This guide is a WORK IN PROGRESS -- I am sure it will get updated, I am always open to suggestions, and if anything needs correcting please let me know. I was going to post this 'little' guide in a thread I was hanging out in, but I got a bit carried away writing it, and anyways it applies to all WM6.5 ROM. As always, should you goof up your device trying something you read on PPCG, please don't try to pass the buck. You clicked it means you did it. I will try to help if anyone has trouble, but I am not responsible for what you do to your phone.
So, you want to automatically customize the WM6.5 Start Menu after flashing a new ROM? No Problem. This guide assumes you already understand something about the basic windows mobile file structure, and how to navigate and edit the mobile registry. After you review and set everything up manually once, you can prepare it for future automatic setups. I know, this looks lengthy, maybe even complicated -- but it's not that bad -- the guide is just designed to be thorough, and in hindsight after trying this you will probably wonder what all the big deal was ever about...
Quick Summary:
1- Setup Start Menu to your liking using reStart and Total Commander
2- Save copies of any shortcuts, folders, or custom icons you added
3- Make scripts for any shortcuts or folders you want to delete
4- Export registry keys containing rank and icon info
5- Place the files in the corresponding Sashimi folders on your storage card
6- After flashing a new ROM, run Sashimi in Auto mode and your Start Menu is restored!
The Guide:
WHERE is the Start Menu and what determines icon order and appearance?
LOCATION: Nearly everything you see on the Start Menu or in its sub-folders is actually a shortcut file (.lnk) contained within the "\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\" folder.
APPEARANCE: By default, the shortcuts will take on the icon appearance of the program or file type they are pointing to, but that can be changed in the registry.
ORDER: The order of the icons is determined by a registry key called 'Rank', but this can be overridden by another value called 'Favorite' and ideally you don't want to mix the two (more on that later).
WHERE do I begin?
So, we flash a ROM and we have a Start Menu with some things we don't want, some things to reorder, and a couple things to add. First of all, anything you want to add will require a new shortcut. There are a number of ways to do this, but I use Total Commander. First, highlight the desired program file, then on file menu choose '>>>>' then Create Shortcut, click 'Tree' option and choose desired folder under \Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ and click ok. Anything you don't want, just take note of the filename for now and delete it, we can automate the deletion later with a script.
Once you have your shortcuts in the right Start menu folders, it's time to look at the registry. I suggest you install
CeRegEditor on your PC which lets you edit your mobile registry fullscreen on your pc with your keyboard and mouse. It will also allow you to export your various custom keys as files that can be dropped right into Sashimi for automatic customization later (and it does SO much more). Of course you can also use any mobile registry editor that you want, as long as it can export keys for later import.
Quote:
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[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Security\Shell\StartInfo\Start]
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This is where it happens. The keys stored here assign the shortcuts and folders in "\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\" their order and appearance. We won't be examining all the keys or values stored here in this guide -- we are just going to cover some basics. The "Icon' key can be seen attached to both the individual entries for shortcuts (such as Total Commander.lnk) and to the entries for Sub-Folders (such as Utilities or System). You can change the value of the 'Icon' key to point to any icon you like.
Example:
Quote:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Security\Shell\StartInfo\Start\ Total Commander.lnk]
"Icon"="\windows\Start_Icon_FileExp.png"
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So, understanding what icon is assigned to a folder or shortcut is easy enough. If you have added any icons for use in the Start menu, take note of where you save them so you can store a copy in Sashimi for later use. Rank is where things get sticky. First of all, the honeycomb layout. Since the 6.5 Start Menu is a 'honeycomb', the order as it corresponds to the registry 'rank' values is neither exactly Left>Right nor exactly Top>Bottom, it's a little of both -- which can get confusing. Lets just say it's series of 'zigzaging' rows -- and you will get used to it eventually from seeing where programs end up.
What matters is that you look at the values for rank and notice how the higher ranked items are...you guessed it...higher up on the Start menu. Notice that rank values do not have to be sequential. Their values relative to each other determine which is 'higher' than another on the menu. Later on, if you import a reg key which reassigns all your 'rank' values they way you want it, it can completely restore your desired Start menu structure -- as long as you haven't used the Tap-and-Hold 'Move to Top' function. Which brings us to the 'Favorite' key. It is not my favorite key. Why Microsoft decided to have their nearly useless 'move to top' function use something other than 'rank' is beyond me. Anyways, they did.
If you ever use 'move to top' or the newer 'iPhone style tap-and-move' even once and you will override any rank settings for that particular icon, and your results afterward making other rank changes are going to be unpredictable at best. I recommend never using the built-in function for moving icons, at least until Microsoft gets their act together. Stick to manual, reStart, or something similar that modifies rank in the registry.
...continued in Part 2