Windows 8 compatibility mode uses Win 7 titlebar skin

from WinCustomize Forums

I am not sure if this has been discussed before, but has anyone else noticed that if you run an app in Win XP compatibility mode on Win 8 the programme will use the Windows 7 titlebar?

I have tried this with Irfanview and a language learning app; both display this behaviour. I wonder if this could somehow be used to force all applications to use the old titlebars, without using compatibility mode for all of them. Also, this suggests that Win 8 has at least some native theming capability.

 

The screenshot below is of my Windows 8 desktop. I use Start8, hence the start button. Notepad runs in Win8 mode, 'Lingva latina' runs in Win XP compatibility mode.

 

Example

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Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I wonder if this could somehow be used to force all applications to use the old titlebars, without using compatibility mode for all of them.
End of quote

maybe, but not the way you have in mind. this is still the default msstyle, just using different resources from the same file. 

 

Also, this suggests that Win 8 has at least some native theming capability.
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yes, it does. still pretty much the same since Windows XP. Windows 8 visual styles are here: http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/skins/windows8/visualstyles8/?order=9 they will even skin Start8, if the skinner made the effort to edit the corresponding resources in the msstyle. an example: http://neiio.deviantart.com/art/Nite-Smooth-337988067?q=sort%3Atime%20gallery%3Aneiio&qo=7

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thank you for your helpful reply. I don't really like the new titlebars, so until Windowblinds 8 comes out I think I will switch to one of the skins on Deviantart.

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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

Do msstyles/visual styles require a DLL hack on Win8?  Just curious.  Thx.

 

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Daiwa, reply 3

Do msstyles/visual styles require a DLL hack on Win8?  Just curious.  Thx.

 
End of Daiwa's quote

 

that would be one method.

there's an other method also. UxStyle Core runs as a service and patches the files in RAM, so it leaves the original DLLs untouched. http://uxstyle.com/ (this requires the original files, so if you already hacked them, do a system restore before installing)

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

That's certainly better than the old way.  Thx for the info, moshi.