Form colors in Access XP look goofy when converting

[Jozef]

Hello,

I have forms in my database that use grey as the back color. When I convert
them to XP, They all look goofy. The grey becomes two tone. The grey used
in the controls are dark, the grey used in the form detail is light, almost
white. I can change the back color on the forms to match the controls, but
on controls like tabs etc, it still looks goofy (since I can't change the
backcolor on a tab control or button etc.).

Is there any easy way to deal with this without having to change the display
colors to classic windows?

Thanks!

[Albert D. Kallal]

It sounds like you are using office 2003.

This new look is called themed controls, and it simply means that your
application(s) take on a windows xp look..
(most new software looks this way).

You can turn it off, by going:

tools->options->forms/reports tab

Just un-check the "use themed controls".

I actually like the themes on, as it makes my "old" software look new. Here
is a series of screen shots with themes turned on, and off....

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...heme/index.htm

And, if you look at the following screens of grids, they look more modern. I
find that the old grey screens do look a bit tired, but the whole matter is
really a taste issue. (and, there is a number of issues with themed
controls).

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...icles/Grid.htm

--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pl*****************@msn.com
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal

[Jozef]

Hi Albert,

Nope, using 2002 / XP. I've dealt with it for a while now, fortunately I've
had some control over workstation standards, so I've just been able to set
all workstations to "Windows Classic", but I don't want to have to do that,
and ideally, I don't want to have to change all the back color of all the
forms in the database.

Any other ideas?
"Albert D. Kallal" <ka****@msn.com> wrote in message
news:E3SQe.43334$Hk.43207@pd7tw1no...

It sounds like you are using office 2003.

This new look is called themed controls, and it simply means that your
application(s) take on a windows xp look..
(most new software looks this way).

You can turn it off, by going:

tools->options->forms/reports tab

Just un-check the "use themed controls".

I actually like the themes on, as it makes my "old" software look new.
Here is a series of screen shots with themes turned on, and off....

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...heme/index.htm

And, if you look at the following screens of grids, they look more modern.
I find that the old grey screens do look a bit tired, but the whole matter
is really a taste issue. (and, there is a number of issues with themed
controls).

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...icles/Grid.htm

--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pl*****************@msn.com
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal

[Steve Jorgensen]

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 05:52:32 GMT, "Jozef" <SP**********@telus.net> wrote:

Hi Albert,

Nope, using 2002 / XP. I've dealt with it for a while now, fortunately I've
had some control over workstation standards, so I've just been able to set
all workstations to "Windows Classic", but I don't want to have to do that,
and ideally, I don't want to have to change all the back color of all the
forms in the database.

Any other ideas?

I see - your forms use the system colors (the negative numbers). These are
not actually colors at all, but indexes into the standard system color set,
and they always follow whatever windows color scheme is in effect. That's
what they're for.

The good news is that it's not too hard to write code that can loop through
all the form objects, open each one in design mode, loop through all the
controls, and replace the BackColor value of all controls that have a specific
BackColor value, then save the form. If you don't want to go to all that
trouble, buy Speed Ferret, and let it do it for you.

If you do much Access development, you'll want Speed Ferret anyway. It can
save vast amounts of time and make otherwise impractical design changes
relatively trivial.

[Jozef]

Excellent.

Thanks Steve, will check it out.
"Steve Jorgensen" <no****@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:s7********************************@4ax.com...

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 05:52:32 GMT, "Jozef" <SP**********@telus.net> wrote:

Hi Albert,

Nope, using 2002 / XP. I've dealt with it for a while now, fortunately
I've
had some control over workstation standards, so I've just been able to set
all workstations to "Windows Classic", but I don't want to have to do
that,
and ideally, I don't want to have to change all the back color of all the
forms in the database.

Any other ideas?

I see - your forms use the system colors (the negative numbers). These
are
not actually colors at all, but indexes into the standard system color
set,
and they always follow whatever windows color scheme is in effect. That's
what they're for.

The good news is that it's not too hard to write code that can loop
through
all the form objects, open each one in design mode, loop through all the
controls, and replace the BackColor value of all controls that have a
specific
BackColor value, then save the form. If you don't want to go to all that
trouble, buy Speed Ferret, and let it do it for you.

If you do much Access development, you'll want Speed Ferret anyway. It
can
save vast amounts of time and make otherwise impractical design changes
relatively trivial.