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Saarineames — Classic AE 2.5.3 Dev
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Published: 2013-03-08 12:48:44 +0000 UTC; Views: 11878; Favourites: 32; Downloads: 1912
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Description
Classic AE 2.5.3 Dev for Windows 7A Classic visual style with Aero enhancements.
Update! New version 2.5.5 Dev available. [link]
2.5.3 Dev:
New substyle of Classic AE 2.5.3. [link]
This style is fully updated, but with some cosmetic changes as listed below.
Substyle differences:
Lighter, flat menus.
Lighter primary panels for Task dialogs/Aero wizard.
Darker blue scheme for window captions and assorted text.
Also includes "No Help Button" folderband mod shellstyle as default.
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2.5.4 Dev: [Experimental]
Added bordered hover states, e.g. for flyouts (action center, view area networks) and more.
Updated Shell32 UIFILE Mod and ExplorerFrame Mod for this version.
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Notes of importance:
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Start button set for explorer.exe for standard DPI settings included. Use bitmaps or single .res file to update.
For IE9/IE10 users, make sure to enable "Show tabs on a separate row" option for consistency.
Added shell32.dll UIFILE mod for 'classic style' Navigation/Category Panel.
Added Alt+Tab Classic Style Icons .reg files. Thanks to Sevenforums.
Added ExplorerFrame mod for search-related areas and address bar button images.
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Please respect my work with no rips/alterations. Personal mods are ok.
© 2010-13 by Saarineames (SAAR).
Some rights reserved. This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
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Update changelog:
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Update (12-24-2013) [Visual styles]
Adjusted AeroWizard ContentArea.
Fixed TreeView bug with certain applications.
Update (12-02-2013) [Visual styles]
Adjusted taskband buttons transparency for smoother hover.
Update (11-30-2013) [2.5.3 Dev visual style]
Adjusted menu disabled items text quality.
Update (11-11-2013) [Visual styles]
New workaround for taskband flash which greatly improves visiblity. [Important]
See Taskband Flash Revision note for more details.
Update (11-03-2013) [Visual styles]
Adjusted Taskband Thumbnail ListItem states to a more classic style guideline.
Adjusted default AltTab states to a more classic style guideline.
Update (10-18-2013) [Visual styles]
Adjusted start menu places list.
Adjusted progress bar/taskband color green.
Update (5-29-2013)
Adjusted folderband buttons keyfocused state (focus rectangle) for keyboard navigation. [Visual styles]
Added keyfocused states (focus rectangle) for keyboard navigation. [ExplorerFrame Mod]
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Comments: 28
I've always really liked the Classic Windows theme in XP. It's just simple, clean, and efficient. There's no way I could ever get used to the visual assault that is Aero. It bothered me so much I put off migrating to Windows 7 as long as possible. Well there's no way I can put it off anymore, XP is just too obsolete now.
Using ClassicShell with the Windows Classic theme in Win7 provides a very close look to Windows Classic in XP, unfortunately video performance is just too poor. You pretty much have to utilize accelerated graphics through Aero to get decent performance with Win7. I don't get it, I mean Windows XP had zero problem with a desktop lacking accelerated graphics, but whatever. Once again Microsoft has forced their will on me.
Classic AE has come to the rescue. At first I was a little put off by the white background and flat start menu, but then I found the 2.5.3 version has gray menu backrounds and with the addition of the Classic AE start menu skin to ClassicShell I have a very XP Classic looking Aero desktop. I'm very happy with it and have much less issue with Windows 7. I only hope I can do something similar the next time Microsoft forces me to upgrade.
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Hi nice theme.......any chances to port it on windows 8.1
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I'm still wondering if the colors can change in this version.
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I like the changes!
Already using 2.5.3 version for half a year. Thank you so much for this thoughtful and beautiful theme!
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You changed so many things, but I think that you forgot about close button in thumbnail previews 
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The close button on the thumbnail was kept because a red button is also used in the default classic style to close captions, probably for usability reasons. Plus, it matches the "close window" button on the jumplists.
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Oops, I didn't thought, that my smile will become into evil :C.
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Using this style for a couple of months now. Just came to deviantart to check if any new version and surprise.
Will use it when it goes to the stable channel cuz im a noob. Can wait
Excellent detailed work imho. Thank you.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks very much!
This version is definitely stable. It's the latest updated version of 2.5.3, but with some aesthetic differences. The standard 2.5.3 and substyles [link] had some updates in the last couple of months.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Just wanted to let you know a features request/improvement, that is, if you feel like doing them
- Compatibility with taskbar clock replacement programs- t-clock, skinny clock (the taskbar color is always white even after changing it in the program settings)
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Oh! I get it now... Even the final version is in constant revision with small updates that you see fit and that this is 2.5.3 too, with just a different substyle for those who want something specific...I suppose the reason is, you don't really want to flood DA with too many minor updates
Thanks again for kindly sharing this with us.
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Yes, indeed. Well, the final was supposed to be final, but I found a few small improvements to be made, so I continued updating. Might as well! This version I didn't intend to release, but then I figured others might like it.
No problem, glad you're enjoying it.
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When I first applied this my text for my desktop shortcuts were white, but after a reboot, the text turned black. Is the text suppose to be black? If I change themes, and come back, they are white again, but again after a reboot or log off/on, they turn black.
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I believe that happens when you have "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" option unselected in Performance Options. The text will be plain white or black, depending on the background color when you log in next time. Same thing with Aero style. Not a setting per this visual style, if that is what you were wondering.
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Haha, a little too far back for me.
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Not so far.
Now flat menus, next flat windows XD
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Would it be possible to make the min, max, close buttons squares like the old original ones? Maybe a sub-version?
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Unfortunately, the button positioning is hard-coded in Aero. I would have done the classic style buttons from the beginning if that was not the case! I think there is a third-party tool to make the close button smaller, but I have never tried it.
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