Applying WinXP visual themes in Win2K app....

[Matthew P. Seltzer]

All-
This is a bit 'out there,' but, here goes. I have copied the WinSxS folder from a WinXP box to my Win2K box. I would like to be able to apply XP control styles to my Win2K VB.NET apps. Given what I have copied into my WinSXS folder, would I be able to use a combination of assembly manifests and isolated Win32 assemblies to do this? According to MSDN, comctl32.dll, Version 6, which is bundled with WinXP, is not redistributable. My thinking is that if you take care to copy the version 6 DLL from an XP box and include all its dependent DLLs (which I have done), all the components in question have, at least, the _potential_ to work on my Win2K box
Where may I find comprehensive documentation on isolating and using Win32 assemblies in a .NET executable
TIA

Matt Seltze
Senior Database Analys
NYU School of Medicine Child Study Cente
New York, N

P.S. Do I also need the services of the WinXP uxtheme.dll, or will comctl32.dll (Version 6) be sufficient for what I want to do

MPS

[Lorne Smith]

You need uxtheme.dll as this is the theming engine in XP. I'll be VERY
surprised if you get this to work... Not the least because you cannot
redistribute any of the files needed...

If you want app skinning in W2K... I'd go the WindowsBlinds route, or not
bother...

"Matthew P. Seltzer" <an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D4**********************************@microsof t.com...

All--
This is a bit 'out there,' but, here goes. I have copied the WinSxS folder from a WinXP box to my Win2K box. I would like to be able to apply
XP control styles to my Win2K VB.NET apps. Given what I have copied into my
WinSXS folder, would I be able to use a combination of assembly manifests
and isolated Win32 assemblies to do this? According to MSDN, comctl32.dll,
Version 6, which is bundled with WinXP, is not redistributable. My thinking
is that if you take care to copy the version 6 DLL from an XP box and
include all its dependent DLLs (which I have done), all the components in
question have, at least, the _potential_ to work on my Win2K box. Where may I find comprehensive documentation on isolating and using Win32 assemblies in a .NET executable? TIA,

Matt Seltzer
Senior Database Analyst
NYU School of Medicine Child Study Center
New York, NY

P.S. Do I also need the services of the WinXP uxtheme.dll, or will comctl32.dll (Version 6) be sufficient for what I want to do?
MPS

[Matthew P. Seltzer]

Hello, Lorne
This is how I think it _might_ be done. As I mentioned in my first post, I have obtained all the necessary WinXP (unmanaged) DLLs that I need + UXTHEME.DLL. I have also downloaded the Windows Installer SDK and the Orca tool which allows you to create custom .MSI files. There are certain tables that I will have to include in my custom .MSI file in order to register the WinXP DLLs as isolated assemblies. Once they are properly registered and isolated using the Windows Installer, I believe I should be able to include a .NET assembly manifest in the folder where _all_ the necessary unmanaged and managed assemblies will reside so that I can make use of what is inside comctl32.dll, version 6. (I am not sure if I will have to make explicit function calls to APIs exposed in UXTHEME.DLL.) But, for what it's worth, this is my plan. I am not trying to skin applications, but, rather, I just want to see if I can get the WinXP look-and-feel on Win2K for free

Best

Matt

[Lorne Smith]

By all means try it, but I very much doubt it will work. Also, as you
cannot redistrubute these DLL, it's fairly pointless exercise as you cannot
give/sell your application to anyone with those files in the installer...

BTW: Trying to give apps on W2K the XP "look & feel" IS skinning them...
uxtheme.dll in the skinning/themeing engine in XP.

But like I said, try it by all means.. I'd be interested to know if it
works, and very surprised :)

"Matthew P. Seltzer" <an*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:45**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hello, Lorne,
This is how I think it _might_ be done. As I mentioned in my first post, I have obtained all the necessary WinXP (unmanaged) DLLs that I need +
UXTHEME.DLL. I have also downloaded the Windows Installer SDK and the Orca
tool which allows you to create custom .MSI files. There are certain tables
that I will have to include in my custom .MSI file in order to register the
WinXP DLLs as isolated assemblies. Once they are properly registered and
isolated using the Windows Installer, I believe I should be able to include
a .NET assembly manifest in the folder where _all_ the necessary unmanaged
and managed assemblies will reside so that I can make use of what is inside
comctl32.dll, version 6. (I am not sure if I will have to make explicit
function calls to APIs exposed in UXTHEME.DLL.) But, for what it's worth,
this is my plan. I am not trying to skin applications, but, rather, I just
want to see if I can get the WinXP look-and-feel on Win2K for free.
Best,

Matt