Windows Display and the Shell

[e_yossi]

Hi All,

I need help finding info about changing my desktop look & feel.

I've changed colors & fonts by creating a .theme file but i wont more...

Recently i read about modifing explorer.exe and i've successfuly changed some

bitmaps and text (using Resource Hacker).

Is there an extensive source that explain changes to explorer.exe? for example

changing my start button icon (the whole button), set different icons etc.

WindowsBlinds do that for you... how can i do that the way i wont?

Thanks.

B)

[Seshomaru Samma]

I don't know how to change explorer , but I often replace explorer with BBlean (=blackbox for windows) . BBlean is very flexible and allows you to tweak every aspect of it. It also takes less ram.

http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/

[e_yossi]

I don't know how to change explorer , but I often replace explorer with BBlean (=blackbox for windows) . BBlean is very flexible and allows you to tweak every aspect of it. It also takes less ram.

http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/

Thanks, but how do i install this .style files?

(i downloaded them from one of the links)

[Seshomaru Samma]

these tutorials should help:

The Shell

The Plugins

The Styles

[Scarecrow Man]

I used to use something call LiteStep - http://lsdev.org/news.php

There is also a DarkStep version - http://www.darkstep.com/

Both REPLACE the explorer.exe with thier own version. Make sure you make a system backup before doing anything to your Windows shell, because it's not easy to get it back if you dont know what your doing. (I learned the hard way. :lol:)

[Seshomaru Samma]

If you replace the shell - better use something like shellon which allows you to switch shells without the need to reboot.

I tried litesteps before , I couldn't really figure it out ,though I know it's the most popular replacement for Explorer

The reason I went with BBlean is that supposedly the config files are not OS dependent,so you should be able to tweak your desktop on Windows and import the exact set up to Linux. BBlean is quite similar to Fluxbox , but Litesteps is very special - I couldn't figure it out at all.....