Complete Guide to Theme Building

[Dave Senior]

Download Daves guide in full pdf format here

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]


This is a guide to make your own theme, I will be adding to it over a period of time

Note :- In many of the locations for textcolor : color you will see a font property, click on the font name to change the font and text size etc.

For the top (Command Module)

1-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <1> - edit the image here
2-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <3> > <1> - Textcolor : Color
2-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <4 > > <1> -Textcolor : Color
2-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > < 5> > <1> - Textcolor : Color
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > Items View > FillColor (main window)
4-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Proper Tree > <2> - fillcolorhint : color (Left panel)

also the location to change the text in these area,s is -
5- Fonts , colors & System Metrics > Fonts & System Metrics > Windowtext:color

This text changes in both areas when selected, the locations for selected are here-

ItemsView(Main Window)-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > ItemsView > ItemsView > TextColor : Color
TreeView (Left Panel)-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Treeview > Treeitem > hot , selected etc > Textcolor : Color



[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

Some more explorer locations -

1-Toolbars , headers and rebar > toolbars and headers > toolbar > default> Textcolor :Color
(If you open up default you can change the text color for hot, pressed and so on)

2-Explorer and shell > explorer > menubar > background -edit the image
Toolbars, Headers and Rebar > Rebar > Rebar -edit the image
3-Address, Breadcrumbs & Search > Address > Address Band > Basic > Address Band > <1>
4-Address, Breadcrumbs & Search > Search > SearchBox > Basic > Normal > Active > <1>
5-buttons ,boxes & controls > Scrollbars & Trackers > Scrollbar > Thumb Button Vertical
6-buttons ,boxes & controls > Scrollbars & Trackers > Scrollbar > lower track vertical and upper track vertical
7-buttons ,boxes & controls > Scrollbars & Trackers > Scrollbar > Arrow Button - (for the buttons)
( for the actual arrows ,click on Glyph image 1 in WSB image preview window)

8-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <5> >TextColor:Color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <6> >TextColor:Color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <7> > <1> >TextColor:Color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <7> > <2> >TextColor:Color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <8> >TextColor:Color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <9> > <1> >TextColor:Color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <9> > <2> >TextColor:Color

9-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Preview Pane > 1 > <1> -- Edit the image
10-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > <3> "(this is the white border at the side of the scroll bar)

11-buttons ,boxes & controls > Scrollbars & Trackers > Scrollbar > GripperVertical

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

More Explorer Locations-


1--Explorer & shell > Explorer > Items view > listview > groupheader > <1> to <16> for the hovers
2-Fonts , Colors & System Metrics > Fonts & System Metrics > Windowtext:Color
3-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > Items View > SubHeader > Normal > TextColor : Color
4-Buttons ,Boxes & Controls > Progress bars > normal > Fill > <4>
5-Buttons ,Boxes & Controls > Progress bars > normal > transparentbar > <2>--edit this image
6-Explorer & Shell > Explorer >Items view > listview > groupheader line(for the line)
7-Explorer & Shell > Explorer >Items view > listview > groupheader > Heading1TextColor : Color(for the text)
8-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > List View > ExpandButton
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > List View > CollapseButton
9 and 10-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Tree View > Tree Item > Hot to Hot Selected
11-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > TreeView > Glyph and Hot Glyph

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

1-Address, Breadcrumbs & Search > Breadcrumb > Aero > Normal > Active & Inactive Crumbs > Textcolor:Color
2-Address, Breadcrumbs & Search > Search > Edit > SearchEdit > TextBox > Normal Text > TextColor:Color
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Menubar Hover

3-Fonts, Color & System Metrics > Fonts & system Metrics > Highlight:Color
Uncheck this property to have a proper image instead.
Fonts, Colors & System Metrics > Fonts & System Metrics > FlatMenus:Bool
The image to edit for this is:
Toolbars, Headers and Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > Toolbar > Button
(Respect to MR GRiM for this one)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Module Hovers
4-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <3>
5-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <4>
6-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <5>

7-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > 10 > <1> -Textcolor : Color
8-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <11> and <12> (background image)
9--Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <9> > <1> to <4> (for the textcolor)
10--Explorer & Shell > Explorer > CommandModule > <9> (for the image)
11-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Itemsview > Listview > Listitem > hot to hot selected

