What controls tool bar background color

[cathie28]

In the attached screen of SSC 4.3 in Vista using a  Vista Basic Theme w/ modified colors, SSC's tool bars are pretty dark blue gray, making it fairly hard to see some icons that are similar color.  What controls the color of the top & side tool bar background color?  There aren't any  editable choices in SSC for this color, that I see.  There aren't any USER SET colors in Vista's Appearance & Settings, close to this color, it it's getting the color from Windows.

In Preferences >More Interface Options, the 1st box (on left) is for canvas background.  Selecting colors from that drop list (though many of the colors have names for other objects attached to them) changes SSC's main background to the color selected
.
There's a 2nd box to R of it that doesn't say what it's for & I can't see it has an effect on anything.  in the 2nd box's list, there are objects like clMenu & clMenuBar w/ colors assigned to them, but I see no way to change colors for those items.  Also a "Custom" option in the 2nd box's drop list.  I see no effect from changes there, either.

[tomos]

I think it's to do with the windows theme (not sure if you mean Aero when you say 'basic theme')
See below - image (also in quote) is from Windows 7 - if you can find the equivalent setting in Vista it might do the trick.

Might be just a case of changing "window colour" to grey and making it light (vary intensity).
 (see attachment in previous post)

-tomos (April 10, 2013, 04:35 PM)

my SC looks like this:

[cathie28]

Thanks.  You have Windows 7 - not Vista.

In Vista, there is a style of theme called Aero (as you mentioned), another called Vista Basic - which may impose that blue gray on toolbars of apps that use Windows colors.
Switching to Windows Classic theme (which appears to be what mouser used, in another post), causes SSC toolbars to turn brown.  But using Aero vs Vista Basic doesn't change SSC toolbar colors.  Mouser probably knows where it gets the top & side toolbar color, depending on Windows version.

That doesn't explain what all those other color selections in SSC prefs >"More Interface Options" are (many that don't seem to do anything, except possibly SHOW you what's used), but don't have options to change colors.

The dark blue - gray is too close to several icons.  Before I get some Vista power tweaking toy (only to find I can't change toolbar color in SSC), I'd kinda like to know where it gets its colors.  Internally, or from Vista.  If Vista, which color for which object does it use for the toolbars, or if it can / can not be tweaked w/ some Vista UI / theme tweaking utility.

[tomos]

Thanks.  You have Windows 7 - not Vista

-cathie28 (May 20, 2013, 02:41 PM)

yes, I got that:

image (also in quote) is from Windows 7 - if you can find the equivalent setting in Vista it might do the trick

-tomos (May 20, 2013, 01:49 PM)

[cathie28]

Calling Dr. Mouser - where does SSC get the color for the Top & side tool bar background, in Vista (blue gray, shown in my screen shot)?  Can it be changed?

tomos - Thanks.  Don't make me come over there.    Was just stating there's a difference in systems; thanks for suggestion, but the color for "window" or "window color" don't seem to do the same thing in Vista & W-7.
There's a setting FOR "window" in Vista, that affects some apps & most Windows backgrounds, but doesn't affect the tool bar in any app, that I can see. 

I don't see the color SSC uses for toolbars, anywhere else in Windows (that I can tell).  AFAIK, no Vista native apps or 3rd party apps use that dark of a blue - gray for tool bars.   Even Notepad, Wordpad, etc., use much lighter colors for tool bars & menu bars - w/ my current settings.

[cmpm]

For w7 the defaults are in control panel-color management.

[tomos]

^lol - I'm not laughing at you cmpm - I'm laughing because I introduced the comparision with Windows 7 which seems to be causing all kinds of problems (the 'actual' problem is in Vista Basic theme).

cathie - I did have a look at the basic theme here btw - you know my OS by now ;-) and it is as you describe (I mean I never doubted you, I just thought I could help, but the basic theme is, well, yes, very basic.)

[cmpm]

no problem tomos
i am wondering about if changing anything in color management would help or hurt
i won't do it, i don't have enough knowledge i think

[cathie28]

Mouser - still waiting to hear where in Vista Basic or Aero themes, SC gets the dark blue - gray for tool bars background.  Please tell me how to hack / skin it; make it selectable from prefs; change it to something that doesn't almost hide several icons.  I can't eat or sleep.  Spouse is threatening to leave if it's not changed.  

tomos - There's no drama (light hearted sarcasm) here & cmpm just missed a detail in reading the posts, like we all have.

