Niko, you have no idea how much this helped me years ago to switch from Windows to Linux. It might be only a start menu layout, but for an ex-Windows user this was a bliss. I keep using it ever since, I love it. Thank you and it seems like fredcw is maintaining it now? Thank you to you too!

Thank you / Danke, Nico! Just read the announcement for the changes coming in LM 22.3 and am SO glad you're keeping up this spice. We've pretty much reached a plateau everywhere in terms of consumer computing, so it seems the designers, desperate to come up with something new, feel the need to switch elements around -- no matter if there's a reason for it or not. I just want to keep using my system the way I know it, without having to rewire my brain. So, thank you again!

transparent menus please.

Please! How do I update?

the best . update please.

Add search engine: Baidu https://www.baidu.com/s?wd=

Need height can be set. Disable Location Quick Launcher the height become to small.

Hey, I switched from Ubuntu MATE to LMDE 6. The Brisk Menu was one of the important things I thought I will miss. Until I found CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause (MATE mode). Big thanks to Niko Krause!!! Still, there are a few things I want to ask for. 1) Like @OrthodoxBG "Two columns of Favourites insted of one (the menu grows too high when all my Favourites are in one column) 2) Like @ACR-Jeff a way to customize Width - Height of the menu (window) like Cinnamon Menu. With ACR-Jeff's way I could customize the Width of Favourites (window) by changing min-width line #3345 this.favsBox.style = "min-height: 300px;min-width: 235px;"; 3) Plus a way to customize Height of the quicklauncher boxes (Places and Apps) as in MATE Brisk Menu. In CinnVIIStarkMenu Places and Apps for me are way too close to each other with a longer Favourites list although there's a separator between them. So, once again thank you very much for the applet! Maybe there's a chance to put these suggestions in menu settings

Thank you for creating this, its so beautiful

@fredcw Hello, Thank you for your wonderful work, this project helped me (newbie) tremendously getting used to Linux system! Would it be possible to make the Favorites menu on the left the same compact as SIDEBAR Quicklauncer applications? in the Stark-Menu layout? I would love to use more favorites but it takes a huge space almost does not fit my monitor. (I have tried to resize the favorites button size, did not help.) Please if you have time and patience implement this, thank you very much!:)

Don't know why but the german translation don't seems to work with LM 22.1 Quit button is called Quit and the menu isn't completly translated. Don't know why because the strings in de.po are there...

Hello, the quicklauncher on my current LM 22 seems still not customizable it does not crash but it does not add any app. In the other hand on a LM 22.1 _beta it works properly (?). Any explanation?

hello, the Quicklauncher places doesn't seem to be customizable. It crashed if I tried to add or edit entry. https://youtu.be/DHNEOnpKayI

