Pulldown Menus Misaligned

Greetings, All,

I am having a problem with my pulldown menus, and the nature of the problem
seems to make it impossible to search online or in any knowledgebases.

Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the menu is
flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu header. However, at
some point, my system changed and now when I click on the header, the right
side of the menu is flush right and aligned with the last letter of the
header.

I couldn't find a setting to do that in the Control Panel. Now, I did
install new drivers for my wacom table and a webcam, but I uninstalled them
and the problem remains (I have since reinstalled these drivers). It could be
that this happened before installing them and I just didn't notice because
menus are less prevalent in the OS and in Office 2007 with the Ribbon Bar.

To complicate matters, the menus are messed up in Outlook 2007 and Acrobat
Professional 8, but they work fine in the Device Manager pulldown menus, and
in a book cataloging program I use. The menus fail too in an old 16-bit word
processor I still use.

Oh, and when I went to uninstall the drivers in the Control Panel, I noticed
that my Office icons had been partially replaced: Instead of the colored
squares icon, some of them are now the Microsoft Office Picture Manager! How
the heck did that happen? I can't even change the icons back as far as I can
tell. Help with this would be appreciated too! If it helps, it's only the
"Get Started Tab" icons that were replaced. This appears only in Uninstall
section of the Control panel as far as I can tell.

I have no idea what's going on, and I hope someone here will recognize the
problem and point me to a solution. My system still works, but this is
driving me mad! :-)

I have Vista Ultimate running on P4, 3.4GHz, with 2GB of RAM.

Thank you for any ideas or help you can provide!

Regards,

Keith

=?Utf-8?B?c3lsdmF0aWN1cw==?= <>
wrote in news:19E7A5C6-FCA3-4419-AC31-:

> Greetings, All,
>
> I am having a problem with my pulldown menus, and the nature of
> the problem seems to make it impossible to search online or in any
> knowledgebases.
>
> Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the
> menu is flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu
> header. However, at some point, my system changed and now when I
> click on the header, the right side of the menu is flush right and
> aligned with the last letter of the header.
>
> I couldn't find a setting to do that in the Control Panel. Now, I
> did install new drivers for my wacom table and a webcam, but I
> uninstalled them and the problem remains (I have since reinstalled
> these drivers). It could be that this happened before installing
> them and I just didn't notice because menus are less prevalent in
> the OS and in Office 2007 with the Ribbon Bar.
>
> To complicate matters, the menus are messed up in Outlook 2007 and
> Acrobat Professional 8, but they work fine in the Device Manager
> pulldown menus, and in a book cataloging program I use. The menus
> fail too in an old 16-bit word processor I still use.
>
> Oh, and when I went to uninstall the drivers in the Control Panel,
> I noticed that my Office icons had been partially replaced:
> Instead of the colored squares icon, some of them are now the
> Microsoft Office Picture Manager! How the heck did that happen? I
> can't even change the icons back as far as I can tell. Help with
> this would be appreciated too! If it helps, it's only the "Get
> Started Tab" icons that were replaced. This appears only in
> Uninstall section of the Control panel as far as I can tell.
>
> I have no idea what's going on, and I hope someone here will
> recognize the problem and point me to a solution. My system still
> works, but this is driving me mad! :-)
>
> I have Vista Ultimate running on P4, 3.4GHz, with 2GB of RAM.
>
> Thank you for any ideas or help you can provide!
>
> Regards,
>
> Keith
>

I haven't a clue.........but you might give changing to Windows
Classic pulldowns and Menus a try then changing back. Just to see
if it resets anything.

It probably wont make any difference, but hey! it can't hurt.

--
Hope this helps

Dave

Dave,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sorry to report it did not help. Sigh....

Keith

"Dave Cox" wrote:

> =?Utf-8?B?c3lsdmF0aWN1cw==?= <>
> wrote in news:19E7A5C6-FCA3-4419-AC31-:
>
> > Greetings, All,
> >
> > I am having a problem with my pulldown menus, and the nature of
> > the problem seems to make it impossible to search online or in any
> > knowledgebases.
> >
> > Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the
> > menu is flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu
> > header. However, at some point, my system changed and now when I
> > click on the header, the right side of the menu is flush right and
> > aligned with the last letter of the header.
> >
> > I couldn't find a setting to do that in the Control Panel. Now, I
> > did install new drivers for my wacom table and a webcam, but I
> > uninstalled them and the problem remains (I have since reinstalled
> > these drivers). It could be that this happened before installing
> > them and I just didn't notice because menus are less prevalent in
> > the OS and in Office 2007 with the Ribbon Bar.
> >
> > To complicate matters, the menus are messed up in Outlook 2007 and
> > Acrobat Professional 8, but they work fine in the Device Manager
> > pulldown menus, and in a book cataloging program I use. The menus
> > fail too in an old 16-bit word processor I still use.
> >
> > Oh, and when I went to uninstall the drivers in the Control Panel,
> > I noticed that my Office icons had been partially replaced:
> > Instead of the colored squares icon, some of them are now the
> > Microsoft Office Picture Manager! How the heck did that happen? I
> > can't even change the icons back as far as I can tell. Help with
> > this would be appreciated too! If it helps, it's only the "Get
> > Started Tab" icons that were replaced. This appears only in
> > Uninstall section of the Control panel as far as I can tell.
> >
> > I have no idea what's going on, and I hope someone here will
> > recognize the problem and point me to a solution. My system still
> > works, but this is driving me mad! :-)
> >
> > I have Vista Ultimate running on P4, 3.4GHz, with 2GB of RAM.
> >
> > Thank you for any ideas or help you can provide!
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Keith
> >
>
> I haven't a clue.........but you might give changing to Windows
> Classic pulldowns and Menus a try then changing back. Just to see
> if it resets anything.
>
> It probably wont make any difference, but hey! it can't hurt.
>
> --
> Hope this helps
>
> Dave
>

