Porting the Windows 10 msstyle to 8.1

[wealstarr]

Hello,

Will it be possible to add a feature to quickly copy and paste all the properties from Windows 10 msstyle file into an 8.1 msstyle file ? It will also need to sanitize the image properties to render them correctly. Please consider this request.

[nptr]

Hello!

I assume it would be possible to do this automatically to some degree, but it's probably tricky and a lot of effort to get it right. Given my limited time and different priorities, please don't count on such a feature any time soon.

There were other requests of this sort and it's a useful feature so I'll leave the issue open for the future. Any help with this would be highly appreciated tho.

Best regards
nptr

[wealstarr]

Hello nptr.

Many thanks for your awesome project. This could be the shine of the millennium, the best tool in my toolkit.

Back to the point, I have ported the Windows 10 default Aero theme for 8.1 and I didn't find it complicated at all.

_I opened two instances of WSB. In one instance I opened the WIndows 10 msstyle and in another Windows 8.1 msstyle

I used compatible Windows 10 classmaps for first instance of WSB to be able to to correctly read all the properties in Windows 10 msstyle file.

From Windows 10 msstyle I marked all the properties under one category and exported them to a stylehack

Then I imported that stylehack into my Windows 8.1 msstyle file

I repeated these steps around ~50 times

Then I tested my msstyles file, I got 95% of it right

I then proceeded to manually correct the things and skin the elements which were left unskinned._

The biggest limitation on using the custom themes is that they are for specific version of Windows. This is probably the most useful feature for the program in my humble opinion. Worth the time and effort.

I can send you my ported msstyle file if you like.

I'm not a developer but I think all it needs is the ability to copy/paste the properties. Copy all the properties from Windows 10 msstyle file and paste them onto 8.1 msstyle file for the properties that are found and disregard the properties which are absent in 8.1 file.

I mean no disrespect but I can compensate the time invested for this effort with little amount of money.

Thank you for the great work. I wish I had found you earlier.

I'm ready to offer any kind of help I could. I will dedicate any amount if time needed, do the beta tests or any other tasks you need me to just in case. I have classmaps for Windows 1809 and 19H1-21H2 both Dark Mode and Light Mode but they are not complete. I'm ready to help in any way I can.

Regards
wealstarr

[nptr]

I suppose for the start, exporting and importing classes/parts/properties is something I could do. No time plan for this as well, but its more realistic (and generic) than a full fledged porting functionality :)

I also have to decline your compensation offer. Its really more of a time issue than a motivational one and I don't want to feel obligated to a hobby project too. Maybe I'll set up a donation "thank you" link in the future though, we'll see.

You could send/link me the Win10 style (if you are permitted to redistribute it), the ported Win8.1 style and one of your stylehacks for comparison. The class maps are WSB proprietary, I think I can't use them.

Apart from that, I have a really basic Wiki that could profit from your knowledge. Also, how come you use msstyleEditor when you have access to the more capable WSB?

[wealstarr]

Voila!! Thank you for the positive and hopeful remarks. Hope lives. In the billions of softwares that exists for Windows, msstyleEditor will be the only tool to be able to do this.

Copy paste will do the job. For the rest of the parts, users can manually correct and theme the rest. Copy paste does the 95% of the job. Just one issue, we can't copy the hex of the PNG's, we have to either export/import them with/like other properties or try another way for example base64 might work but needs testing. Copy/pasting the hex gives error.

Maybe copy/pasting is not the correct term rather export/import ? Export all the properties in a .zip file including all the PNG's and then import that .zip file onto 8.1 msstyle, imported properties only gets applies to the properties already present in the msstyle file and disregard the properties absent in the msstyle file.

Here is the files you asked for. Includes ported Windows 10 theme for 8.1 (TenBlue), default Windows 10 theme 1809 which I used as a source to create stylehacks and one stylehack for reference.
Data.zip

I would gladly help with the Wiki but I need to familiarize myself with the program for which I need to make at least a couple of themes. I need that tree view of classes and tab view of MINDPI images and Commandbar for Manubar functions to start using it. I need things organized and sorted.

Well, that's the thing, In my opinion this project has the capability to surpass the WSB. And it doesn't require the constant work/updating. For example, once the commandbar is added, it's there forever. I'm active member of many themeing communities (virtualcustoms, deviantart, 7themes, skinpacks etc) the only caveat is we themers are hooked to WSB for decades and it deserved it, WSB really does things the best possible way. But I believe this project could be more. Needless to say It will need some time, but once that's done, we all can hop onto it. Also, I don't expect everything to be added, or even added in one go, but little by little we shell get there. Hope springs eternal.

[wealstarr]

I just thought one more thing. If this import/export feature could/will be implemented, it won't be limited to 10 -->8.1 but it should
work across all versions of Windows. Suppose I exported all the classes/parts/properties from a Windows 7 msstyle into a .zip file. Then I imported that .zip into my 8.1 msstyle. Now the importing script/module will check the classes/parts/properties already present in the 8.1 msstyle and compare them with the classes/parts/properties in the .zip file then match them and apply them and disregard the rest of the classes/parts/properties which aren't there in my 8.1 msstyle file.

With this methodology I could also import this same .zip into my Windows 10 msstyle, Windows vista msstyle etc. This will really be the universal porting tool for Windows themes. Should have backward compatibility too.

But there's a catch for the Windows 10 msstyles as there are equivalent dark classes so the user should have a choice while importing/exporting if they want to import/export light properties or the dark ones.