DarkMode UDF for AutoIt's Win32GUIs

[argumentum]

On 1/11/2025 at 8:48 AM, WildByDesign said:

Those are nice themes. Personally, specifically for dark mode only, I use Rectify11 theme for Windows. Rectify11 actually fixes the problem with the ListView checkboxes. However, for the apps that I make, I end up having to target default Aero theme (dark and light) because that is what the majority of users would be using.

My main PC broke

So, new PC, new setup. Installed the current Rectify11 and, it messed up the PC. Patched files left an right.
I went to use the registry and oops, it would not load. Therefore, uninstall it is. Nope, the uninstaller is missing.
Now after a few hours of setting up my Win11-24H2, I have to erase it and install again.

Warning: test in a VM and if all looks good, do the same in the hardware PC. In my experience, they are chewing more than they should try to bite. I will not try it again.
There is no need to patch everything under the sun to make a decent dark theme. 

[WildByDesign]

20 hours ago, argumentum said:

In my experience, they are chewing more than they should try to bite. I will not try it again.
There is no need to patch everything under the sun to make a decent dark theme.

I agree 100% about not patching everything. I apologize that you had such a bad experience.

I should have gave you more details initially but I did not want to go too far off-topic. I don't like patching digitally signed files since it breaks the signatures. So what I did was write a system tray tool in AutoIt that simply switches msstyles. So I grab the msstyles (theme files) only from Rectify11 repo and only use that. That way the system can't be broken from it since no files are being patched.

Anyway, I don't want to further go off-topic here. But you can feel free to private message here in the forum anytime if you need to.

[WildByDesign]

@argumentum I found and fixed an issue with your _HiDpi_Ctrl_LazyInit() function on 64-bit systems:

Func _HiDpi_Ctrl_LazyInit($iCONTEXT = -2) ; under the current state of developnment, -2 is the best option for this UDF.
    If $iCONTEXT <> Null Then
        If Not ($iCONTEXT < -1 And $iCONTEXT > -5) Then $iCONTEXT = -2
        ;DllCall("user32.dll", "bool", "SetProcessDpiAwarenessContext", "int", $iCONTEXT) ; not working on 64-bit
        DllCall("User32.dll", "bool", "SetProcessDpiAwarenessContext" , "HWND", $iCONTEXT) ; working on 64-bit
    EndIf
    _HiDpi_CtrlSetVarDPI( _HiDpi_GetDpiForWindow())
    _HiDpi_CtrlSetVarRatio(_HiDpi_CtrlSetVarDPI() / 96)
EndFunc   ;==>_HiDpi_Ctrl_LazyInit

 

[WildByDesign]

One thing that bothered me for a while was how regular checkboxes would get the dark theme but ListView checkboxes ($LVS_EX_CHECKBOXES) would not and it would be a significant contrast. This is not a limitation of AutoIt but actually a limitation of Windows dark mode Aero theme.

Before, regular checkboxes would be in dark mode and listview checkboxes would be in light mode.

I have attached the dark mode checkboxes to this post and each ICO file contains all sizes (13, 16, 20, 26, 32, 40, 52 pixels).

All you need is the following code after dark mode has been applied:

If $isDarkMode = True Then
    $hImageList = _GUICtrlListView_GetImageList($hListView, 2)
    _GUIImageList_Remove($hImageList)
    _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, "unchecked.ico")
    _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, "checked.ico")
EndIf

 

Alternatively, you can add the icons as resources for compiled binaries like this:

#AutoIt3Wrapper_Res_Icon_Add=unchecked.ico
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Res_Icon_Add=checked.ico


; this part must be applied AFTER dark mode has already been set
If $isDarkMode = True Then
    $hImageList = _GUICtrlListView_GetImageList($hListView, 2)
    _GUIImageList_Remove($hImageList)

    If @Compiled = 0 Then
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, "unchecked.ico")
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, "checked.ico")
    Else
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, @ScriptFullPath, 3)
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, @ScriptFullPath, 4)
    EndIf
EndIf

 

Screenshot:

DarkModeCheckboxes.zip

[argumentum]

2 hours ago, WildByDesign said:

#AutoIt3Wrapper_Res_Icon_Add=unchecked.ico
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Res_Icon_Add=checked.ico

#AutoIt3Wrapper_Res_Icon_Add=unchecked.ico, 201
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Res_Icon_Add=checked.ico, 202

Global $g_Compiled = Int(@AutoItExe = @ScriptFullPath) ; better than @Compiled
ConsoleWrite("- $g_Compiled = " & $g_Compiled & @CRLF)

