* Ability to choose language switcher flyout style (option available in the "Properties" - "System tray" section)
#### Fixes
* The key above the `Tab` key is now correctly identified for all keyboard layouts, so the per-application Windows 10 window switcher mode works correctly (#283)
* All windows should now be properly detected and included in the Windows 10 window switcher
* Performance enhancements for Windows 10 window switcher: layouts are now precomputed when a window change occurs, so it should be very fast to open and consistent, no matter the current load; also, fast switching does not trigger the window, as it should
* "Show Cortana button" taskbar menu entry now works again (#252) (.2)
* Fixes a bug that prevented correct opening of some applications (like `powershell`) when EP was registered as shell extension (#256) (.4) - PLEASE NOTE THAT RUNNING AS SHELL EXTENSION IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL, UNSUPPORTED, AND ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR SPECIFIC USE CASES THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ALREADY; otherwise, just dropping the DLL in `C:\Windows` is enough
* Windows 10 window switcher switcher now correctly displays UWP apps immediately after launch (#266) (.5)
* Selection and highlight rectangle are now correctly drawn when using light theme on Windows 10 window switcher (.5)
* Ability to choose what happens when clicking the Network icon in the system tray
* Possibility to use the legacy clock flyout
* Possibility to use the legacy volume flyout
* Fixes to fully support the classic theme, with a functional taskbar, system tray, Explorer windows, working context menus; read more about this feature [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/discussions/101)
* The "Adjust date/time" and "Customize notification icons" links in the clock context menu now open the more versatile Control Panel applets (.4)
* The console can now be disabled and then dismissed without causing the Explorer process to restart (.4)
* Implemented a new exported function which restarts File Explorer cleanly, reloading your folder windows: `rundll32 C:\Windows\dxgi.dll,ZZRestartExplorer` (.4)
* Fixed an issue where the Windows 10 window switcher failed to display some windows (#161)
* Fixed an issue that prevented Start from opening again until Explorer was restarted after opening File Explorer via the Start menu Explorer icon (#145)
* Fixed patching in libvalinet
* Fixed GUI launch path; GUI now launches in an external process, survives Explorer restarts
* Addresses an issue that prevented correct operation under certain circumstances and that could lead to a rare bug where Explorer would crash after a Control Panel window was opened (also related to Control Panel windows not always respecting preferences like "disable navigation bar") (.3)
* Fixed a bug that caused the cursor to move when invoking `Win`+`X` (.4)
* Fixed a bug that caused incorrect positioning of `Win`+`X` when the main taskbar was present on a monitor different than the primary one (.4)
* The Start menu now automatically reloads in the background only when its settings change, instead of when any settings change (.4)
* Improved the reliability of the "Restart File Explorer" link in the Properties GUI (.4)
* Improved the detection of scenarios when the patcher should inject and apply the full set of patches to File Explorer (.4)
**PLEASE NOTE THAT RUNNING AS SHELL EXTENSION IS STILL EXPERIMENTAL, UNSUPPORTED, AND ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR SPECIFIC USE CASES THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ALREADY. IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR OBTAINING ANY OF THE CORE FUNCTIONALITY, IT IS AVAILABLE ONLY FOR SOME ADVANCED USE CASES AND IS STILL A BIGGER WORK-IN-PROGRESS THAN THE MAIN PROJECT.**
The application can now be registered as a shell extension. This will enable the Explorer related functionality to work in Open/Save file dialogs as well. This is especially useful for users wanting proper support of the classic theme in Windows 11.
Please note that this is experimental. For the moment, the preferred installation method remains dropping the DLL in `C:\Windows`. For interested users, I invite you to test this functionality and report your findings in the discussions board.
To enable this, put the 2 DLLs (`ExplorerPatcher.amd64.dll` and `ExplorerPatcher.IA-32.dll`) in a secure folder (for example, `C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher`). Then, in that folder, run this command: `regsvr32 ExplorerPatcher.amd64.dll`. After elevation, a message will display informing you of the operation outcome, and if it went well, Explorer will restart displaying the old taskbar.
To uninstall, run `regsvr32 /u ExplorerPatcher.amd64.dll` in the same folder and preferably reboot the computer to unload the DLLs from all applications. Then, the files can be deleted just fine.