In IE7, go to the tool bar >View>Encoding>Left-To-right document.
You will have the "black" dot beside "right-to-left".

"sylvaticus" wrote:

> Greetings, All,
>
> I am having a problem with my pulldown menus, and the nature of the problem
> seems to make it impossible to search online or in any knowledgebases.
>
> Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the menu is
> flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu header. However, at
> some point, my system changed and now when I click on the header, the right
> side of the menu is flush right and aligned with the last letter of the
> header.
>
> I couldn't find a setting to do that in the Control Panel. Now, I did
> install new drivers for my wacom table and a webcam, but I uninstalled them
> and the problem remains (I have since reinstalled these drivers). It could be
> that this happened before installing them and I just didn't notice because
> menus are less prevalent in the OS and in Office 2007 with the Ribbon Bar.
>
> To complicate matters, the menus are messed up in Outlook 2007 and Acrobat
> Professional 8, but they work fine in the Device Manager pulldown menus, and
> in a book cataloging program I use. The menus fail too in an old 16-bit word
> processor I still use.
>
> Oh, and when I went to uninstall the drivers in the Control Panel, I noticed
> that my Office icons had been partially replaced: Instead of the colored
> squares icon, some of them are now the Microsoft Office Picture Manager! How
> the heck did that happen? I can't even change the icons back as far as I can
> tell. Help with this would be appreciated too! If it helps, it's only the
> "Get Started Tab" icons that were replaced. This appears only in Uninstall
> section of the Control panel as far as I can tell.
>
> I have no idea what's going on, and I hope someone here will recognize the
> problem and point me to a solution. My system still works, but this is
> driving me mad! :-)
>
> I have Vista Ultimate running on P4, 3.4GHz, with 2GB of RAM.
>
> Thank you for any ideas or help you can provide!
>
> Regards,
>
> Keith

Thanks, Mick,

But the black dot is next to "left-to-right."

Keith

"Mick Murphy" wrote:

> In IE7, go to the tool bar >View>Encoding>Left-To-right document.
> You will have the "black" dot beside "right-to-left".
>
> "sylvaticus" wrote:
>
> > Greetings, All,
> >
> > I am having a problem with my pulldown menus, and the nature of the problem
> > seems to make it impossible to search online or in any knowledgebases.
> >
> > Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the menu is
> > flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu header. However, at
> > some point, my system changed and now when I click on the header, the right
> > side of the menu is flush right and aligned with the last letter of the
> > header.
> >
> > I couldn't find a setting to do that in the Control Panel. Now, I did
> > install new drivers for my wacom table and a webcam, but I uninstalled them
> > and the problem remains (I have since reinstalled these drivers). It could be
> > that this happened before installing them and I just didn't notice because
> > menus are less prevalent in the OS and in Office 2007 with the Ribbon Bar.
> >
> > To complicate matters, the menus are messed up in Outlook 2007 and Acrobat
> > Professional 8, but they work fine in the Device Manager pulldown menus, and
> > in a book cataloging program I use. The menus fail too in an old 16-bit word
> > processor I still use.
> >
> > Oh, and when I went to uninstall the drivers in the Control Panel, I noticed
> > that my Office icons had been partially replaced: Instead of the colored
> > squares icon, some of them are now the Microsoft Office Picture Manager! How
> > the heck did that happen? I can't even change the icons back as far as I can
> > tell. Help with this would be appreciated too! If it helps, it's only the
> > "Get Started Tab" icons that were replaced. This appears only in Uninstall
> > section of the Control panel as far as I can tell.
> >
> > I have no idea what's going on, and I hope someone here will recognize the
> > problem and point me to a solution. My system still works, but this is
> > driving me mad! :-)
> >
> > I have Vista Ultimate running on P4, 3.4GHz, with 2GB of RAM.
> >
> > Thank you for any ideas or help you can provide!
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Keith

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:14:02 -0700, sylvaticus

>Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the menu is
>flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu header. However, at
>some point, my system changed and now when I click on the header, the right
>side of the menu is flush right and aligned with the last letter of the
>header.

