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Post by nonameneeded on Feb 24, 2024 5:48:37 GMT -8
On Windows 11 most tools to change a theme no longer work (in a desirable way, meaning that they crash more than they work).
On Windows 10 I used themes.exe from the Plus! Package but that no longer works correctly on Win11. Desktop Architect does work, however it also crashes after applying a theme and it causes something strange to happen with the taskbar (after restarting explorer.exe it looks normal again, though)
The built-in method to apply themes isn't really useful since it deactivates 3D borders on menus.
So what to use?
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clara
Sophomore Member
Posts: 112 
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Post by clara on Feb 24, 2024 8:48:08 GMT -8
Not sure if UMPCalc works on Windows 11 (although i don't see any reasons for it not to), but theme configurator by torto must and does not require to log off to re-enable 3d borders. So I don't think its that big of a problem. |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Feb 24, 2024 9:01:42 GMT -8
clara beat me to what I was going to say. The only disadvantage of Theme configurator is that it only applies colors, metrics and a few other elements. Another option is to use WinPaletter, which is a bit of a successor to Desktop Architect, but is difficult to understand (because it is very complex). The other solution to have a complete configuration is to use the standard Windows 11 method (.theme file) and Theme Configurator from the command line, all in a batch file.
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Post by nonameneeded on Feb 24, 2024 10:06:49 GMT -8
@clara The theme configurator might be nice to configure a theme, but you can't save and apply complete themes. @orthodoxwin32 I just took a look at WinPaletter and whoooah... That's not too much fun... And besides it doesn't even seem to work. At least not in an expected way. I just saved a theme, then changed the wallpaper (NOT in WinPaletter), then opened up WinPaletter again and tried to apply the theme that I had just saved (with the old wallpaper). It wouldn't apply the wallpaper. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but the problem is that it can't be used in an easy and straightforward way. Maybe that's what you mean by "difficult to understand". Yes it is, but the problem aren't the users, the problem is the concept (if there is one). So I think the best way would be to figure out WHY all of these old theme tools fail to work on Win11. It must be something the MS jerks have changed, maybe it's possible to find a workaround.
Edit: I've just found out how to apply the wallpaper as well: You need to set the switch to on in order to apply the wallpaper too.
So thx for the tip, it's better than nothing at all, I guess.
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Post by nonameneeded on Feb 24, 2024 10:30:09 GMT -8
For some strange reason Desktop Architect suddenly seems to be working again...
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Post by nonameneeded on Feb 24, 2024 11:41:18 GMT -8
Stay away from WinPaletter! Instead of applying themes (by default) it messed with Explorer Patcher resulting in huge problems when I restarted Windows. It's nothing but a piece of crap. Even if it's complex and can do a lot it certainly shouldn't mess with Windows and Explorer Patcher by default instead of just applying themes.
P.S. Not only has it messed with Explorer Patcher, it has also entirely removed sleep mode from Windows. Now I have to find a way how to get it to work again. What a stinking pile of shit this software is !!!
It's incredible....
(@orthodoxwin32: No, I certainly don't blame you, I asked for a tool to apply schemes and as it seems it could do that, not very well though)
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Feb 24, 2024 14:59:47 GMT -8
Stay away from WinPaletter! Instead of applying themes (by default) it messed with Explorer Patcher resulting in huge problems when I restarted Windows. It's nothing but a piece of crap. Even if it's complex and can do a lot it certainly shouldn't mess with Windows and Explorer Patcher by default instead of just applying themes.
P.S. Not only has it messed with Explorer Patcher, it has also entirely removed sleep mode from Windows. Now I have to find a way how to get it to work again. What a stinking pile of shit this software is !!!
It's incredible....
(@orthodoxwin32: No, I certainly don't blame you, I asked for a tool to apply schemes and as it seems it could do that, not very well though)
Oops, sorry for that. I don't quite understand, I've never had this kind of problem with this software, but I don't doubt your experience. I will try to talk to the developer about the problem. |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Feb 24, 2024 15:15:40 GMT -8
@clara The theme configurator might be nice to configure a theme, but you can't save and apply complete themes. @orthodoxwin32 I just took a look at WinPaletter and whoooah... That's not too much fun... And besides it doesn't even seem to work. At least not in an expected way. I just saved a theme, then changed the wallpaper (NOT in WinPaletter), then opened up WinPaletter again and tried to apply the theme that I had just saved (with the old wallpaper). It wouldn't apply the wallpaper. Maybe I'm doing something wrong but the problem is that it can't be used in an easy and straightforward way. Maybe that's what you mean by "difficult to understand". Yes it is, but the problem aren't the users, the problem is the concept (if there is one). So I think the best way would be to figure out WHY all of these old theme tools fail to work on Win11. It must be something the MS jerks have changed, maybe it's possible to find a workaround.
Edit: I've just found out how to apply the wallpaper as well: You need to set the switch to on in order to apply the wallpaper too.
So thx for the tip, it's better than nothing at all, I guess.
