Is there a way to change the look of explorer?

[Tekk]

Im very sick and tired of the boring "grayness" of the windows in Win98. I want to put a little more spice to them, and Im not talking just changing the color scheme in Desktop Properties. Are there different ways that I can apply skins to the popups without having to configure whole new shell. I would love to get Litestep working but I can't setup the themes correctly because that text file is so **** confusing (even that little document is not very explanatory for the non-hardcore programmer) I know my stuff about computers but not the amount that Litestep seems to require to fully implement its abilities. Maybe once I start taking the programming classes at my school I'll start to understand it better.

Anyway, is there a way? Just wondering what people have done to change the whole look and not just the colors.

Thanks!

Tek

[yammahoppy]

try www.hotbar.com (http://www.hotbar.com) they have a program called hotbar (duh) that does what you want. i use it and had a corvette running down the strip as the backdrop on the tool bar. it is pretty cool and they have a ton of skins.

the yamminator

[happyhamster]

As far as I know, M$ integrated GUI pretty deep with the shell, so it's not easily customizable. The best thing would probably be to use Windowblinds http://www.windowblinds.net It's pretty popular shareware, and costs only $20 after a month.

[chipbgt]

I would also suggest windowblinds. Even adds some extra options to the windows.

[CujoRbd]

regarding what yammahoppy said... if you would just be changing the "backround" of the toolbar, then i must tell you that there is a way to do this in RegEdit. I don't recall exactly what it is, but i am looking around right now and will get back to you as soon as i find out... all it does it makes a bitmap show up behind the toolbar, but it certainly livens up the boring old gray.... http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif


anywayz...

[CujoRbd]

well, i just found the registry thingy you would want if you want to put a pic "behind" your toolbar...


Add a Background Bitmap to the Internet Explorer ToolBar (Windows 9x and NT)
Want to have you own bitmap shown on the Internet Explorer toolbar? It's simple with the Registry setting.

1. Open Regedit and find the key below.
2. Add a new String Value of "BackBitmap" and set the value to the path and name of bitmap file you wish to use (eg. "C:\WINDOWS\CLOUDS.BMP")
3. Exit Regedit and restart Internet Explorer.


Registry Settings:
Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar]
Value Name: BackBitmap
Data Type: REG_SZ



Last Reviewed: 16-Mar-1999

quote from RegEdit (http://www.regedit.com/)

so, as you can see, just go into regedit (assuming you are comfortable with that) and do like it says.... find the folder and put the new String in there... if you need help then feel free to e-mail me or post... also, if you want the place i found this at, then go here (http://www.regedit.com/cgi-bin/detail?id=66) and look at it more closely... also, if you want to maybe look into more customizations, then just go to their home page and check it out....


anywayz...

[Chainsaw]

Helpful tip CujoRbd
Thanks,
c:::CHNsaw