In earlier editions "Windows Vista Report" I am talking about creating for Windows Sidebar gadgets that could replace labels, which are now not on the desktop - My Computer, My Documents, My Network Places and Internet Explorer (the article "How to use a personal gadget Sidebar Windows to replace the My Computer icon, which is not on the desktop Vista "/" Replace Vista's missing Computer desktop icon with a custom gadget on the Windows Sidebar "and" How to build gadgets for Windows Vista Sidebar, which can be used instead of the three icons , which is not on the desktop "/" Create gadgets in Vista to add three desktop icons to the Windows Sidebar "). After that, my interest in the Windows Sidebar разгорелся with renewed vigour.

Interested Side panel Windows Vista, in my mind - how to change its appearance, in particular the background. Although translucent shade von Windows Sidebar looks simply amazing, I wanted to experiment with it. I, for example, was interested to know how to look Sidebar, be it solid opaque background.
I searched the entire Internet in search of information about the hidden settings or records in the Registry, which would allow me to change the appearance of the Sidebar, but unfortunately, nothing found. But then I stumbled upon on a wonderful little application called Windows Sidebar Styler, through which not only change the background Sidebar, but also significantly improve it. With this release, "Windows Vista Report" I will tell about where to take the Windows Sidebar Styler and how to use it.

Booting Windows Sidebar Styler
Windows Sidebar Styler - it is free, developed by the Bulgarian programmer Stanimir Stoyanov, the creator and administrator AeroExpereince - Community lovers Windows. Download Windows Sidebar Styler be with his site Stanimir Stoyanov's Blog. At the time of writing the most recent version of Windows Sidebar Styler are numbered 2.0.6, it was released in August 2007. To be sure, there are different versions of applications for 32 - and 64 - bit operating system Windows Vista. Additionally, the computer should be the most recent version. NET Framework 2.0.
Set installer downloaded Windows Sidebar Styler, which was created in MSI format, is fairly simple. Setup Wizard will hold a user through all phases of the installation - you just press this button in the dialog box control of user accounts.

Running Windows Sidebar Styler
Before running applications installed Windows Sidebar Styler Bokovuyu panel Windows need to be closed. For this, you right-click in the system tray and choose from the context menu "Exit" (Exit). After installing Windows Sidebar Styler in "Start menu | All Programs" (Start | All Programs), a folder called "Stanimir Stoyanov". When running Windows Sidebar Styler through a label you see the main application interface shown in Fig. A.

Figure A. In Windows Sidebar Styler window pane is "available resources" image, which shows all of the graphic elements that form the current style Sidebar.

Long panel strip with scrolling, which is located on the left side of the window Windows Sidebar Styler - is the cover image "available resources" (Available Image Resources), which shows all of the graphic elements that form the current style of Windows Sidebar. When selecting one of the elements found in the preview pane to the right.
In the bottom of the window is the toolbar - the main element of navigation Windows Sidebar Styler. Fig. B shows this panel and explained the basic function buttons.

Figure B. Dashboard, located in the lower part of the screen - the main element of the interface navigation.
By pressing the pants "style Download Windows" Sidebar (Load a Windows Sidebar Style) dialog box opens "Open" (Open), as shown in Fig. C. In this window mono select one of the eight samples style proposed program. After selecting the style you need to press "Open" (Open). Returning to the main program window, the user can click on "Preview" (Toggle View), to see how we will look Sidebar, executed in the selected style (see Fig. D).

Figure D. Clicking on the preview button, the user can see how the selected style will look like.
To do like the style of the default style, you need to press "Apply" style (Apply Style). You can now run Bokovuyu panel, typing text "Sidebar" in the search box "Start" menu, selecting the desired item and pressing [Enter]. Then you will see a revitalized Sidebar, as shown in Fig. E. If the new style of the user does not like it, you can restore the standard style by clicking on "Restore default style" (Revert Images to Default).
Figure E. To apply to the selected style Sidebar Windows, you need to click on "Apply" style.

Create your own styles
Of course, ready styles for Windows Sidebar can be found on the Internet, for example, the WinCustomize site from which you can download everything you need to personalize Windows: shell, wallpapers, themes and icons. But if there is a desire for style Sidebar you can create yourself in a graphics.
When creating their own style elements represented in the panel "available resources" images, can be used as a reference point. Selecting a component can be viewed its size and type, and you can save it in the PNG format by clicking on an element of the right button, and modify the saved file. In fact, almost all styles ready Sidebar only change the background, while all the other elements remain the same.
In any case, the creation of a new image is double-click on the relevant element in the panel "Available resources image" - a dialog box "Open". Choosing created element must click on "Open" to paste it on the cover of available resources. Then you need to retain a new style by clicking "Save style Sidebar Windows" (Save Windows Sidebar Style). Now, a new style can be downloaded by clicking "Download style Sidebar Windows" and selecting it from the list. To make his style of the default style, just click "Apply" style.

What do you think?
How satisfied are you standard Windows Sidebar style? Now that you know that the application is Windows Sidebar Styler, will you use it to create their own styles Sidebar? If so, tell us about your impressions in the comments to this article.