Improvements for Win11 context menu

[oldsadowl]

I like new context menu in Windows 11. I DONT't want to go back to the previous one (Win10 style), BUT there are some options that in my opinion would be very useful to implement. And, like me, I think many, many users. My suggestions:

1. The ability to transfer an entry from the main part to the one that is revealed by clicking on "Show more options" and viveversa.

2. Possibility to hide some entries.

3. If all this were too difficult, at least the possibility of accessing the "Show more option" part just with mouse over function, not clicking.

I'm sure that such a major modification to the standard context menu would be highly desired and well paid if it actually worked. Would you like to try making it? 

Hoping that you will take into consideration at least one of these suggestions, I wish you kind regards.

[RubicBG]

in short: Win11 "modern" context menu is built with xaml elements, the "legacy" ones (Show more options) - with shell components. NS can "edit" only shell components. Transferring commands from "modern" to "legacy" context menu - not possible

about 1. - it is possible with registry settings to recreated "modern" commands into "legacy" context menu - i already try some, but not all works like in the "modern" context menu, some of them crash explorer.exe. Not a good idea. I can provide more information about a specific command if you want.

about 2. - NS already can already remove objects from "legacy" context menu
remove(find = 'command_or_menu_title_here' )

about 3. - Not possible. "Show more option" is part of "modern" context menu - can not edit xaml elements with NS

[oldsadowl]

First of all thanks a lot for your answer.
Please excuse my ignorance, I'm an old guy who used DOS and config.sys, what is NS? and how can use it as you say in point 2?
So no hope of being able to have what I asked for? Why did those damn programmers at Microsoft create this hybrid?

[RubicBG]

NS = Nilesoft Shell - the app
open a nss file and add the line remove(find = 'command_or_menu_title_here'), change command_or_menu_title_here, save the file and reload the app with ctrl+shift+right-click

[oldsadowl]

Thanks a lot for your kind response.
Unfortunately, as far as I understand, NS replaces the Windows menu, while I wanted to keep it and just remove some entries.
Once upon a time it existed here (https://www.moo0.com/software/RightClicker/) a program that was simply awesome. It actually exists and still works, but only on the part "show more options", Unfortunately it is no longer developed. Once you try it, you will never go back. If it could fit the main part it would be ideal.
We can only hope for Microsoft, but that's like hoping for UFOs.
Thanks anyway

[RubicBG]

NS is the first program of its kind that DOES NOT REPLACE commands or menus - that's its strength. Moo0 RightClicker replaces basic commands with its own improved ones and all app commands can be managed from the configuration panel - I used it once too :)

But from what you wrote I guess you are missing a certain information - "Before" there was only one context menu, Now in Windows 11 there are two - don't take them for the same thing. The new one appears as the main one, the old one, which has always existed, becomes secondary - from the main menu redirects you to the secondary via "Show more options". Both programs - NS and Moo0 RightClicker can only edit/mange/modify the secondary one - by default NS stops the new context menu so that only the secondary one can be used, You can also achieve this for Moo0 RightClicker - use this:
https://www.sordum.org/14479/windows-11-classic-context-menu-v1-2/
(some info about why NS works only with secondary context menu #698 (comment))

But I personally would never go back to using Moo0 RightClicker Pro. It is true that NS does not have a GUI panel with which to easily make changes, but the difference between the two programs is huge - even Pro version of Moo0 RightClicker has less than 1% of the features that NS offers. The choice is yours.

If you want step-by-step help removing commands/menus with NS - take a screenshot to see what you have, mark on the screenshot what you want to remove or describe in detail

[oldsadowl]

Thank you for your clear answer. You are very kind.
I would ask you just one last thing.
You say "...by default NS stops the new context menu so that only the secondary one can be used", is there a way to use NS without blocking/stopping the new context menu? I mean leaving it unchanged and having changes on the old/extended part.

About items to remove, unfortunately I wanted to get rid of the entry “Compress to...” that I will never use (using 7-zip) and just can't stand. But it is on main, so it seems that this is impossible. Thanks anyway.

[RubicBG]

yes: #698 (comment)

removing Compress to... menu - not possible - Microsoft force you using it

[oldsadowl]

I'm still here with a couple of questions to take advantage of your kindness and helpfulness. Sorry, I'm a little slow on the uptake.
In your previous post you say that "NS...DOES NOT REPLACE commands or menus". I tried it and It seems to me that he does it instead.
Let me explain. The Win11 "modern" context menu disappeared and NS simply acts like when you press the shift key and the right mouse button together. No more "modern" part with icons cut, copy, rename, etc. And this regardless of whether I set"priority=1" or =0 in shell.nss.

Just other thing. All these types of programs like NS or Moo0 are able to modify legacy context menu, not modern, then how do programs like NanaZip, WinRar, Winmerge fit into the "modern" part?