How strange! Maybe a regional "right-to-left text flow" setting?

I've seen this happen with Notepad for some reason, but never had to
tshoot it as closing and restarting Notrepad (or Windows) fixed it.



>------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
I'm on a ten-year lunch break
>------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -

Yeah, that was my first thought: that some setting was switched. I checked
those regional settings, and I can't find any that would create this
situation.

I wish I could figure this out!! (And I wish I were on a ten-year lunch
break!)

Keith

"cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)" wrote:

> On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:14:02 -0700, sylvaticus
>
> >Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of the menu is
> >flush left and aligned with the first letter of the menu header. However, at
> >some point, my system changed and now when I click on the header, the right
> >side of the menu is flush right and aligned with the last letter of the
> >header.
>
> How strange! Maybe a regional "right-to-left text flow" setting?
>
> I've seen this happen with Notepad for some reason, but never had to
> tshoot it as closing and restarting Notrepad (or Windows) fixed it.
>
>
>
> >------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
> I'm on a ten-year lunch break
> >------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
>

=?Utf-8?B?c3lsdmF0aWN1cw==?= <>
wrote in news:3DA7518C-3900-4DDC-ACEF-:

> Yeah, that was my first thought: that some setting was switched. I
> checked those regional settings, and I can't find any that would
> create this situation.
>
> I wish I could figure this out!! (And I wish I were on a ten-year
> lunch break!)
>
> Keith
>
> "cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)" wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:14:02 -0700, sylvaticus
>>
>> >Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of
>> >the menu is flush left and aligned with the first letter of the
>> >menu header. However, at some point, my system changed and now
>> >when I click on the header, the right side of the menu is flush
>> >right and aligned with the last letter of the header.
>>
>> How strange! Maybe a regional "right-to-left text flow" setting?
>>
>> I've seen this happen with Notepad for some reason, but never had
>> to tshoot it as closing and restarting Notrepad (or Windows)
>> fixed it.
>>
>>
>>
>> >------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
>> I'm on a ten-year lunch break
>> >------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
>>
>

Would it be possible to do a screen capture and post it? It might
jar something loose for us.

Also does it do it in every Menu drop down system wide or just a
select few?

Dave

I'm uncertain how to add a screenshot to this post. I mentioned a couple apps
in my original post where it's working and where it's not. If someone could
explain how to add the screen shots, I'll try to include them; visual is
usually easier! Thanks!

Keith

"Dave Cox" wrote:

> =?Utf-8?B?c3lsdmF0aWN1cw==?= <>
> wrote in news:3DA7518C-3900-4DDC-ACEF-:
>
> > Yeah, that was my first thought: that some setting was switched. I
> > checked those regional settings, and I can't find any that would
> > create this situation.
> >
> > I wish I could figure this out!! (And I wish I were on a ten-year
> > lunch break!)
> >
> > Keith
> >
> > "cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)" wrote:
> >
> >> On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:14:02 -0700, sylvaticus
> >>
> >> >Normally, when you click on a pulldown menu, the left side of
> >> >the menu is flush left and aligned with the first letter of the
> >> >menu header. However, at some point, my system changed and now
> >> >when I click on the header, the right side of the menu is flush
> >> >right and aligned with the last letter of the header.
> >>
> >> How strange! Maybe a regional "right-to-left text flow" setting?
> >>
> >> I've seen this happen with Notepad for some reason, but never had
> >> to tshoot it as closing and restarting Notrepad (or Windows)
> >> fixed it.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> >------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
> >> I'm on a ten-year lunch break
> >> >------------------------- ---- --- -- - - - -
> >>
> >
>
> Would it be possible to do a screen capture and post it? It might
> jar something loose for us.
>
> Also does it do it in every Menu drop down system wide or just a
> select few?
>
> Dave
>

I just got a new tablet with Vista, and found that I had the same
problem. I Google'd the issue, and all I could find was your post,
which unfortunately, seemed to never be resolved.

After clicking around for a couple minutes, I found an entirely
counter-intuitive fix for the misaligned menus problem: Open the Tablet
PC Settings module in the Control Panel, and change your Handedness to
Left-Handed. I'm a righty, and the menu misalignment really bothers me,
so I'd rather keep them where they belong by telling the system I'm a
lefty.

Menu alignment seems to be the only effect this setting has on the
system.

I recall that when I was first setting my new tablet, I thought it was
odd that Left-Handed was selected by default when the vast majority of
users will be right-handed. I changed it to right-handed, and didn't
notice the menu shift for some time.

I guess it's Microsoft's way of making right-handed people feel awkward
for a change.