| | | Copyright |
| | | About the Authors |
| | | Acknowledgments |
| | | We Want to Hear from You! |
| | | I Introduction |
| | | | Conventions Used in This Book |
| | | | How This Book is Organized |
| | | Part I: Windows XP Theme Basics |
| | | | Chapter 1. Understanding the Windows XP Graphical User Interface |
| | | | The Possibilities for Customizing Windows XP |
| | | | The Evolution of the XP Interface |
| | | | The Windows XP Desktop |
| | | | Modifying the Windows XP GUI Environment |
| | | | Themes Versus Visual Styles Versus Skins |
| | | | Chapter 2. Basic Windows XP Interface Modifications |
| | | | Adding Icons to the Desktop |
| | | | Changing Desktop Icons |
| | | | Modifying Folder Icons |
| | | | Arranging Icons on the Desktop |
| | | | Understanding and Modifying XP Interface Components |
| | | | Setting the Screen Resolution and Color Quality |
| | | | Changing the Windows Font Size |
| | | | Modifying the Start Menu |
| | | | Modifying the Taskbar |
| | | | Chapter 3. Applying and Downloading Windows Themes |
| | | | How Themes are Stored |
| | | | Exploring Theme Elements |
| | | | Changing the Default Theme |
| | | | Changing the Background |
| | | | Where to Find Great Windows XP Themes |
| | | | Downloading the Theme |
| | | | Applying Zipped Themes |
| | | | Applying Executable File Themes |
| | | | The Next Step |
| | | | Chapter 4. Creating Windows XP Themes from Scratch |
| | | | The Elements of Your Theme |
| | | | Your Theme Should Have a Theme |
| | | | Selecting Theme Elements in the Display Properties Dialog Box |
| | | | Editing the Appearance Settings |
| | | | Selecting Mouse Pointers for the Theme |
| | | | Creating a Sound Scheme for the Theme |
| | | | Saving the Desktop Theme |
| | | | Fine-tuning the Desktop Theme |
| | | Part II: Introducing Skinning Software |
| | | | Chapter 5. A Primer on Third-Party Theme and Skins Software |
| | | | Looking at the Choices |
| | | | Selecting Skinning Software |
| | | | At Your Own Risk: Patching the uxtheme.dll |
| | | | Downloading and Installing Skinning Software |
| | | | Downloading Themes and Skins |
| | | | Chapter 6. A Closer Look at Skinning Software |
| | | | What is TGTSoft Style XP? |
| | | | Downloading and Installing Style XP |
| | | | Working with the Style XP Interface |
| | | | Skinning with Style XP |
| | | | Downloading Skins for Style XP |
| | | | What Is RocketDivision StarSkin? |
| | | | Becoming Familiar with the StarSkin Interface |
| | | | Downloading and Using StarSkin Themes |
| | | | What Is WindowBlinds? |
| | | | Using WindowBlinds |
| | | | Understanding Object Desktop |
| | | | Using the Stardock Theme Manager |
| | | Part III: Creating Your Own Skins |
| | | | Chapter 7. The Basics of Creating Your Own Skins |
| | | | The Possibilities for Skin Creation |
| | | | Selecting a Skin Editor |
| | | | Other Programs You Will Need |
| | | | What Makes Up a Skin? |
| | | | Creating Simple and Complex Skins |
| | | | Chapter 8. Creating Windows XP Skins with TGTSoft StyleBuilder |
| | | | Downloading and Installing StyleBuilder |
| | | | The StyleBuilder Window |
| | | | What StyleBuilder Can and Cannot Do for You |
| | | | Creating a Simple Windows XP Visual Style |
| | | | Creating Complex Visual Styles |
| | | | Using Your Visual Style |
| | | | A Final Word on Visual Styles and StyleBuilder |
| | | | Chapter 9. Creating Windows XP Skins with Stardock SkinStudio |
| | | | Introducing Stardock SkinStudio |
| | | | Downloading and Installing SkinStudio |
| | | | Navigating the SkinStudio Interface |
| | | | Creating a Simple SkinStudio Skin |
| | | | Creating Advanced Skins |
| | | | A Final Word on SkinStudio Skins |
| | | | Chapter 10. Creating Icons and Mouse Pointers |
| | | | How Icons Are Stored in Windows XP |
| | | | Downloading Icons and Icon Sets |
| | | | Creating Your Own Icons |
| | | | The Basics of Icon Creation the Microsoft Way |
| | | | Exploring Third-Party Icon Makers |
| | | | Creating a Mouse Pointer Collection |
| | | | A Final Word on Icons and Cursors |
| | | | Chapter 11. Creating a Background Library |
| | | | How Backgrounds are Stored in Windows |
| | | | Storing Background Files |
| | | | Downloading Backgrounds and Wallpaper Files |
| | | | Creating Your Own Backgrounds |
| | | | Using Backgrounds with Your Themes and Skins |
| | | | A Final Word on Desktop Backgrounds |
| | | | Chapter 12. Adding Screensavers to Your Skins |
| | | | What are Screensavers Really? |
| | | | Creating Screensavers |
| | | | Creating a Slideshow Screensaver |
| | | | Downloading and Installing Screensavers |
| | | | A Final Word About Screensavers |
| | | | Chapter 13. Changing XP Logon Screens and Boot Screens |
| | | | Understanding Logon and Boot Screens |
| | | | Basic Modifications to the Windows Logon Screen |
| | | | Skinning Software and Logon Screens |
| | | | Downloading and Adding Logon Screens |
| | | | Creating Logon Screens |
| | | | Changing the Windows Boot Screen |
| | | | Creating Boot Screens |
| | | | Chapter 14. But It Doesn't Look Like Windows XP |
| | | | What You Have Learned So Far |
| | | | The Ins and Outs of Creating Enhanced Skins |
| | | | Working with the Stardock ObjectBar |
| | | | Creating an ObjectBar Theme |
| | | | Adding Items to a Toolbar |
| | | | Using ObjectBar to Create New Desktop Environments |
| | | | Understanding Desktop Extenders |
| | | | Using DesktopX |
| | | | Using DesktopX Themes |
| | | | Skinning Windows XP Applications |
| | | | A Final Word on Skinning |
| | | Part IV: Appendix |
| | | | Appendix A. Using ResHacker |
| | | | Downloading and Installing Resource Hacker |
| | | | Working with ResHacker |
| | | Index |
