[TUTORIAL] Customizing Windows Taskbar Flash

[Saggy]

I had this posted in another thread, but I thought it would be good to have it's own thread...


Customizing your Windows Taskbar Flash
Tutorial By Saggy

First, you'll want to download a program called Resource Hacker, which you can get here: http://www.download.com/Resource-Hacker/3000-2352_4-10178587.html

You'll then want to navigate to your C:\WINDOWS\Resources\Themes folder and copy the directory of the theme that you want to edit. In this tutorial I'll be using "Royale".

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/6631/copycs8.jpg

Then just paste it and rename it to whatever you want. I'll name it "TutorialTheme"

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/3514/renamewy4.jpg

Open up the TutorialTheme folder, and you should see a .msstyles file. Rename that file to the name of your folder, which in this case is TutorialTheme.

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/9806/rename2rl4.jpg

Now, open up Resource Hacker, then open up the .msstyles file you just renamed.

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/6704/resourcehackerpg0.jpg

In the left hand column, expand the Bitmap Tree and look for the folders ROYALE_TASKBANDFLASHBUTTONGROUPMENU_BMP and ROYALE_TASKBANDFLASHBUTTON_BMP and expand them.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3107/resourcehacker2xr2.jpg

Right click on the "1033" resource and select "Save [Bitmap : ROYALE_TASKBANDFLASHBUTTONGROUPMENU_BMP : 1033]". Save it on your desktop or in your documents and name it whatever you want. Do this for the other "1033" resource.

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4249/resourcehacker3qx7.jpg

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4001/savedq5.jpg

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/6043/savedwp1.jpg

Open the two bitmap files you created in Photoshop.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5038/photoshoplv3.jpg

Edit them to your liking, just make sure that whatever you do, don't paint over any of the pink. What I did was using the Magic Wand tool, select the orange, created a new layer, painted over the selection with a green (#01a301) set the layer to multiply, then flattened then merged the layers. Save these files as a bitmap and name them whatever you like.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5266/photoshop2ym3.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8305/saved2ps9.jpg

Go back to Resource Hacker and replace each Bitmap resource with the ones that you just edited respectively, by selecting one of the 1033 resources then selecting Action>Replace Bitmap.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/7704/resourcehacker4zs1.jpg

A dialog box will come up which will look something like this:

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2769/replacexy0.jpg

Click "Open file with new bitmap..." and select the respective image for the resource you are replacing and hit "Replace". Do this for the other one as well. Hit File>Save and exit out of the program. When you save it'll automatically create a backup of the file you just modified.

Now, go to your desktop, right click and select "Properties". When the dialog box pops up, go to the "Appearance" tab. Under "Windows and Buttons" select which ever one is a duplicate, in my case, I had two "Media Center Style" themes to choose from, you'll just have to see which one is the edited one (usually the latter of the choices).

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/1382/themechoicepo7.jpg

Then, the final outcome:

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8326/voilanz3.jpg

Of course you can then tweak any minor things like color to your liking afterwards, now that you know what you are doing.

Also, you can edit any other part(s) of the theme as well, it doesn't have to just be the taskbar flash...

Hope this helps, and don't forget to +rep :P

[Newbkilla]

Just adding onto him:

If you want to create complete custom themes, or change your themes, you can use this- http://www.tgtsoft.com/prod_sxp.php

If you hate your theme on your school computer, and complain you cant change it, you can use this.

[Gamerkd16]

Yeah, I remember I tried doing this several months ago and I also failed then. For some reason the second I modify my msstyles file in resource hacker the theme becomes corrupted. It goes from this to this:
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4306/help1j.jpg --> http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/513/help2.jpg

and this to this:

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/1681/helpme1.jpg --> http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8720/helpme2.jpg

Any ideas why?

[Limited]

Very nice, I use the black UI however I may edit the flash to being silver or grey, pretty sure that'd look pimping.

+Rep.

[Futzy]

Just adding onto him:

If you want to create complete custom themes, or change your themes, you can use this- http://www.tgtsoft.com/prod_sxp.php

If you hate your theme on your school computer, and complain you cant change it, you can use this.
Do you know what program to use for modifying vista styles? I've been searching for one for a while and have never been able to find one.

[Saggy]

Yeah, I remember I tried doing this several months ago and I also failed then. For some reason the second I modify my msstyles file in resource hacker the theme becomes corrupted.

Any ideas why?
Oh god. I remember trying to help you figure this out. I even tried sending you the file that I edited and tested on my PC and still nothing, correct? I still never found an answer for this though... Hopefully someone else knows why because my friend is having the same issue.


Very nice, I use the black UI however I may edit the flash to being silver or grey, pretty sure that'd look pimping.

+Rep.
Yeah, I use the Royal Noir theme now (I presume that's the one you are talking about) and I edited the flash to be a neon green. I like it like that for some reason...


Do you know what program to use for modifying vista styles? I've been searching for one for a while and have never been able to find one.
http://www.winmatrix.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14347
It's not a program, but it is a way to edit Vista themes...