Is there a Visual guide to System.Windows.SystemColors? [closed]

Question

All throughout the Windows UX Guide it is suggested to use the appropriate SystemColors within an application to ensure that an application's default theme is consistent with the rest of the system. I totally agree; the only problem is that there seems to be no guide for how named values within the SystemColors type map to actual common parts of a typical user interface. Instead we are given names like Caption and expected to understand what controls that will apply to.

Is there anywhere that a developer can find a decent set of Visual Guidelines for how the values in SystemColors maps to a common user interface?

As an example of what I'm looking for, in the Windows UX Guide there is a concept of Main Instruction under the section on User Interface Text which typically looks like a dark blue color in the most recent default Windows themes. What SystemColor is this so that I can have my own "Main Instructions" labels use that same color?

Ales

Answer 1

This table of SystemColors is the best resource that I've come across so far which shows default color values for each of the named keys in each of the popular Windows themes. The problem though is that it still lacks any kind of association with actual UI elements or roles/patterns described in the Windows UX Guide such as for this list of default windows text patterns.

UPDATE: Recently I've come across another good resource about System Colors.

Ales

Answer 2

Traditionally, these names have mapped to specific settings in the Advanced dialog of the Appearance tab in display properties.

To view these, right-click your desktop, select Properties and then Appearance, then click Advanced. The Item: dropdown contains the named settings. That said, the names don't necessarily map exactly but it usually isn't difficult to work out when themes are disabled.

Partitive

I don't see any menu item in the context menu off of my desktop named Properties. I should mention I'm using Windows 7. – Ales

You may have to view your display properties in the control panel. I suspect that these options are well-buried under Windows 7. – Partitive

I found it under Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Personalization\Window Color and Appearance and then you have to click on the Advanced Appearance Settings... link. This helps by the the way but it still isn't exactly what I was looking for since this is specific to my theme and system. Instead I would like a diagram somewhere which more directly shows an example of where to use which colors. – Ales

Answer 3

Tough question, I don't see anything added to the latest Windows SDK that could fit the "Main Instruction" color. The only one that is a decent match (name and color) is Highlight.

Madelenemadelin