* Start menu is hooked from File Explorer; please remove the DLL from `C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy` when using this new version
* Fixed a bug that showed`Win`+`X` on the wrong monitor in certain scenarios
*`Win`+`X` shows in Windows 11 fashion (centered, above the Start button) if using a centered taskbar with centered Start button as well (using a program like [TaskbarX](https://github.com/valinet/TaskbarX))
* Fixed the bug that prevented the application from loading in`StartMenuExperienceHost.exe` (thanks to @BraINstinct0 for the report)
* Fixed padding and element sizes in GUI so it better fits on smaller screens (thanks to @Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester for the report)
* GUI shows application title when run outside of File Explorer
* GUI stays on screen and just reloads the settings when restoring defaults (instead of closing)
* Keyboard (tab) support for GUI: `Esc` to close the window, `Tab` to select the next option, `Shift`+`Tab` to select the previous option, `Space` to toggle (or activate) the option
* Possibility of running the GUI standalone; run this command: `rundll32.exe C:\Windows\dxgi.dll,ZZGUI`; this has the advantage that it stays on the screen after restarting File Explorer
* When the taskbar is located at the bottom of the screen, opening the power user menu (`Win`+`X`) now automatically highlights the "Desktop" entry in the list. Also, the menu items can be activated either with left click, either with right click. Thus, this enables a behavior where you can double click the Start button with the right mouse button in order to quickly show the desktop (thanks to @Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester for the suggestion)
* Implemented configuration GUI; to access it, right click the Start button (or press `Win`+`X`) and choose "Properties" (thanks to @BraINstinct0 for the suggestion)
* Updated README with better description of the software and how to use it
* Drastically reduced the number of symbols required (around 40MB to download, instead of over 400MB previously)
* Improved Start menu and search positioning, now it is not necessary to have the DLL in `C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy`, please remove it from there.
* Skin "Bluetooth" pop-up menu
* Option to hide the search bar in File Explorer completely
* Option to disable the control center button in the taskbar
* Removed the option to disable the modern search box in File Explorer. Instead, you now run a command which disables it globally on your user account (works in "Open" dialogs as well); read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#disable-the-modern-search-box-in-File-Explorer)
* Removed the option to disable the immersive (new) context menu in File Explorer. Instead, you now run a command which disables it globally on your user account; read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#disable-the-immersive-context-menu)
* Ability to disable command bar is described [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#disable-the-command-bar-in-File-Explorer)
* Option to apply Mica effect on File Explorer windows (requires `StartIsBack64.dll`), read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#configuration)
* Option to skin system tray icons to match Windows 11 style (requires `StartisBack64.dll`), read [here](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher#configuration)
Tested on the following builds: 22449.1000, 22000.176, 22000.1.
New in this version:
* Ability to disable the "modern search box" in File Explorer and uses the classic functional search from early Windows 10 versions or Windows 7/8. To disable this and still use the new search, set `General\AllowModernSearchBox = 1` in `settings.ini`
Fixes:
* Much improved algorithm for enabling the classic taskbar after symbols have downloaded on newer builds
* Restored compatibility with RTM build of Windows 11 (22000.1)
* Start menu and search now respect the taskbar alignment setting
* Ability to customize the number of "Most used" apps in the Start menu apps list
* Symbols are automatically downloaded for Start menu and search; to have the application work with those two, place the DLL in the following additional 2 locations:
* Support for showing the app list by default in the Windows 11 Start menu; to enable this feature, copy the DLL to `C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy` and restart Explorer (works only on 22000.168 for the moment, will be generally available after more testing is performed).
The application now comes in the form of a single DLL file (`dxgi.dll`) which you have to place in `%windir%` (usually `C:\Windows`). Restart Explorer and that's it.
Please make sure to uninstall the old version before using this new one.
Implements [#6](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/6) (option to revert to classic context menu). To disable this feature, add this to the settings.ini file:
The popup menu for "Safe to Remove Hardware" is now skinned in the same style as the Win+X menu and the taskbar context menus, in order to improve UI consistency.
Fixes [#5](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/5) (removes the delay at logon on newer builds like 22000.168; the bug is similar to the effect introduced by `UndockingDisabled` on these newer builds).
## 22000.1.0.5
Offsets are now determined at runtime
The application was tested on builds 22000.1 and 22000.168.
- Library downloads and parses symbols in order to determine function hooking offsets at runtime and saves the data in a "settings.ini" file located in the application folder for future use; the file is invalidated when a new OS build is detected
- The main executable attempts to determine the location where a jump has to be patched out so that Explorer remains on the 'show old taskbar' code path; it will systematically patch each jz/jnz instruction and will check whether Explorer still runs fine, and, if it does so and does not crash, whether the old taskbar got actually shown; once the offset is determined, it is saved in the "settings.ini" file for future use
- Please have an unmetered active working Internet connection when running for the first time
- Messages from the patcher (i.e. install/uninstall successful message, symbol downloading message) will now display in a toast (Windows 10 notification) if possible; when Explorer is not running, it falls back to using standard MessageBox'es
- Disabled the pre/post build command that restarted sihost.exe in Debug builds
- Win+X combination is now handled and opens the power user menu
Of note from previous releases:
- Start menu is now displayed on monitor containing the cursor when invoked with the Windows key if the appropriate configuration is made into the registry (enables a functionality which was previously available in Windows 8.1). To activate this, follow this tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5943-start-menu-open-main-last-display-windows-10-a.html
- The power user menu (Win+X) is now skinned using the system theme, as it was in Windows 10
## 22000.1.0.3
Start menu is now displayed on monitor containing the cursor when invoked with the Windows key if the appropriate configuration is made into the registry (enables a functionality which was previously available in Windows 8.1).
To activate this, follow this tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5943-start-menu-open-main-last-display-windows-10-a.html
## 22000.1.0.2
Fixes [#1](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/1) (the menu is now skinned using the system theme, as it was in Windows 10).
## 22000.1.0.1
Added functionality to bring back the power user menu (Win+X).