Hi! Just received this error today: ================================================ info t=2024-01-22T12:41:55Z Cinnamon.AppSystem.get_default() started in 80 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z loading user theme: /home/tom/.themes/Windows-7-2.1/cinnamon/cinnamon.css info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z added icon directory: /home/tom/.themes/Windows-7-2.1/cinnamon info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z loaded at Mon Jan 22 2024 12:41:56 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time) info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z ExtensionSystem started in 0 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z DeskletManager started in 0 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z SearchProviderManager started in 0 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Role locked: tray info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet systray@cinnamon.org in 11 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet removable-drives@cinnamon.org in 20 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet user@cinnamon.org in 28 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Role locked: notifications info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet notifications@cinnamon.org in 18 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet printers@cinnamon.org in 15 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet calendar@cinnamon.org in 23 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet keyboard@cinnamon.org in 12 ms warning t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Failed to add launcher from path: cinnamon-custom-launcher-14.desktop warning t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Failed to add launcher from path: cinnamon-custom-launcher-27.desktop info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Role locked: panellauncher info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet panel-launchers@cinnamon.org in 123 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet power@cinnamon.org in 6 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Role locked: windowattentionhandler info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org in 18 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet grouped-window-list@cinnamon.org in 0 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet sound@cinnamon.org in 18 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Loaded applet network@cinnamon.org in 15 ms error t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z [CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause]: Util.each is not a function [CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause]: Failed to evaluate 'main' function on applet: CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/15 trace t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z <---------------- _refreshApps@/home/tom/.local/share/cinnamon/applets/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/4.2/applet.js:3344:14 _doRefresh@/home/tom/.local/share/cinnamon/applets/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/4.2/applet.js:2036:18 CinnamonMenuApplet@/home/tom/.local/share/cinnamon/applets/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/4.2/applet.js:1998:14 main@/home/tom/.local/share/cinnamon/applets/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/4.2/applet.js:4039:12 createApplet@/usr/share/cinnamon/js/ui/appletManager.js:597:25 addAppletToPanels@/usr/share/cinnamon/js/ui/appletManager.js:372:34 finishExtensionLoad@/usr/share/cinnamon/js/ui/appletManager.js:98:14 _init/<@/usr/share/cinnamon/js/ui/extension.js:286:32 ----------------> error t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z [CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause]: Applet CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause: Could not create applet object. [CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause]: Error importing applet.js from CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause trace t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z <---------------- _init/<@/usr/share/cinnamon/js/ui/extension.js:287:23 ----------------> info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z AppletManager started in 550 ms info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Cinnamon took 774 ms to start info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Hiding systray: network info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z Adding systray: autokey (16x16px) info t=2024-01-22T12:41:56Z GPU offload supported: false info t=2024-01-22T12:41:58Z Adding systray: dnfdragora-updater (1x1px) info t=2024-01-22T12:41:58Z Adding systray: dnfdragora-updater (1x1px) ================================================ I believe there was a Cinnamon update yesterday... My System: Fedora 38 Workstation Kernel: 6.6.12-100.fc38.x86_64 Please Help! I can't function without your start menu applet! Thanks!

Мне не нравится что после раскрытия "все программы" (all programs) меню меняет размеры и становиться шире. Я понимаю что это связано с названиями программ, но можно как то зафиксировать ширину? Ещё и "отступ" слева большой

Dear Nicko, thank you for the support. Now and is really now, the applets works as beautiful as it is. Great!

I have a few suggestions for improvement: when you go to the all programs button, the start menu gets longer and looks broken, do it like windows, when you click on all programs, just show all the apps in a list instead of the favorites without categories . then the start menu just looks cleaner. Another possibility would be a list as described that is designed in such a way that there are already categories, but these are used as a drop-down menu. However, I think it would be great if, depending on which configuration you want, if you could choose in the applet settings whether the programs should be displayed one below the other in the all programs menu, as tiles like in Windows 10 or as dropdown categories. (Incidentally, I only use the "STARK-MENU", so this suggestion for improvement relates to the "STARK-MENU".)

I'm sorry, but I can't make the font as large in your applet as in the whole system. On the screenshot, you can see how they differ: https://i.imgur.com/7TYPg9g.png

Dear Niko ! Thank you for the update. Now it works like a charm. I like this Menu, Great Job.

I have been using Linux Mint with MATE desktop since 2015, when I migrated to Linux from Windows XP. I like MATE for many reasons. However, a couple of months ago I replaced my favourite DE with Cinnamon. While Cinnamon undoubtedly surpasses MATE in many ways, it also has some flaws, the main one for me being the system menu. MATE menu is more convenirent, that's why I replaced Cinnamon menu with CinnVIIStarkMenu (MATE mode). I still miss three features of the original MATE menu. 1. The option to open the menu with Favourites or All Programs displayed (Favourites is my choice). 2. Launching the selected app by hitting the Enter key (now it can be done only by clicking the app name with the mouse). 3. Two columns of Favourites insted of one (the menu grows too high when all my Favourites are in one column).

I don't know if this is just me, but I notice when I look through the all apps menu there is a weird visual bug where a random white shape flickers on the menu. This only happens in the CinnVIIStarkMenu when looking through all applications.

I really miss the list of recently used apps…

Is there a way to make the search function also allow you to look into the system files the way windows does too?

Awesome project! The only thing that I really felt was missing was a Recent Apps list under the pinned ones in the left column, as is present in Windows 5 through 7. TYL for the spice!

