Windows 8 has some great features. Specially in the Metro design with some nice colors. This code will show how to get current used(selected) color in your start screen(personalization)
#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
typedef struct PersonalizationColor {
int r;
int g;
int b;
} PersonalizationColor;
static const unsigned char ColorSet_Version3[25][2][3] = { // Table for Accent & Background color in Windows 8
{{37,37,37},{244,179,0}},
{{37,37,37},{120,186,0}},
{{37,37,37},{38,115,236}},
{{37,37,37},{174,17,61}},
{{46,23,0},{99,47,0}},
{{78,0,0},{176,30,0}},
{{78,0,56},{193,0,79}},
{{45,0,78},{114,0,172}},
{{31,0,104},{70,23,180}},
{{0,30,78},{0,106,193}},
{{0,77,96},{0,130,135}},
{{0,74,0},{25,153,0}},
{{21,153,42},{0,193,63}},
{{229,108,25},{255,152,29}},
{{184,27,27},{255,46,18}},
{{184,27,108},{255,29,119}},
{{105,27,184},{170,64,255}},
{{27,88,184},{31,174,255}},
{{86,156,227},{86,197,255}},
{{0,170,170},{0,216,204}},
{{131,186,31},{145,209,0}},
{{211,157,9},{225,183,0}},
{{224,100,183},{255,118,188}},
{{105,105,105},{0,164,164}},
{{105,105,105},{255,125,35}}
};
typedef struct windows_version {
int major; // CurrentVersion
int minor; // CurrentVersion
int build_number; // CurrentBuildNumber
char name[256]; // ProductName
char service_pack[256]; // CSDVersion(if exist)
char edition[128]; // EditionID(if exist)
} windows_version;
int get_winver(windows_version* ptr) {
HKEY temp;
unsigned char CurrentVersion[8];
long long long_temp=8;
if(RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"Software\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion",0,KEY_READ,&temp)==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
int a=0;
if(RegQueryValueEx(temp,"CurrentVersion",0,nullptr,CurrentVersion,(LPDWORD)&long_temp)!=ERROR_SUCCESS)
return 0;
double current_version=strtod((char*)CurrentVersion,nullptr);
ptr->major=(int)floor(current_version);
ptr->minor=(int)floor(current_version*10.0)-ptr->major*10;
long_temp=8;
memset(CurrentVersion,0,8);
if((a=RegQueryValueEx(temp,"CurrentBuildNumber",0,nullptr,CurrentVersion,(LPDWORD)&long_temp))!=ERROR_SUCCESS)
return 0;
ptr->build_number=atoi((char*)CurrentVersion);
long_temp=256;
if(RegQueryValueEx(temp,"ProductName",0,nullptr,(LPBYTE)ptr->name,(LPDWORD)&long_temp)!=ERROR_SUCCESS)
return 0;
int* from_lt=(int*)&long_temp+4;
long_temp=256;
*from_lt=RegQueryValueEx(temp,"CSDVersion",0,nullptr,(LPBYTE)ptr->service_pack,(LPDWORD)&long_temp);
if(*from_lt==ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)
memset(ptr->service_pack,0,256);
else if(*from_lt!=ERROR_SUCCESS)
return 0;
long_temp=128;
*from_lt=RegQueryValueEx(temp,"EditionID",0,nullptr,(LPBYTE)ptr->edition,(LPDWORD)&long_temp);
if(*from_lt==ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND)
memset(ptr->edition,0,128);
else if(*from_lt!=ERROR_SUCCESS)
return 0;
} else
return 0;
RegCloseKey(temp);
return 1;
}
bool Win8GetAccentColor(PersonalizationColor* col) {
windows_version win;
get_winver(&win);
if(win.major>=6 && (win.minor>=2 && win.minor<=3)) {
HKEY temp;
int r=0;
if((r=RegOpenKeyExA(HKEY_CURRENT_USER,"Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Accent",0,KEY_READ,&temp))==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
auto accent_color=0UL;
auto buf=4UL;
if(win.minor==2) {
if((r=RegQueryValueExA(temp,"ColorSet_Version3",nullptr,nullptr,(LPBYTE)&accent_color,&buf))==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
col->r=ColorSet_Version3[accent_color][1][0];
col->g=ColorSet_Version3[accent_color][1][1];
col->b=ColorSet_Version3[accent_color][1][2];
RegCloseKey(temp);
return true;
} else {
RegCloseKey(temp);
return false;
}
} else {
if((r=RegQueryValueExA(temp,"AccentColor",nullptr,nullptr,(LPBYTE)&accent_color,&buf))==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
col->r=GetRValue(accent_color);
col->g=GetGValue(accent_color);
col->b=GetBValue(accent_color);
RegCloseKey(temp);
return true;
} else {
RegCloseKey(temp);
return false;
}
}
} else
return false;
} else
return false;
}
bool Win8GetBackgroundColor(PersonalizationColor* col) {
windows_version win;
get_winver(&win);
if(win.major>=6 && (win.minor>=2 && win.minor<=3)) {
HKEY temp;
int r=0;
if((r=RegOpenKeyExA(HKEY_CURRENT_USER,"Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Accent",0,KEY_READ,&temp))==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
auto accent_color=0UL;
auto buf=4UL;
if(win.minor==2) {
if((r=RegQueryValueExA(temp,"ColorSet_Version3",nullptr,nullptr,(LPBYTE)&accent_color,&buf))==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
col->r=ColorSet_Version3[accent_color][0][0];
col->g=ColorSet_Version3[accent_color][0][1];
col->b=ColorSet_Version3[accent_color][0][2];
RegCloseKey(temp);
return 3;
} else {
RegCloseKey(temp);
return true;
}
} else {
if((r=RegQueryValueExA(temp,"StartColor",nullptr,nullptr,(LPBYTE)&accent_color,&buf))==ERROR_SUCCESS) {
col->r=GetRValue(accent_color);
col->g=GetGValue(accent_color);
col->b=GetBValue(accent_color);
RegCloseKey(temp);
return true;
} else {
RegCloseKey(temp);
return false;
}
}
} else {
return false;
}
} else
return false;
}
int main() {
PersonalizationColor accent;
PersonalizationColor background;
if(!Win8GetAccentColor(&accent)) {
std::cerr << "Cannot get accent color!" << endl;
return 1;
}
if(!Win8GetBackgroundColor(&background)) {
std::cerr << "Cannot get background color!" << endl;
return 1;
}
std::cout << "Accent: " << accent.r << "," << accent.g << "," << accent.g << endl << "Background: " << background.r << "," << background.g << "," << background.b << endl;
return 0;
}
Note1: It also work in Windows 8.1 without any edits
Note2: It can be ported to C with some editing.
Note3: I give a bonus code. You can use
get_winver to get windows version(which i think is better than GetVersionEx)
