Getting rid of gradients in Windows XP theme

[Mike Starr]

I'm a technical writer and do screen captures many times each day for
documentation.

I want to customize the appearance to get rid of the gradients so that when
I do screen captures the title bar and other screen elements are all solid
colors. They print out much nicer that way. I know I can do so by selecting
the Classic theme and then customizing it but apparently there's no way to do
so with the Windows XP theme. I've been resisting the Windows XP theme
because of this but it's time to adopt it to avoid confusing folks or having
people crab about the "old" look of my documents.

Any tools for creating a custom Windows XP theme that allows me to get rid
of the gradients?

Thanks

Mike

 

[Leonard Grey]

I use the Windows XP theme and I must confess that I do not see any
gradients. What gradients are you referring to specifically?

 

[Mike Starr]

The title bar is multiple shades of blue; the maximize, minimize, and restore
buttons are multiple shades of blue, the close button is multiple shades of
red.

Mike

 

[Leonard Grey]

I beg your pardon, but I see none of that. Like I said, I use the
Windows XP theme (at work and at home). My title bars are solid blue (or
silver or olive, depending on my mood), and the max/min/close buttons
are also solid. No gradients.

It occurs to me that you may be referring to the way graphic images are
made to look more 'natural' by trying to mimic the way light falls on an
object. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but if you remember how
'flat' kid's cartoons looked 30 years ago compared to how they look now,
you know what I mean.

To get rid of the lighting effect you have to reduce your color depth.
Changing to 16-bit color ought to do it, but you will also lose
considerable image detail. Failing that, you'll need image editing software.

 

[Mike Starr]

That "lighting effect" is present on the title bar of windows. I'll be glad
to send you screen captures to show you what I mean. Feel free to send me
your email address offline and I'll send you some.

Mike
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Leonard Grey]

You should not post your valid e-mail address unless you like receiving
spam.

It appears I have accurately described what you refer to as a gradient.
That being the case, you have my advice on the matter.

 

[Mike Starr]

I did so with the understanding that there's a spam potential; been using
Usenet for years now. However, since you seemed to be confused that was the
quickest way for me to offer to clarify what I meant. Sure I could have
munged my email address but I no longer feel the need to do so.

Your advice didn't answer my question... I already know how to use Paint
Shop Pro to edit my screen captures. However, if I use the Windows Classic
style, I can save those steps because I can configure it to completely
eliminate the gradients, thus saving me an enormous amount of time and
effort. What I want to do is adopt the Windows XP style and also eliminate
the gradients.

Thanks anyway,

Mike

 

[LVTravel]

It will take some work but it can be done. Here's one way:

Right click a blank area on your screen. Left click Properties then left
click Appearance tab. I find it easier to do what you want with Windows
Classic style so click the Windows and buttons dropdown and click Windows
Classic style. Then make sure the Color scheme is set to Windows Standard.
Once that is done click the Advanced tab. When the next window opens click
the Item: dropdown. For each item that shows two colors in the Color 1: and
Color 2: box make the Color 2 box the same color as color 1 box. There are
only two items there which are Inactive and Active title bar to change.
That will take out all of the gradient shading you are talking about.


Hope this helps, let us know.

 

[Mike Starr]

Thanks for the suggestion, LVTravel, but from my original post:

I know I can do so by selecting the Classic theme and then customizing it
but apparently there's no way to do so with the Windows XP theme. I've been
resisting the Windows XP theme because of this but it's time to adopt it to
avoid confusing folks or having people crab about the "old" look of my
documents.

Mike

 

[Big_Al]

I beg your pardon, but I see none of that. Like I said, I use the
Windows XP theme (at work and at home). My title bars are solid blue (or
silver or olive, depending on my mood), and the max/min/close buttons
are also solid. No gradients.

It occurs to me that you may be referring to the way graphic images are
made to look more 'natural' by trying to mimic the way light falls on an
object. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but if you remember how
'flat' kid's cartoons looked 30 years ago compared to how they look now,
you know what I mean.

To get rid of the lighting effect you have to reduce your color depth.
Changing to 16-bit color ought to do it, but you will also lose
considerable image detail. Failing that, you'll need image editing
software.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
R.I.P Usenet: 1980-2008 (PC Magazine)
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326848,00.asp

In your desktop properties, what color level do you have set for your video?

If you have it turned down to 16 colors or such it might be that simple.
Not 16 bit, but 16 colors or 256 colors maybe. If so, then you don't
have a rich enough color scale for the video card to vary the colors
from light blue to dark blue through the 1000's of colors to get from
one end to the other thus you get that blocky gradients.

 

[Twayne]

I'd say this is a troll folks, and that it's time to cut it loose. It
hasn't tried any of the best informaiton passed to it nor followed links
or even acknowledged them that could have been very helpful. Add to
that the now apparently intentional vaguery of its responses and the
conclusion begs to be that of a troll.

My opinion is to: Quit feeding it and let it starve here or go elsewhere
for its belly fills.

