Optimizing Windows Vista Menus

The Start menu and its related menus are designed to provide easy access to applications and utilities installed on a system. Unfortunately, the more applications and utilities you install, the more cluttered the menu system becomes. To help users escape the clutter and better use the menu system, this section focuses on techniques you can use to optimize menus.

Changing Between Classic Start Menu and Simple Start Menu

Windows Vista provides two views of the Start menu: Classic and simple. The Classic Start menu provides the traditional view of the menu system as found in Windows 2000 and earlier versions of the Windows operating system. The simple Start menu provides a streamlined view of the menu system that's better organized than its more traditional predecessor. Many hardcore Windows users and administrators are apt to hate the simple Start menu when they first see it, but they grow to love it once they customize it.

You can change between the Classic Start menu and the simple Start menu at any time by following these steps:

1. Right-click Start on the taskbar and then select Properties on the shortcut menu. The Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box is displayed.

2. On the Start menu tab, select Start Menu to use the simple view, or select Classic Start Menu to use the classic view.

3. Click OK. If you've already customized settings for the menu view, these custom settings are restored automatically.

Customizing Classic Start Menu Options

If you choose the Classic Start menu, Windows Vista provides excellent control over the Start menu. You can choose which commands appear on the Start menu and how they are arranged. You can add menus for Control Panel, Network Connections, Printers And Faxes, and other key tools. You can also enable or disable personalized menus on the Programs menu.

To change the Start menu options, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start on the taskbar and then select Properties. The Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box is displayed with the Start Menu tab selected by default.

2. Verify that Classic Start Menu is selected and click Customize to the right of the Classic Start Menu option. This displays the Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box, shown in Figure 1.

   
   Figure 1: Customize the Classic Start menu using this dialog box.

3. Select or clear any of the check boxes in the Advanced Start Menu Options list box.

4. Click OK.

5. Click OK to close the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box.

Table 1 provides a list of the Classic Start menu options. As the table shows, most of the options control user actions or determine whether various selections are available directly from the Start menu or through separate windows.

Table 1: Classic Start Menu Options

Setting	Purpose
Display Administrative Tools	Adds or removes the Administrative Tools menu. When selected, the menu is available from the Programs menu.
Display Favorites	Adds or removes the Favorites menu. When selected, the menu is available from the Start menu. Enable this option if a user uses the Favorites list frequently.
Display Log Off	Adds or removes the LOG OFF command. When selected, the LOG OFF command is available on the Start menu. If you don't select this option, users must press Ctrl+Alt+Del to access the LOG OFF command.
Display Run	Adds or removes the RUN command. When selected, the RUN command is available on the Start menu.
Enable Context Menus And Dragging And Dropping	Controls whether users can right-click to get a shortcut menu and whether users can use the drag-and-drop operation to manage the contents and order of the Start menu. Typically you'll want to enable this option unless there is a specific security reason to disable it.
Expand Control Panel	When enabled, Control Panel options appear as a submenu of the SETTINGS, CONTROL PANEL command. Otherwise, Control Panel appears as a separate option that opens the Control Panel window.
Expand Documents	Same as Expand Control Panel, except it applies to the Start, Documents, Documents submenu.
Expand Pictures	Same as Expand Control Panel, except it applies to the Start, Documents, Pictures submenu.
Expand Network Connections	Same as Expand Control Panel, except it applies to the Settings, Network Connections submenu.
Expand Printers	Same as Expand Control Panel, except it applies to the Settings, Printers And Faxes submenu.
Scroll Programs	Controls whether the Programs menu displays all options or allows for horizontal scrolling. Depending on the screen display size, this option is only used when there are more than 29 or more than 38 items.
Show Small Icons In Start Menu	When selected, this option reduces the size of icons used on menus.
Use Personalized Menus	When selected, this option prompts Windows Vista to track the menu options that you use as you work. It displays only a partial list when you open menus, hiding infrequently used options until you click the down arrow at the bottom of the menu.

Tip

The Scroll Programs and Use Personalized Menus options can be somewhat annoying to users (and to you). I recommend disabling these features. You'll have happier users and fewer questions about disappearing options.

Customizing Simple Start Menu Settings

The simple Start menu has all the options of the Classic Start menu, plus a few additional options that aren't available otherwise. Because of this, you can customize the simple Start menu in many more ways than you can customize the Classic Start menu.

To change the Start menu options, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start on the taskbar and then select Properties.

2. Ensure the Start Menu option is selected and click Customize to the right of the Start Menu option. This displays the Customize Start Menu dialog box, shown in Figure 2.

   
   Figure 2: Set options for the simple Start menu using the Customize Start Menu dialog box.

3. Use the options to control the general appearance of the Start menu.

4. Click OK.

5. Click OK to close the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box.

In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, most of the options control which commands appear on the Start menu and how they are arranged. Some items have suboptions of Display As A Link, Display As A Menu, and Don't Display This Item. Display As A Link specifies that an item, such as Control Panel, will appear as a separate option that opens a window when selected. Display As A Menu specifies that an item will provide access to a submenu that allows you to choose its related options. Don't Display This Item removes the item from the Start menu.

