New
#921
Looking good Cliff...
Regarding WDT ( this one should provide better rendering Windows_Diagnostic_Tool.zip)
I'm thinking of including a .themepack creator - something like this:
It's quite easy to implement ( .theme is just a standard .ini file and the .themepack file is a .cab)
I have most of the individual components coded just need to tie it all up.
It's just that .theme contains a lot of (what's seems to me unncessary stuff) - which are the relevant parts and which can be defaulted?
A window-shot of the new WDT
For theming stuff and sharing, Windows has what one needs.
That said, for sharing, irrelevant is, for example sounds & cursors because unless the one wanting to install the theme doesn't already have those two thing on his or her PC they'll just default to the Windows default. It's happened that I created a theme, and no one could install it because I forgot to change those to things to one that Windows already has.
That's why you will see @Edwin and myself uploading and "extras" to OneDrive(or like me OneNote) for people to download.
Example: Blood Red Theme
You might want to wait until @Hopachi and @Edwin pipe in on this question, though, as they have quite a bit more experience than I do.
I'm still learning, for example I use 7Zip to view the .dll files of the 3rd party UXStyle themers(the real pro's) and see what might be applied without using a patcher, the problem is I can't really understand code(that's your world:))
That would be awesome!
Regarding the .theme I guess it's possible to gamble something up.
Looking at some examples may help:
Each theme has an ID: you would need to generate one; if two or more themes have the same ID, the last ones won't be allowed to install/run.
Computer / recycle bin / network stuff is indeed irrelevant since most themes uses the same dll resources as you can see.
[Control Panel\Desktop] holds the wallpaper path.
Most important after [Theme] which has the the ThemeId is [Control Panel\Colors] that the ColorChooser changes.
Cursors are not needed since a user can have their own installed packs, otherwise pick default Aero one or simply none, excluding the whole [Control Panel\Cursors] section.
[Control Panel\Desktop] and [VisualStyles] are important.
You can have:
Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\AeroLite.msstyles
or
Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles
optional:
If you don't use screenssaver:
[boot]
SCRNSAVE.EXE=
is empty.
No sounds in a theme means:
[Sounds]
; IDS_SCHEME_DEFAULT
SchemeName=No Sounds
That is for English; For instance Dutch would say:
SchemeName=Geen Geluiden
a slight diference but meaning that's a different theme in theory
This can be excluded as well.
I still don't see any differences at
[MasterThemeSelector]
MTSM=RJSPBS
But this part seems important.
[Slideshow1]
[Slideshow2]
Hmm.. I don't always see this part; and I don't use a desktop slideshow in the example... Not relevant to the core of the theme file.
All irrelevant parts can be defaulted; you can exclude whole parts altogether but you must include icon stuff and basics like:
Path to wallpaper begins usually with a folder in your themepack besides the theme file:Code:; Computer - SHIDI_SERVER [CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon] DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-109 ; UsersFiles - SHIDI_USERFILES [CLSID\{59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE}\DefaultIcon] DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-123 ; Network - SHIDI_MYNETWORK [CLSID\{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}\DefaultIcon] DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-25 ; Recycle Bin - SHIDI_RECYCLERFULL SHIDI_RECYCLER [CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon] Full=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-54 Empty=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-55 [MasterThemeSelector] MTSM=RJSPBS [Control Panel\Cursors] DefaultValue= Link=
I've included a sample .theme file below.
Cheers!
Last edited by Hopachi; 01 Jan 2016 at 08:33.
You will need to download both the Theme and the Green Inactive Title bar registry file, open up properties and unblock them. and extract them to where you wish(Desktop, Documents or like me to themes library folder). After that just click or double click BOTH to apply. You can then delete the zip files and reg & .theme files if you need the space as they are already applied and saved.
Last edited by Cliff S; 04 Jan 2016 at 12:48.