# Explorer Patcher Change log This document includes the same release notes as in the [Releases](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases) section on GitHub. ## 22000.258.30.3 Tested on build: 22000.258. * Reworked settings framework * More settings are available to customize * Most setting changes take effect immediatly * Implemented Windows 10 window switcher (Alt+Tab) * GUI * Revamped GUI, now the interface is split by categories and is displayed on two columns * Regular items do not display a "+" sign anymore at the beginning of their label * The current choice is ticked in the drop down menu * Regions are now calculated correctly * Solved memory leaks * Option to disable immersive context menus (#96) * General bug fixes * Window switcher is now disabled by default (.1) * Corrected typo in settings (.2) * Added option to set tray clock to display seconds (.3) * Added option to set the right click menu of the network system tray icon to launch either (.3): * Network settings in the Settings app * Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel * Network Connections in the Control Panel * Added preliminary support for advanced mitigations for correct rendering when using the classic theme (.3) * GUI optionally loads UI file from DLL folder (helps for easy debugging) (.4) * Small bug fix for symbols download (.5) * Better method for closing windows in window switcher (.6) ## 22000.258.26.3 Tested on build: 22000.258. * Compatibility with OS build 22000.258 * Option to open Network and Sharing Center instead if Network settings when right clicking the network icon in the system tray * Centered network and sound right click menus and made them toggle on right click * Reliability enhancements for Start menu positioning (#78) (.1) * Fixes #85 (.2) * Fixes #90 (added option to change taskbar icon size) (.3) ## 22000.194.0.25 Tested on build: 22000.194. * Start menu is hooked from File Explorer; please remove the DLL from `C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy` when using this new version * `Win`+`X` now opens even when the taskbar is set to autohide (fixes #63) * `Win`+`C` now opens even when the taskbar is set to autohide (fixes #63) * Bluetooth and Safe to Remove menus toggle their visibility when clicked * Bluetooth and Safe to Remove menus are centered relative to the icon they are invoked from * WiFi list now correctly toggles when clicking the Network icon in the taskbar * The settings GUI now supports dark mode and switches correctly when the system theme changes * The settings GUI draws correctly when themes are disabled (classic theme compatibility) * Removed interoperability with StartAllBack or StartIsBack ## 22000.194.0.23 Tested on build: 22000.194. * 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 ## 22000.194.0.22 Tested on build: 22000.194. * 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) ## 22000.194.0.21 Tested on build: 22000.194. * Implemented configuration GUI; to access it, right click the Start button (or press `Win`+`X`) and choose "Properties" (thanks to @BraINstinct0 for the suggestion) ## 22000.194.0.20 Tested on build: 22000.194. * Huge code refactoring, improved memory patching * 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) ## 22449.1000.0.18 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) * Fixes the "modern search box" not working correctly when the DLL is used in `C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy` ## 22449.1000.0.16 New in this version: - Compatibility with OS build 22449.1000.0.16. - Fixed bug that prevented console from showing when the `AllocConsole` setting was specified in `settings.ini` ## 22000.168.0.14 * 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: * `C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy` * `C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy` ## 22000.168.0.12 * 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). * `Win+X` is now shown correctly on multi monitor setups * Other bug fixes ## 22000.168.0.11 Fixes [#3](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/3) and [#10](https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/issues/10). ## 22000.168.0.10 Improved Explorer hooking. 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. ## 22000.168.0.9 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: ``` [General] AllowImmersiveContextMenus=1 ``` ## 22000.168.0.8 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. ## 22000.168.0.7 Enables compatibility with [ArchiveMenu](https://github.com/valinet/archivemenu). ## 22000.168.0.6 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 ## 22000.1.0.4 New in this release - 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). ## 22000.1.0.0 Initial version of the application. Only x64 builds.