Start menu stretched

Monday, February 11, 2008 by CaseyRyback | Discussion: Skinning

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
18 Reply 6 Referrals
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #1 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:03 PM
screenie?

and maybe of your sizing and margin settings?

2of3
Reply #2 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:07 PM
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.


2of3
Reply #3 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:08 PM
bah... you beat me I.R.

CaseyRyback
Reply #4 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:09 PM
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?

CaseyRyback
Reply #5 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:10 PM
What settings would I put in to tell it not to stretch anything? Is that even possible?

2of3
Reply #6 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:12 PM
If you can post a screenshot, It would give us an idea of what you are talking about

2of3
Reply #7 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:18 PM
These tutorials may help

A complete guide to the start panel
Part 1
Part 2

I.R. Brainiac
Reply #8 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:21 PM
What settings would I put in to tell it not to stretch anything? Is that even possible?


Anything inside the sizing margins will either stretch or tile...unless you specify 'true-size'

CaseyRyback
Reply #9 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:26 PM


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!

CaseyRyback
Reply #10 Monday, February 11, 2008 5:26 PM
Does the size of the item mouseover dictate the size of the menu in anyway?

I.R. Brainiac
Reply #11 Tuesday, February 12, 2008 2:44 AM
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.  

CaseyRyback
Reply #12 Saturday, February 16, 2008 7:44 AM
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!

I.R. Brainiac
Reply #13 Saturday, February 16, 2008 3:49 PM
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)  

I.R. Brainiac
Reply #14 Saturday, February 16, 2008 3:53 PM
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.

CaseyRyback
Reply #15 Sunday, February 17, 2008 12:23 PM
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.

CaseyRyback
Reply #16 Sunday, February 17, 2008 12:29 PM
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!

I.R. Brainiac
Reply #17 Sunday, February 17, 2008 5:19 PM
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)

vStyler
Reply #18 Sunday, February 17, 2008 5:58 PM
Set ur bottom right hand content margin to -30..or -45 one of those should work.

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