Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

**SAM** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

nobody@nowhere. net a écrit :

I need to pop up a modal JS-based dialog (for some reason can't use
popup window, much less so showModalDialog ()), and I'd like to imitate
the system popup titlebar according to user's desktop settings
(classic, XP, Vista).

and not Mac OS ? 9 or 10

No big deal to make it work,

Really ? fonts, colors, and so on, are probably fixed by the PC user
Where to find those settings (where and how are they saved)

but how do I know
the style to display? Any chance to figure out these settings
programmaticall y either on the client (preferrable), or possibly in
asp.net from something like Request["ServerVariable s"] (not the best
thing but will work for this project). Would prefer cross-browser
compatibility, but can use IE-specific solution (sorry, no client side
activeX may be used, just plain JS/DOM/DHTML). Asking the user to
manually select visual preferences is not an option.

Dot not understand the need to display a desktop window that will be
different of navigator's one (and more: navigators can be skinned)?
It appears to me to be destabilizing

In XP or Vista wouldn't it be possible to choice :
- OS presentation
- Internet presentation
adding this choice to your project

--
sm

**nobody@nowhere.net** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

On Sat, 03 May 2008 11:49:26 +0200, SAM
<stephanemoriau x.NoAdmin@wanad oo.fr.invalidwr ote:

>nobody@nowhere .net a écrit :

>I need to pop up a modal JS-based dialog (for some reason can't use
>popup window, much less so showModalDialog ()), and I'd like to imitate
>the system popup titlebar according to user's desktop settings
>(classic, XP, Vista).

>
>and not Mac OS ? 9 or 10

Mac users are not a targeted user base. The spec calls for full
functionality on IE6+, at least core functionality on FireFox, and
doesn't care about other browsers, including but not limited to
Safari. If Mac users really want to use the proposed site, they'll
have to run it on FireFox or IE/Windows emulation - or get a standard
PC.

>

>No big deal to make it work,

>
>Really ? fonts, colors, and so on, are probably fixed by the PC user
>Where to find those settings (where and how are they saved)

For now, we are targeting only default XP, Vista, and Classic themes.

>

>but how do I know
>the style to display? Any chance to figure out these settings
>programmatical ly either on the client (preferrable), or possibly in
>asp.net from something like Request["ServerVariable s"] (not the best
>thing but will work for this project). Would prefer cross-browser
>compatibilit y, but can use IE-specific solution (sorry, no client side
>activeX may be used, just plain JS/DOM/DHTML). Asking the user to
>manually select visual preferences is not an option.

>
>Dot not understand the need to display a desktop window that will be
>different of navigator's one (and more: navigators can be skinned)?
>It appears to me to be destabilizing
>
>In XP or Vista wouldn't it be possible to choice :
>- OS presentation
>- Internet presentation
>adding this choice to your project

This is not in the spec. Even more so, the spec calls for the
interface _not_ to be user-customizable, and to be as close to the
standard Windows interface as it can get. Don't you get the
difference between programming for fun, and development of business
app that involves things like spec, deadline, etc.?

NNN

**Gregor Kofler** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

nobody@nowhere. net meinte:

This is not in the spec. Even more so, the spec calls for the
interface _not_ to be user-customizable, and to be as close to the
standard Windows interface as it can get. Don't you get the
difference between programming for fun, and development of business
app that involves things like spec, deadline, etc.?

Don't you get the idea, that there is a fundamental difference between
HTML documents shown in browsers and the UI of an OS? And don't babble
something about "specs" - it's your job to make things clear when
accepting those specs and tell the customer, that a 100%-something
integration won't be possible.

Anyway, since it is narrowed down to "standard or classic or Vista"
layout: Write the according CSS, have the user choose between the style
sheets mimicking the desktop appearance, store it in a cookie. Stop
whining. You can even use Opera or Firefox or another browser then. As
long as you don't have any form elements which are hard to impossible to
skin.

Gregor

--
http://photo.gregorkofler.at ::: Landschafts- und Reisefotografie
http://web.gregorkofler.com ::: meine JS-Spielwiese
http://www.image2d.com ::: Bildagentur für den alpinen Raum

**nobody@nowhere.net** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

On Sat, 03 May 2008 22:13:31 +0200, Gregor Kofler
<usenet@gregork ofler.atwrote:

>nobody@nowhere .net meinte:
>

>This is not in the spec. Even more so, the spec calls for the
>interface _not_ to be user-customizable, and to be as close to the
>standard Windows interface as it can get. Don't you get the
>difference between programming for fun, and development of business
>app that involves things like spec, deadline, etc.?

