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Your Favorite Themes for Windows 8


DosProbie

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Have you got some favorite theme collections that you would like to share? Just to kick things off here is a Volcano theme pack I made from a Bing wallpaper that I think is pretty awesome.. Note: remove the .txt extension then make sure your Theme service is running then just double click to install..yes.gif

Rinjani Volcano.themepack.txt

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  • 3 weeks later...

Not a "theme pack" per se, but with BigMuscle's Aero Glass for Win8 package in development, by creating a single CustomThemeResource registry entry you can specify a PNG file containing resources that redefine the various desktop elements. This only addresses the look and feel of the desktop elements; it doesn't do anything with the background or define any special operation.

I've created some small modifications to the standard Windows 8 resources that, when used with Aero Glass for Win8, yield a nice effect with better drop shadows, better background glow for titles, slightly better window edge definition against a dark background, and I've even managed a bit of an illusion of rounded corners. And it works well even if you adjust the metrics (as I like to do) to reduce the sizes of the chrome (so more room is left for real work).

To me it seems like a compromise toward the more "modern" (i.e., hard, square) Windows 8 appearance but still retaining the useful and pleasing aspects of a Windows 7 Aero Glass desktop. I find it very comfortable to use.

Win8Desktop.png

Using BigMuscle's package and the PNG I've attached below (i.e., no UXTheme or other mods), you can see the above:

Theme Resource File for faux rounded corners.

Theme Resource File for faux rounded corners for use with light title bar text.

-Noel

 

 

Edit:  Updated links to work again

Edited by NoelC
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  • 2 weeks later...

=======================================================

Download Hawaiian Scapes Aero Theme for Windows 8

[link]:v1 http://www1.datafile....com/d/8f179ad2

[updated v2] (includes cursor schemes with aero glass and aero black pointers) http://www1.datafile....com/d/527369b6

=======================================================

Tip on download:Uncheck the "Use our download manager..blah blah" then click on the grey "DOWNLOAD" button. biggrin.gif

Screen_Shot.jpg

This is a redesigned Windows 7 Theme ported over to Windows 8 x64 that I made for my unattended install to give a tropical look and sounds to the desktop.

No system files were modded in making this theme!

[Features]

- Desktop icons modded (Computer, User Files, Network and Recycle Bin)

- Windows 7 glow caption buttons

- Rounded off borders and buttons

- Aero toolbar and borders

- Recycle bin notification water sound scheme

--Two ported Win7 aero cursor schemes in v2 with Aero Black or Aero Glass Mouse pointers

- Beach screen saver

- HD wallpaper slide show (20)

- Pre-activated auto theme installer!

[Pre Installation]

- Install UxStyle or UltraUXThemePatcher - http://winaero.com/b...e-in-windows-8/

- RibbonDisablerx64.exe - http://winaero.com/c...comment.news.20

- Aero Glass with Blur in Windows 8 - http://www.msfn.org/...v08-aka-beta-2/

- AGTweaker GUI for Aero Glass - http://www.msfn.org/...-for-win8-v122/

[install]

- Use the ThemeInstaller batch file (right-click as admin) or Manually copy contents to "Theme" Folder to C:Windows\Resources\Themes

- Apply the Color intensity slider from Personalize to fine tune opacity.

- Apply Cursors >> Control Panel >> Mouse >> Pointers>> Scheme >> Choose Aero Black or Aero Glass.

[Comments or Questions?]

- Feel free to use this style or any of it's resources for your own project/s

- This Visual Style may be buggy and I may or may not fix.

- Tested and Working on Windows 8 X64 (don't know about 32-bit since I don't use it) but as always use at your own discretion.

HOPE YOU ENJOY!

Dos_Probie ö¿ö biggrin.gif

Edited by DosProbie
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Not a "theme pack" per se, but with BigMuscle's Aero Glass for Win8 package in development, by creating a single CustomThemeResource registry entry you can specify a PNG file containing resources that redefine the various desktop elements. This only addresses the look and feel of the desktop elements; it doesn't do anything with the background or define any special operation.

I've created some small modifications to the standard Windows 8 resources that, when used with Aero Glass for Win8, yield a nice effect with better drop shadows, better background glow for titles, slightly better window edge definition against a dark background, and I've even managed a bit of an illusion of rounded corners. And it works well even if you adjust the metrics (as I like to do) to reduce the sizes of the chrome (so more room is left for real work).

To me it seems like a compromise toward the more "modern" (i.e., hard, square) Windows 8 appearance but still retaining the useful and pleasing aspects of a Windows 7 Aero Glass desktop. I find it very comfortable to use.

Win8Desktop.png

Using BigMuscle's package and the PNG I've attached below (i.e., no UXTheme or other mods), you can see the above:

Click here to download my alternate theme resource PNG file.

