Windows XP uses a new theme management kernel, its function is very powerful, the effect can be achieved very dazzling, but actually does not support the unofficial desktop theme, Plus! It’s awkward to look at in a few days, so if you want to use a third-party theme, you have to solve it through an unofficial approach.
a. Prerequisite software
1. Style XP
Style XP is a third-party XP desktop theme support and management software, is currently the best. It uses the Windows XP theme kernel and enhances many features to import, select, replace, and manage official and unofficial desktop themes, wallpapers, and even logins. After the software is installed, it will add a background running service StyleXP Service in XP, which takes up 1-2MB of memory. This service is also able to use the basics of third-party themes. In addition, its main program can choose two modes of operation, one is to keep running in the system tray, this mode has a StyleXP icon in the system tray, you can click to call out the main interface at any time; one is not consuming resources The way the main program does not normally run. It is recommended that you choose the second method, because this main program is not running well, taking up memory to 10-20MB. In fact, the second way can also run the main program to manage the theme at any time.
Style XP is shareware, comes with Chinese language, officially supports Windows XP SP1,1.01P version after version 1.01L began to support Windows 2003.
2. UxTheme.dll cracked version
UxTheme.dll system is XP theme support core files, that is, it makes XP can not use third-party themes. If you don't want to install StyleXP, you can do this by cracking the UxTheme.dll file. In fact, the cracked version of UxTheme.dll is the launch of StyleXP's TGT Soft, which is released under the strong request of fans. Microsoft seems to have this behavior by default. Oh, it is rare. After using UxTheme.dll cracked version, you can manage and invoke third-party themes and styles in XP's display properties without any additional software. After
download UxTheme.dll cracked version, the first X: WindowsSystem32UxTheme.dll rename, for example into UxTheme.dll.bak, then cracked version copied, restart. Note that system file protection for Windows XP is also involved here, see below. As long as you can choose one of the above two solutions, each has its own advantages. The author personally uses the former, because when StyleXP runs with the service, the resources are very small, about 2MB, no need to modify the system files, and the management theme is much more convenient than the Windows display properties, and can be replaced at will and Manage the Logon interface without having to cumbersomely replace system files, and so on. Really say that if you like to use the desktop theme, it is unlikely to care about such a small amount of resources.
II.
constitute an XP desktop themes desktop themes can contain several parts, style, wallpaper, screensavers, mouse pointer, sound system event, icons, style is a must in addition to the In addition, other parts are optional. Content style can be defined in Windows, all we can see, for example, the appearance of windows, fonts, colors, button appearance, etc., etc., a desktop theme in
style will determine everyone See what Windows looks like.
it can open X: WindowsResourcesThemes directory, the directory is the directory stored XP desktop themes. You can see that there are a lot of xxx.theme files. In the "Themes" list of the display properties, you can see how many .theme files are in the theme. It is the Windows theme file, a total definition file for the desktop theme. it's not much within
content, text format, the default official theme Luna XP as an example, we use any text editor to open Luna.theme, can be very intuitive to see its contents.
[Theme] section is defined in the My Computer, My Documents icon icon, Network Neighborhood, and Recycle Bin several major components, Luna.theme defined in My Computer is X: Windowsexplorer.exe, 0 That is, the first icon contained in explorer.exe. The subject that does not contain a specific icon is generally this value. Here
which can point to files, you can also point to the DLL file or icon file.
[Control PanelColors] is part of the definition of the various Windows components, such as the color of the title bar, window background, text, etc., where the definition of color most of the time is irrelevant, because the system will give priority in accordance with the color scheme The color display is shown in the next section.
[Control PanelCursors] is defined by the mouse pointer, a pointer to the definition file each row, define arrow cursor Arrow e.g., define the Wait wait cursor. Luna is empty here, which means that the Windows default mouse pointer is used. The definition here must be a specific .cur cursor file or an .ani animated cursor file.
[Control PanelDesktop] for the desktop display, including wallpaper image location display, and whether to activate the screen saver. Wallpaper=%WinDir%webwallpaperBliss.jpg in Luna is the "blue sky" that everyone sees most.
ScreenSaveActive = X here and below [boot] section SCRNSAVE.EXE = XXX corresponds to the former tube is allowed screensavers, which is a specific address screensaver.
[VisualStyles] is the most critical part, the point here is the core part of a desktop theme: .msstyles visual appearance style file, Luna middle finger is the Path =% WinDir% resourcesThemeslunaluna.msstyles, will speak later To.
progress downward is the definition of sound events, and programs that we set in the Control Panel → Sounds and Audio Devices → sound the same.
general a complete file structure is the basic theme of a file and a file placed .theme style file and other files, and you can find the name of the folder in the [VisualStyles] section. After understanding the structure of the .theme file, you can edit it to your liking, just to confirm that all files must be valid, otherwise the theme cannot be used.