Windows 8 compatibility mode uses Win 7 titlebar skin

Published on March 20, 2013 By MrSwiveller In OS Customization

I am not sure if this has been discussed before, but has anyone else noticed that if you run an app in Win XP compatibility mode on Win 8 the programme will use the Windows 7 titlebar?

I have tried this with Irfanview and a language learning app; both display this behaviour. I wonder if this could somehow be used to force all applications to use the old titlebars, without using compatibility mode for all of them. Also, this suggests that Win 8 has at least some native theming capability.

The screenshot below is of my Windows 8 desktop. I use Start8, hence the start button. Notepad runs in Win8 mode, 'Lingva latina' runs in Win XP compatibility mode.

Example

Comments

moshi

on Mar 20, 2013

I wonder if this could somehow be used to force all applications to use the old titlebars, without using compatibility mode for all of them.

maybe, but not the way you have in mind. this is still the default msstyle, just using different resources from the same file.

Also, this suggests that Win 8 has at least some native theming capability.

yes, it does. still pretty much the same since Windows XP. Windows 8 visual styles are here: http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/skins/windows8/visualstyles8/?order=9 they will even skin Start8, if the skinner made the effort to edit the corresponding resources in the msstyle. an example: http://neiio.deviantart.com/art/Nite-Smooth-337988067?q=sort%3Atime%20gallery%3Aneiio&qo=7

MrSwiveller

on Mar 21, 2013

Thank you for your helpful reply. I don't really like the new titlebars, so until Windowblinds 8 comes out I think I will switch to one of the skins on Deviantart.

Daiwa

on Mar 21, 2013

Do msstyles/visual styles require a DLL hack on Win8? Just curious. Thx.

moshi

on Mar 21, 2013

Daiwa

reply 3

Do msstyles/visual styles require a DLL hack on Win8? Just curious. Thx.

that would be one method.

there's an other method also. UxStyle Core runs as a service and patches the files in RAM, so it leaves the original DLLs untouched. http://uxstyle.com/ (this requires the original files, so if you already hacked them, do a system restore before installing)

Daiwa

on Mar 21, 2013

That's certainly better than the old way. Thx for the info, moshi.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!