Trilight Zone

[thedark]

Even if you have turned on the Windows XP style themes (using the new "Enhanced UI") for your apps/games: the XP built-in "Blue" theme [default, also nicknamed "Teletubbies" ], or any other Windows Blinds/Styles XP compatible custom theme, available for free at one of these web sites, or if you created your own XP theme, you may have noticed that certain 32-bit programs (especially the ones you have installed separately, not the ones included with MS Windows XP, MS Plus! XP or MS Office XP), do not display the XP style theme properly, or not at all, and their interface is flat (they are using the "Classic UI").
But the good news is you CAN turn on the XP style themes for most of your 32-bit (Win32) programs, by creating a dedicated manifest file, which MUST reside in the respective program's main folder.
Start by (if not already) enabling the view of Hidden/System files in Windows Explorer: click View -> Folder Options -> View tab -> check the "Show all files" (including Hidden, System) box -> click OK until you close all dialog boxes.
Now open Notepad and create a new text file with these lines:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
<assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" processorArchitecture="X86"
name="CompanyName.ProductName.MyProgram" type="win32"/>
<description>My Program Description</description>
<dependency><dependentAssembly><assemblyIdentity type="win32"
name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls" version="6.0.0.0"
processorArchitecture="X86" publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df"
language="*" /></dependentAssembly></dependency></assembly>

Save it into your program executable's directory as "MyProgram.EXE.manifest" (no quotes). This file's extension MUST be manifest.
Replace MyProgram.EXE with your actual executable name and extension.
Replace the "MyProgram" and "My Program Description" strings above with your actual app/game name and description, respectively.
Optionally you can also replace the "CompanyName" and "ProductName" strings above with the wording of your choice.
From now on, whenever you run this program, you will notice that it "shows off" the currently used XP style theme.
Repeat these steps for any other of your 32-bit installed apps.