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Thread: [RESOLVED] problem with Windows 10

  1. #1

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    Resolved [RESOLVED] problem with Windows 10

    about 20 years ago I used to be a regular on this forum.

    I created a program which I still use today using VB5.
    Years ago when I started using windows 7, I had a problem that a couple text boxes where in black and ended up solving my problem by changing the theme in windows 7 to 'windows classic"

    I have now had to buy a new computer with windows 10, and am having the same problem. I can't seem to change the theme to "windows classic" and am struggling to find a fix for my problem of a couple text boxes being black. The information can still be typed into the box, If I highlight the box it displays in a different color so I know the information is there.

    Any suggestions on what do do with Windows 10 would be greatly appreciated.

    --
    Gordon

  2. #2
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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    Hi Gordon, I was not aware of Textboxes being black but know about Option and Checkboxes being black. The cure for the latter is to not place them directly on a standard frame but in a picturebox on the frame.

    Hope this works for you.

    P.S. I've just thought that I haven't seen this for a long time and realised it is because I run the IDE manifested. If you search on here you will find many examples of a VB6.exe manifest. I have attached one for you to play with. Place it next to your VB6.exe in the same folder.
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Last edited by Steve Grant; Apr 29th, 2019 at 06:49 AM. Reason: Forgot the attachment

  3. #3

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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    Hi Steve, and thanks for your reply.

    I also should of mentioned that I'm not doing VB programming anymore (to many sleepless nights...LOL)

    The program is already compiled and I use it in my small business making invoices. I cannot make any changes to the source code, and I don't even have VB5 on my computer anymore.

    I'm hoping there is a setting (theme) that I can do in Windows 10. I was able to do this with Windows 7, Vista, and XP.

    --
    Gordon

  4. #4
    PowerPoster Arnoutdv's Avatar
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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    Windows 8 + 10 don't come with the classic Win95/2000 theme.
    There are some external themes which will mimic this behavior, but I doubt this will fix you black backgrounds.

    https://www.howtogeek.com/133405/how...-on-windows-8/

  5. #5
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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    Hi Gordon,

    If only a couple of textboxes on a form are blacked out and the rest OK, then those textboxes probably have the wrong setting for the textbox background color. They should have been set to the same as the other fields (ideally System>Window Background).

    Ideally you would have fixed this in the source code when you still had the source code and VB installed.

    Not knowing what the 2 failing textboxes are set as you will need to use trial-and-error to find the issue. ***
    Without the source code, here are some suggestions you can try (through right-clicking the desktop and selecting Personalise)...
    1. Select 'Themes' and in the Current Theme, switch off any background slideshow, and try changing the Color (accent color) from say Light Blue to Dark Blue or another color. Maybe switch Transparency effects off.
    2. Setting High Contrast settings, try selecting High Contrast White.
    3. Try other themes as suggested earlier.


    Note the options available may vary depending which release of Windows 10 you have.


    You could also try using software such as WinAero Tweaker https://winaero.com/


    *** Further thought...
    One difference between pre-Windows 7 themes and newer (including Windows 10) themes is that the older ('Classic') themes normally have the Titlebar text in White, newer themes use Black.
    If the 2 textboxes have their background color (incorrectly) set to the Active Title Bar Text color they would be white with a Classic theme but black with most newer themes.
    To check/fix this either find a theme with white Title Bar text;
    or
    Modify your existing theme to have white Title Bar text on a dark background. You can do this by right-clicking the desktop and selecting Personalise. Select Colors, change the color to a darker one if it is light (eg change Light Blue to Blue) and tick 'Title Bars' under 'Show the accent color on the following surfaces'.
    Then use Registry Editor (Regedit). Under 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors' double-click 'Title Text' and change the data to 255 255 255.
    You will need to logout and back in to Windows to have this take effect.
    Last edited by VB6 Programming; Apr 30th, 2019 at 01:21 AM. Reason: Further thought

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Shaggy Hiker's Avatar
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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    That app sounds pretty old. There once was a time when there was a VGA palette. You could only have 256 colors, so you chose the colors for your palette and used them. There was only one palette, though, so other programs could replace the colors in your palette. Therefore, you might draw with color number 9, which was white for you, but mauve for somebody else, and black for yet another person. This allowed for some cool effects at the time, because you could cycle colors through the palette to get flowing effects.

    I just wonder whether your program could be old enough that you were using that. It was still around for Win95, though clearly on the way out.
    My usual boring signature: Nothing

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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    In Properties for your EXE, it might help to change it to run as compatible with XP
    https://help.unc.edu/help/win7vista-...s-7-and-vista/
    Link is not W10 but should be similar.
    I recall playing with the checkboxes on that same dialog (eg disable visual themes)
    Rob

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    Re: problem with Windows 10

    I found if I change the high contrast to on and change the color to white that my text boxes all turn to white. It makes the program look ugly, but at least it still works. I only need to do this once in a while as I can work without using those particular text boxes about 90% of the time.

    Thanks for your suggestions, and if I find a better work-around I will post it here.

    Thanks,
    Gordon

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