[Tutorial] Creating a Windows Vista Visual Style


Recommended Posts

Click Here to Download this tutorial (PDF) | Click Here to View this tutorial in German

How to make a Visual Style for Windows Vista

Getting Started

1. Download and Install The uxTheme Patch from this LINK

This will allow you to apply custom themes

2. Download and Install my Theme Template from this LINK

This will install a copy of the original aero theme and place all the required files into the correct locations with Jemaho?s Improved Shellstyle, ready for modifying.i>3. Download and Install Restorator 2007 from this LINKb>

[/size]

; Copyright ? Microsoft Corp. 1995-2001

[Theme]

DiTemplate Themeizec-->

; My Computer

[CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]

DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-109

; My Documents

[CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}\DefaultIcon]

DefaultValue=%WinDir%SYSTEM32\mydocs.dll,0

; My Network Places - SHIDI_MYNETWORK

[CLSID\{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon]

DefaultValue=%WinDir%SYSTEM32\imageres.dll,-25

; Recycle Bin

[CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon]

full=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-54

empty=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-55

[Control Panel\Colors]

ActiveTitle=153 180 209

Background=0 0 0

Hilight=51 153 255

HilightText=255 255 255

TitleText=0 0 0

Window=255 255 255

WindowText=0 0 0

Scrollbar=200 200 200

InactiveTitle=191 205 219

Menu=240 240 240

WindowFrame=100 100 100

MenuText=0 0 0

ActiveBorder=180 180 180

InactiveBorder=244 247 252

AppWorkspace=171 171 171

ButtonFace=240 240 240

ButtonShadow=160 160 160

GrayText=128 128 128

ButtonText=0 0 0

InactiveTitleText=67 78 84

ButtonHilight=255 255 255

ButtonDkShadow=105 105 105

ButtonLight=227 227 227

InfoText=0 0 0

InfoWindow=255 255 225

GradientActiveTitle=185 209 234

GradientInactiveTitle=215 228 242

ButtonAlternateFace=0 0 0

HotTrackingColor=0 102 204

MenuHilight=51 153 255

MenuBar=240 240 240

[Control Panel\Cursors]

Arrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_arrow.cur

Help=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_helpsel.cur

AppStarting=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_working.ani

Wait=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_busy.ani

NWPen=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_pen.cur

No=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_unavail.cur

SizeNS=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ns.cur

SizeWE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ew.cur

Crosshair=

IBeam=

SizeNWSE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nwse.cur

SizeNESW=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nesw.cur

SizeAll=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_move.cur

UpArrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_up.cur

DefaultValue=Windows Aero

Hand=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_link.cur

Link=

[Control Panel\Desktop]

Wallpaper=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\[/b]izec-->\Wallpaper.jpg

TileWallpaper=0

WallpaperStyle=2

Pattern=

ScreenSaveActive=0

[Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]

[Metrics]

IconMetrics=76 0 0 0 75 0 0 0 75 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 244 255 255 255 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 83 101 103 111 101 32 85 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

NonclientMetrics=84 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 244 255 255 255 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 83 101 103 111 101 32 85 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 244 255 255 255 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 83 101 103 111 101 32 85 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 19 0 0 0 244 255 255 255 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 83 101 103 111 101 32 85 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 244 255 255 255 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 83 101 103 111 101 32 85 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 244 255 255 255 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 83 101 103 111 101 32 85 73 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PaddedBorderWidth=4

[boot]

SCRNSAVE.EXE=%WinDir%\System32\logon.scr

[MasterThemeSelector]

MTSM=DABJDKT

ThemeColorBPP=4

[VisualStyles]

Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\TTemplateizec-->\[/b]izec-->.msstyles

ColorStyle=NormalColor

Size=NormalSize

ColorizationColor=0X45409EFE

Now you have edited those 3 importSave and Exit the file.e file.

(See the Next section ?Resource Locations? for a rough guide to show you what images to edit)ages to edit)Extract the Individual images (or the entire image folder) image folder)

If your image is not Alpha compatible then you will notice a horrible white background when applied to your theme[/i]to your theme

Replace the Images back into the folder they came from they came from

[/size]

This is just a rough guide of some of the Common Images you can edit to make your style, there are Hundreds of images you can edit and most of them are used for both aero and basic.

[/size]

1startmenuaf3.png

2taskbarspm4.png

3windowvt1.png

4ieeoe3.png

5buttfd4.png

For more advanced Styling see my other tutorialsher Vista Hex-Editingsta Hex-Editing - for Text colours, Margins and much more. DownloVista Font Changesta Font Change - for changing Font types. Download LINK

Edited by UK.Intel
Very nicely done! You are a major part of the Vista skinning comunity, and pushing it forward with helpful posts like this.

Thank you for the encouraging comments :) It means alot.

I wish anyone who wants to make a visual style for vista all the best of luck, and no matter what the outcome I know how much effort goes into it :)

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Sorry to bump, but I'm going through this and wondered whether it was possible to find the provided template originally found here.

Mediafire no longer hosts the file

Also, there is a minor error in the original post and pdf:

Naming Your Theme Files

If you have installed my Theme Template, Navigate to C:Windows\Resources\Themes.

You will need to rename the following files to the name you wish to call your theme.

I recommend you name all the files the same.

? Template.Theme

? Template Folder

? Template.msstyle

Edited by hobbester

Meaning of other resource ID's I found:

list items background as used eg. in file explorer:

565 - selected focused item

566 - hovered item

567 - selected&hovered item

568 - selected item

.. and you NEED to change these when creating aero mods, cause MS made hover and selection look almost the same, :angry: !

897 - aero taskbar button glyph

I started creating a skin with some stuff and ideas taken from plastik xp by contra (only available for XP now :( ) and based an aero out of necessity.

