Force a Windows XP look

[Maurice]

Hi all,

I have an application, designed in Visual Studio 2005, which will run
mainly on Windows XP computers.

If I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows XP
Theme selected the controls look nice rounded, etc. just like in Windows
XP.

But if I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows
Classic Theme selected the controls look 'classic' again.

Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having the
Windows Classic Theme running?

Thanks,

Regards,
Maurice

[Joanna Carter [TeamB]]

"Maurice" <hm*****@nospam .nospama écrit dans le message de news:
Xn************* *************** @194.109.133.13 3...

| Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having the
| Windows Classic Theme running?

The whole idea of themes is to allow users to choose how their applications
look; you are not in charge of that, they are.

I, for one, would not appreciate an application that looks different to how
I have set and would like to see my applications appear.

Joanna

--
Joanna Carter [TeamB]
Consultant Software Engineer

[zacks]

Maurice wrote:

Hi all,

I have an application, designed in Visual Studio 2005, which will run
mainly on Windows XP computers.

If I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows XP
Theme selected the controls look nice rounded, etc. just like in Windows
XP.

But if I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows
Classic Theme selected the controls look 'classic' again.

Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having the
Windows Classic Theme running?

I haven't tried the exact scenario you describe, but there is an:

Application.Ena bleVisualStyles

method.

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

"Maurice" <hm*****@nospam .nospamschrieb:

I have an application, designed in Visual Studio 2005, which will run
mainly on Windows XP computers.

If I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows XP
Theme selected the controls look nice rounded, etc. just like in Windows
XP.

But if I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows
Classic Theme selected the controls look 'classic' again.

Well, have you ever spent a thought on why the user has the ability to
change the theme?! If the user selects the Windows Classic theme he/she
expects applications to use this theme.

--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://classicvb.org/petition/>

[Maurice]

Hi Joanna,

the reason I want this is because we are building a product which has a
certain look and feel. We want to preserve this look and feel throughout
the whole GUI of the application.

We designed a specific GUI and don't want this GUI to be changed.


"Joanna Carter [TeamB]" <jo****@not.for .spamwrote in
news:Oy******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP05.phx.gbl:

"Maurice" <hm*****@nospam .nospama écrit dans le message de news:
Xn************* *************** @194.109.133.13 3...

| Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having
| the Windows Classic Theme running?

The whole idea of themes is to allow users to choose how their
applications look; you are not in charge of that, they are.

I, for one, would not appreciate an application that looks different
to how I have set and would like to see my applications appear.

Joanna

[Joanna Carter [TeamB]]

"Maurice" <hm*****@nospam .nospama écrit dans le message de news:
Xn************* *************** @194.109.133.13 3...

| the reason I want this is because we are building a product which has a
| certain look and feel. We want to preserve this look and feel throughout
| the whole GUI of the application.
|
| We designed a specific GUI and don't want this GUI to be changed.

Well, I'm sorry, but that really violates the whole idea of the Windows UI
design guidelines.

People set up Windows to look and feel how *they* want. It is up to you to
allow them to do that; after all it is their computer, not yours.

I have had the displeasure of installing programs like this which take over
my computer's UI settings; they last about 30 seconds before I uninstall
them.

If you really insist on making a "different" look and feel, then I suggest
you look at creating your own skinning options like Media Player, etc. But
do bear in mind that the customer is always right, and if they don't like
the appearance, they will simply change it or ditch the program. You could
well be shooting yourself in the commercial foot insisting on this
"feature".

Joanna

--
Joanna Carter [TeamB]
Consultant Software Engineer

[David Hearn]

The user has chosen their theme as it has a certain look and feel. They
want to preserve this look and feel throughout the whole GUI of the
operating system.

The user has selected a specific GUI and do not want this GUI to be changed.

D

Maurice wrote:

Hi Joanna,

the reason I want this is because we are building a product which has a
certain look and feel. We want to preserve this look and feel throughout
the whole GUI of the application.

We designed a specific GUI and don't want this GUI to be changed.


"Joanna Carter [TeamB]" <jo****@not.for .spamwrote in
news:Oy******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP05.phx.gbl:

>"Maurice" <hm*****@nospam .nospama écrit dans le message de news:
Xn************ *************** *@194.109.133.1 33...

| Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having
| the Windows Classic Theme running?

The whole idea of themes is to allow users to choose how their
applications look; you are not in charge of that, they are.

I, for one, would not appreciate an application that looks different
to how I have set and would like to see my applications appear.

Joanna

[Claes Bergefall]

I hope not. Why do you want to force the XP look on your users?
You will probably need to draw everything yourself if you want a precise
look, regardless of the user's settings.

/claes

"Maurice" <hm*****@nospam .nospamwrote in message
news:Xn******** *************** *****@194.109.1 33.133...

Hi all,

I have an application, designed in Visual Studio 2005, which will run
mainly on Windows XP computers.

If I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows XP
Theme selected the controls look nice rounded, etc. just like in Windows
XP.

But if I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows
Classic Theme selected the controls look 'classic' again.

Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having the
Windows Classic Theme running?

Thanks,

Regards,
Maurice

[Chris]

Maurice wrote:

Hi all,

I have an application, designed in Visual Studio 2005, which will run
mainly on Windows XP computers.

If I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows XP
Theme selected the controls look nice rounded, etc. just like in Windows
XP.

But if I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows
Classic Theme selected the controls look 'classic' again.

Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having the
Windows Classic Theme running?

Thanks,

Regards,
Maurice

Why would you want to? The concept is that the person choose their PC
to look the classic way so your program should conform to that way.

[Maurice]

Hi all,

thanks for the comments.

I just figured out how to solve my problem. Indeed, as mentioned by
Joanna, I will force the look by the use of a skin. A third party tool,
Application Styling, from Infragistics, will work perfect for me. I will
be able to force the GUI with nice round controls, etc.

In my opinion, the Media Player, is exactly doing what I want to do.
Offering the user a nice looking GUI.


Chris <[e-mail] te in news:44******** ******@spam.com :

Maurice wrote:

>Hi all,

I have an application, designed in Visual Studio 2005, which will run
mainly on Windows XP computers.

If I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the Windows
XP Theme selected the controls look nice rounded, etc. just like in
Windows XP.

But if I run the application on a Windows XP computer having the
Windows Classic Theme selected the controls look 'classic' again.

Is there a way to also use the Windows XP look on a computer having
the Windows Classic Theme running?

Thanks,

Regards,
Maurice

Why would you want to? The concept is that the person choose their PC
to look the classic way so your program should conform to that way.