 

[Mike Starr]

Twayne, I've tried the things that were suggested... several years ago and
the day I posted my inquiry. What vaguery are you referring to? So far nobody
has offered any suggestions that will result in the outcome I desire... the
ability to use the Windows XP theme without it including any gradients in the
title bar or the title bar buttons (minimize, maximize, restore or close).
All I want to do is make the entire title bar and the background color of the
maximize, minimize and restore buttons solid blue (000,000,255), and the
background color of the close button solid red (255,000,000). I already know
how to do that with the Classic theme... I've been doing it for many years
now. However, I find myself in the position of having to do screen captures
on other people's computers and they all have the default Windows XP theme. I
can load my Classic theme onto their computer but would prefer to figure out
how to alter the Windows XP theme to achieve my desired results. If you'd go
back and read my original question, you'd see that there's nothing trollish
about my response. Since I publicly posted my email address, feel free to
ping me directly if you have any further concerns. That, btw, is decidedly
un-trollish.

 

[Twayne]

Twayne, I've tried the things that were suggested... several years

ago and the day I posted my inquiry. What vaguery are you referring
to? So far nobody has offered any suggestions that will result in the
outcome I desire... the ability to use the Windows XP theme without
it including any gradients in the title bar or the title bar buttons
(minimize, maximize, restore or close). All I want to do is make the
entire title bar and the background color of the maximize, minimize
and restore buttons solid blue (000,000,255), and the background
color of the close button solid red (255,000,000). I already know how
to do that with the Classic theme... I've been doing it for many
years now. However, I find myself in the position of having to do
screen captures on other people's computers and they all have the
default Windows XP theme. I can load my Classic theme onto their
computer but would prefer to figure out how to alter the Windows XP
theme to achieve my desired results. If you'd go back and read my
original question, you'd see that there's nothing trollish about my
response. Since I publicly posted my email address, feel free to ping
me directly if you have any further concerns. That, btw, is decidedly
un-trollish.

Well, DID you read/try any of those links and the suggestons? What were
the results? You've completely ignored several good suggestions and
links by not mentioning them at all. If you aren't trolling, you are
your own worst enemy then in trying to help yourself.

As for the address you use, that could belong to anyone or be made up.
It's not relevant in today's spam infested world or this topic.

 

[Mike Starr]

As I said in my reply to your post accusing me of being a troll:


What part of what I've written wasn't clear? I already know how to use the
Windows Classic style and eliminate the gradients by customizing that style.
However, as I said in my original message, I want to modify the Windows XP
style so that it does not use gradients. Here are the steps to take to fully
understand my question:

1. Right-click the desktop. Windows shows a Display Properties dialog box.

2. Choose the Appearance tab and click the Advanced button. Windows shows an
Advanced Appearance dialog box.

3. Set Color 1 and Color 2 for the Active Title Bar to the same color (I
prefer solid blue (000,000,255).

4. Click the OK button to accept your changes and return to the Display
Properties dialog box.

5. Click Apply to apply the changes to your system. Click the OK button to
dismiss the Display Properties dialog box.

Even though you've gone through this procedure, the way window and dialog
title bars is displayed still uses the gradients.

So what's your suggestion or do you just want to have a pissing contest? I'm
trying to get work done and find a way to do so that allows me to do it in a
manner that works best for my documentation process. So far nobody has come
up with a single suggestion that gets me anywhere close to where I want to be.

Mike

 

[Twayne]

As I said in my reply to your post accusing me of being a troll:

What part of what I've written wasn't clear? I already know how to
use the Windows Classic style and eliminate the gradients by
customizing that style. However, as I said in my original message, I
want to modify the Windows XP style so that it does not use
gradients. Here are the steps to take to fully understand my question:

1. Right-click the desktop. Windows shows a Display Properties dialog
box.

2. Choose the Appearance tab and click the Advanced button. Windows
shows an Advanced Appearance dialog box.

3. Set Color 1 and Color 2 for the Active Title Bar to the same color
(I prefer solid blue (000,000,255).

4. Click the OK button to accept your changes and return to the
Display Properties dialog box.

5. Click Apply to apply the changes to your system. Click the OK
button to dismiss the Display Properties dialog box.

Even though you've gone through this procedure, the way window and
dialog title bars is displayed still uses the gradients.

So what's your suggestion or do you just want to have a pissing
contest? I'm trying to get work done and find a way to do so that
allows me to do it in a manner that works best for my documentation
process. So far nobody has come up with a single suggestion that gets
me anywhere close to where I want to be.

Mike

Wow, you're thick. I've no more to add to your trollfest or you.

Bye

 

[ManyBeers]

I'm a technical writer and do screen captures many times each day for
documentation.

I want to customize the appearance to get rid of the gradients so that when
I do screen captures the title bar and other screen elements are all solid
colors. They print out much nicer that way. I know I can do so by selecting
the Classic theme and then customizing it but apparently there's no way to do
so with the Windows XP theme. I've been resisting the Windows XP theme
because of this but it's time to adopt it to avoid confusing folks or having
people crab about the "old" look of my documents.

Any tools for creating a custom Windows XP theme that allows me to get rid
of the gradients?

Thanks

Mike

Try Neowin Forums...customizing XP. http://www.neowin.net/ There are a lot
of gui experts there. They might be able to help.

I'm no expert but the Classic style and WindowsXP themes(Luna, etc.) use
different methods to render the GUI. I know Windows themes are based on
bitmaps. That might be the problem.