feat(start-menu): redesign as window-based panel with StartMenuOptions

Replace portal-based StartMenuControl with a borderless Window built via
WindowBuilder. Add Window.CloseOnDeactivate, Window.ShowInTaskbar,
Window.CanClose (rename misleading TryClose). Extract StartMenuOptions
record from StatusBarOptions for cleaner configuration. Add configurable
app name, version, header icon, gradient background, and icon visibility.

Author: nickprotop

Examples/DemoApp/DemoWindows/VideoDemoWindow.cs

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public static Window Create(ConsoleWindowSystem ws)
                         filePath = samplePath;
                     else
                     {
-                        ws.EnqueueOnUIThread(() => win.TryClose(force: true));
+                        ws.EnqueueOnUIThread(() => win.Close(force: true));
                         return;
                     }
                 }

Examples/StartMenuDemo/Program.cs

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static async Task<int> Main(string[] args)
 					ShowStartButton: true,
 					StartButtonLocation: StatusBarLocation.Bottom,
 					StartButtonPosition: StartButtonPosition.Left,
-					ShowWindowListInMenu: true
+					StartMenu: new StartMenuOptions(ShowWindowList: true)
 				)
 			);
 

SharpConsoleUI/Builders/WindowBuilder.cs

@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ public sealed class WindowBuilder
     private readonly List<IWindowControl> _controls = new();
     private Window.WindowThreadDelegateAsync? _asyncWindowThread;
     private bool _alwaysOnTop = false;
+    private bool _showInTaskbar = true;
+    private bool _closeOnDeactivate = false;
     private EventHandler? _activatedHandler;
     private EventHandler? _deactivatedHandler;
     private EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs>? _keyPressedHandler;
@@ -543,6 +545,30 @@ public WindowBuilder WithAlwaysOnTop(bool alwaysOnTop = true)
         return this;
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Sets whether this window appears in the taskbar and window lists.
+    /// Defaults to true. Set to false for transient UI like start menus and popups.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="show">True to show in taskbar; false to hide.</param>
+    /// <returns>The current builder instance for method chaining.</returns>
+    public WindowBuilder ShowInTaskbar(bool show = true)
+    {
+        _showInTaskbar = show;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Sets whether this window automatically closes when deactivated.
+    /// Used for transient UI like start menus and popup panels.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="close">True to close on deactivate; false otherwise.</param>
+    /// <returns>The current builder instance for method chaining.</returns>
+    public WindowBuilder WithCloseOnDeactivate(bool close = true)
+    {
+        _closeOnDeactivate = close;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Subscribes a handler to the window's Activated event, which is raised when the window becomes the active window.
     /// </summary>
@@ -694,6 +720,8 @@ public Window Build()
         window.IsMinimizable = _isMinimizable;
         window.IsMaximizable = _isMaximizable;
         window.AlwaysOnTop = _alwaysOnTop;
+        window.ShowInTaskbar = _showInTaskbar;
+        window.CloseOnDeactivate = _closeOnDeactivate;
         window.BorderStyle = _borderStyle;
         window.ShowTitle = _showTitle;
         window.ShowCloseButton = _showCloseButton;

SharpConsoleUI/Configuration/ControlDefaults.cs

@@ -747,5 +747,49 @@ public static class ControlDefaults
 		/// </summary>
 		public const char SliderVerticalBottomCap = '\u2500';
 
+		// Start menu defaults
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Minimum width of the left column in the Start menu two-column layout (default: 22).
+		/// </summary>
+		public const int StartMenuMinLeftColumnWidth = 22;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Maximum width of the left column in the Start menu two-column layout (default: 35).
+		/// </summary>
+		public const int StartMenuMaxLeftColumnWidth = 35;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Minimum width of the right column in the Start menu two-column layout (default: 20).
+		/// </summary>
+		public const int StartMenuMinRightColumnWidth = 24;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Maximum width of the right column in the Start menu two-column layout (default: 40).
+		/// </summary>
+		public const int StartMenuMaxRightColumnWidth = 40;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Maximum number of windows visible in the Start menu window list (default: 15).
+		/// </summary>
+		public const int StartMenuMaxVisibleWindows = 15;
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Icon prefix for the exit action in the Start menu.
+		/// U+23FB: Power Symbol — rendered via MarkupParser for correct width handling.
+		/// </summary>
+		public const string StartMenuExitIcon = "\u23FB";
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Active window indicator in the Start menu window list.
+		/// U+25C6: Black Diamond — rendered via MarkupParser for correct width handling.
+		/// </summary>
+		public const string StartMenuActiveWindowIndicator = "\u25C6";
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Minimized window indicator in the Start menu window list.
+		/// U+25C7: White Diamond — rendered via MarkupParser for correct width handling.
+		/// </summary>
+		public const string StartMenuMinimizedWindowIndicator = "\u25C7";
 	}
 }

