Making TClock2 style "native" and other modifications
I was wondering if one could modify the system files (and which ones) so that Windows (W2K, in my case) automatically does the following TClock2 functions:
1) Add transparency to taskbar, start menu, system tray and clock
2) Fill/skin taskbar, clock,
3) Hide the gripper rebar (the "bar" on each of the toolbars to resize them);
4) Hide the start button & run the start menu from the tray clock
5) Change color of text for desktop icons
6) Change font, color, position, and format (i.e., show date as well as time) for system clock.
EDIT: forgot one: 7) Have icon text on the desktop appear beside the icon instead of below (like "list view" instead of "large icon view" in Windows Explorer).
Even better: ability to set items in #1, #5, and/or #6 from the context menu.
Other mods I would like to make, if possible:
1) Expand a link to another file manager from the start menu like one can with Overpriced Paperweight (what most of you probably refer to as "My Computer"
). That is, if you drag the desktop icon for "My Computer" to the start menu, Windows will tell you: "You cannot move or copy this item to this location. Do you want to create a shortcut to the item instead?" If you do so, then the link will let you browse the various drives on your computer.
2) Instead of "Programs" (which is a bit of a misnomer in the first place since the "folder" usually contains links to programs rather than the programs themselves and also because you can put links to other things besides programs there- but I digress), I'd prefer to have folders directly on the Start Menu (which would show links in both %Current User%\Start Menu\
Category and %All Users%\Start Menu\
Category, where
Category would be replaced by "Security", "Games", "Misc-Unsorted" [which would contain the usual "Programs" link so that I could check what needs to be sorted
) that point directly to different types of programs.
So instead of the start menu looking like this:
(Stuff above the separator above the usual menu)
------SEPARATOR------
Programs >
Settings > [which I plan to replace with the Self-Destruct Mechanism, I mean "Control Panel" anyway. Does anyone else find it ridiculous that they call it "Settings", but then have direct links to only "Network and Dial-up", "Printers", and "Taskbar & Start Menu" and anything else you have to open up the Control Panel for?]
Search
Help
Run
------SEPARATOR------
Log Off
Shut Down
the start menu would look like this:
(Stuff above the separator above the usual menu)
------SEPARATOR------
Security >
System > Self-Destruct Mechanism >
Games >
Graphics >
Media >
Internet >
Misc> All [which would should all links and folders in the All Users and Current Users Start Menu folders] >
Search
Help
Run
------SEPARATOR------
Log Off
Shut Down
Even better: ability to hide certain of the
Category folders from some users. E.g., some people in my family only use the computer for games and thus don't need access to any of the others.
And a couple of quick questions: first, explorer.exe only seems to contain the settings for the shell. Am I missing something and if I'm not, how does one make edits to the windows file manager? and, second, is there a guide to all the numbers listed after the MENUTIEM as to what they refer to, such as "MENUITEM "C&ascade",
403" or "MENUITEM "Tile &Horizontally",
404" would show up in the list as something like:
403 "C&ascade"
404 "Tile &Horizontally"
I know I'm probably asking for a lot here, so whenever, and to whatever, you choose to respond to is fine by me. Unfortunately, I only have one computer, so I'm a bit hesitant to experiment on it. Thanks for any and all help you might be able to provide....