; this part must be applied AFTER dark mode has already been set
If $isDarkMode = True Then
    $hImageList = _GUICtrlListView_GetImageList($hListView, 2)
    _GUIImageList_Remove($hImageList)

;~     If @Compiled = 0 Then ; Returns 1 if script is a compiled executable or an .a3x file; returns 0 if an .au3 file.
    If $g_Compiled Then
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, @ScriptFullPath, 201) ; because it can become a game of chance as you add/remove code
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, @ScriptFullPath, 202) ; so is better to declare it.
    Else
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, "unchecked.ico")
        _GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, "checked.ico")
    EndIf
EndIf

I strongly believe that declaring the resource number is better.

[WildByDesign]

14 minutes ago, argumentum said:

I strongly believe that declaring the resource number is better.

Thank you for this. I did not know that we could specify the resource number. But now that you told me, I agree with you about declaring it.

By the way, do you know of any method to programmatically obtain the checkbox images?

What I mean is, not including the ICO files at all. But instead, have a dark mode regular checkbox and somehow obtain the state ImageList from that which I believe falls under button category. Then take that ImageList and apply it to the ListView state ImageList similar to my code above.

I understand that a regular checkbox has more visual states compared to ListView checkbox states. So we would have to be able to select which states to apply and which to discard.

We might need some super high level AutoIt gurus to help with that question.

I think that if we could do this in a programmatic way it would be better. Especially if a user is using a theme other than Aero.

[argumentum]

22 minutes ago, WildByDesign said:

...have a dark mode regular checkbox and somehow obtain the state ImageList from that which...

I am a special type of coder. I'd call me a channeler or medium that knows what is needed and then, just like an angel, forgot, as it's all an eternal now.
( meaning that I google like a maniac, copy and paste until am done, and go to sleep, not to remember what I did because I never knew how anything works  ) 

But maybe those that know GDI can cook an image out of code ( like in the SizeGrip code ) and that'd be nice to have.
Or find a way to just change the color of the checkbox text, because after all, a checkbox is a button of sorts ( low level wise ).

[UEZ]

Is there a way to check if visible GUI is in dark mode?

Edit:

this seems to work:

;Coded by UEZ build 2025-05-14
#include <AutoItConstants.au3>
#include <StringConstants.au3>
#include <WinAPISysWin.au3>

Const $DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE = @OSBuild < 18362 ? 19 : 20

Func _WinAPI_IsWindowDarkMode($hWnd)
    Local $value = DllStructCreate("int dm")
    Local $ret = DllCall("dwmapi.dll", "long", "DwmGetWindowAttribute","hwnd", $hWnd, "uint", $DWMWA_USE_IMMERSIVE_DARK_MODE, "struct*", $value, "uint", DllStructGetSize($value))
    If @error Or $ret[0] <> 0 Then Return 0
    Return $value.dm <> 0
EndFunc

Global $aWinList = WinList(), $i, $iStatus
For $i = 1 To $aWinList[0][0]
    If  _WinAPI_IsWindowVisible($aWinList[$i][1]) Then
        If IsHWnd($aWinList[$i][1]) Then
            $iStatus = _WinAPI_IsWindowDarkMode($aWinList[$i][1])
            ConsoleWrite($aWinList[$i][1] & ": " & $iStatus & " -> " & StringRegExpReplace($aWinList[$i][0], "[\r\n]+", "") & @CRLF)
        EndIf
    EndIf
Next

 

Edited May 14 by UEZ

[argumentum]

29 minutes ago, UEZ said:

Is there a way to check if visible GUI is in dark mode?

If is visible then getting the client color and comparing FG/BG would be the way I'd do it. Then again I don't personally know a WinAPI way.

[ioa747]

Here he is looking at the registry

211196-gui-title-bar-dark-theme-an-elegant-solution-using-dwmapi

[WildByDesign]

I noticed an issue with the _WinAPI_IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow() function:

Func _WinAPI_IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow()
    If @OSBuild < 17763 Then Return SetError(-1, 0, False)
    Local $fnIsDarkModeAllowedForWindow = 137
    Local $aResult = DllCall('uxtheme.dll', 'bool', $fnIsDarkModeAllowedForWindow)
    If @error Or Not IsArray($aResult) Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, False)
    Return $aResult[0]
EndFunc   ;==>_WinAPI_IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow

It is actually supposed to be called on a window handle, for example _WinAPI_IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow($hWnd)

There is not a lot of information out there because it's undocumented and I am not good at understanding DllCall yet.