-Noel

am leaning - i understand what you are saying but what exactly is the reg entry and where does it go

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Go check out the new feature in AGTweaker v1.3.1 that allows you to use his stock png files or you can add your own custom png and make changes to reg on the fly, Or you can manually (more of a pain) update the theme msstyles png file as well.yes.gif

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=======================================================

Download Hawaiian Scapes Aero Theme for Windows 8

[link]:v1 http://www1.datafile....com/d/8f179ad2

[updated v2] (includes cursor schemes with aero glass and aero black pointers) http://www1.datafile....com/d/527369b6

=======================================================

Tip on download:Uncheck the "Use our download manager..blah blah" then click on the grey "DOWNLOAD" button. biggrin.gif

Screen_Shot.jpg

This is a redesigned Windows 7 Theme ported over to Windows 8 x64 that I made for my unattended install to give a tropical look and sounds to the desktop.

No system files were modded in making this theme!

[Features]

- Desktop icons modded (Computer, User Files, Network and Recycle Bin)

- Windows 7 glow caption buttons

- Rounded off borders and buttons

- Aero toolbar and borders

- Recycle bin notification water sound scheme

--Two ported Win7 aero cursor schemes in v2 with Aero Black or Aero Glass Mouse pointers

- Beach screen saver

- HD wallpaper slide show (20)

- Pre-activated auto theme installer!

[Pre Installation]

- Install UxStyle or UltraUXThemePatcher - http://winaero.com/b...e-in-windows-8/

- RibbonDisablerx64.exe - http://winaero.com/c...comment.news.20

- Aero Glass with Blur in Windows 8 - http://www.msfn.org/...v08-aka-beta-2/

- AGTweaker GUI for Aero Glass - http://www.msfn.org/...-for-win8-v122/

[install]

- Use the ThemeInstaller batch file (right-click as admin) or Manually copy contents to "Theme" Folder to C:Windows\Resources\Themes

- Apply the Color intensity slider from Personalize to fine tune opacity.

- Apply Cursors >> Control Panel >> Mouse >> Pointers>> Scheme >> Choose Aero Black or Aero Glass.

[Comments or Questions?]

- Feel free to use this style or any of it's resources for your own project/s

- This Visual Style may be buggy and I may or may not fix.

- Tested and Working on Windows 8 X64 (don't know about 32-bit since I don't use it) but as always use at your own discretion.

HOPE YOU ENJOY!

Dos_Probie ö¿ö biggrin.gif

Nice theme pack :P

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Go check out the new feature in AGTweaker v1.3.1 that allows you to use his stock png files or you can add your own custom png and make changes to reg on the fly, Or you can manually (more of a pain) update the theme msstyles png file as well.yes.gif

thanks had got there - i have been using 0.7 which did not have this - 0.8 had not worked for me but finally got it working and saw the setting - its a nice feature

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Nice theme, dosprobie! UxStyle and UltraUXThemePatcher crashed my win8 so I'm not using them anymore but I can still use wallpapers & sound sheme :)

adacom: You may use AGTweaker v1.3.1 with dlls from version 1.2.1 to get glass v0.7 with custom resource setting ;)

Edited by ORelio
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DosProbie - can you explain to someone who has little idea but is trying to learn how things are formed in your theme - i understand where things like the the top right buttons are but where is the shadow formed or called from and the white highlighting of the text in the top bars

do you edit the png file for the buttons etc or is there a library somewhere

daft or simple questions they may be and may well be covered here but................................

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The best way to start is to get resource hacker and open up your .dll files and explore around, there is really very little documentation on all of this since Win8 is such a new OS so we are all learning as we go.. Here are some locations to get your started

File Locations

msstyles.dll

Caption buttons are under >> STREAM >> 971 (png files)

NAV buttons >> IMAGE >> location varies per msstyles (png files)

Color schemes and Fonts are under >> String Table

you can also look at explorerframe.dll and shell.dll to modify your ms explorer. Which I really don't like to do because any changes you make to system files will probably be overwritten with future MS updates or possible service packs.

DosProbie - can you explain to someone who has little idea but is trying to learn how things are formed in your theme - i understand where things like the the top right buttons are but where is the shadow formed or called from and the white highlighting of the text in the top bars

do you edit the png file for the buttons etc or is there a library somewhere

daft or simple questions they may be and may well be covered here but................................

Edited by DosProbie
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thanks - had found some of that - at the moment i have completely screwed themes - i had one of yours fully working - its all gone - all i see is the bacic - its still your theme but all the customisation has gone

i assumed i had lost uxstyle but it seems to be there - done reboots and a system restore and nothing - so will have to work out what i have broken

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