PLACEBO VISUAL STYLE

for Windows 7 x86 & x64

Created by Solmiler
http://solmiler.deviantart.com

CONTENTS:
0. PLACEBO VISUAL STYLE
1. INSTALLATION
2. THE SYSTEM FILES
3. THEME RESOURCE CHANGER
4. RAINMETER TASKBAR SHADOW
5. BASIC VERSION
6. TROUBLESHOOTING
6.1 IF YOUR DESKTOP LOOKS LIKE WINDOWS CLASSIC
6.2 FIX FOR THE SMALL BUTTONS IN INTERNET EXPLORER
6.3 FIREFOX - DARK TEXT IN MENUS
6.4 FIREFOX - DARK TEXT IN FIREFOX BOXES
6.5 FIREFOX - MENU FIX FOR BLACK MARKET 2
6.6 FIX THE CAPTION(MIN, MAX, CLOSE) BUTTONS
6.7 WHEN USING DIFFERENT START ORB IT REVERTS TO PLACEBO

7. BORDERLESS STYLE TWEAKS

7.1 HIDE BLUR
7.2 TASKBAR ICON BLANKER

8. CREDITS

PLACEBO VISUAL STYLE

This Visual Style is for Windows 7. It has been tested and its working on both 32 and 64-bit versions. System Files
are for Service Pack 1. Contains nine Visual Styles: Cold Light, Cold Light 2, Cold Light Zero, Black Market, Black
Market 2, Ashtray*, Angst, Pure Morning and Kitsch Object.
NEW BORDERLESS STYLES : Added borderless version of visual styles. Description on how to use them is at the end
of this file.
NEW BASIC STYLES : Now all visual styles have BASIC theme that can be used even if your hardware or Windows 7
version doesnt support Aero.
NEW VERSIONS OF TWO FAVORITE STYLES : Cold Light Zero, Cold Light 2 and Black Market 2 aimed for full
compatibility. Black Market 2 is basically a light style but with dark explorer window and menus and is free of
problems associated with dark visual styles.
ALL Styles support top, bottom and left taskbar, and have two different fonts: Windows default Segoe UI and
smaller Calibri font. All styles have BASIC theme as well and can be used even if your hardware or Windows 7
version doesnt support Aero.
*

Warning: Ashtray has black background and you are bound to encounter black text on dark background. If you
know how to tweak everything, use Stylish for Firefox etc, you may enjoy it, else skip it, it's more of an
experiment. Recommended for people who like 3dcc look.

1. INSTALLATION:
To use any 3rd party Visual Style your system must be patched first. This needs to be done only once, so if you
already have some visual styles running SKIP THIS STEP. Use UXStyle patcher it is in Tools Folder. Select the
right one for your version of Windows 7 (32bit or 64bit).
1. Extract the downloaded file and go to C:\...\Placebo by SolMiler\Placebo\ folder and copy .theme files and
folders from C:\...\Placebo by SolMiler\Placebo\ to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\

2. Select the theme from Presonalize menu.

2. THE SYSTEM FILES

Explorerframe.dll changes the back/forward and search buttons in Windows Explorer.

Shell32.dll changes the panes in the Control Panel and is a separate download along with WMPLOC.dll which
changes glyphs on taskbar controls for Windows Media Player.

Shell32.dll and WMPLOC.dll can be downloaded form:

http://tinyurl.com/c23e8m3

If you are not experienced with changing system files, dont change Shell32.dll it only changes control panel pane
and can be a pain to change, and you wont lose much if you skip it unless you are using Black Market or Ashtray,
then it is a must. The procedure is the same and can be done along with changing Explorerframe.DLL.
If you dont want to change the files you should try THEME RESOURCE CHANGER (see below) it changes most of it
automatically without replacing system the files.

INSTALLATION :

The described process is the same for all the system files. I am replacing explorerframe.dll
In this example, but the steps are the same for shell32.dll and wmploc.dll

1. Before you begin create System Restore Point.

2. If you are replacing the system files for the first time you will need to take ownership of the files first.
Navigate to \...\ Placebo by SolMiler\Tools\TakeOwnership and double click InstallTakeOwnership.reg file.
3. Navigate to Windows\System32\ folder. right click the expolorerframe.dll and choose Take Ownership from
the right click menu.
4. RESTART before you continue, since some people had problems with renaming the files right away.

5. Right click explorerframe.dll file then select

Properties>Security>Edit and make sure that Full
Control is checked for your user account.

6. Rename Explorerframe.dll to Explorerframe.dll.original and paste the Explorerframe.dll from \...\ Placebo
by SolMiler\Explorerframe\ to C:\Windows\System32\. Make sure that you use the right version for your system.
If you use 32 bit Windows use the file form folder named "x86". Also use the one that corresponds to the VS.
7. 64-BIT WINDOWS 7 USERS ONLY navigate to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ folder, take ownership and replace
Explorerframe.dll found there with 32 bit version from \...\ Placebo by SolMiler\Explorerframe\...\x86.

64-bit files go to System32 folder and 32-bit files go to SysWOW64 folder

8. Restart and Enjoy.

3. THEME RESOURCE CHANGER

If you don't want to change the files manually you can install Theme Resource Changer. Navigate to \Placebo by
Solmiler\Tools\Theme Resource Changer\ and install right version for your system. It will change start button,
navigation buttons in Windows Explorer and panes in Control Panel, automatically when you select the theme. It
doesn't change everything that manual replacing changes, though.
Theme resource changer uses files from folders that are located within the visual style folder. Inside every visual
style folder you will find the folders named
explorer.exe used to change the start orb
explorerframe.dll used to change navigation buttons
shell32.dll used to change control panel panes
If you want to use another resource while Theme resource changer is working, say you would like to use different
start orb, go to the folder of the Placebo VS that you are using and rename explorer.exe to explorer. It is the
same for other two, just delete the extension, and if you want to use it again later, revert the change

4. RAINMETER TASKBAR SHADOW

To use the Rainmeter skin for the taskbar shadow, you will of course need Rainmeter . After you install the skin all
you have to do is place it "On Desktop" and move it under the taskbar. It contains shadows for both vertical and
horizontal taskbar.