>
>Don't you get the idea, that there is a fundamental difference between
>HTML documents shown in browsers and the UI of an OS? And don't babble
>something about "specs" - it's your job to make things clear when
>accepting those specs and tell the customer, that a 100%-something
>integration won't be possible.

I do get the idea. However I'm not in the position to tell it to
non-techie customers, and I happen to have a boss that wouldn't take
"no" for an answer unless I prove "beyond any reasonable doubt" that I
really tried to solve it.

>
>Anyway, since it is narrowed down to "standard or classic or Vista"
>layout: Write the according CSS,

already done - that's the easy part

>have the user choose between the style
>sheets mimicking the desktop appearance,

This is what I can't do. It's not a technical decision, it's a
business decision, and it was not mine. If there's a way to find out
the setting by the means of coding, please let me know, I'll greatly
appreciate it. Or just confirm what I've suspected all along: it
can't be done.

>store it in a cookie. Stop
>whining. You can even use Opera or Firefox or another browser then. As
>long as you don't have any form elements which are hard to impossible to
>skin.
>
>Gregor

Believe me or not, I'm not a novice in the business (almost 10 years
in Web dev, MCAD and stuff). Usually I've found the vay to solve
things without asking for help. But this time I have neither the
solution nor a solid proof that it's not doable the way it was
requested. If you have a direct answer to the question, it'd be
greatly appreciated. If you have nothing to say but personal insults,
please just stay away from the thread.

NNN

rf · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

"nobody@nowhere .net" <mygarbage2000@ hotmail.comwrot e in
news:ji2q1414kk nbrl1u0fv165shr d8dt09r7p@4ax.c om:

If there's a way to find out
the setting by the means of coding, please let me know, I'll greatly
appreciate it. Or just confirm what I've suspected all along: it
can't be done.

It can't be done.

--
Richard
Killing all google groups posts
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org

**Gregor Kofler** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

nobody@nowhere. net meinte:

This is what I can't do. It's not a technical decision, it's a
business decision, and it was not mine.

So your boss is promising things to customers without consulting his
developers first, plus having no clue about feasibility and technical
issues? Nice.

If there's a way to find out
the setting by the means of coding, please let me know, I'll greatly
appreciate it. Or just confirm what I've suspected all along: it
can't be done.

It can't be done.

If you have a direct answer to the question, it'd be
greatly appreciated. If you have nothing to say but personal insults,
please just stay away from the thread.

Well, that's usenet. Anything else would be support you most likely have
to pay for.

Gregor

--
http://photo.gregorkofler.at ::: Landschafts- und Reisefotografie
http://web.gregorkofler.com ::: meine JS-Spielwiese
http://www.image2d.com ::: Bildagentur für den alpinen Raum

**Brett Merkey** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

Use CSS. Browsers support direct access to each user's system font choices
and interface colors.

Here is one link:

Fonts

http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-CSS2-19980512/fonts.html#font-shorthand

Brett Merkey

rf · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

"Brett Merkey" <bmerkey@tampab ay.rr.comwrote in news:481daa6d$0 $12963
$4c368faf@roadr unner.com:

http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-CSS2-1...font-shorthand

And how precicely does this help the OP determine which skin is being used
in his viewers operating system?

--
Richard
Killing all google groups posts
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org

**SAM** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

nobody@nowhere. net a écrit :

On Sat, 03 May 2008 11:49:26 +0200, SAM
<stephanemoriau x.NoAdmin@wanad oo.fr.invalidwr ote:
>

(snip) something telling you only need to detect user's Win version
right ?
Mac users will have to do with it :-(
(I hate Windows and Windows hates me)

This is not in the spec. Even more so, the spec calls for the
interface _not_ to be user-customizable, and to be as close to the
standard Windows interface as it can get. Don't you get the
difference between programming for fun, and development of business
app that involves things like spec, deadline, etc.?

Developing for business ? Really ? Why won't you realize a real *.exe ?

