Title Bar Text and Background in Windows 8.1

[YourNumbr1Fan]

Hi everyone!

I'm wondering if anyone here has had any success in finding a way to remove or hide the rectangle image that MS has added behind the text title on the title-bar in Win8.1?

I know that changing the text color itself can be done in WSB (Style-Builder), by editing the color for the text in the Windows & Caption Buttons drop-downs, and I've been able to do that.

But the rectangular background, something that isn't in the 'Dwm Window' in 8, but MS has idiotically included in 8.1, is driving me nuts!

I'm currently using "Work for Windows 8", a dark-bordered theme by neiio (deviantART) http://neiio.deviantart.com/art/Work-for-Windows-8-337353688

Screenshot:

1)- As can be seen, the theme, at defaults, has the color for explorer window-text in the title bar as black (which I've changed to a light grey after making this capture)

2) and 3)- But other open windows, like the Control Panel and the frames around programs have the irritating image behind the title bar texting. Sure, I can change the text to black, I think, but the rectangle will still show. Even adjusting the color settings in Personalize doesn't touch it.

I've tried stuff with the Registry.....can't seem to change it....I'm at a loss. It's driving me bonkers!!!!

I hope someone smarter than me can (or has) find a way to either get rid of it completely or edit it for dark themes.

Thanks ahead of time to anyone who responds!

Edited October 30, 2013 by YourNumbr1Fan

[ace2]

Good news:
You can use Aero Glass (DWMGlass.dll) but i think you know this already, and are look for a way to remove this problem from the theme itself, without using Aero Glass (DWMGlass.dll).

Bad news:
There are only two people on this forum who could help you with this problem, but don't hold your breath.

If you do find a solution for this problem Please POST IT. Thanks ace2.

[DosProbie]

Well for starters its a W8 theme not a 8.1! and I would say adjust the menu bar color but the color intensity slider and color mixer dont work as well with that theme
With the 8.1 beta2 aero I get a halo or glow around the text. ==>http://glass8.berlios.de/win81.html

Edited October 30, 2013 by DosProbie

[YourNumbr1Fan]

Good news:

You can use Aero Glass (DWMGlass.dll) but i think you know this already, and are look for a way to remove this problem from the theme itself, without using Aero Glass (DWMGlass.dll).

Bad news:

There are only two people on this forum who could help you with this problem, but don't hold your breath.

If you do find a solution for this problem Please POST IT. Thanks ace2.

Well for starters its a W8 theme not a 8.1! and I would say adjust the menu bar color but the color intensity slider and color mixer dont work as well with that theme

With the 8.1 beta2 aero I get a halo or glow around the text. ==>http://glass8.berlios.de/win81.html

@ace2: I've tried the Aero Glass, along with the Alpha 1 and 2 mods for 8.1, the .dlls, editing the registry as instructed, etc.....to no avail. The program just doesn't work right on my computer, or I'm doing something very wrong. Errors, errors, errors.

@DosProbie: Why is running a Win8 theme so peculiar? Win8 themes work fine in 8.1 for the most part. Sure, I know there are some differences, but many themes are made to run on both os-versions. Please explain EXACTLY how you got the Work theme to look like that?

Edited October 30, 2013 by YourNumbr1Fan

[DosProbie]

Contact the author (neiio) and he can revise the msstyles for 8.1..DP

[ace2]

DosProbie, What is the point in posting a working method (Pic), if you are not going to explain how you where able to get it working.

[DosProbie]

Ace, you did not read my post above #3 or else you would not be asking..DP

[ace2]

Yes i read your post, and it don't explain how you did it.

[DosProbie]

With the 8.1 beta2 aero I get a halo or glow around the text. ==>http://glass8.berlios.de/win81.html

[MrGRiM]

Another way to remove that is using a blank font, it will remove the text on all windows as well as the box.

Here you go mate I made one for you with the blank text and also made another with white text, there are also 2 reg files included for the system metrics, that is very important to apply as they don't work in Windows 8 when you change themes, they keep the system metrics from the default aero theme unless your using Windows Style Builder and then they get applied, I also included my own shellstyle.dll, you can rename the old one if you prefer no folderband, although by the looks of it in your screen you don't disable the ribbon anyway so you wont see it either way.

I also included the blank font you will need.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/w6ag6ry9az3xc6z/Theme.zip

Here are a couple of screens with and without text, I am also using Aero Glass so the box doesn't show anyway on mine.

[bigmuscle]

As I remember correctly, you cannot remove background color on frame titles. They are rendered very simply using GDI: CreateBitmap -> FillRect -> DrawText. But I'm not sure whether brush color used for FillRect can be different from frame color, I didn't study it so much.

[ace2]

Another way to remove that is using a blank font, it will remove the text on all windows as well as the box.

Here you go mate I made one for you with the blank text and also made another with white text, there are also 2 reg files included for the system metrics, that is very important to apply as they don't work in Windows 8 when you change themes, they keep the system metrics from the default aero theme unless your using Windows Style Builder and then they get applied, I also included my own shellstyle.dll, you can rename the old one if you prefer no folderband, although by the looks of it in your screen you don't disable the ribbon anyway so you wont see it either way.

I also included the blank font you will need.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/w6ag6ry9az3xc6z/Theme.zip

Here are a couple of screens with and without text, I am also using Aero Glass so the box doesn't show anyway on mine.

Very nice MrGRiM and well done, can you Please make it work on windows 8.1 with StartIsBackPlus, Thanks ace2.

[YourNumbr1Fan]

Another way to remove that is using a blank font, it will remove the text on all windows as well as the box.

Here you go mate I made one for you with the blank text and also made another with white text, there are also 2 reg files included for the system metrics, that is very important to apply as they don't work in Windows 8 when you change themes, they keep the system metrics from the default aero theme unless your using Windows Style Builder and then they get applied, I also included my own shellstyle.dll, you can rename the old one if you prefer no folderband, although by the looks of it in your screen you don't disable the ribbon anyway so you wont see it either way.

I also included the blank font you will need.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/w6ag6ry9az3xc6z/Theme.zip

Here are a couple of screens with and without text, I am also using Aero Glass so the box doesn't show anyway on mine.

Mark-----YOU ARE AWESOME MATE!-----I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I FREAKING LOVE YOU! (in a completely hetero way, of course, haha!)

Thank you so much, my friend!---This site doesn't have 'Likes' or 'Thanks' modules, or I'd definitely add them to your post here. But what I will do, if it's OK with you, is 1st) ask neiio if I can re-up his modified versions of this theme (your mods) to mediafire, and, if he says yes, 2) ask YOU if you'd mind, and if YOU say yes, then 3) do a follow-up video to my 1st Win 8.1 video on my YouTube with the fixes you've modded.

If both or one of you say 'No' however, I'll just keep this between us here and be happy you've found a way around yet another of Microflop's stupid "improvements".

Edited October 30, 2013 by YourNumbr1Fan

[MrGRiM]

Your welcome Jimmy, don't worry about giving me any credit mate, it was nothing, you can ask Neiio if he wants you to post it or he he wants to add an update.

[YourNumbr1Fan]

Your welcome Jimmy, don't worry about giving me any credit mate, it was nothing, you can ask Neiio if he wants you to post it or he he wants to add an update.

Thanks Mark, but yes you get the credit if he says it's ok with him. Unless you just forbid it, that is, LOL!

You're awesome man.

Edited October 31, 2013 by YourNumbr1Fan