Concerning the Windows 2000 themes.exe, I have no explanation as to why it hangs in Windows 11. But under Windows 10, I noticed that it works randomly (sometimes it hangs/freezes in the same way as deskn) which quickly led me to use it only for converting old themes to a more recent format. Regarding .theme files, I have an explanation : The format of .theme files is a kind of .ini file with a specific extension. It has evolved relatively little, but the theme engine has evolved, which creates an incompatibility between Windows Plus! .theme files for Windows 95/NT4/98/2000/ME/XP and the theme engine from Windows 8/10/11. The theme engines of Windows Vista and 7 were the only ones to take into account recent settings linked to DWM and slideshow wallpapers and old parameters (since deleted) of the window metric and the basic/classic themes. I found a solution to restore functionality with batch scripts, using a command to apply a .theme file, then using command line theme configurator, then calling a script (which I created myself ) to switch between DWM, Basic and Classic themes. I named this project ThemeSwitcherScript ; Right now the scripts are being rewritten to add the toggling of some Windhawk mods, I will let you know when the rewrite is finished. |
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Post by nonameneeded on Feb 24, 2024 16:03:04 GMT -8
Interesting.
I've also found something:
If you leave the settings for font and font size unticked, Desktop Architect and themes.exe (Plus!) seem to work somewhat satisfactorily.
They will still crash but not more often than with Windows 10.
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Post by codomir on Feb 29, 2024 12:33:33 GMT -8
Interesting. I've also found something: If you leave the settings for font and font size unticked, Desktop Architect and themes.exe (Plus!) seem to work somewhat satisfactorily. They will still crash but not more often than with Windows 10. Hey, I'm new here and just wanted to let you know I have figured out why themes.exe won't apply the background properly. It has to do with the image file the theme uses itself, the .jpg file for the older themes. It must be saved as a 24 bit bitmap file using mspaint. Afterwards, you need to edit the .theme file with notepad and look for the wallpaper and change the extension to .bmp. After that reload the theme in the program and it will properly display and apply. I'm in the process or converting all of them for all the old 98 themes and some of the others, not sure which version the other ones came from.
P.S I used this to installed in a VM for testing: winclassic.net/thread/990/windows-classic-theme-on-1903 Using Windows 10 using the themes2k program linked to properly apply icons as well, so eveything is working now with that program! If you'd like me to upload the themes after I finish converting them please let me know, I'll be sure to include the original jpg's in the theme folder as well. |
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Post by anixx on Mar 4, 2024 2:06:19 GMT -8
For some strange reason Desktop Architect suddenly seems to be working again... I did not know about this program, but it works very well with WinXP compatibility layer!
P.S. An issue: does not take widow title gradient from the theme...
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Post by anixx on Mar 4, 2024 2:59:49 GMT -8
Not sure if UMPCalc works on Windows 11 UPMCalc is just a registry key editor, what may not work there? |
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torto
Freshman Member
Posts: 39
OS: Gentoo - Windows 1607
Theme: Gentoo: QtCurve - Windows: Classic - Oxygen Gold
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Post by torto on Apr 11, 2024 11:54:48 GMT -8
The theme configurator might be nice to configure a theme, but you can't save and apply complete themes. ...yet. |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Apr 12, 2024 3:54:40 GMT -8
However, if WinClassicThemeConfig supports full themes in the future, I think it would make more sense to do it on a separate program (there will be the original program and a full program). |
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torto
Freshman Member
Posts: 39
OS: Gentoo - Windows 1607
Theme: Gentoo: QtCurve - Windows: Classic - Oxygen Gold
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Post by torto on Apr 16, 2024 12:53:11 GMT -8
However, if WinClassicThemeConfig supports full themes in the future, I think it would make more sense to do it on a separate program (there will be the original program and a full program). Why? I believe it fits better being in the same program, as most theme settings are related, and there is a lot of shared code. And I've already started  I may release a new version soon with only command line support for applying .theme files, as I have that mostly working now. It will be compatible with all system .theme versions, except for a few specific settings. And coding a fully-featured preview window is a lot of work, since it will support applying modern .msstyles too, so I have no idea if I will finish that. |
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torto
Freshman Member
Posts: 39
OS: Gentoo - Windows 1607
Theme: Gentoo: QtCurve - Windows: Classic - Oxygen Gold
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Post by torto on Apr 16, 2024 12:57:39 GMT -8
Interesting. I've also found something: If you leave the settings for font and font size unticked, Desktop Architect and themes.exe (Plus!) seem to work somewhat satisfactorily. They will still crash but not more often than with Windows 10. Hmm, I tested Plus! Themes.exe (from Windows 2000) on 11 and for me it crashes often only on the Previews dialog, not when changing fonts... |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Apr 16, 2024 15:54:06 GMT -8
Why? I believe it fits better being in the same program, as most theme settings are related, and there is a lot of shared code. And I've already started  I may release a new version soon with only command line support for applying .theme files, as I have that mostly working now. It will be compatible with all system .theme versions, except for a few specific settings. And coding a fully-featured preview window is a lot of work, since it will support applying modern .msstyles too, so I have no idea if I will finish that. Thank you, I understand better. This new feature sounds awesome ! What I meant was that in the case of previewing themes, it might be better to continue compiling (alongside the full version) a version that just supports the current features.
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torto
Freshman Member
Posts: 39
OS: Gentoo - Windows 1607
Theme: Gentoo: QtCurve - Windows: Classic - Oxygen Gold
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Post by torto on Apr 23, 2024 10:38:33 GMT -8
New version out with support for .theme files! No GUI or support for saving yet, but you can use themes saved by Plus!. What I meant was that in the case of previewing themes, it might be better to continue compiling (alongside the full version) a version that just supports the current features. I will not add theme support in the Wine or Windows 7 and earlier builds. So you could just use the Windows 7 version, which has no other feature differences at this point |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Apr 24, 2024 3:09:26 GMT -8
I will not add theme support in the Wine or Windows 7 and earlier builds. So you could just use the Windows 7 version, which has no other feature differences at this point I said that if you added a GUI for the theme settings, which is currently not the case. |
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