Menu

GRAPHIC			TEXT
Size	Color1	Color2	Font	Size	Color	Bold	Italic
X	X		X	X	X	X	X

The Menu item in the Windows display control panel should be pretty straightforward but is actually quite muddled. The 'Size' option for the graphic increases the height of the Menu Bar (the bit that says File . Edit . View . Favorites). The 'Color1' option applied a background element, not always to the Menu Bar but usually the part of the menu that drops down beneath it (see the screenshot, left).

The text options (including Font Style, Size, and Color) apply to both the Menu Bar and the drop-down part of the menu.

These preferences apply to the Start Menu but not the Start Button or Task bar. The first part of the Start Menu ignores font style and size however, as these are set by 'Icon'. The submenus, such as 'All Programs', uses all the properties.

In newer versions of Microsoft software (which is supposed to be the most compliant) the menus only read the font sizes and not the colours.

If you want to ensure that your colour options apply to all menus then you shall need to use these settings with the '3D Objects' item preferences.

Message Box

GRAPHIC			TEXT
Size	Color1	Color2	Font	Size	Color	Bold	Italic
			X	X	X	X	X

Message boxes are the little windows that pop up, usually asking you a question or reporting an error. Although you can edit the properties for font style, size and colour; only the text colour option seems to be used by the rest of Windows.

The change in text colour affects Message Boxes such as the common 'Do you want to save your work'. It does not affect the colour of the OK / CANCEL / YES / NO text on the buttons on these message boxes as this is covered by the 3D Objects item.

The colour setting affects the colour of 'Window Text', i.e. most text that isn't either in a menu or on a button. Therefore most text in dialog boxes also follow this change in colour. For some reason the more recent Microsoft programs link their menu colour to the colour set here.

Most importantly the font colour affects the text that appears in word processors such as Microsoft Word. This effect is only seen on screen and the printed copy will remain black.

This text option also affects text in some funny other places such as on some Status Bars.

Very few programs actually the font face or size specified for this item. A noticeable exception is Paint Shop Pro which I use to make the screenshots on this page.

Palette Title

GRAPHIC			TEXT
Size	Color1	Color2	Font	Size	Color	Bold	Italic
X			X	X		X	X

These options allow you to change the appearance of the title bars that run along the top of palette windows. These are the small, rare window that appear almost entirely in graphic applications such as Photoshop.