What I changed also is nasty mandatory bubbly bluish menu and toolbar background.

Not to go offtopic here, but could anyone please tell me how to align a new start button after I design it?

Everytime I try this my start button has white all around it, and its never aligned properly with the rest of the taskbar. I`ve been using the default Vista start button as a reference but still no luck. As of right now I have ForXy over at deviantart helping me out, but I would like to know how to do this for future reference. :) And btw, thanks Uk.Intel for the great tutorials.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Microsoft Edge gets tons of security features, including AI model that can see your screen by Usama Jawad Microsoft Edge may not be the most popular browser out there, but it does receive quite frequent updates that sometimes bring surprising new features and axe others that are not as popular. Now, Microsoft has detailed some of the new security enhancements that it has introduced in Edge for Business, typically used by commercial customers. Microsoft has emphasized that security features are baked into Edge for Business and offer native integration with security and governance tools like Defender and Purview. Browser sessions are governed by default on managed devices but can also be governed through dedicated work profiles on unmanaged devices. An important aspect in this area is controlling the use of shadow AI. We have talked about this before, but it essentially restricts employees from using unsanctioned AI apps through data loss prevention (DLP) policies, with Edge redirecting them to trusted AI services like Microsoft 365 Copilot. This feature, available as a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) license, ensures that confidential data never exits AI boundaries set by your organization in Purview. Additionally, Microsoft also has strong DLP policies for contractors. Contractors leveraging a Entra ID-joined work profile provisioned by their contracting company on a device managed by their actual employer can be restricted from downloading files locally. In such scenarios, the file is saved on the contracting firm's OneDrive rather than being downloaded locally. Another useful Edge security feature disallows copying and pasting from unmanaged locations and apps. Similarly, DLP policies can be configured at a granular level to restrict screenshots or downloading of files from certain locations. In the same vein, IT admins can block the installation of extensions, hosted apps, themes and scripts, and control if users can install extensions from external locations. They can also enable the installation of specific extensions and allow users to request access to certain extensions, so that they can be managed on a case-by-case basis. Finally, Edge for Business now has an on-device AI model that uses computer vision to see what's on your screen and block potentially malicious content immediately. This does not rely on site reputation, as it simply monitors what is being displayed on your screen, which means that it is effective against malicious content that takes over your screen and employs scareware tactics. Since this is an on-device AI model, it does use your system's resources, so it's enabled by default only on devices with at least 2GB of RAM and four CPU cores. You can find more details in the Microsoft Mechanics video here.
    • Could you come up with a slightly less depressing background for Tux instead of that gray gradient? Doesn't have to be cheerful, just less of a downer...
    • Linux 7.2's first release candidate gets off to a good start by Paul Hill Credit: Larry Ewing It has been a few weeks since the release of Linux 7.1, and in that time, the Linux 7.2 merge window has been open, where developers can submit their features and patches ready for the upcoming release. That window is now shut, and the release candidate phase has begun so that new features can be tested and further fixes applied. According to the founder of Linux, Linus Torvalds, this week’s release candidate looks “reasonably normal”. Although we are super early in the release candidates, this is a good sign as it makes it more likely that an eighth release candidate will not be needed. Torvalds even mentioned that the update’s stats are only larger than they really are because there was another AMD header drop with a third of the patch just being AMD GPU register definitions, which aren’t big changes but make the code contributed look larger overall. In addition to this, he noted that just over half the patch is drivers, even when excluding the AMD register dump. The rest of the changes are spread out over architecture updates, tooling, documentation, and core kernel updates. In the next week, Torvalds says that he will be chilling out, taking the week “mostly off”. Despite this, he will be reading emails and keeping up with things, so if he is slow responding, now you know why. He said he is hoping for a calm week, but we will just have to see if the second release candidate is actually like that. We should expect seven or eight release candidates before Linux 7.2 is released, so expect it around the end of August. If you missed it a few weeks ago, be sure to check out our coverage of Linux 7.1's release.
    • Ridiculous claim that the labor cost difference of $6000 annually would increase cost per phone by $200. The employees produce 3 phones per month or what?
    • Sparkle 2.20.1 by Razvan Serea Sparkle is a free, open-source Windows optimization tool designed to make your PC faster, cleaner, and more private. With Sparkle, you can easily debloat Windows by removing unnecessary apps and services, disable Microsoft tracking to enhance privacy, and apply performance tweaks to boost speed. Its cleaner removes junk and temporary files, while every change is safe and fully reversible. Sparkle also features a modern, user-friendly interface with automatic updates, making system maintenance simple. Explore over 39 tweaks, from disabling telemetry and hibernation to optimizing network and game settings, all aimed at customizing and enhancing your Windows experience. Sparkle supports Windows 10 and 11. Sparkle 2.20.1 changelog: You can now change the Animation Direction from Up, Left, or Off. Added configurable animation direction (Up, Left, Off) for improved accessibility Added TTL caching to the system info backend Refactored tweak application flow to await NvidiaProfileInspector Improved IPC listener cleanup to correctly remove specific listeners Fixed online status not updating after successful network requests Updated system info tests to support backend caching Removed electron-toolkit utils dependency in favor of internal is.dev helper Fixed unwanted files and folders being included in application bundles Download: Sparkle 2.20.1 | Portable | ~100.0 MB (Open Source) Links: Sparkle Website | Github | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
  • Recent Achievements

    • Dedicated
      Zeynel earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • One Month Later
      JKR earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Dedicated
      Asgardi earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Conversation Starter
      jessse3334 earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Reacting Well
      JuvenileDelinquent earned a badge
      Reacting Well
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      496
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      246
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      154
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      86
    5. 5
      macoman
      65
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!