Aero Glass ThemeAtlas

[UCyborg]

The title bar height depends on type of window application creates, for example non-resizable window will have lower bar height than a resizable window. This is in their regular non-maximized state. For those familiar with Windows API, WS_THICKFRAME is the Window Style of interest. It's odd indeed, the height should be constant. Or add an option to tweak the behavior to one's liking. Is this supposed to be some sort of accessibility feature? Can't think of the good reason for the current behavior. Someone intentionally made it like this though.

Edited February 10, 2017 by UCyborg

[sierra117]

@xemnes @UCyborg Ah I see, in that case, all well and good. I was worried I might have broken something but seeing as it's a consistent effect and more importantly, it does not diminish the actual clickable area of the buttons when they become warped, I can live with it.

Indeed, Windows 10 has by far the strangest UI. I just noticed how the aero glass doesn't affect some apps at all, such as Word 2016. Is that because Word 2016 also uses its own forced window borders? Other metro apps like Settings are using the aero glass border just fine.

I can't understand why they shifted to such a highly-flat design. It makes sense on smaller devices but on a desktop it's just ugh. In fact, I wrote a significant amount of this entire phenomenon in my thesis recently. Google seems to be the only one that truly found some sort of a balance by using best of flat and best of skeuomorphism, though they are still a bit boring. Nonetheless, Aero Glass is by far the most beautiful UI ever designed. I wonder if it was a single person who came up with the idea or a team did (even though it's likely the initial seed was sown by one person whether there was a group later on or not). Anyone have a name? Would love to follow them or read about them.

---

One more thing, I've been trying to get the aero stripes onto the taskbar, but nothing works - I suppose it's because aeroglass on win10 doesn't affect the taskbar. Yet somewhere (can't remember where for the life of me, maybe it was here in this very thread), someone mentioned to use the aero GUI to do it; I haven't been able to succeed in that regard.

[UCyborg]

Word 2016 has its own border and it's not a Metro app, but its borders surely look like those of Metro apps. It really depends on each individual application's customizability options. PotPlayer for example comes with 2 skins, default one has a custom border and the other one gives you the regular borders.

If I understand correctly, Microsoft wanted to make all-in-one OS, so they force such design on all devices, supposedly so the same system appear consistent across various devices, which obviously doesn't make much sense. Phone and a full-blown desktop is like a night and day in many aspects.

Windows Aero is Microsoft's full set of guidelines for UI design, which emerged with Windows Vista. The glass effect is rendered by Desktop Window Manager, responsible for rendering whole UI using graphics hardware acceleration since Vista. The functionality for rendering glass effect was removed starting with Windows 8. Aero Glass that we're discussing on these forums is an unofficial extension to DWM that adds glass functionality back. It was coded by Big Muscle alone AFAIK. Community here provides feedback.

The appearance of window borders is influenced by theme atlas image (which is what this thread is about). This image can be overridden by Aero Glass. The way Windows theming engine works, this image is part of selected theme's .msstyles file. Custom themes that come with their own .msstyles have the most influence on Windows UI appearance.

[xemnes]

On 11/02/2017 at 2:31 AM, sierra117 said:

@xemnes @UCyborg Ah I see, in that case, all well and good. I was worried I might have broken something but seeing as it's a consistent effect and more importantly, it does not diminish the actual clickable area of the buttons when they become warped, I can live with it.

Indeed, Windows 10 has by far the strangest UI. I just noticed how the aero glass doesn't affect some apps at all, such as Word 2016. Is that because Word 2016 also uses its own forced window borders? Other metro apps like Settings are using the aero glass border just fine.

I can't understand why they shifted to such a highly-flat design. It makes sense on smaller devices but on a desktop it's just ugh. In fact, I wrote a significant amount of this entire phenomenon in my thesis recently. Google seems to be the only one that truly found some sort of a balance by using best of flat and best of skeuomorphism, though they are still a bit boring. Nonetheless, Aero Glass is by far the most beautiful UI ever designed. I wonder if it was a single person who came up with the idea or a team did (even though it's likely the initial seed was sown by one person whether there was a group later on or not). Anyone have a name? Would love to follow them or read about them.

---

One more thing, I've been trying to get the aero stripes onto the taskbar, but nothing works - I suppose it's because aeroglass on win10 doesn't affect the taskbar. Yet somewhere (can't remember where for the life of me, maybe it was here in this very thread), someone mentioned to use the aero GUI to do it; I haven't been able to succeed in that regard.

aero glass can date way back to vistas alpha, longhorn 4074 i believe is the first iteration of aero glass. other than that, not sure who came up with it.

start8 by stardock is the only start menu app that can apply the reflection image to the taskbar i think but the start8 is pretty lackluster compared to others like startisback

[Shining Escuridao]

11 hours ago, xemnes said:

aero glass can date way back to vistas alpha, longhorn 4074 i believe is the first iteration of aero glass. other than that, not sure who came up with it.

start8 by stardock is the only start menu app that can apply the reflection image to the taskbar i think but the start8 is pretty lackluster compared to others like startisback

As far as I can remember, I believe startisback and classic shell also have tools to apply textures to the taskbar, however lackluster it may be for all of these tools; though everyone seems to prefer one over the other when it comes to applying the texture (personally I use classic shell to apply the texture though I've come to prefer the taskbar without it, even in my win7 VM).

