovenian languages

- Added more options for the navigation pane in Explorer

- Active Accessibility support is enabled by default


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9.9 release candidate (Jan, 2010) - make your own start menu:

- The start menu can be customized with new icons and additional menu items

- The skins in the start menu can have variations

- Added ini files that contain even more customization options for the Explorer
  toolbar and the start menu than are available from the Settings dialog box

- Added "New Folder" and "Auto Arrange" commands to the start menu

- The selected menu item fades out like in a real menu

- Added "Email" button to Explorer

- First attempt to support Active Accessibility (disabled by default for now)


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9.8 beta (Jan, 2010) - skins for the start menu:

- Added support for skins in the classic start menu

- Fixed compatibility problems with Unicode-unaware shell extensions (Microangelo
  On Display, I'm looking at you)

- The start menu supports auto-hide taskbar and (on Vista only) a taskbar that is
  not "always on top"

- Replaced the folder conflict dialog box with a simpler version (similar to the
  file conflict dialog box)

- Fixed a crash when right-clicking on the caption area of the start menu

- The start menu remembers the scroll position of scrollable menus

- Added "-open" and "-toggle" command line parameters to ClassicStartMenu.exe to
  programmatically open the start menu


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9.7 beta (Dec, 2009):

- Added free disk space and file size to the status bar in Windows 7 Explorer

- Added dragging with the right mouse button for the start menu

- Fixed a few UAC bugs

- Fixed a few drag and drop bugs


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9.6 beta (Dec, 2009):

- Added Properties button to the toolbar

- Added settings for the look of the folder tree in Explorer - XP classic,
  XP simple, don't fade buttons

- Added option to expand links to folders in the start menu

- Added option to show a confirmation dialog during Log Off from the start menu

- Added option for a hotkey to replace the Win key for the start menu

- The start menu hides the commands to search for printers or computers if
  Active Directory is not available

- The start menu accepts click in all of the start button area even if it is not
  exactly on the orb

- The start menu doesn't close if you hold down Shift while launching a program.
  Allows the user to start multiple programs more easily

- The start menu follows the group policies for showing Run, Shutdown, Help, etc

- Fixed a bug with sorting Favorites and other top-level folders


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9.5 beta (Dec, 2009):

- Added option to remove the Documents menu and option to use an alternative
  search application

- Added more buttons to the toolbar - Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete

- Added option for "big buttons" in the toolbar

- The selected menu item is drawn using the current theme

- Fixed a crash in the start menu

- Fixed a problem when dropping items in an empty sub-menu


===============================================================================
== Version 0.9 beta (Nov, 2009) - first public version:

- Classic start menu

- Replacement for the Copy UI in Vista

- Fix for Alt+Enter in Explorer

- Toolbar for Explorer with Up button

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License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The MIT License


Written By
Software Developer (Senior)
United States United States
Ivo started programming in 1985 on an Apple ][ clone. He graduated from Sofia University, Bulgaria with a MSCS degree. Ivo has been working as a professional programmer for over 12 years, and as a professional game programmer for over 10. He is currently employed in Pandemic Studios, a video game company in Los Angeles, California.

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