This applet is amazing! I just discovered it and I can highly recommend it for anyone who wants a simple, ordered and efficient start menu. As far as I can see it is maintained by a single user ('NikoKrause'). I do wish the source code for this applet contained more comments (in case official development is stopped it would make development by another user easier). I plan to use this applet as my main start menu from now on and would be gutted if development would stop at some point in the future. Keep up the good work!

very good

Is there still any life in this project??

I love this menu! I use it from the first day i had Linux! But i have a question. In windows you have an animated icon when you click or hover over the menu. Is it possible to create this on your menu? I have 2 icons already.. one for static, one if hovering over.

In cinnamon if I right-click on an app icon in the panel, and select Edit, and edit the name, for example, and click Ok, this does not seem to update any of my .desktop files that I can find. Can you shed any light on this? Thanks!

How is the best way to update the menu after edits occur to my .desktop and .menu files? I can restart Cinnamon, but wondering if there is another, faster way.

Is it possible to edit the starkmenu-icon in the taskbar? Maybe i'm blind (or dumb) but i can't find any way to change. thx

I too am looking for a layout that more closely resembles XP start menu.

I love this menu. There is only one thing I am getting frustrated with. There is no way to customize the menu that I am aware of as far as Width - Height. It would be nice if we could customize it to fit our screens properly. I customized the side menu to only have the items I need/want and now the whole menu height is far to small. This has been an issue for a long time.

It would be nice, an option to change the size of the custom menu icon, as in the Cinnamon menu.

Another thing about reproducing the XP menu: as far as I can tell, the last step would be to have a third layout: https://imgur.com/TmVKXk8 Where favorite programs are red, shortcuts (pictures, downloads, settings) are green, the user account info is dark yellow and the session buttons are blue

I have a request. I want to get rid of the sidebar on the left when you go into all applications and just show the list only. https://i.imgur.com/QR36cW4.png I have it circled what I want to get rid of. How can I modify CinnVIIStarkMenu to make this happen? I have a feeling it's just one line or two I have to modify to do t his.

really good menu. so far no issues on linux mint 20.1

is a REALLY good menu.

God, help me..i'm blind! I think i've clicked in every link in this page, scrolled in every direction, and i can't find the changelog for the 13/12/2020 update. I mean, i click "open" in changelog section, i see the credits, the languages bla bla, and i can't see where do i click to see what's changed! I gave up and updated anyway, but i hate to update blindly. can anyone help?

I would like to remove the Lock Screen/Logout/Quit buttons I have my own restart(reboot) and Shutdown(poweroff) buttons in Favorites I have looked around in the .js file but not being a coder not sure exactly what to comment out - can you point me in the right direction. THX

Web search has been added to CinnVIIStarkMenu version 1.31 (in Cinnamon version 4.2+).

It works in Mint 20 Cinnamon 4.6.7

I've been trying to recreate the look of the Windows XP start menu. I took some screenshots and thought you might find them useful. Maybe it's not in your scope, but in case you want this applet to be able to look like XP, there are a few differences (I used the b00merang XP theme). https://imgur.com/Tu31kkT.png I don't know if it's the theme or the applet that would need to make some adjustments. These would be: less padding between programs, user picture and name in top margin, power buttons in bottom margin (I'll look into these in my free time :P). Maybe separate favorite programs and frequently used programs. It's almost pixel perfect for Vista and 7 themes though.

I honestly miss most of Cinnamenu's features such as fuzzy search, web search, and the built-in calculator. To me, in the long term, it would be nice to see these two applets merged. Regarding your plans to simplify the settings menu, maybe make some of the settings collapsible?

I've updated this applet to version 1.29. The main change in this version is a significantly improved search function (in Cinnamon versions 4.2+). Furthermore I started a poll to find out which settings of the applet are used a lot and which are don't used at all or which are barely used. This will help me to improve the applet. You find the survey on GitHub: https://github.com/linuxmint/cinnamon-spices-applets/issues/3249 Thanks for your feedback in advance.

Where does this menu store the menu items? I hope it's NOT in dconf, which file/folder?

Just tested 1.23 in Cinnamon 4.6.2, and it is working great. Whatever version I had installed before my latest Cinnamon upgrade was crashing, but this works as expected.

