The Windows XP Start Menu and Taskbar
The
Start Menu and Taskbar made their debut in Windows 95, remaining
with us in each of the Windows versions that have found their way
onto our computers. Some users prefer the Start Menu for the
majority of their work while others find the Taskbar more
convenient. Which method you prefer will influence the options,
style, layout, and items selected and placed for quick access. Both
the Start Menu and Taskbar offer extensive customization features to
accommodate various work habits and preferences.
The XP Start Menu
Let’s take a look at the default Start Menu (Fig. UI-64) as it
appears after the XP installation. A few words and phrases I’ve
heard describing it are: huge, ugly, bloated, what the hell was
Microsoft thinking, neat, that’s different, and colorful. The colors
of the Start Menu are there for more than just blending into the new
look XP sports. The white areas of the Start Menu are user based and
the light blue areas are operating system based. The amount of
control available over the customization process varies between the
two sections. Changes can be implemented for either the user who is
currently logged on or for all users on the computer. Take a peek at
Fig. UI-65 where I’ve added a few descriptions to help you get your
bearings. These areas will be referenced as we move through the
Start Menu and Taskbar screens. While we could begin making changes
to the Start Menu right away without accessing any other screens, I
think it would be useful to explore the available options first to
see what level of customization is possible in Windows XP.
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Fig. UI-64 |
Fig. UI-65 |
Start Menu
Properties
The easiest method of
accessing the properties of the Start Menu is to right click on the
Start button and select [Properties] from the context menu. The
Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Property Sheet (Fig. UI-66) will
open. The focus is on the Start Menu tab. The large display of the
desktop at the top of the window will change as selections are made
to alter components. There are only two options available from this
Property Sheet. Which one you choose will effect the subsequent
settings. Switch back and forth between the radio buttons for [Start
Menu] and [Classic Start Menu] while watching the desktop display
area. The image will change to display a graphical representation of
your selection.
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Fig. UI-66 |
Fig. UI-67 |
Customize Start
Menu - The [General] Tab
Select the radio button
next to Start Menu and click [Customize] to open the Customize Start
Menu Property Sheet focused on the [General] (Fig. UI-68) tab. A
discussion of each section follows.
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Fig. UI-68 |
[Select an Icon Size for Programs] - Select your choice of large or
small icons to be displayed in the Start Menu. This setting only
effects the icons displayed in the Pinned Programs and Recently Used
Programs lists. (See Fig. UI-65)
[Programs] - Use this setting to increase or
decrease the number of entries in the Recently Used Programs list.
If you don’t want any entries in the list, use the [Clear List]
button and set the [Number of Programs on the Start Menu] to zero.
[Show on Start Menu] - The check marks in this
entry refer to the Pinned Programs section. Use the drop down boxes
to change the default entries or remove the checkmarks to eliminate
the entries from the Start menu. Additional programs can be added to
the Pinned Programs section so they are always available. If the
program appears in the Recently Used Programs section, right click
the program name and select [Pin to Start Menu] from the context
menu. The same procedure can be used for any program .exe file to
add it to the Pinned programs section.
Customize Start
Menu - The [Advanced] Tab
Select the radio button next to Start Menu and click [Customize] to
open the Customize Start Menu Property Sheet focused on the
[General] tab. Click the [Advanced] (Fig. UI-69) tab to shift the
focus. A discussion of each section follows.
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Fig. UI-69 |
[Start Menu Settings] - contains two settings for the Start menu
[Open Submenus When I
Pause On Them With My Mouse] - Automatically expands any folder on
Start Menu which is designated as containing a submenu by the small
black right pointing arrowhead. If the box is unchecked the submenu
is opened by clicking the item.
[Highlight Newly
Installed Programs] - places a highlight over any newly installed
program in the [All Programs] section to make them easily found for
first time launching.
[Recent Documents] -
Checking this option places the [My Recent Documents] folder in the
[Standard Folders] section as shown in Fig. UI-65. Use the [Clear
List] button to delete the list of recent documents. The actual
documents are not deleted.
[Start Menu Items] -
The image shown below is a screen capture of the entire scrolling
list in this section. A few general notes about the items are listed
below.
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Fig. UI-70 |
- Place or
remove checkmarks to display or hide items on the Start Menu.
- On radio button controlled items;
[Display as Link]
option will open the item in a separate window.
[Display as a Menu]
uses the submenu and right facing arrowhead method of access.
[Don’t Display This
Item] removes the item from the Start Menu.
- [Scroll Programs] controls the display of All Programs on
the Start Menu. If the list exceeds the screen height, the items
will be displayed in a single scrollable list when [Scroll
Programs] is enabled. If unchecked, the items will be displayed
in adjoining windows.
Accessing Desktop and Taskbar Settings | Themes
Settings
Desktop Settings | Screensaver
Settings
Appearance Settings | Settings
Start Menu | Taskbar | Windows
Classic
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