Other Customize Start Menu dialog box options you'll see include the following:

• Enable Context Menus And Dragging And Dropping When this option is selected, users can right-click to display a shortcut menu and use drag-and-drop.

• Highlight Newly Installed Programs When this option is selected, menus for recently installed applications are highlighted, as are the menu options.

• Open Submenus When I Pause On Them With The Mouse Pointer Controls the behavior of menus. When this option is selected, menus open when you point to them. Otherwise, menus open only when you click them.

• Sort All Programs Menu By Name Controls whether menu items are organized alphabetically or by the order of installation. When selected, menu items are sorted alphabetically. When not selected, menu items are listed in the order of installation.

• Use Large Icons Controls the size of icons for menu options. To reduce the size of icons used on menus, clear this option. Otherwise, select this option to display standard-size icons on menus.

• Start Menu Size Controls the number of shortcuts to recently used programs that appear on the most-frequently used list on the Start menu. Use the selection menu to assign a value from 0 to 30. The actual number of programs listed in this most-frequently used list will depend on the screen resolution as well as the number of items in the pinned items list, which is above the most-frequently used list.

• Show On Start Menu Controls shortcuts to Internet browsers and e-mail applications. If you want these items to appear on the Start menu, select the appropriate check boxes and then choose the application to use.

If you make a mistake and want to restore the Start menu to its original configuration, open the Customize Start Menu dialog box, click the Use Default Settings button, and then click OK twice.

Modifying Menus and Their Options

In the Windows Vista file system, the Start menu is represented by a pair of folders, each with the name Start Menu. Programs that are to be made available only to the currently logged on user are placed in the Start Menu folder that is located within the profile data for that user (%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu), and programs that are to be available to any user that logs on to the computer are placed in the Start Menu folder for all users (%SystemDrive%\ProgramData\ Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu).

During system startup, Windows Vista merges the contents of both Start Menu folders to create the single Start menu, accessible when you click the Start button. In each case, below the Start Menu folder, you'll find a Programs folder. The structures for these Programs menus and their related menus are determined by the folders and shortcuts stored in them. Each folder within the Programs folders represents a menu. Shortcuts within folders represent menu options and act as pointers to the programs you want to launch. If you want to modify menus and their options, you have several choices. You can work directly with the appropriate file system representation of the Start menu, or you can work with the menu system itself.

Rearranging Items on the Start Menu

The easiest way to rearrange items on the Start menu is to use the menu system. You can change the position of menus and options within menus. The technique you use is as follows:

1. Click Start and point to Programs or All Programs as appropriate.

2. Point to the item that you want to manipulate.

3. Press and hold the left mouse button.

4. Drag the item to a new location on any menu or submenu; simply point to a submenu to open it. A horizontal line shows where the selected item is going.

5. Release the mouse button when the menu or item is in the desired location.

   Note

   Administrator permissions are required to move menu items. In many cases, the current user must log off and then log back on to see the menu changes.

In the Classic Start menu, you can drag items to the upper-left corner of the Start menu, where they will remain displayed. When you have the mouse pointer in the proper location, you'll see the horizontal position line that highlights where the item will be placed when you release the mouse button.

With the simple Start menu, there are some other techniques for adding and removing items from this upper-left area of the Start menu, known in the simple Start menu as the pinned items list.

• To add items to the pinned items area, right-click the item and then select Pin To Start Menu.

• To remove items from the pinned items area, right-click the item on the menu and then select Remove From This List. There is also an UNPIN FROM START MENU command on this shortcut menu. This command will delete the entry from the pinned items list. But if the item has been recently used, it might then appear in the most-frequently used list. Using the REMOVE FROM THIS LIST command ensures that will not happen.

Reorganizing Menu Options

The Program menu's contents are normally sorted with submenus at the top and menu options below. Within each of those two categories, the menu contents are listed alphabetically.

With the Classic Start menu, as you install applications and move items around on the Programs menu, it is easy for items to become disorganized, largely because menus and menu options for new programs are placed at the bottom of the Programs menu. You can resolve this problem by re-alphabetizing the entire Programs menu–and users who have a lot of programs installed will love you for it. To re-alphabetize the entire Programs menu, follow these steps:

1. Click Start and then select Programs.

2. Right-click any entry in the Programs list and select Sort By Name.

With the simple Start menu, menus and menu options are automatically sorted alphabetically whenever new menus or menu items are added. Menus and menu items are automatically sorted alphabetically whenever you move items as well. If menus and menu items aren't sorted alphabetically, someone probably cleared the Sort All Programs Menu By Name option in the Customize Start Menu dialog box for the current user. To re-alphabetize the entire Programs menu and keep it alphabetized from now on, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start on the taskbar and then select Properties. The Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box is displayed with the Start Menu tab selected by default.