Given the alternatives, this is the best we got

Easy to use, highly customizable and really good looking, I love it! You did a great job, thanks for sharing it with us!

I've updated the applet to version 1.19. Hope it works better now.

Why isn't this page being updated? Why is the built-in applets manager still stuck with an very outdated and incompatible version? There is constant development and updates on the GitHub project, yet the maintainer makes no updates or announcements on here anymore. Yes, I know you can manually download the tarball from the project page and change a few lines with a text editor on a specific .json file, but that should never be expected of a desktop user. Applet updates should be seamless and integrated.

Thanks for this... really love it. A couple questions - is there a way to change the Quit menu icons? They don't match my theme and I think it would be slick to look more like symbolic icons. Second, is there a way to have the view always default to "All Programs"? I don't really use favorites as they are on my panel. Finally, how about a way to reduce the amount of white space? For example there is a lot of empty space between menu items and a big empty space to the right of the search box. Thanks again.

Sorry wrong link -- that was MY fork; the original location is... https://github.com/linuxmint/cinnamon-spices-applets/blob/master/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/files/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/metadata.json ...but the point is the same. The download link (and I should clarify that I mean the one HERE on Cinnamon Spices) is older.

As you can see here... https://github.com/ssepan2/cinnamon-spices-applets/blob/master/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/files/CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause/metadata.json ... @kavalanche added the fix 2 days ago. However, it's not in the download link yet.

I'll also echo @bassistguy's comment about the Download link -- I pulled the version in that link before doing my edit and found that although the .json file did have 4.2, it did NOT have 4.4.

I've just upgraded to Linux Mint Cinnamon 19.3 Tricia (Cinnamon v4.4.5). Although the upgrade warned about the applet and no longer loaded it, following the advice by @bassistguy below, by downloading the latest, copying to the folder indicated, and adding "4.4" to the cinnamon-version line, as in ... "cinnamon-version": ["2.6","2.8","3.0","3.2","3.4","3.6","3.8","4.0","4.2","4.4"] ...allows the menu to load in Mint 19.3.

Why it don't work with Mint 19.2??? So much time has passed

I've installed Linux Mint 19.2 MATE and try to install this including the workaround, but i cant choose this "applet"... Is it possible to use this applet in Linux Mint 19.2 MATE? I've used this Menu in Linux Mint 18.2 MATE and it works fine but i don't remember how i have it installed. Is there a difference between Cinnamon and MATE?

PLEASE NOTE: Before you try the workaround I posted, if you already attempted to download this menu via the "Add applet to panel" dialog, make sure to REMOVE it from the "Manage" tab first before attempting my workaround!! Just highlight CinnVIIStarkMenu and choose X at the bottom. Then start on the workaround below.

*Workaround for Mint 19.2, Cinnamon 4.2.x* It looks like NikoKrause already updated this menu for Cinnamon 4.2.x, but didn't point the Download link on this page to the update. To use this with Mint 19.2, do the following: 1. Download the applet (Orange Download link at the top of this page) 2. Extract the ZIP file and move the extracted directory to ~/.local/share/cinnamon/applets 3. Edit the metadata.json file with a text editor 4. REPLACE the last line with the following and save the file: "cinnamon-version": ["2.6","2.8","3.0","3.2","3.4","3.6","3.8","4.0","4.2"] 5. Right-click on your panel and choose "Add applets to the panel" 6. You should now see the new, updated "CinnVIIStarkMenu" as an option 7. Choose it, and enjoy the best Cinnamon menu available :)

My 19.2 upgraded looking glass reports error t=2019-08-12T12:54:54Z [CinnVIIStarkMenu@NikoKrause]: Extension is not compatible with current Cinnamon version

Hi Niko. Please update the StarkMenu application! This the best menu! I really like this and I'm wery sad, because not work in Linux Mint 19.2 :-(

This is the best menu for any desktop, any distro, and operating system, Windows, Mac, or Linux. Nothing else comes close. An update for Cinnamon 4.2.3 (Linux Mint 19.2, Manjaro, and others) is super important, and we are ever so grateful! Thank you for your amazing efforts and applet!