Thanks really a lot in advance

[RubicBG]

I'm not sure if you did everything right - this is how the end result should be:

20250625-1242-42.1633061.mp4

I made a menu to easily switch from one state to the other.
https://github.com/RubicBG/Nilesoft-Shell-Snippets/blob/main/ext.nilesoft/nss.mode.md

and about "NS...DOES NOT REPLACE commands or menus":

Here's the book comparison:

Nilesoft Shell = Complete book editing

You can tear out entire pages
Add brand new pages wherever you want
Change the title and cover
Edit individual lines or even single words
Basically rewrite the whole book however you like

Other context menu apps (like Moo0 RightClicker) = Limited book changes

You can add bookmarks or sticky notes
Maybe change the cover or title
But you CAN'T edit the actual text inside
You CAN'T remove pages from the original book
The original content stays there - you're just adding things on top

So with Nilesoft Shell, you're like an editor who can completely rewrite the book. With other apps, you're more like a reader who can only add notes and bookmarks to an existing book.

or

How it's different from other context menu apps:

Nilesoft Shell = Complete makeover

• Works like a "skin" that covers the entire context menu
• You can edit every single part: menu items, submenus, separators, everything
• You're redesigning the whole menu from scratch

Other apps (like Moo0 RightClicker) = Additions only

• They add new items on top of the existing menu
• The original Windows menu items stay there (maybe hidden, but still there)
• They make things look nicer with images and tooltips, but don't change the core structure

Simple analogy: Other apps are like putting stickers on your car - you're decorating what's already there. Nilesoft Shell is like getting a complete custom paint job - you're changing the whole appearance.

about the other apps in win 11 menu - too complicated to explain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfBQm-FY-2I

[oldsadowl]

Thank you so much, you're really kind.
I probably didn't do what I should have done because I only see the "legacy" menu, however I'm doing some tests and I'm getting passionate about NS.
I learned to remove items that I was not interested in and to do other tests.
Anyway you convinced me. I agree with you that NS is really very powerful. Unfortunately to take full advantage of it you have to be much less clumsy than I am. And it doesn't help that all the tutorials are in English, which is not my native language.

I got what you showed in the video, but in Hybrid mode the "modern" part looks different to me than the one shown in the original Windows version. Am I wrong?

I wanted to ask you another couple of things:
1- I would like to remove items only from the Desktop context menu. Is it possible to do it? And how? In this case, some entries added by Winmerge, which are very useful on files and folders, but on the desktop context just don't make sense.
2- Can icons be added to menu items that are not created by NS, but are already present? How?

Thanks really a lot in advance for all your help

[RubicBG]

• it is the same "modern" context menu
• "remove items only from the Desktop"

remove(type='desktop' find='the_command_name_here')

• change system item icon:

modify(find='the_command_name_here' image=\uE001)

https://nilesoft.org/docs/configuration/properties#image
https://nilesoft.org/glyphs

[oldsadowl]

Thanks again.
I had managed to remove the entries from the desktop, but, after adding icons to the ones I wanted, the removed entries strangely reappeared and I can no longer remove them.
I created and imported 2 personal nss that I called "remove" and "icons".
All the removed voices are there again

[RubicBG]

there is mistake - the correct one: `image='c:\ ... ' (without \)
when something is happen like this open shell.log in editor - there will be line where the error is - file / line / column

[oldsadowl]

Corrected, but icons were ok.
Removed items were are still there, even on file and directories, not only desktop.
I registered again Shell and now all seems correct.
Please, last thing (for now :-)
If I wanted to embed the contents of "terminal.nss" so that it appears as a menu in goto.nss, how would I do it?

Ok, I have really taken advantage of your kindness too much today. I thank you again so much and I wish you a good evening.

[oldsadowl]

I just wanted to tell you that I managed to do what I asked you to do on my own, so you don't have to bother with me anymore.
Actually, copilot helped me, anyway I managed to do it. I really thank you again for everything, also for having made me discover NS that I had initially underestimated.
Forgive me if in the future I'll ask you for a little help again for something that copilot and I will not be able to do :-)
Have a nice day

[oldsadowl]

@RubicBG
I'm back again, please bear me. Using NS I try to adapt it more and more to my needs, but I often find it difficult. I wanted to ask you:
Is it possible to group in a menu items not inserted by NS, but by other programs or already present in the original menu?
I am attaching an image indicating the items that I would like to group in a menu, called for example "Aggiungi".
Thanks a lot as always for your help and patience

[RubicBG]

create an empty menu first
menu(title='here_menu_title') { }
then move the items started with Aggiungi
modify(find='Aggiungi*' menu='here_menu_title')

[oldsadowl]

@RubicBG
I tried your nss.mode.nss again. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it only works on the desktop, where I can find the entry "Show more options". If I click elsewhere, like on a directory or file in Explorer no "Show more options" entry is available and only the NS menu is visible.

[RubicBG]

can not help - тhe information you provide is not sufficient

[oldsadowl]

Hallo RubicBG, and thanks as always for your help.
I managed to build the menu with the items I wanted :-)

For the missing information I can upload a video file showing what happens when I am in Hybid Mode.
As you can see, if I'm on desktop and right click on it, the modern menu (with Show more options) appears.

example.mp4

Same thing happens if I right click on a folder or file that are on the desktop and clicking on Show more options I can see the NS menu.
If I open Explorer Instead and right click on a file or folder, only the NS menu appears.
I hope I was clear enough. If you need any further information, don't hesitate to ask me.

[RubicBG]

I've been trying to create the same unwanted effect to see where the problem might be, but I have no idea how it's happening