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General discussion

Looking for a desktop menu...

Mar 23, 2005 11:43AM PST

I'm trying to find a menu (drop down would be prefered but any will work) that sits on my desktop. If anyone has used the Aston Shell, they should understand what I'm talking about. I've recently switched back to the Explorer Shell because Aston crashed too much. However, I still dislike desktop icons and would rather have them replaced with an Aston type menu.

An example of what I'm looking for is this:
http://img50.exs.cx/img50/5706/untitled8yz.jpg

The menu on the top of that screen. I've tried asking the user that posted that SS on another forum, but he won't respond.

I'd like it to be skinnable, or at least extremely customizable so it'll match my current desktop setup.

If anyone knows what I'm talking about and has any links, names, anything, I'd appreciate it. I've searched google and all that, but I couldn't find anything. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Active desktop?
Mar 23, 2005 3:33PM PST

Isn't that one of the many things the built-in Active Desktop can already do? (I have never turned it on myself, so I do not know for sure.)

By the way, similar pictures, for the desktop, with some extra features can be found at "Cloudeight Wonderscreens":
http://www.thundercloud.net/activescreens/

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Re:
Mar 23, 2005 4:03PM PST

Just tried that, but it's only letting me link to .html files or images and such. I'd like to have one go to a hard drive directory.

Is that "Cloudeight Wonderscreens" thing just wallpapers that have special effects? Sounds neat, but I already have my desktop set up how I want it. I just need a onscreen menu to quickly access folders, games, etc. [Current can be found here: http://s119322293.onlinehome.us/desktop-march.gif ]

Here's how I had my old one when I was using Aston:
http://www.0rang3.net/hosted/me/desktop.gif

See the drop down menu at the top of that screen? Is there any app out there that'll allow me to have something like that, but for the Explorer shell? Something like the menu on the right of that screen would also be nice.

Thanks for the reply, Chuck.

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not just that
Mar 24, 2005 7:44AM PST

Active desktop does more than just linking some web page as a picture as your desktop.
If you create your own HTML page, with whatever links and features you like, and can design, then by having that HTML page on your hard drive, you can then point to that HTML page as your Active desktop.

That means you can devise whatever links you like, to whatever local file or web location you want. Then by clicking on that link and you can go there. (Hint, using the file://c: etc. type of link.)

You could have links to whatever drive, directory, or file on your computer.

If you have links to startup a mail note (using the "mailto:" type of link, then it becomes a link to start up a blank email.

You could have drop down boxes that have additional links to whatever places or games that you want started by clicking there.

You can set your own desktop backgrounds, as well.

Active desktop can be very adaptable, it is only limited to your HTML skills, and there are plenty of HTML editors out there that can help you there.

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Hmm...
Mar 24, 2005 8:04AM PST

I never thought about that.. Now that I think about it, that's probably how that other desktop menu was made.

Thanks a lot for the help, I'm going to try that out right now.

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Found something
Mar 24, 2005 6:53PM PST

Thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to keep that in mind in the future. I've found something else though that does what I've been looking for.. (almost) It's called DesktopX. Haven't found out if it can make drop down menus yet but it'll work for now. Thanks for your help. Happy

And while I'm here, do you know if there's any way to remove this border around the Active Desktop thing? Most of it goes away when I move the mouse off it, but there still seems to be a faint line around it. Would also like to remove the scrollbars if possible.

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I don't have the answer for the border
Mar 24, 2005 7:51PM PST

but have another suggestion that you might find more to your liking as the menu only shows up when you want it to by hoving your mouse on the left side of the screen and it comes free with all versions of Windows.

INSTANT TOOLBAR:

Left click and drag the MY COMPUTER icon to the left and drop it. Instant Toolbar with all your drives, etc.

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Wow
Mar 25, 2005 3:25AM PST

This is perfect. When I used the aston shell, it had a side menu that would auto hide. I didn't even think about trying to get that again with the explorer shell.

Thanks Toni.

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First off, I don't use Active Desktop
Mar 25, 2005 2:15AM PST

Prior to my mentioning it to you, I have never used Active Desktop. I do not know all that it can do. I have it turned on right now, and I am playing just a bit with it. It looks pretty interesting. But I am far from being the person who is going to give you the best answers regarding the use of it.

But in my playing around with it, I do have some possible answers.

You have a border and scroll bar on your use of Active Desktop because the page you have defined for your desktop is larger than can fit on the screen at one time. Go and edit your "default.htm" page (or whatever you are using) to something smaller.

Once it is smaller than what needs to be scrolled the scroll bar will go away. As for the small faint line, along the left, and maybe top, you might be able to define a different color.

The one on the left has gone away when I set up for a full screen display. There are other display possibilities. Play with it. You might get what you want. I am still learning here, myself.

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Ah
Mar 25, 2005 3:30AM PST

I'll try changing the html and messing around with it a bit more later today. I've got almost everything set up now, I appreciate your help.