Please update for Cinnamon 4.2.3 installed with Linux Mint 19.2 ! I only like this menu for linux !

would love this to support 19.2

Please update it its the best menu for cinnamon....

I'm assuming there will be an update for Linux Mint 19.2 (Cinnamon)? When I attempt to install this menu, there is a message stating it's not compatible.

Best menu ever, love it. But is there any way to make it reset to show Favorites each time it opens rather than showing the previous view? Would be great if this could be configured.

Sorry to be a pain, but there's just now been a Cinnamon update - on the Mint alpha channel, anyway (see https://github.com/linuxmint/alpha-testing) - and Cinnamon now reports the applet as incompatible. $ cinnamon --version Cinnamon 4.2.0

Hi there, I want to say that I use Cinnamon primarily for the StarkMenu which is in my opinion the best applications menu available as compared with anyone in any desktop environment. It is so great that I think it should be available by default in Cinnamon. Thank you so very much for the great work you have done and please keep up the wonderful work.

I have a problem, when I try to assign a new direct access in applications, and I will open the panel for the order, application name, and the icon, when I click on the icon I can not choose an icon and it is blocked, I have to kill the process since I can not cancel. Thank you for your help and this is incredible!

Awesome cinnamon menu. But is that possible bring back the menu to favorite app after search app. Because after search app, the menu cannot back to favorite menu, still on all program menu. Thanks

Used this when moving my family's laptop to Mint. No problems so far. :) Any hope for a Mate applet of the menu? Would love to use it on a lighter desktop environment.

I like this applet so much that I use it twice - on two panels! It's a shame that once I've configured one I have to configure the other (as against there being some way of copying the configuration). Also, I find that typing into the button for the 'quit' text is extremely slow - on a very fast laptop. It takes more than five seconds for some of the letters to show up.

My favorite Cinnamon menu by far. Great work! Thanks.

Now working with Cinnamon 4.0! Thank you a lot.

The update for CinnVIIStarkMenu it's ok for me(Manjaro cinnamon4). Thanks ;)

HI, i like it but don't work with cinnamon 4

What a beautifil thing.

Clicking on "configure" does nothing. Version 1.1.7 Debian Sid

The following Message appears if Mouse is clicked/kept on extreme lower left corner near @ Menu of CinnVIIStarkMenu (I am using "Hot Corners" Applet to Run a Command on lower left corner): Execution of " failed: Text was empty (or contained whitespace) This message should not be triggered if there is nothing to execute in the "Hot Corners" settings... Similarly anything that has spaces in parameters should be handled without triggering this message. All else is working perfectly... Keep up the good work !!! I am using version 2017-11-16

I find that an option is missing to enable or disable tooltips in programs navigation. with this extra option, the applet would be perfect :)

Awesome !

Great applet. Thanks.

Can't wait for the 3.6 version. Just got upgraded from 3.4.2 to 3.6.0 and sadly it doesn't work now.

This is a great applet. I however have one suggestion: it would be nice that if one select All Programs, whether you start an app or close the menu, re-opening the menu should be back with favorites. Or maybe at least make it configurable.

This fine applet seems to be having problems on my Mint 18.2 Cinnamon system. For details, please see the bug report here: https://github.com/linuxmint/Cinnamon/issues/6739#issuecomment-31871833

Work with Mint 17.1, very good. Thanks.

Very nice. Polished. Good work. Thank you.

Thank you for this menu. Do you plan on adding win10-like menu layout? Would love that applet even more. Thanks again :).

No it hasn't. If you are looking for a menu applet with fuzzy search, try the Sane Menu by nooulaif: https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/applets/view/258

Does this have fuzzy search?

To solve the 'Super-R' issue opening the wrong menu, you have to restart Cinnamon ! (Alt+f2 then type r and enter).

I like this menu a lot, but when I press the the 'Super-R' button, it still opens the default menu and not this one, even if the default menu applet isn't activated. Any idea on how to solve this ?

A lot to like with this menu, but for me there are a couple of deal breakers that stop it being my first choice of alternative to the stock menu. I don't like that the menu doesn't maintain a consistent width moving through program categories and it suffers some issues with brief text corruption scrolling trough program categories on my system. Stock menu does the same, but there are other choices on Spices that don't.