Windows 7: Help with custom theme: changing start menu items offset and font

I've been creating a custom theme for windows 7, but my black text doesn't show up very well on the background. Is there a way to change it?

And can I change the location of the items? they overlap with the border of the start menu, and I want to move them a bit so they fit neatly.

How are you creating the theme? With the ubiquitous Style Builder?

The font colour can certainly be changed. The positioning is a bit more tricky as it is determined by internal stylesheets. I can't help noticing however that you have the narrow border on the right and the wider on the left which would be much better reversed.

If you are using Windows Style Builder then to change the ProgramsList text color, go here:

StartMenu > Panels > Basic > ProgramsList > TEXTCOLOR:COLOR

StartMenu > Panels > Basic > PragramsListExtended > TEXTCOLOR:COLOR

If these properties don't exist then just create them.

To adjust the margins, you will have to play around with your ContentMargins in these same places.

No, I've been using the Anolis resourcer.

Ah. Then you're very much doing it the hard way so congrats on getting as far as you have but now it gets very tricky. Fonts and particularly font colours are virtually impossible to change using a resource hacker alone I'm afraid because they are set in xml using variables from stylesheets that hours of searching have failed to reveal the whereabouts of and are probably encrypted or hidden in some way anyway. Offsets are also set in this way so unless you are an xml wiz with the patience of a saint .....

Windows Style Builder costs but if you want to make any headway I'm afraid it's pretty much indispensable.

Well, curses, damn and blast, etc.

I just don't think it's worth the cost for one font.

Without Windows Style Builder, you can not change the font colors. It simply isn't possible. I was looking for it once too, for hours even, and i didnt find anything. You will have to purchase WSB from Ave's Vista Style Builder, to be able to do.
You won't regret buying WSB, it is really really much better than doing it via a resource tool. It'll save you time as well, and make you able to change more images and properties than you are able to in a resource tool.