In VB (https://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?900444-Windows-10-Dark-Mode-amp-VB6-apps), they have it looking like this:

Private Declare Function IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow Lib "uxtheme.dll" Alias "#137" (HWND As Long) As Boolean

 

So far, I have tried:

Func _WinAPI_IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow_mod($hWnd)
    If @OSBuild < 17763 Then Return SetError(-1, 0, False)
    Local $fnIsDarkModeAllowedForWindow = 137
    Local $aResult = DllCall('uxtheme.dll', 'bool', $fnIsDarkModeAllowedForWindow, 'hwnd', $hWnd)
    If @error Or Not IsArray($aResult) Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, False)
    Return $aResult[0]
EndFunc   ;==>_WinAPI_IsDarkModeAllowedForWindow_mod

But it's not working and I am only guessing at this point.

 

If there is anybody who is good and understanding DllCall and knows how to fix this, can you please help?

Thank you

[WildByDesign]

@argumentum Out of curiosity, I edited your famous GUIDarkMode_v0.02mod.au3 UDF and did a quick search and replace to find all DarkMode_Explorer and replace with the new DarkMode_DarkTheme classes.

I combined that with the original SampleControls GUI example that comes with AutoIt.

Anyway, it is an entirely new theme and the controls look great. MS talks about dark mode Run dialog and a few things in their Insider blogs. They seem to be downplaying it because it is all new theming for Buttons, ListViews, etc. All new.

[argumentum]

11 minutes ago, WildByDesign said:

Anyway, it is an entirely new theme and the controls look great.

I'd have to look at it but "I ain't got time for that"
Since you ( and UEZ ) are doing stuff to it, might as well ... add a $g_DarkModeType = 1, or 2, for the old/new style.. 🤷‍♂️

Good to know that M$ are attending to it  

Edited October 18 by argumentum

[WildByDesign]

6 hours ago, argumentum said:

Since you ( and UEZ ) are doing stuff to it, might as well ... add a $g_DarkModeType = 1, or 2, for the old/new style.. 🤷‍♂️

Good idea. I probably have to find out which build is going to have it for everyone and check based on OS build. Since MS is always doing that A/B testing these days for so many things, you never know if everyone else has the same features or not.

6 hours ago, argumentum said:

Good to know that M$ are attending to it  

Yes, and I'm quite shocked at how thorough it is. Better late than never.

There's even a beautiful dark mode status bar finally. So no more needing to jump through so many hoops to achieve it. I added 'msctls_statusbar32' to the UDF and it automatically does dark mode now for statusbar. I really enjoy how your UDF cycles through all of the controls and everything to make it easy to apply.

There are still probably a dozen more controls that I need to check and see if MS added dark mode. But I am short on time right now as well, unfortunately.

[NoNameCode]

On 5/20/2024 at 10:46 PM, jpm said:

@argumentumI don't know how you can color the updown in black and also the left part of the Tab control

a coloring of the date control can be a good improvement  too.

I implement a GUISetDarkTheme($hGui) which working the same , no need to use a callback

I hope somebody can help.

@jpm Up Down for Input is a "msctls_updown32" Class, it gets the Theme "Explorer"

Hope that helps.

Question: Are you planing to implement this Native to Autoit?

Kind Regards

NoNameCode

[argumentum]

If M$ applied itself, we could have proper themes for dark mode. As is, I doubt that a proper implementation could be done in AutoIt3.

Per-monitor scaling could be implemented internally in AutoIt3 but that is yet to be seen.

Edited November 26 by argumentum
English

[Nine]

Today it is dark mode.  Tomorrow it is going to be blueish mode.  Next ???

[argumentum]

27 minutes ago, Nine said:

Today...

Oh no !, not "today". I've been bitching about it since 2019.
You can see coders coding in a black background since the longest time. Why not the whole OS ?, ah !, why 

[NoNameCode]

2 hours ago, argumentum said:

If M$ applied itself, we could have proper themes for dark mode. As is, I doubt that a proper implementation could be done in AutoIt3.

Per-monitor scaling could be implemented internally in AutoIt3 but that is yet to be seen.

@argumentum Damn looks Crazy, is this W32 or is this a different UDF?

 

[argumentum]

Is a theme ( BIB3 by niivu ) and the best ( and I would say the only way ) to have a theme in windows.
     

The user shouldn't have to choose each app in a color. The OS should have a homogeneous theme throughout.
This "dark mode" per app is wrong, but is what M$ does ¯\_(ツ)_/¯