An easy (quick) way to change colours?

W7 (Pro)
Such as, in my case, the windows scroll bar (grey) shade (want it darker to
show up against the bar background).

Years back, you could change each element colour/shade (within reason). Can
this be done in W7 without editing the reg entries (which must be
"somewhere") each time ?

On 1/1/2015 5:02 AM, Will3 wrote:
W7 (Pro)
Such as, in my case, the windows scroll bar (grey) shade (want it darker to
show up against the bar background).

Years back, you could change each element colour/shade (within reason). Can
this be done in W7 without editing the reg entries (which must be
"somewhere") each time ?


Using the Start button, I selected Help and Support. I entered the
search term "desktop appearance". Item #25 was "Change Windows fonts".
Selecting the item, I saw a link that said "Click to open Window Color
and Appearance." The result was the Window Color and Apparance window,
which has an option to change the width of the scroll bar but not the
color. This window appears the same as what I used to get if I
right-clicked on an empty area of my desktop and selected Properties.

--
David E. Ross

The Crimea is Putin's Sudetenland.
The Ukraine will be Putin's Czechoslovakia.
See http://www.rossde.com/editorials/edtl_PutinUkraine.html.

In message , David E. Ross
writes:
On 1/1/2015 5:02 AM, Will3 wrote:
W7 (Pro)
Such as, in my case, the windows scroll bar (grey) shade (want it darker to
show up against the bar background).

Years back, you could change each element colour/shade (within reason). Can
this be done in W7 without editing the reg entries (which must be
"somewhere") each time ?


Using the Start button, I selected Help and Support. I entered the
search term "desktop appearance". Item #25 was "Change Windows fonts".
Selecting the item, I saw a link that said "Click to open Window Color
and Appearance." The result was the Window Color and Apparance window,
which has an option to change the width of the scroll bar but not the
color. This window appears the same as what I used to get if I
right-clicked on an empty area of my desktop and selected Properties.

You _can_ get back the old colour-of-items thing, familiar to users of
Windows 95 and 98 (it always amused me that it was under an "Advanced"
button in 98 but not 95, implying 98 users were less savvy!), but you
don't half have to work at it!

As David says, right-click on empty part of desktop. Select Personalize.
Ignore the Themes part of the window that appears, and select Window
Color. Ignore the pretty colour chart, and select Advanced appearance
settings...*; you now get Window Color and Appearance. (Or go via the
help system as David describes.) You will get the familiar (to some) old
colo(u)r chooser: pick Scrollbar from the Item: dropdown.

If Color 1 and Color 2 are greyed out on that, you'll need to select a
less fancy "theme" at an earlier stage - Aero, for example, I think
isn't suitable.

[* This is the first time for ages that I've come across a Microsoft
menu item (or similar) Where Everything Isn't In Capitals; they seem
obsessed with Doing That.]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

It [televised sport] can be a bit like a creche for the men in my family.
- Katherine Parkinson, in RT 26 July-1 August 2014

....

If Color 1 and Color 2 are greyed out on that, you'll need to select a
less fancy "theme" at an earlier stage - Aero, for example, I think
isn't suitable.

[* This is the first time for ages that I've come across a Microsoft
menu item (or similar) Where Everything Isn't In Capitals; they seem
obsessed with Doing That.]


Ah yes, Aero is on. So I can't change an aero enabled theme?
Many thanks both - I'll stop banging head.

In message , Will3 writes:
...

If Color 1 and Color 2 are greyed out on that, you'll need to select a
less fancy "theme" at an earlier stage - Aero, for example, I think
isn't suitable.
[]
Ah yes, Aero is on. So I can't change an aero enabled theme?
Many thanks both - I'll stop banging head.

Well, you can (IIRR - my 7 machine is hibernating ATM) change _some_
aspects of it - I think you may be able to change the _width_ of the
scrollbars, for example; just not the colour. Are you getting to the old
colo(u)r change window as I described, but col.s 1 and 2 are gra/eyed
out? If so, then yes, you'd need something like "Classic" theme. Unless
anyone knows otherwise ...
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Never rely on somebody else for your happiness.
- Bette Davis, quoted by Celia Imrie, RT 2014/3/12-18

Ah yes, Aero is on. So I can't change an aero enabled theme?
Many thanks both - I'll stop banging head.

Well, you can (IIRR - my 7 machine is hibernating ATM) change _some_
aspects of it - I think you may be able to change the _width_ of the
scrollbars, for example; just not the colour. Are you getting to the old
colo(u)r change window as I described, but col.s 1 and 2 are gra/eyed
out? If so, then yes, you'd need something like "Classic" theme. Unless
anyone knows otherwise ...
--
Yes that's right. The guide was spot on but I can't change the colour shade
of either the bar or its background - either would do, just want a little
more clarity and given a free choice would make one slightly darker and the
other slightly lighter.
Yes, it probably does say gray color but I know what it means !
For now I'll leave it as I'm not bored with aero yet.