5. BASIC VERSION
All Placebo Visual Styles have been updated to offer full support for basic, non aero enviroment. Now you can use
Placebo Visual Styles even if your hardware or Windows 7 doesn't support Aero.
To use the Basic version:
1. Install the Placebo VS normally by following the description above,
2. then go to Placebo by SolMiler\7. Basic Theme Files\ and copy the *.theme file that you want to use, and paste
it to the C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\ .

6. TROUBLESHOOTING
6.1 IF YOUR DESKTOP LOOKS LIKE WINDOWS CLASSIC
- If for any reason after applying the visual style your windows reverts to basic style, Go to TOOLS folder: Placebo
by SolMiler\Tools\ and install UxStyle.
- If you already have it but suddenly windows reverts to Classic theme instead Aero, you will need to Uninstall the
UxStyle from Control Panel\Programs and Features\, and then go to Placebo by SolMiler\Tools\ and install
UxStyle.

6.2 FIX FOR THE SMALL BUTTONS IN INTERNET EXPLORER

There is a known bug in IE that makes buttons really small with visual styles that use specific font for buttons. To
fix it Go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced tab. Under the Browsing section remove check mark from "Enable
visual styles on buttons and controls in webpages" click OK.

6.3 FIREFOX - DARK TEXT IN MENUS

If you use Firefox with Angst or Kitsch Object you get black font on dark background, It can be fixed with:
Placebo by Solmiler - Dark menus Light Font: http://tinyurl.com/3fhxnmt
Install it along with Stylish if you don't already have the Add-on.

6.4 FIREFOX - DARK TEXT IN FIREFOX BOXES

If you use Firefox with Ashtray you get black font on dark background in text boxes, it can be fixed with:
Placebo by Solmiler - Ashtray white text boxes: http://tinyurl.com/3dwhxcx
Install it along with Stylish if you don't already have the Add-on.

6.5 FIREFOX - MENU FIX FOR BLACK MARKET 2

Although both listed fixes solve the readablity problem, active selection is white. This userstyle has dark active
item font to compliment the selection style.
Placebo by Solmiler - Black Market 2 Menus: http://tinyurl.com/66b2a5n
Install it along with Stylish if you don't already have the Add-on.

6.6 FIX THE CAPTION(MIN, MAX, CLOSE) BUTTONS

If something like this happens when you apply the visual style go to:
Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Display and check if DPI is set to "Smaller 100%(default)"
Then go to:
Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Personalization\Window Color and Appearance\Advanced appearance
settings and set active title bar height to 21.

6.7 WHEN USING DIFFERENT START ORB IT REVERTS TO PLACEBO

Theme resource changer uses files from folders that are located within the visual style folder. Inside every visual
style folder you will find the folders named
explorer.exe used to change the start orb
explorerframe.dll used to change navigation buttons
shell32.dll used to change control panel panes
If you want to use another resource while Theme resource changer is working, say you would like to use different
start orb, go to the folder of the Placebo VS that you are using, and rename explorer.exe folder to explorer. It
is the same for other two, just delete the extension, and if you want to use it again later, revert the changes.

7. BORDERLESS STYLES
Borderless versions of placebo visual styles offer more OSX like experience. There are four borderless Visual styles
based on Cold Light, Pure Morning, Angst and Kitsch Object. THey have Segoe UI and Calibri font versions and
support BOTTOM and TOP taskbar placement. Though they look better then regular Windows styles there are few
shortcummings that go with using borderless styles. Some of them can't be fixed, like placement of Caption bar
text too close to the left edge, or narrow top frame on web browsers, but some can be fixed and here is how:
RAM/video memory you will have to use this tool.
7.1 HIDE BLUR
To eliminate the blur around the edges of windows go to TOOLS folder and use HideBlur. If you have never
patched blur before run Patch 32-bit System Files.bat (or 64 depending on your system). It needs to be done oly
once. After that run Disable Blur.bat to remove the blur, or Enable Blur.bat to revert it to normal glass blur.

I recommend you to use this tool even if you are using regular Placebo VS, not only borderless styles, or with
any non-transparent VS. Aero is not heavy on the resources since it uses graphic hardware instead of CPU.
Disabling blur and colorization is practically the only tweak you can do that will increase the performance.
Disabling transparency in control panel doesnt do anything performance wise, so if you want to free some
RAM/video memory you will have to use this tool.

7.2 TASKBAR ICON BLANKER

Since Titles and icons are too close to the edge when using borderless styles, use this utility to hide the titlebar
icon. Simply run the EXE file and enjoy the minimal look.
To get the icons back, open Task Manager (by right-clicking on Taskbar and select "Task Manager" or by pressing
"Ctrl+Shift+Esc" keys together) and End Task of "TBarIconBlanker.exe".
You can add its shortcut to "Startup" folder in All Programs menu to start it automatically with Windows.

8. CREDITS:
I would like to thank DaveSenior2010, MrGRiM01 and RajTheeban95 for all the help and knowledge they share.
Also special thans to Ether for all the amazing wallpapers she creates.
Created by Solmiler
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.