Found that :
<http://jsbrwsniff.sour ceforge.net/index.html>

HTH

--
sm

**Logos** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

On May 2, 7:02 pm, "nob...@nowhere .net" <mygarbage2...@ hotmail.com>
wrote:

I need to pop up a modal JS-based dialog (for some reason can't use
popup window, much less so showModalDialog ()), and I'd like to imitate
the system popup titlebar according to user's desktop settings
(classic, XP, Vista). No big deal to make it work, but how do I know
the style to display? Any chance to figure out these settings
programmaticall y either on the client (preferrable), or possibly in
asp.net from something like Request["ServerVariable s"] (not the best
thing but will work for this project). Would prefer cross-browser
compatibility, but can use IE-specific solution (sorry, no client side
activeX may be used, just plain JS/DOM/DHTML). Asking the user to
manually select visual preferences is not an option.
>
Thanks
>
NNN

You are correct - it can't be done. Their is no way for a browser to
access those system settings. You can get things like screen size and
so forth, but that is all.

Tyler

**SAM** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

Logos a écrit :

On May 2, 7:02 pm, "nob...@nowhere .net" <mygarbage2...@ hotmail.com>
wrote:

>I need to pop up a modal JS-based dialog (for some reason can't use
>popup window, much less so showModalDialog ()), and I'd like to imitate
>the system popup titlebar according to user's desktop settings
>(classic, XP, Vista). No big deal to make it work, but how do I know
>the style to display? Any chance to figure out these settings
>programmatical ly either on the client (preferrable), or possibly in
>asp.net from something like Request["ServerVariable s"] (not the best
>thing but will work for this project). Would prefer cross-browser
>compatibilit y, but can use IE-specific solution (sorry, no client side
>activeX may be used, just plain JS/DOM/DHTML). Asking the user to
>manually select visual preferences is not an option.
>>
>Thanks
>>
>NNN

>
You are correct - it can't be done. Their is no way for a browser to
access those system settings. You can get things like screen size and
so forth, but that is all.

in address bar :

javascript:w=wi ndow.open("");f or(i in
navigator)w.doc ument.write("<l i>"+i+" = "+eval('navigat or.'+i));

I obtain with my Mac :
Firefox :
appVersion = 5.0 (Macintosh; fr)
platform = MacIntel
oscpu = Intel Mac OS X
Safari :
appVersion = 5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Mac OS X; fr) ...etc
platform = MacIntel

I obtain with my Win XP and IE6 :
appMinorVersion = ;SP2;
cpuClass = x86
platform = Win32
opsProfile =
userProfile =
systemLanguage = fr
userLanguage = fr

Wouldn't all that be enough to detect the OS ?

--
sm

**Gregor Kofler** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

SAM meinte:

Wouldn't all that be enough to detect the OS ?

Detecting the OS is easy (both on client and server side; not really
reliable). Anyway, the OP wants to know the UI design settings of the
OS. And that's impossible.

Gregor

--
http://photo.gregorkofler.at ::: Landschafts- und Reisefotografie
http://web.gregorkofler.com ::: meine JS-Spielwiese
http://www.image2d.com ::: Bildagentur für den alpinen Raum

VK · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

On May 3, 6:02 am, "nob...@nowhere .net" <mygarbage2...@ hotmail.com>
wrote:

I need to pop up a modal JS-based dialog (for some reason can't use
popup window, much less so showModalDialog ()), and I'd like to imitate
the system popup titlebar according to user's desktop settings
(classic, XP, Vista). No big deal to make it work, but how do I know
the style to display? Any chance to figure out these settings
programmaticall y either on the client (preferrable), or possibly in
asp.net from something like Request["ServerVariable s"] (not the best
thing but will work for this project). Would prefer cross-browser
compatibility, but can use IE-specific solution

CSS 2.x defines system color names besides explicit colors:

User interface

http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS21/ui.html#system-colors

It is marked as deprecated for CSS 3.x - but anyone ever implemented
it, it should be still here. I believe it worked for me for IE6 but I
never tested it intensively. You may try that.

**Lasse Reichstein Nielsen** · Jun 27 '08, 07:10 PM

Re: Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

SAM <stephanemoriau x.NoAdmin@wanad oo.fr.invalidwr ites:

(snip) something telling you only need to detect user's Win version
right ?

Nope. I run Windows XP, but the first thing I turn off is themes,
so I have less than the "classic theme".

/L
--
Lasse Reichstein Nielsen - lrn@hotpop.com
DHTML Death Colors: <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/rasterTriangleD OM.html>
'Faith without judgement merely degrades the spirit divine.'

Possible to detect Windows desktop style?

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