Some items cannot be shown

[diddykong]

There's various scenario's when the start menu displays "Some items cannot be shown" with Xpize. I'll give some examples. With desktop icon size set to 64, the start menu will usually then display this because some items from the right pane are out of view or cut off (with network places and other entries set to show Run is shaved off a little, and goes with more items). With this one I believe it would be best to auto size all of the items so they can fit. This is better than warning the user, telling them how to fix it manually, or giving them options.

For the left pane, many programs are taken out of view which causes the same message. I notice it can be fixed if in the start menu properties 5 or less items are picked to be shown. This one is a little odd. Without Xpize, removing items from the start menu generally then brings up another thats in the queue aswell anyway, so the exact same behaviour should happen here. There should be a fix, workaround or something. This needs to be explored and improved.

I've only really noted this like with all posts to try and help with this great product. I'd like to ask Xpero and the many contributors, how many hours do you spend on the project on average per month say, and do you get any come back financially or otherwise? This is a terrific project, should be the default XP, has this been approached? Put it to Windows, we've updated all the icons, made XP look 10x better as it should anyway, and done all the work for you. Wana encorporate it for a price and include it on all Xp's so all users benefit etc!? Really think this should be approached for the benefit of all computer users! All the best, great project, love the latest release 4.1, improvements being made in all the right places

Edited November 21, 2005 by diddykong

[XPero]

Although Windows XP lets you set the size of icons up to 128x128, I think (and I'm sure of) that XP is not ready for that. What I did was to add 64x64, 96x96 and 128x128 sizes to icons and let Windows handle them. In mosr cases it looks good and consistent, but as you noticed, Windows XP is not ready for big icons. I will try to figure out a workaround, but it seems hard.

About the second part of your post, thank you for the comments. I dont know exactly how many hours Ive spent with XPize, but they are a lot Version 2.5 was released around 17 of December 2004 and current version is 4.1. That gives you an idea.

[diddykong]

I'm using 64x64! The start menu immediately cuts items off on the right panel, and items of the left that were previously shown disapear, causing this message too. Strangely with the latter, it should not.

What the settings need to do is I would say automatically change the settings to cater for the new icons sizes. So with 32x32 perhaps 7 items should be set to show in the left panel of the start menu, with 64x64 its 5, and so on. (I've found doing this manually works). Or bypass the message for the left panel, as it should not really show as even without XPize windows just queues the entries in the start menu and doesnt show this message, so the same should apply here.

On the right panel, the icons need to be rezised to the maximum they can go, rather than cut off items.

This is actually the same as the file browser within programs. When in the open file box in a program, the items on the left such as My Computer, My Documents etc, are the new icon size, but as much as the bottom 3 are completely cut off. Here either the maximum icon size possible should be set, or the default size of that window needs to be set to be taller to cater properly.

I see these as the best, easiest solutions to properly handling icon sizes and avoiding all of these problems in XP.

On the last point all I can say is kudos to you, and do drop me a PM as to what come back you've had on it, and where you plan on taking this in the future. Particularly I'm interested as to whether you could consider building up some dialogue with Microsoft to perhaps get some or all of the icons in XP by default (for a price ;p) to better XP for every user out there. I think that would tremendously benefit the entire computing world, be something to be proud of, be recognised for it financially aswell as other.

Edited November 24, 2005 by diddykong

[XPero]

Microsoft already contacted me, "XPize is really good stuff" they told me, but I dont think theyre going to add my stuff to XP and of course I wont be paid if that happens.

I will study solutions in order to try to improve the big icon support in XP.

Thanks for your comments and ideas.