New Total Commander Desgin.

[Bob___]

Would it be time to renew the look of the Total Commander? Just when Windows 11 comes out?

[ghisler(Author)]

Why do some people who have no knowledge of Windows at all call it Windows 3.1 design? Total Commander uses the STANARD Windows controls, whichuse themes since Windows XP. They do not have Windows 3.1 design unless you use the classic theme, which hasn't been available on Windows 10.

[Lefteous]

Windows 3.1 design is mainly sunken/raised edges (which is really dreadful), limited color palette - I don't see that in TC. It's okay to critisize but that would need a bit more substance. So the choices here are ridiculous.

[jinsight]

Lefteous says: Windows 3.1 design is mainly sunken/raised edges (which is really dreadful), limited color palette - I don't see that in TC. It's okay to criticize but that would need a bit more substance. So the choices here are ridiculous.

I agree.

[MVV]

BTW Windows 3.1 theme looks much more like Windows 10 theme than old good classic theme available until Windows 7.
But TC look anyway depends on used theme and OS, it is not the same in different Windows versions.

[bckp]

Well, to be honest, TC looks kind outdated right now, but still one of bests to use, but with my minimalistics design, there are places, when it is just ugly That is sad, as i just switched to it... And I call it Windows 95 looks

Just to verify, this is how TC looks with minimalistic design, there are some places where borders ends nowhere, lines are covered by windows rounded corners and menu is just wrongly colored...

Check Image: https://ibb.co/hHy66zc and Image: https://ibb.co/b5Sp8Qd

[ghisler(Author)]

TC uses the regular Windows controls of the current Windows version, not those of Windows 95. I don't understand why people claim that again and again.

[Lefteous]

TC uses the regular Windows controls of the current Windows version, not those of Windows 95. I don't understand why people claim that again and again.

All in all TCs appearance has advanced over the years, but I also still see room for improvement. My four cents.

1) The overall appearance of an app is more than just a collection of controls. It matters how they are used.
2) Microsoft provides controls mainly used in older Windows versions also in newer Windows versions. Apps designed for the latest Windows version mainly use those new controls. So it matters which control is used from the available ones.
3) TC indeed uses some custom controls (and custom drawing). For some things required for TC, there is just no standard solution foreseen by the OS, so custom solutions are required, which of course leave some space for good or not so good solutions.
4) The example illustrated by bckp is to my knowledge due to compatibility problems between different themes and also themes in different Windows versions. This is the downside when supporting very old Windows versions. I would vote for an optimization for newer Windows version standard themes, where the old Windows version looks acceptably if possible but never do compromises on the current Windows version standard theme.

[mohammadsj]

I sent email to Ghisler, about appearance of TC, years ago. I compared it to SpeedCommander. He said he wants to follow Standard Windows.
I really like the visual of SpeedCommander but IMHO, TC has more features and easier to use. That's why I chose TC. I also agree that it's a lot of work, but it will also be a big step forward.

I totally agree with the points mentioned by @lefteous