Classic Shell: Forum

First I want to give you my best compliments!
After few days in using Windows 7 I wanted to go back to XP Pro forgetting the extra 5GB of my new laptop for the sake of usability. Fortunately I've found Classic Shell!

People at Microsoft are insane. Should we put electric wires in their brains to let them understanding the simple concept that Shell and File Manager CAN NOT BE WEB PAGES?

Anyway, Classic Shell allows me to try this new "evolution" called Windows 7, but a shock comes every time a Common Dialog pops out. They are ugly and dysfunctional. If you try changing screen DPI to 125% or 150% (quite common need in ultraportable laptop with 1366x768 resolution shown on 12" lcd panel, isn't it?) the Common Dialogs become unusable: bottom buttons disapper, files panel disappear! Yes, we have a modern interface full of colours, transparencies, animations, ego-mations but we don't have buttons. Evolution!

Yes, I've already read FAQ where you explain all the difficulties about tweaking Common Dialogs, but just to inform you about a possible solution (warning: I don't know the "internals" of Windows, so it could be a stupid suggestion). I've some old software like TextPad 4.7.3 (yes I have white hairs), who shows the old and confortable, almost romantic, Common Dialogs even in Windows 7. They sport the configurable left-side panel containing quick links, and the right panel where everything is in place (re-volution?). I guess those software call the CommonDialogs in a standard old-times fashion and Windows7 uses a kind of callback hook to the old DLL. The question: is it possible to force this kind of beaviour on all calls to Common Dialogs?

bye bye and thanx again
Codex

(Lenovo x220, Windows 7 64bit, a lot of patience)

Every program can choose to use the new or the old style of common dialogs. I don't see a way to override that.

BTW, I don't think 1366x768 is designed to work with 150% DPI. That reduces the effective resolution to 900x512. Even the very early versions of Windows required at least 800x600 resolution. Anything less than that you are asking for trouble.