[carlitosoo555]

On 10/2/2017 at 9:31 PM, sierra117 said:

One more thing, I've been trying to get the aero stripes onto the taskbar, but nothing works - I suppose it's because aeroglass on win10 doesn't affect the taskbar. Yet somewhere (can't remember where for the life of me, maybe it was here in this very thread), someone mentioned to use the aero GUI to do it; I haven't been able to succeed in that regard.

It is curious how in some insiders builds where I use Aeroglass, the same level of reflection that is applied in the titlebar is also applied in the taskbar and can be adjusted with AeroGlassGUI tool, this doesn't happen in the public version of the SO, at least to me, In this case I am using "Vista reflection".

Edited February 15, 2017 by carlitosoo555
Add image.

[Rayhaan Sheikh]

On 2/4/2017 at 10:45 PM, dhjohns said:

No it is most definitely not.

Ultra Uxtheme Patcher 3.17 is a virus. My antivirus software told me that and it causes Windows Breakdown.

 

Could someone give me a template .png file and a .png.layout file for a new theme atlas

[dencorso]

50 minutes ago, Rayhaan Sheikh said:

Could someone give me a template .png file and a .png.layout file for a new theme atlas

Of course someone could.

 

On 2/18/2017 at 7:09 AM, Rayhaan Sheikh said:

Ultra Uxtheme Patcher 3.17 is a virus. My antivirus software told me that and it causes Windows Breakdown.

On 2/4/2017 at 10:45 PM, dhjohns said:

No it is most definitely not.

[Tengerecki]

Hey guys I'm using a Windows Vista theme mod which is awesome but I've got a few problems if anyone can help, please.

1. How do I change the system tray icons (to make them look just like in Windows Vista). By system tray icons I mean the small ones on the bottom right corner of the screen, right on the taskbar itself - volume icon, network icon, etc.

2 How do I change the folder icons? Here's a screenshot. Check the red circles.

[daveo76]

4 hours ago, Tengerecki said:

Hey guys I'm using a Windows Vista theme mod which is awesome but I've got a few problems if anyone can help, please.

1. How do I change the system tray icons (to make them look just like in Windows Vista). By system tray icons I mean the small ones on the bottom right corner of the screen, right on the taskbar itself - volume icon, network icon, etc.

2 How do I change the folder icons? Here's a screenshot. Check the red circles.

Where did you get that vista theme from. I've never seen Vista theme for Windows 10 that looks that good. To change folder icons I use "CustomizerGod" but you have to download Vista Icons.

[Tengerecki]

5 hours ago, daveo76 said:

Where did you get that vista theme from. I've never seen Vista theme for Windows 10 that looks that good. To change folder icons I use "CustomizerGod" but you have to download Vista Icons.

I got Win 8.1 not Win 10 but it shouldn't make much difference. It should work with Win 10 too.

I'm using the following programs:

- DeviantArt.com "SimplexDesignsART" vista mod

- AeroGlass 

- OldNewExplorer with Vista skin

- Classic Shell

- Vista Gadgets by SimplexDesignsART from DeviantArt but most gadgets crash when used. Only a few works.

I will try CustomizerGod. Thx.

[Painkilleraxel]

This Vista themes will definitely not work under Win10. Do not talk such nonsense. Ante people shoot your OS on your recommendation.

Here are found for You Vista Icon Pack for Windows8.

http://virtualcustoms.net/showthread.php/58851-7tsp-Vista-Glass-IconPack-For-Windows-8

Install with 7tsp  is very simple.

Here you get the tool 7tsp to install the icon packages.

http://www.xptsp.com/fixit/7tsp.php

and here all Windows8.1 Icon Packs for 7tsp.

http://virtualcustoms.net/forumdisplay.php/1178-Windows-8-Iconpacks

Edited February 20, 2017 by Painkilleraxel

[Tengerecki]

33 minutes ago, Painkilleraxel said:

This Vista themes will definitely not work under Win10. Do not talk such nonsense. Ante people shoot your OS on your recommendation.

Ok, I'm sorry. I thought 8.1 and 10 used the same kernel so I supposed it would work. My mistake.

Edited February 20, 2017 by Tengerecki

[Tengerecki]

@daveo76

@Painkilleraxel

Thanks guys, I've made it this far:

(Check the system tray icons and the folder icons)

Need some more icon fix because I couldn't find some and I replaced wrong ones but when I'm done my OS will look 90% like the original Vista and I love it. 

Edited February 20, 2017 by Tengerecki

[Painkilleraxel]

Cool...
Could you please link me the Vista ThemePack, which they used.
Thank you