Any program allow making/installing start rectangles?

tannim · 04 Jul 2010

Start orbs are fine, I suppose, but I like the good old rectangles that didn't stick up above the task bar(small icons means that stupid orb hides part of window). I tried one program, but it only allowed me to make orbs or squares, no such thing as a rectangle.

Any free program to change that orb to a rectangle?

Idealy, I'd like to use the classic start menu button, the rectangle, instead of the orb with the normal windows 7 theme, but I haven't figured out how to do that.

It would be fun to have a custom rectangle but I'd be fine with the default microsoft one.

A Guy · 04 Jul 2010

I use this myself:

Start Menu Button - Change

There are 100's, 1000's of rectangular start orbs. Tried to upload some I have, but site says invalid file (?)

Sergio Has some on 1st page in this thread for the Startorbz program:

StartOrbz Genuine Creations

Program download addy in 1st post.

A Guy

tannim · 05 Jul 2010

Thank you, That progarm seems to work.

"Any idea how do you save a BMP with transparent background? I have the gimp, which
is crap, and don't want photoshop, which is amazingly ripoff brand expensive. I'm poor
and need cheap solution :}

I tried adding the transparent alpha layer and erasing around the pictures, but Gimp and
XnView's converting option both produce non-transparent bmps with either black or
white background"

I think I got it. Real World Cursor Editor to the rescue. So much better than The Gimp for this thing. Make the triple button 54x162 picture in any paint program then copy and paste into Real World Cursor Editor ( http://www.rw-designer.com/cursor-maker ). Draw with Alpha 0 and save as bmp.

A Guy · 05 Jul 2010

Great, I just PMed another member with GFX ability to see if he knew the answer to your question :) Glad you got it sorted. A Guy

tannim · 05 Jul 2010

Works well enough :) I still need to work with it. The button is up two pixels higher than I want. Tried lowering it in the triple picture but seems to have stayed in the same place as did cutting the bottom pixel off.

It seems to want to jut over the top of the task bar no matter what size. Will keep trying though, thank you.

Arc · 06 Jul 2010

tannim said:

"Any idea how do you save a BMP with transparent background? I have the gimp, which
is crap, and don't want photoshop, which is amazingly ripoff brand expensive. I'm poor
and need cheap solution :}

I tried adding the transparent alpha layer and erasing around the pictures, but Gimp and
XnView's converting option both produce non-transparent bmps with either black or
white background"

I think I got it. Real World Cursor Editor to the rescue. So much better than The Gimp for this thing. Make the triple button 54x162 picture in any paint program then copy and paste into Real World Cursor Editor ( RealWorld Cursor Editor - make animated cursors ). Draw with Alpha 0 and save as bmp.

Sorry Bill , I am too late

Was very busy entire day

Hi tannim ! You may try Paint.NET with Gralpha plugin, that will allow you to make transparent alpha channel for bmps . Paint.net is a free program, so it would not be a problem to you at all .

Arc · 06 Jul 2010

Another way .... look at https://www.sevenforums.com/customiza...t-buttons.html . You do not need any other things to make a start button with it. It will create transparent BMPs, automatically. Just provide the buttons in the appropriate size for small taskbar (30x30 will be ok ).

tannim · 06 Jul 2010

Thank you for your time, Arc :) I managed to do it with Real World Cursor Editor a lot easier than with paint.net and such.

Sadly, Windows 7 Start Button Creator only allows for squares, not rectangles.

Arc · 06 Jul 2010

If the cursor editor have done it for you, it's really a good news

One ot the innovative works of seven forums . Thanks for posting back

.

tannim · 06 Jul 2010

Go ahead and try the cursor editor for making one yourself. Far easier than paint.net and photo shop.

Assuming you make the obs themselves and put them into the 3 positions in a different program.

Put the orbs onto any color 54x162 picture as you want/need them in program of choice, copy to clipboard, paste from clipboard into Real World Cursor Editor, then draw alpha around them. Save as BMP. Done. No need for any layers or alpha channel adding/adjusting. The editor allows partial alpha shading as you choose to draw around it.