Windows 7 Packaged Themes

[Dzomlija]

In reference to Windows 7's "Personalize your PC" website is live - Vista Forums and Windows 7 beta: Personalize your PC, I was wondering if anyone knows of perhaps a hidden feature or command-line utility in Windows 7 that I could use to "pre-package" my themes that can be created in Windows 7 Personalize?

I'd like to be able to pre-set my desktop wallpaper slideshow, window colors, icons and screen saver, then package them for either backup purposes or upload to my personal website.

I know it can be done, because the Windows 7 BETA Personalize website provides pre-packaged themes for download. These download files use an extension of ".themepack".

How do I make these files?

 

[Brink]

Hi Peter,

Once you have your theme set the way you want it on your computer, then it's basically the same in the tutorial below to save it. Except that you would want to click on the drop down menu, in the Save window, and select .themepack instead of .theme.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/280-theme-change-save.html

This .themepack file can then be used as you are wanting them for. Click on it to have it available in Themes. Right click on it in Themes to delete it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Dzomlija]

Hi Peter,

Once you have your theme set the way you want it on your computer, then it's basically the same in the tutorial below to save it. Except that you would want to click on the drop down menu, in the Save window, and select .themepack instead of .theme.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/280-theme-change-save.html

This .themepack file can then be used as you are wanting them for. Click on it to have it available in Themes. Right click on it in Themes to delete it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Shawn, I'll give that a go this evening when I get home from work.

I'll say this about Windows 7 "WOW!" (No pun intended).

In the two days that I've had it running (it took me 35 hours to download), I've become the "go-to" guy for just about everyone here. Even my boss is nigling me for info. I think I'm thye only guys in the Greater Goldfields area to have gotten it!

They don't get anything until after I've made a very special post here that I'm working on...

 

[echrada]

Can't wait to see your post.

 

[Brink]

Hi Peter,

New tutorial created for what you want.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2026-theme-pack-create-save-install-delete.html

 

[Dzomlija]

Hi Peter,

New tutorial created for what you want.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2026-theme-pack-create-save-install-delete.html

I almost feel a bit embarrased for not catching that one myself. Then again, if I didn't ask about how to package the themes myself, who knows how long it would have taken for someone to find that little gem.

At least SevenForums can lay claim to being the first to show people how!

The only thing I'm worried about now are the plethora of themes that'll pop up on the 'net for people to use. Does anyone remember the Windows 98 Support Nightmare we all went through because people changed their themes using all manner of junk?

If you look into the plain .theme file (which can be opened in Notepad), it appears that you can also modify icons...

 

[Brink]

Peter,

Oh yes. The .theme and .themepack files are almost the same, except that the .themepack contains the actual files with them where as a .theme only includes the paths.

If your interested, this link is full of details on themes. A bit technical, but interesting.

Creating and Installing Theme Files