SharpConsoleUI/Configuration/StartMenuLayout.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+namespace SharpConsoleUI.Configuration;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Specifies the layout mode for the Start menu panel.
+/// </summary>
+public enum StartMenuLayout
+{
+	/// <summary>Single-column compact layout with categories as flyout submenus.</summary>
+	SingleColumn,
+	/// <summary>Two-column layout with quick actions (left) and window list (right).</summary>
+	TwoColumn
+}

SharpConsoleUI/Configuration/StartMenuOptions.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+using SharpConsoleUI.Rendering;
+
+namespace SharpConsoleUI.Configuration;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Configuration options for Start menu appearance and behavior.
+/// </summary>
+public record StartMenuOptions(
+	/// <summary>Layout mode: SingleColumn (compact) or TwoColumn (with window list).</summary>
+	StartMenuLayout Layout = StartMenuLayout.TwoColumn,
+
+	/// <summary>Application name shown in the Start menu header. Defaults to "SharpConsoleUI".</summary>
+	string? AppName = null,
+
+	/// <summary>Application version shown in the Start menu header. Defaults to library version.</summary>
+	string? AppVersion = null,
+
+	/// <summary>Whether to show Unicode icons next to categories, headers, and exit.</summary>
+	bool ShowIcons = true,
+
+	/// <summary>Icon displayed next to the app name in the header. Defaults to "☰" (U+2630).</summary>
+	string HeaderIcon = "\u2630",
+
+	/// <summary>Show built-in System category (themes, settings, about, performance).</summary>
+	bool ShowSystemCategory = true,
+
+	/// <summary>Show Windows category with open window list.</summary>
+	bool ShowWindowList = true,
+
+	/// <summary>Optional gradient background for the Start menu window.</summary>
+	GradientBackground? BackgroundGradient = null
+);

SharpConsoleUI/Configuration/StatusBarOptions.cs

@@ -9,21 +9,23 @@ public record StatusBarOptions(
     StatusBarLocation StartButtonLocation = StatusBarLocation.Bottom,
     StartButtonPosition StartButtonPosition = StartButtonPosition.Left,
     string StartButtonText = "☰ Start",
-    // Note: Ctrl+M doesn't work in terminals (interpreted as Enter/CR)
-    // Using Ctrl+Spacebar as default which works reliably
     ConsoleKey StartMenuShortcutKey = ConsoleKey.Spacebar,
     ConsoleModifiers StartMenuShortcutModifiers = ConsoleModifiers.Control,
 
-    // Start menu content
-    bool ShowSystemMenuCategory = true,
-    bool ShowWindowListInMenu = true,
+    // Start menu options
+    StartMenuOptions? StartMenu = null,
 
-    // Status bar text (existing functionality)
+    // Status bar display
     bool ShowTopStatus = true,
     bool ShowBottomStatus = true,
     bool ShowTaskBar = true
 )
 {
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the resolved Start menu configuration (uses defaults if not explicitly set).
+    /// </summary>
+    public StartMenuOptions StartMenuConfig => StartMenu ?? new StartMenuOptions();
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets the default status bar options.
     /// </summary>