Again - AFAICT - there are no colors used or displayed, in my setup of Vista Basic theme (or Aero) that match the color used for SC tool bars background.
ONLY using Windows Classic OR - Windows Standard Themes (nothing to do w/ Vista styles) allows selecting EXACT colors used in Active / Inactive title bar.  AND changing "3D Objects" color, that changes the SC tool bars color.  

However, Windows Classic & Standard themes are VERY plain & old fashioned looking.

* Users shouldn't be forced to use very old style, plain themes under Vista, to change dark SC tool bars color.
* I've not seen ANY other apps use such dark toolbar color, in ANY theme under Vista.  In Vista Basic or Aero themes, virtually all other apps' tool bars display a light gray or MUCH lighter blue gray (sometimes a gradient) - if not customizable.

* Some free, open source some apps' UI (toolbar etc.) use Vista Basic or Aero colors; Keepass Password Safe uses the color set for 3D Objects for its menu.  So it's possible to use other colors set in Vista Appearance & Settings for UI objects.

Testing of changing themes & overall theme color in Aero (orange, red, default, etc) AND Vista BASIC does NOT change SC's tool bars color (see screen shot).
 
Example:  BleachBit toolbar is about as dark as any apps get (besides SC):
 

[cmpm]

I did not miss that your system is Vista.
W7 is all I have, so that's what I look at.

Here is a shot of my w7 SC toolbar.
It seems fine to me, but each person is unique.

[mouser]

Let me look into it.

[cathie28]

Thanks mouser.  Maybe now I'll be able to keep some food down, while you're investigating.

cmpm - why is your toolbar background in W-7 the same as mine in Vista, but tomos' is different?  Tomos - did you change something in Windows that caused your toolbar to be off white / light gray?

Please look back at my shot of entire toolbars - at the icons that are much closer to background color.  Your shot contains many icons that have more contrast.  Look at the screen below. 

You may also be much younger and / or have better eyes.  Even w/ corrective lenses, most people past 40 gradually start to lose ability to quickly focus when switching from near to far, or switching from one picture to another (main SC screen to toolbars; back & forth dozens & dozens of times). 

If others aren't there yet or don't wear glasses, they'll understand one day.  I think dark toolbars & dark icons (like browser themes) are mostly for younger users.  The duller and / or gray icons could also use some color, like the others.  It's not hard to recolor an icon w/ right tools - I could do it for mouser.

To me, when glancing from main work space over to toolbars, there's little contrast between some icons & background - like screen below.  I often have to "look" for them.

[tomos]

cmpm - why is your toolbar background in W-7 the same as mine in Vista, but tomos' is different?  Tomos - did you change something in Windows that caused your toolbar to be off white / light gray?

-cathie28 (May 22, 2013, 11:45 AM)

I tried the Basic theme in 7 the other day - it looks like your screenshots - colour seems to be related to title and menubar which aren't changable.
I'm using a modified Aero glass theme - oddly enough though I think the toolbar colour is related to colours I set in what looks like the Classic theme settings (MS's implementation is very confusing) but dont have time to check (I'd have to chenge each colour and see results)

What controls tool bar background color

but I really dont know - see what it says about colours only affecting Basic or "Ease of Access" themes

[cathie28]

that's obviously a difference between W-7 & Vista.  If under Vista Basic theme,  I change active title bar color & certain other ones, then switch to using Aero, it switches the colors I'd previously set (for some objects) back to Vista defaults - even though Aero isn't USING those colors.  Huh?  Regardless, I didn't find any color settings in Aero that affected the SC toolbars.  Changing certain screen elements - yes, but not toolbars.

Yes, active title bar (sort of) changes color in Aero, depending on the "base color family" chosen for Aero.  But in Vista, the color you select & actual color for active title bars of apps are at best only "distantly in the same color hue."

[jf3000]

Hey mouser which DLL did you use?

[mouser]

The control I use for my toolbars and menus (at least in Screenshot Captor) is Toolbar2000 (Screenshot Captor is written in C++ Builder).

[jf3000]

Rather than using a DLL how come you didnt do your own menu? Or do you like to try and make things as easy as possible?

[mouser]

I try to use existing libraries whenever i can, though it definitely has it's pros and cons.

The advantage is you usually can get work done faster.. The disadvantage is that when something doesn't work right, it's a pain to have to dig into someone else's code.