Classic Shell 4.0

[Tusticles]

Congratulations and good work!

thanks for version 4

Thank you, xpclient!

Much of Windows wouldn't be the same without Classic Shell.

Thanks everyone.

Great program!

I modified a skin but I can't find the shadow image, where can I find it?

Btw, I'm using this with Aero Glass for WIndows 8.1 Beta 1 and the reflection effect is not applied on classic shell.

The skin format is described in detail here: http://www.classicshell.net/tutorials/skintutorial.html By 'shadow image' do you mean the mask bitmap? When you open the skin in Resource Hacker, you can expand the bitmap section to see all bitmaps and the Skin section describes which bitmap is used for what.

If you are using Classic Shell along with Aero Glass for Windows 8, just enable the setting "Enable Aero Glass" from the "Menu Look" tab and make sure you are using the 'Windows Aero' skin. You can post additional skin related questions in the Classic Shell forum where other users will also help you with editing the skin.

Yes, 'Enable Aero Glass' checkbox is ticked but 'Windows Aero' skin is not completely transparent, only the margins, can't use 'Smoked Glass' skin with aero glass mod ? The blur from DWMGlass is applied but not the reflection effect. And about 'shadow', I'm talking about the shadow behind the start menu.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Tusticles

[MagicAndre1981]

That's right, it's closed source freeware now

ah, ok.

[xpclient]

Yes, 'Enable Aero Glass' checkbox is ticked but 'Windows Aero' skin is not completely transparent, only the margins, can't use 'Smoked Glass' skin with aero glass mod ? The blur from DWMGlass is applied but not the reflection effect. And about 'shadow', I'm talking about the shadow behind the start menu.

Are you sure you have Aero Glass for 8.1 installed correctly? Are your title bars transparent? You can use any skin which has Glass support (Smoked Glass, Windows Aero, Full Glass). If Aero Glass for Win8 is correctly installed and the option checked in CSM, then your Start Menu should support transparency. Here's how it looks with the Aero skin:

By reflection effect, you probably mean the stripes on the glass? How the Glass is rendered (and its effects) is something only the Aero Glass project can control. Classic Shell's option merely turns on support for it in the skins (instead of the Windows 8 like simple transparency). As for the shadow, there is a setting on the "Menu Look" tab called "Enable menu shadow" that's enabled by default.

Edited October 9, 2013 by xpclient

[Tusticles]

--edit--

My mistake, the stripes are visible but less than they are on frames or on taskbar. They are almost invisible.

--edit--

See the pics in the attached archive.

ClassicShell_Stripes.rar

Edited October 9, 2013 by Tusticles

[inighthawki]

May I ask how ClassicShell 4 determines if bigmuscle's aero glass is installed?

[xpclient]

--edit--

My mistake, the stripes are visible but less than they are on frames or on taskbar. They are almost invisible.

--edit--

See the pics in the attached archive.

If the reflections are visible then it just means the skin is darker. Change its contrast and the reflections will show prominently.

May I ask how ClassicShell 4 determines if bigmuscle's aero glass is installed?

It doesn't automatically determine if Aero Glass is installed, you have to turn on the option "Enable Aero Glass" from the Menu Look tab. When that is on, it just skips the hack that converts the opacity from "glass" and "fullglass" to "alpha" and "fullalpha". So the Start menu renders glass like on Windows 7.

[Max128]

Yes, 'Enable Aero Glass' checkbox is ticked but 'Windows Aero' skin is not completely transparent, only the margins, can't use 'Smoked Glass' skin with aero glass mod ? The blur from DWMGlass is applied but not the reflection effect. And about 'shadow', I'm talking about the shadow behind the start menu.

Are you sure you have Aero Glass for 8.1 installed correctly? Are your title bars transparent? You can use any skin which has Glass support (Smoked Glass, Windows Aero, Full Glass). If Aero Glass for Win8 is correctly installed and the option checked in CSM, then your Start Menu should support transparency. Here's how it looks with the Aero skin:

By reflection effect, you probably mean the stripes on the glass? How the Glass is rendered (and its effects) is something only the Aero Glass project can control. Classic Shell's option merely turns on support for it in the skins (instead of the Windows 8 like simple transparency). As for the shadow, there is a setting on the "Menu Look" tab called "Enable menu shadow" that's enabled by default.

I have Classic shell and i love it. I want your theme with aero glass , how I do that?

[inighthawki]

May I ask how ClassicShell 4 determines if bigmuscle's aero glass is installed?

It doesn't automatically determine if Aero Glass is installed, you have to turn on the option "Enable Aero Glass" from the Menu Look tab. When that is on, it just skips the hack that converts the opacity from "glass" and "fullglass" to "alpha" and "fullalpha". So the Start menu renders glass like on Windows 7.

