Windows Theme

[Gobalopper]

Does anyone know of a way to use the "Windows Classic" style/theme in XP but still have the web browser use the Luna style for input buttons, input, etc?

[Andrew]

As far as I can tell, under display properties, appearance tab, you need "windows xp style" windows and buttons in order to do that. But then it changes the taskbar and stuff as well.

Which browser is being used?

I think I remember when I had windowsblinds and had a theme installed, it changed the buttons as well, (was using Mac OS X Tiger, as you can tell by the run dialog buttons, they are different.)

Google hasn't helped any.

Hmm, I might get ten points. :)

In IE, there is an option under internet options->advanced->check/uncheck "enable visual styles on buttons and controls in webpages.

I wonder if a similiar option in Firefox in about:config  Havn't seen one, but if there was I probably missed it.

[Gobalopper]

Well no the IE thing wasn't what I want and I wouldn't want to use that anyway.

The idea is you get the look of the classic windows but with the new "luna" styled form buttons.

[nemafakei]

Nope; I use the classic style generally. How do you acheive that - and what are you looking to know?

[gryphon]

You want the start menu to look like this.

And at the same time your windows border to look like. .

Just for one application (specifically your webbrowser guessing FireFox / Mozilla ?) or for all windows.

If you want it for all windows, create a new custom Theme (c:windowsresoucresthemes). Either by editing the default team and copying it to a new one, or with the help of StyleXP.

If you want it just for one application. The "Windows" which open within the Windows Operating system are just functions a specific application uses. It get's an external variable (the window) from the OS and uses it for it's own. Simple don't use a function to create a new window but let the application "draw" it's own window.

(darn that's hard to explain in englisch, hope you get my point. For example. Even if you have your windows thema to the 2k one. The Nero wizard screen will have flashy nice icons and borders)

[edit] Something tells me the dev team of Mozilla is planning to give FireFox a whole new layout by next release.. ;)

And above ar my first to whild guesses on how to do it..

[Terror]

Whild guesses ey? Well sounds pretty whild to me! Punching holes in the air are we? Not that I know how to do it.

Hell, I don't even know what Luna style is. Maybe you can explain this so I too understand what you realy mean. But I don't realy suspect windows xp to be so configurable that you can choose exactly which program you want in the xp theme, and which one in the old theme. But maybe someone made his own theme for that.

[gryphon]

Luna is your "Windows XP" theme.

But I don't realy suspect windows xp to be so configurable that you can choose exactly which program you want in the xp theme

I never claimed you can ;)

Although every program that starts can use the Windows function to create a windows for it, or choose not to use that function and draw it's own window.

The other option, just create your own theme should work non the less, although then you have nice windows for all application windows and not just the internet browser. :)

edit : proof of consept.

I use the classic Windows Theme.

yet the Windows Media Player interface doesn't use the theme's settings and draws it's own borders.

Let the programm in question do the same and make the look like Windows Luna theme.

(Apple's iTunes does the same for example)

And yes that only works if you have access to the program code and can change it yourself. If you don't have that option, change the whole theme.

[gryphon]

if you want to use commercial software you can try WindowsBlinds.

IBM origionated software which allows you to adjust and change themes for Windows. I found this screenshot at their site showing 3 different styled windows and a 4th style on the taskbar.

If you press alt however, media player displays the usual border.

And if you press ctr-alt-backspace you crash your terminal and get an old fashioned DOS prompt. . what's your point ?

(iTunes btw does not and if fully adjusted)

In the end, the question is not how do you change it, but which way do you want to change it. In the application itself, the whole theme or specifically for one window / application.

The neat way to do it is in the application itself. Like iTunes and Trillian. Make them use their own skins. If your application doesn't support that or you can't change your program to fit that behavious just play with the Windows styles or 3th party programs.

[Gobalopper]

Basically all I want is to get the luna style in Firefox but retain the classic style on everything else.

And I would prefer to not have to install anything... so I guess this is more a how do you get Firefox to use the Luna style when you are using the classic theme.

[gryphon]

Basically all I want is to get the luna style in Firefox but retain the classic style on everything else.

Have you posted it at the Mozilla dev forums ?

Windows does support that although if I understand the style stuff from XP correct the application itself needs to set it's own style / layout / skin.

I know a few registry settings to give applications a fixed skinn. Although I am not familiar with Mozilla to know if they work. And setting a fixed skin is easy to do for an application itself. (look at iTunes, MediaPlayer and Trillian)

My point is that windows media players doesn't seem to replace the usual window, but hide it instead.

The entire Windows interface is about hiding whatever happends on the background. The more graphical it get's the more hiding it does. :)