How do I make a theme... as if I downloaded it?

[Lone Fox]

I've downloaded others themes, and even modified theme a little, but I want to really get into it...

I want to make my own theme from scratch (basing it on Window's Aero).

My first goal was to simply remove the user account picture on the start menu, and move the places listings upwards (close the gape), and I have successfully done this!! Here is my testing desktop

Where do I go from there?
I've exported 'all' to a StyleHack file, which creates a .msstyles file. What is the difference between a .msstyles file and a .theme file?

I would like the ability to install it like other themes, where it shows up in the Control Panel theme manager and doesn't go away every time I restart or change themes.

I cant find ANY information on how to do this, please help.

[JoCe-from-France]

Hi Lonefox,

"Stylehacks" have use only inside WSB. It'a kind of shortcut. Just like pieces of code for programers.

".msstyle" files are the files that contain most parts of visual elements of your theme (aero.msstyle is the windows original visual style but
you can create or download other ones -you have to patch system files first with universal theme patcher)
when you create your theme, you save it as a .msstyle file.

.theme files are simple scripts. When you execute it, it tells to windows not only which visual style (msstyle) to apply, but also which sounds, cursors, aero color etc..)

Hope this helps...