Ah, awesome thanks. I was looking at the options under "Skin"

[xpclient]

I have Classic shell and i love it. I want your theme with aero glass , how I do that?

That is a screenshot of a visual style I used on Windows 8: http://xxinightxx.deviantart.com/art/Aero-8-350491112 It hasn't been updated yet for Windows 8.1 according to its author but you could keep a watch when he does. If you have BigMuscle's Aero Glass installed along with the patch to enable use of unsigned themes, then you can apply any custom visual style. For Classic Shell's Start Menu, you need to turn on the option "Enable Aero Glass" from the Menu Look tab. And from the Skin tab, switch to the Windows Aero skin. On Windows 8, default is the Windows 8 skin.

Edited October 12, 2013 by xpclient

[NoelC]

Congratulations on the release. I'm sure that was a lot of hard work.

I can't understand why anyone would use anything else other than ClassicShell. I especially like the things it does to augment IE and Explorer too.

By the way, version 3.9.5 thought it was up to date, even though 4.0.0 was released.

And by the way, for Windows 8 with BigMuscle's Aero Glass for Windows 8, a whole new theme isn't strictly necessary. ClassicShell 4 looks great on Windows 8 with just a theme atlas replacement.

-Noel

[xpclient]

Congratulations on the release. I'm sure that was a lot of hard work.

I can't understand why anyone would use anything else other than ClassicShell. I especially like the things it does to augment IE and Explorer too.

By the way, version 3.9.5 thought it was up to date, even though 4.0.0 was released.

And by the way, for Windows 8 with BigMuscle's Aero Glass for Windows 8, a whole new theme isn't strictly necessary. ClassicShell 4 looks great on Windows 8 with just a theme atlas replacement.

-Noel

Yeah it took almost a year to develop the Windows 7 style menu and several months of testing without compromising functionality. The automatic updating hasn't been rolled out yet because a lot of people don't try the betas and RCs and then when 4.0 is declared as RTM, they directly try it and all the real issues and bugs start getting reported. Ivo might do a quick 4.0.1 update and then everyone will start getting the update notification.

[Max128]

I have Classic shell and i love it. I want your theme with aero glass , how I do that?

That is a screenshot of a visual style I used on Windows 8: http://xxinightxx.deviantart.com/art/Aero-8-350491112 It hasn't been updated yet for Windows 8.1 according to its author but you could keep a watch when he does. If you have BigMuscle's Aero Glass installed along with the patch to enable use of unsigned themes, then you can apply any custom visual style. For Classic Shell's Start Menu, you need to turn on the option "Enable Aero Glass" from the Menu Look tab. And from the Skin tab, switch to the Windows Aero skin. On Windows 8, default is the Windows 8 skin.

It's a shame that it is not updated for 8.1 any idea when? I have try BigMuscle's Aero Glass but it is in beta, and it has a disturbing the command prompt. Yes i have the aero skin in classic shell.

You have windows 8.1 ? If yes you have aero glass ?

[NoelC]

It's a shame that it is not updated for 8.1 any idea when? I have try BigMuscle's Aero Glass but it is in beta, and it has a disturbing the command prompt. Yes i have the aero skin in classic shell.

You have windows 8.1 ? If yes you have aero glass ?

What are you talking about? Could you really be expressing impatience that BigMuscle hasn't released his product for an OS that's not yet officially released? How fast do you expect him to work?

ClassicShell 4.0 works fine with Windows 8.1.

BigMuscle's Beta 1 version of Aero Glass for Win 8.1 works with Windows 8.1. It's just not finished.

-Noel

Edited October 13, 2013 by NoelC

[Andromeda43]

After all the epic answers, let me just say,

"I tried it, I like it and I'll KEEP IT!". It works wonders for those who can't stand all the metro crap.

I won't set up a Win-8, or Win-8.1, PC without it and one other program, "Grant Admin Full Control".

B)

Edited November 18, 2013 by Andromeda43

[Max128]

It's a shame that it is not updated for 8.1 any idea when? I have try BigMuscle's Aero Glass but it is in beta, and it has a disturbing the command prompt. Yes i have the aero skin in classic shell.

You have windows 8.1 ? If yes you have aero glass ?

What are you talking about? Could you really be expressing impatience that BigMuscle hasn't released his product for an OS that's not yet officially released? How fast do you expect him to work?

ClassicShell 4.0 works fine with Windows 8.1.

BigMuscle's Beta 1 version of Aero Glass for Win 8.1 works with Windows 8.1. It's just not finished.

-Noel

Yes i have windows 8.1 pro with classic shell and is working fine , i really good soft!

I have try aero glass beta 1 is working but the command prompt is disturbing , I'll try again in the final version.I also said the theme that i wanted to try xXiNightXx but is impossible for now. I love the work of big muscle.