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

Explorer Frames , arrows , SplitButtons + Explorer HeaderItem--

1 and 2 -Address bar arrows -

Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Aero > Normal > Inactive Crumbs > SplitButtonDropDown
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Basic > Normal > Overflow Active > <1>
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Aero > Max > Inactive Crumbs > SplitButtonDropDown
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Basic > Normal > Active Crumbs > Button
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Basic > Normal > Active Crumbs > SplitButton
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Basic > Normal > Active Crumbs > SplitButtonDropDown
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Basic > Normal > InActive Crumbs > SplitButtonDropDown
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Breadcrumb > Basic > Max > InActive Crumbs > SplitButtonDropDown
Address, Breadcrumbs & Search > Address > Go Toolbar > Basic > Normal > Active > Button
Address, Breadcrumb & Search > Address > Go Toolbar > Basic > Normal > InActive > Button

3-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Command Module > <6>

4-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > Items View Header > headerDropDown (select Glyph image DPI 96 in image preview window)

5-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > Items View Header > headerDropDown
6-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > Items View Header > HeaderItem
7-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > Items View Header > HeaderItem > TextColor :Color
8-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > Items View Header > HeaderSortArrow

9-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Command Module > <10> > <1> > TextColor : Color

10-Windows & Caption Buttons > Aero > DWM Window > Frames > Normal > Bottom , Left , Right and Top

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

A few Explorer menu,s-

1-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > List View Pop Up (Bottom) > TextColor:Color
2-Buttons ,Boxes & Controls > Boxes > Edit > Basic > Edit Text > Disabled > TextColor:Color
3-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > List View Pop Up
Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > List View Pop Up ( Bottom) > Button

4-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > ListView > ListItem > Selected

5-Most Dropdown and Menu popup,s (Not All) can be found here-

Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupbackground
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupborders
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupcheck
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupcheckbackground
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupgutter
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupitem
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupseparator
Lists, menu,s & tabs > menu > popupsubmenu

6-Buttons , Boxes & Controls > Scrollbars & Trackers > Trackbar > ThumbRight
7-Buttons , Boxes & Controls > Scrollbars & Trackers > Trackbar > TrackVertical
8-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > ToolBar > Default > TextColor : Color
(If you open Default up you can change the textcolor for hot = mouse over -pressed etc).

9-Toolbars , Headers & Rebar > Toolbars & Headers > ToolBar > Default > FillColor : Color

Some of the Black Text in Explorer drop down menu,s remain unlocated.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

Personalize Window-

1-Styles > ControlPanelStyle > Tasklink > TextColor : Color
Styles > ControlPanelStyle > Tasklink > hot , pressed etc ( for the hovers and selected states)
2-Styles > ControlPanelStyle > NavigationpaneLabel > textcolor : color
3-(The black background)these are bitmap number 632 & 633 found in Shell32.dll in system32 folder
4-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > Title > TextColor : Color
5-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > BodyText > TextColor : Color

6-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Itemsview > listview > groupheader > heading1textcolor : color
Explorer & Shell > Explorer >Items view > listview > groupheader line (for the line)

7-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > ListView > List Item > Hot to hot selected
8-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Itemsview > itemswiew > textcolor : color
9-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > ContentLink > TextColor (open this section up for hot ,, pressed etc)
10-Fonts , Colors & System Metrics > Fonts & System Metrics > WindowText:Color
11-Fonts , Colors & System Metrics > Fonts & System Metrics > WindowColor:Color
12-Fonts , Colors & System Metrics > Fonts & System Metrics > GrayText:Color (I,d forgot where this was, Thanks!)
13-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Control Panel > ControlPanel > ContentPane > FillColor : Color

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[Dave Senior]

System Window-

1-Styles > ControlPanelStyle > Tasklink > TextColor : Color
Styles > ControlPanelStyle > Tasklink > hot , pressed etc ( for the hovers and selected states)
2-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > Title > TextColor : Color
3-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > GroupText > TextColor : Color
4-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Control Panel > ControlPanel > ContentPaneLine > FillColor : Color
5-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > BodyText : TextColor : Color
6-Styles > ControlPanelStyles > ContentLink > TextColor : Color (open this section up for hot ,, pressed etc)
7-Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Control Panel > ControlPanel > ContentPane > FillColor : Color
8-Styles > ControlPanelStyle > NavigationpaneLabel > textcolor : color
9-(The black background)these are bitmap number 632 & 633 found in Shell32.dll in system32 folder
10-See here to change System Orb- Thanks for this lads!
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]





[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]