SharpConsoleUI/Controls/StartMenu/StartMenuStyleHelper.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// ConsoleEx - A simple console window system for .NET Core
+//
+// Author: Nikolaos Protopapas
+// Email: nikolaos.protopapas@gmail.com
+// License: MIT
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+using SharpConsoleUI.Configuration;
+
+namespace SharpConsoleUI.Controls.StartMenu
+{
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Provides formatting helpers for Start menu elements.
+	/// Icon display is controlled by <see cref="Configuration.StartMenuOptions.ShowIcons"/>.
+	/// </summary>
+	internal static class StartMenuStyleHelper
+	{
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Formats the application header with name and version.
+		/// Returns multiple markup lines for MarkupControl.
+		/// </summary>
+		public static List<string> FormatAppHeaderLines(string appName, string version, bool showIcons, string headerIcon = "\u2630")
+		{
+			var icon = showIcons ? $"{headerIcon} " : "";
+			return new List<string>
+			{
+				$"{icon}[bold]{appName}[/]",
+				$"  v{version}",
+			};
+		}
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Formats a section/category header label.
+		/// </summary>
+		public static string FormatCategoryHeader(string text, bool showIcons, string? icon = null)
+		{
+			var prefix = showIcons && icon != null ? $"{icon} " : "";
+			return $"{prefix}{text}";
+		}
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Formats the info strip with theme name, window count, and plugin count.
+		/// Returns multiple markup lines for MarkupControl.
+		/// </summary>
+		public static List<string> FormatInfoStripLines(string themeName, int windowCount, int pluginCount)
+		{
+			var windowLabel = windowCount == 1 ? "Window" : "Windows";
+			var pluginLabel = pluginCount == 1 ? "Plugin" : "Plugins";
+
+			return new List<string>
+			{
+				$"Theme: {themeName}",
+				$"{windowLabel}: {windowCount}  {pluginLabel}: {pluginCount}",
+			};
+		}
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Formats a window list item with state indicator and optional keyboard shortcut.
+		/// </summary>
+		public static string FormatWindowItem(string title, int index, bool isMinimized, bool isActive)
+		{
+			var indicator = isMinimized
+				? ControlDefaults.StartMenuMinimizedWindowIndicator
+				: ControlDefaults.StartMenuActiveWindowIndicator;
+			var shortcut = index < 9 ? $"  Alt+{index + 1}" : "";
+			var dimStart = isMinimized ? "[dim]" : "";
+			var dimEnd = isMinimized ? "[/]" : "";
+			var activeStart = isActive ? "[bold]" : "";
+			var activeEnd = isActive ? "[/]" : "";
+
+			return $"{indicator} {dimStart}{activeStart}{title}{activeEnd}{dimEnd}{shortcut}";
+		}
+
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Formats the exit row text.
+		/// </summary>
+		public static string FormatExitRow(bool showIcons)
+		{
+			var icon = showIcons ? $"{ControlDefaults.StartMenuExitIcon} " : "";
+			return $"{icon}Exit Application";
+		}
+
+	}
+}

SharpConsoleUI/Controls/Terminal/TerminalControl.cs

@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ private void ReadLoop()
         {
             var windowSystem = window.GetConsoleWindowSystem;
             if (windowSystem != null)
-                windowSystem.EnqueueOnUIThread(() => window.TryClose(force: true));
+                windowSystem.EnqueueOnUIThread(() => window.Close(force: true));
             else
-                window.TryClose(force: true);
+                window.Close(force: true);
         }
     }
 

SharpConsoleUI/Core/DesktopPortal.cs

@@ -131,7 +131,9 @@ internal DesktopPortal(DesktopPortalOptions options, int zOrder, ConsoleWindowSy
 
 			Container = new DesktopPortalContainer(this);
 
-			// Build LayoutNode tree
+			// Build LayoutNode for the root content control.
+			// Portal content is always a leaf control (e.g., MenuControl) — composite
+			// containers like HorizontalGridControl are hosted inside windows, not portals.
 			Content.Container = Container;
 			RootNode = new LayoutNode(Content);
 			RootNode.IsVisible = true;
@@ -218,7 +220,7 @@ public void Invalidate(bool redrawAll, IWindowControl? callerControl = null)
 			// Connect portal content into the invalidation chain
 			portalContent.Container = this;
 
-			var portalNode = new LayoutNode(portalContent);
+			var portalNode = LayoutNodeFactory.CreateSubtree(portalContent);
 			portalNode.IsVisible = true;
 
 			// Measure using buffer size (allows submenus to extend beyond portal bounds)