Theme - Customize custom themes

[bgjerlow designs]

Theme - Customize custom themes

http://i35.tinypic.com/wcbg95.jpg

This tutorial will show you how to customize a custom theme with custom taskbar, start menu etc.

To do this you need:

* A pre made custom theme from DeviantArt, in this tutorial I will be using one called Dark7mix
* Restorator (Shareware) or any other editor that is able to edit the msstyles file
* Photo editing software, Photoshop, Fireworks, paint.net, Gimp etc.
* Basic Photo Editing experience

Now go to Dark7mix Theme UPDATED by ~adrianodj25 on deviantART (http://adrianodj25.deviantart.com/art/Dark7mix-Theme-UPDATED-136063382) to download the pre made theme.

Unpack the rar/zip file, using winrar or a similar tool.

Now move the folder including the themepack file to: (Your drive letter):\Windows\Resources\Themes)

Now that you got the theme, go to the msstyles file (Inside the dark7mix folder, there should be a file called dark7mix)
Open that file with Restorator (or similar) and extract it to a new folder on your desktop.
Now all the images needed will be located in the new folder on your desktop (The one called IMAGE)

HOW TO APPLY THE CHANGED IMAGES:
To apply the images to the theme, switch to the windows 7 default theme, log off, log on, go to the theme folder (C:\Windows\Resources\Themes) Open the msstyles file, and edit the images as you wish to. Now hit save. Now go select the theme (right click, Personalization) and apply. If you have done it right the changes should show. When you want to apply a new change, do this step over again.

CUSTOMIZING TASKBAR:
The taskbar images in this theme are 921 and 1166. Customize these as you wish to.

START MENU:
The start menu pictures are the following: 870, 871, 872, 873, 875, 876, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884.
Customize these as you wish.

SCROLL BARS:
These are the scroll bar images: 769 (Vertical) and 770 (Horizontal)
Customize these as you wish.


Now you got the basics location of the files, try to mess around with these and more, usually you can easy figure out which image is where. If you got any questions or need a particular image location, give me a PM or ask a question in the thread and I will try to help you.

Have fun

Useful links:
Adobe Photoshop CS4 30-Day Trial: Adobe - Downloads (http://www.adobe.com/downloads/)

Paint.net (Freeware): Paint.net (http://www.paint.net)

Gimp (Freeware): GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program (http://www.gimp.org)

[Twisted-Devil]

Nice tutorial, ill try this out :)

[Twisted-Devil]

Since tryin this ive done some cool stuff Here is pic of things ive tried.

29353

[Skitz]

Awesome i am going to have a crack at this i have my current theme and there is a few things i dont like so this is coming in handy thanks

[pitoloko]

hi! thanks for the tutorial, i will change the default background of "explorer.exe" , the white background when are exploring files into explorer.exe... but i don't know wich is the picture, can you help me? can posiibly it "534.png"?


(sorry for my bad english)

[bgjerlow designs]

hi! thanks for the tutorial, i will change the default background of "explorer.exe" , the white background when are exploring files into explorer.exe... but i don't know wich is the picture, can you help me? can posiibly it "534.png"?


(sorry for my bad english)
I dont know actually :( Havent managed to do that yet, but if i do i will let you know

[lejailleur]

Hi all, and thanks very much for this site !

I try to modify VS (just for me, no realase in dl), and i just have one question (for the moment ^^). Where can I modify the transparancy of the taskbar?

I use actually the Black Horizon theme by MrGrim (I love this VS), but i want the taskbar more transparancy.

Could you help me ? I use restorator and XIV32 !

Thanks for your support, and sorry for my bad english, I'm french!! :)

Have a nice day! :)

[mrZoSo]

Great tutorial!
I was wondering if you know how to keep this from happening. It should say "All Programs" but it's just a white box(see image).
Does it have something to do with 32bit vs 64bit? And do you know what the fix for it is?

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/jeepsir/start.jpg


Thanks,
mrZoSo

[movieman1]

I was wonderin if u knew how to change the 'right click' background, and/or the buttons at the tops of windows backgrounds.
ive tried everything

http://i35.tinypic.com/xda135.png
http://i37.tinypic.com/28jv3g7.png

[Mr GRiM]

I was wonderin if u knew how to change the 'right click' background, and/or the buttons at the tops of windows backgrounds.
ive tried everything

http://i35.tinypic.com/xda135.png
http://i37.tinypic.com/28jv3g7.png

Are you using Vista Style Builder?

If so then it's under Lists, Menu's & Tabs\Menu\Popup Background and onwards.

[movieman1]

I was wonderin if u knew how to change the 'right click' background, and/or the buttons at the tops of windows backgrounds.
ive tried everything

http://i35.tinypic.com/xda135.png
http://i37.tinypic.com/28jv3g7.png

Are you using Vista Style Builder?

If so then it's under Lists, Menu's & Tabs\Menu\Popup Background and onwards.


to be honest idk what vista style builder is lol

[Mr GRiM]

I was wonderin if u knew how to change the 'right click' background, and/or the buttons at the tops of windows backgrounds.
ive tried everything

http://i35.tinypic.com/xda135.png
http://i37.tinypic.com/28jv3g7.png

Are you using Vista Style Builder?

If so then it's under Lists, Menu's & Tabs\Menu\Popup Background and onwards.


to be honest idk what vista style builder is lol

Have a look here (http://www.vistastylebuilder.com/windows7.html)

[dareckibmw]

First off.... my hat off !!! freaking awesome work dude :cool:
I'm happy to be here and this is my first post and .....already complaining (LOL - just kidding)
Yeah, I was wondering how to change the background of that tool bar as well (I use Firefox) ?

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2061/capturesl.png

Any help would be appreciated.

Btw. I have Win 7 Style Builder 1.4.0.0 (got it 2 hours ago ! ...Lol)

[NuT]

i am playing whit the neon theme from MR.Grim
i am just a beginner.

Looks real nice man. :cool:

[alienfear]

when changing a .theme or modifying,...is it necessary to move the folder including the theme file to: (Your drive letter):\Windows\Resources\Themes)?
let us say..i extract the theme to any hard drive letter,then i open VSB7 or Restorator the theme will open to modify or to change something,it will install to normal theme that i modify? :nerd: :nerd: :nerd:

[dareaper]

Thanx 4 info gonna try.

[dglenn247]

Anyone know where i can get the super hot supergirl background?

That would make my desktop perfect!

[eddcubby]

will have to give this a try,thanks.

[Nightwalker]

i am trying to do this stuff but some images are missing or cant i find them?? :idk:
please update the tutorial or make a new one so the tutorial will fit to the example file

thanks in advance

[quaz1957]

sg9 - really great and helpful tutorial - nicely assembled and presentation is great in a nice cronological sequence - most of the info is user friendly.

[baltimorevibe]

Think I'm gonna give this a shot.

[sapphire]

pls help me how to change my start menu picture to doraemon