Forcing any type of application to use XP theme

[Shahid_fss]

As a computer programmer, when I first made my software in windows XP environment, they were using windows 98/2000 theme instead of XP theme which make them look awful while having different design than windows. I decided to use windows XP theme and found out that it can be done without any code modification or entering special code.
The method being use to have an XP theme is very simple. We use an XML file for this purpose and it is called a manifest file (its extension should be *.manifest). It contains runtime information about the application. You don’t need to know how to create this XML file because it is some what difficult work. The easy way to gain it is to steal it (Pakistani or Dasi way). To use it in any application that don’t use an XP theme follow these steps;

1- Open the “search” program
2- Put in the search box “*.manifest”
3- Choose “My computer”
4- Click search
Windows will search all manifest files for u. You can use any of them. One of them will be “XPThemes.manifest”. You should better use this.

5- Copy it to the folder where the exe file of program exists
6- Rename it (the name should be same which is of your application. i.e If u want to use it with an application whose exe file’s name is XYZ.exe than you should rename it like this XYZ.exe.manifest)
7- Now run the application

NOTE
1- .Manifest file should be in the same folder were the main exe file is.
2- It will only work with those controls whose display property is “System” and this can be only changed by the programmer who has designed that software.
3- If you will run this application in any other version of windows the application will display the current theme you are using.

Hope u’ll try this. And if u know any trick like this plz let us know. Bye


```*``` I love stars;
*`*`*`* Shining;
`*`*`*` and Smiling;
*`````* Always.
http//www.shahid-fss.tk

[jbladeus]

Interesting indeed...

Btw, we Pakistanis dont ever "steal" anything!
We just like to 're-engineer' things.

________________________
Arrrgh... it sure's gonna be mighty rough sailin' today ... mates!

[inam_satti]

all the xml appwizards 16-bit dos applications and they
usually dont run in xp how did u do it ..assist me

[Shahid_fss]

XMLs are purely working in XP.
XMLs can be easily created by using WORDPAD (BY Adding XML codes).
The file I recomended to use, instead of creating a new file, is already in use of WINDOWS XP and its name is "XPTHEMES.manifest". Moreover I told you that I used this trick with my every software, it is much easier then programming, isn't it.
---
It doesn't mean that when you'll use it u can use XP theme in WINDOWS 98. It means that if a software is using any other theme then your current operating system then this file will force it to use the current theme.
---
Another thing; XML has become much important then ever because it is now an esential part of disconnected data and this feature is not old, it was introduced by microsoft with VISUAL STUDIO .NET which was created after WINDOWS XP. It is just a single feature of XML there are many other tasks where a programer badly needs XML.

========================
```*``` I love stars;
*`*`*`* Shining;
`*`*`*` and Smiling;
*`````* Always.
------------------------
[email protected]
http//www.shahid-fss.tk
========================

[Shahid_fss]

XMLs are purely working in XP.
XMLs can be easily created by using WORDPAD (BY Adding XML codes).
The file I recomended to use, instead of creating a new file, is already in use of WINDOWS XP and its name is "XPTHEMES.manifest". Moreover I told you that I used this trick with my every software, it is much easier then programming, isn't it.
If u have any doubt then try it once with a software whoes appearance is dofferent from other XP softwares (Limitations should be kept in mind).
---
It doesn't mean that when you'll use it u can use XP theme in WINDOWS 98 or any other o/s. It means that if a software is using any other theme then your current o/s theme then this file will force it to use the current theme.
---
Another thing; XML is more then u think. XML has become much important then ever because it is now an esential part of disconnected data and this feature is not old, it was introduced by microsoft with VISUAL STUDIO .NET which was created after WINDOWS XP. It is just a single feature of XML there are many other tasks where a programer badly needs XML.

========================
```*``` I love stars;
*`*`*`* Shining;
`*`*`*` and Smiling;
*`````* Always.
------------------------
[email protected]
http//www.shahid-fss.tk
========================

[Shahid_fss]

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WHAT IS XML
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Extensible Markup Language (XML) provides a way to describe structured data. Unlike HTML tags, which are primarily used to control the display and appearance of data, XML tags are used to define the structure and data types of the data itself.

XML uses a set of tags to delineate elements of data. Each element encapsulates a piece of data that may be very simple or very complex. You can define an unlimited set of XML tags. For example, you might define XML tags to declare pieces of data from a purchase order, such as the price, tax, shipping address, billing address, and so on. As XML tags are adopted throughout an organization and across organizations, data from all kinds of different data stores will be easier to exchange and manipulate.

XML is simple, platform-independent, and a widely adopted standard. The advantage of XML over HTML is that it separates the user interface from the structured data. This separation of data from presentation enables the integration of data from diverse sources. Customer information, purchase orders, research results, bill payments, medical records, catalog data, and other information can be converted to XML.

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USES OF XML
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XML is an extremely flexible way to pass around data. The following are all examples where XML can be used

An ordinary document
A structured record, such as an appointment record or purchase order
Internet/intranet Web applications that move data
An object with data, such as the persistent format of an object or ActiveX control
A data record, such as the result set of a query
Meta-content about a Web site, such as Channel Definition Format (CDF)
Graphical presentation, such as an application's user interface
Links between information and people on the Web
C# code, which can be documented with XML; for more information, see XML Documentation
Discovery documents used to locate available XML Web services; For more information, see XML Web Service Discovery.
The following lists several advantages XML has over other formats when storing information

XML formats are text-based, making them more readable, easier to document, and sometimes easier to debug.
XML documents can use much of the infrastructure already built for HTML, including the HTTP protocol and some browsers. HTTP allows XML to be transferred across firewalls.
XML parsing is well defined and widely implemented, making it possible to retrieve information from XML documents in a variety of environments.
Applications can rely on XML parsers to do some structural validation, as well as data type checking (when schemas are used).
XML is built on a Unicode foundation, making it easier to create internationalized documents.

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This article is taken from microsoft development network resource kit and its 7th point tells us that it can be used as a "Graphical presentation, such as an application's user interface"

For further info (http//msdn.microsoft.com/xml/default.asp).

========================
```*``` I love stars;
*`*`*`* Shining;
`*`*`*` and Smiling;
*`````* Always.
------------------------
[email protected]
http//www.shahid-fss.tk
========================