2. Ensure that the Start Menu option is selected and click Customize to the right of the Start Menu option.

3. Scroll down through the list of options in the Customize Start Menu dialog box and then select the Sort All Programs Menu By Name check box.

4. Click OK twice.

Adding, Modifying, and Deleting Menus

As mentioned earlier, the Start menu is represented on the file system as a folder that can be accessed through the profile data for a particular user as well as a folder that can be accessed through the profile data for all users. To access the Start Menu folder for the current user, right-click Start and then select Explore. This opens Windows Explorer with the %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu folder selected. To access the Start Menu folder for all users, right-click Start and then select Explore All Users. This opens Windows Explorer with the %SystemDrive%\ ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu folder selected. Once you open a Start Menu folder, you can perform all the normal folder operations to update the Start menu, including the following:

• Add new menus to the Start menu by creating folders within the Programs folder or any subfolder of the Programs folder (except Startup).

• Modify menus by moving folders or shortcuts to new locations within the Programs folder.

• Rename folders or shortcuts to update their names on the Start menu. Another way to rename items is through the menu system. With the Start menu active, right-click the item you want to rename and select Rename. Type a new name for the item and then click OK.

Caution

Delete any unwanted folders or shortcuts to remove the related menus or menu options from the Start menu. Another way to delete items is through the menu system. With the Start menu active, right-click the item you want to delete and then select Delete. Don't rename or remove the Startup folder. This folder holds shortcuts for programs that should load automatically at startup. If you alter this folder, Windows Vista might not be able to use it. Additionally, you shouldn't rename or remove the Administrative Tools menu. The availability of the Administrative Tools menu is controlled through Taskbar And Start Menu Properties.

Adding Menu Options to the Start Menu

Menu options are represented as shortcuts in the Windows Vista file system. This means you can create menu options simply by adding shortcuts to the Programs folder or its subfolders. After you create a shortcut, you can update its properties to include comments that are displayed when someone points to the option on the Start menu. The complete steps to create a menu option, unique to the currently logged on user, are as follows:

1. Right-click Start and then select Explore. This opens Windows Explorer with the %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu folder selected.

2. In the left pane of Windows Explorer, select the folder to which you want to add the menu option.

3. In the Contents or View pane, right-click an open area, point to New, and then select Shortcut. This starts the Create Shortcut Wizard.

4. In the field provided, type the file path to the program or file you want to associate with the shortcut. If you don't know the file path, click Browse and then use the Browse For Folder dialog box to locate the item you want to use.

5. Click Next and then type a name for the shortcut. The value you enter is the name that will appear on the Start menu.

6. Click Finish. If you want to enter comments for the shortcut, right-click the shortcut and then select Properties. Enter the comments in the Comment field and then click OK.

Displaying the Administrative Tools Menu

The Administrative Tools menu is not displayed by default in Windows Vista. If you want to display this menu on your computer or for a user with Administrator privileges, you'll need to customize the Start menu.

With the Classic Start menu, you add the Administrative Tools menu to the Programs submenu of the Start menu by completing the following steps:

1. Right-click Start and then select Properties. The Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box is displayed with the Start Menu tab selected by default.

2. If Classic Start Menu isn't selected, select this option and then click the related Customize button. This displays the Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box.

3. Select Display Administrative Tools in the Advanced Start Menu Options list box.

4. Click OK twice.

Tip

You might want to click Sort before you click OK. This forces Windows to re-alphabetize the Programs menus and menu options. If you don't sort the menus, the Administrative Tools menu is displayed at the bottom of the Programs menu.

With the simple Start menu, there are several different ways you can add the Administrative Tools menu to the Start menu. To get started, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start and then select Properties. The Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box is displayed with the Start Menu tab selected by default.

2. If the simple Start menu isn't selected, select Start Menu and then click the related Customize button. This displays the Customize Start Menu dialog box.

3. Scroll down the Start Menu Items list until you can see the System Administrative Tools heading.

4. At this point, you have two options:

   • q If you want to display the Administrative Tools menu as a submenu of the All Programs menu, select Display On The All Programs Menu.

   • q If you want to display the Administrative Tools menu directly on the Start menu and as a submenu of the All Programs menu, select Display On The All Programs Menu And The Start Menu.

5. Click OK twice.

Enabling and Disabling Personalized Menus

The Classic Start menu offers personalized menus, and when they are enabled, Windows Vista tracks the Start menu options you use as you work. It then displays only a partial list when you open menus, hiding infrequently used options until you click the down arrow at the bottom of the menu. However, many users don't like this behavior because they have difficulty finding options they want to use. Therefore, you might want to change the default setting for personalized menus and disable this feature. If a few users like this feature, you can enable it on a per user basis as necessary.

To enable or disable personalized menus, follow these steps:

1. Right-click Start and then select Properties. The Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog box is displayed with the Start Menu tab selected by default.

2. If Classic Start Menu isn't currently selected, select this option and then click the related Customize button. This displays the Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box.

3. Select or clear the Use Personalized Menus item in the Advanced Start Menu Options list box and then click OK twice.