WindowBlinds 6 Beta Feedback

Published on August 1, 2007 By Neil Banfield In Stardock Support General

Please post all feedback about the WindowBlinds 6 beta on this thread.

Note that the beta is for 32 bit XP and Vista systems only. Please do not post about it not working on 64 bit XP/Vista. Please continue to use WB 5.51 on those platforms.

This beta is for Object Desktop customers ONLY. Standalone WindowBlinds 5 owners will not be able to activate this build.

Please note that you must have Stardock Central 2.46 Build 154 or later to install the WindowBlinds 6 betas. If you try and use older versions, it'll eventually timeout and give you an error about an invalid URL.

If you have problems with it running at all, please uninstall WB6, reboot and then try reinstalling WB6 again.

Comments (Page 19)

271

phoenix144

on Aug 08, 2007

I ma just wondering what the updates in the last few days to WB 6 beta are fixing?

Any one have any ideas?

272

BeLGaRaTh67

on Aug 08, 2007

I have an annoying problem with the Molten skin, basically every reboot it changes my desktop background to its default crap brown colour. I have to manually reset my background back again, highly annoying.

It still occurs even after the new update that was to fix some issues with the skin

I am running on Windows Vista Ultimate

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6 (6.0 (beta build 36 x86 - Vista Edition))
Build 6000.vista_gdr.070627-1500

Wblind.dll 2007/08/07 11:43:20
Wbsrv.dll 2007/08/02 11:25:02
Wbconfig.exe 2007/08/02 11:25:47
Wbload.exe 2007/07/30 13:14:11
Wbhelp.dll 2007/07/24 10:21:07
Tray.dll 2007/07/24 10:21:49
Wbload.dll 2007/07/24 10:33:56

273

BeLGaRaTh67

on Aug 08, 2007

I ma just wondering what the updates in the last few days to WB 6 beta are fixing?

Any one have any ideas?

Before applying the updates you can choose the option to see whats new, and it will display the changes

[Please note WindowBlinds 5.90+ releases require existing versions of WindowBlinds to be
uninstalled and Stardock Central 2.46 Build 154 or later to install.]

WindowBlinds 5.90 beta
-------------------------------
[Refresh] EasyCleaner window fix + misc mods

[Refresh] 16-bit app compat fixes
[Refresh] Updates to Diamond skin (shadow tweaks and menus)
[Refresh] Updates to Leo skin (added Vista shadows substyle, UI flash effect,
updated listview headers on Vista, tweaked Explorer bar images, updated
tabs and tab panel backgrounds).

-Initial beta release for 6.0.

WindowBlinds 6 is packed with new features. Many new features have been added for both Windows XP and Vista users. Check out the

ï¿½ WindowBlinds now has Blur support in title bars in Windows XP (addionally on the menus on Windows Vista)
ï¿½ WindowBlinds now supports all many of the new Windows Vista User Interface elements so that skins can change these sections (including sidebar skinning)! Other examples are IE navigation arrows, IE tabs, start menu shutdown/lock buttons, etc.
ï¿½ The Start Menu now supports animation on both Windows XP and Vista! The new Molten skin has been included with the BETA to show off this ï¿½hotï¿½ new feature.
ï¿½ WindowBlinds now has category filtering when viewing skins to apply. Users with many skins can now filter by the category assigned to the skin (for example Holiday, OS, Computers, Sports, etc.)
ï¿½ Wallpaper can now be filtered by tags (keywords) such as Light/Dark, Animals, Plants, etc.) Allowing the user to quickly find wallpaper that will match their chosen skin.
ï¿½ Support for a random skin selection when applying a new skin.
ï¿½ Users can now recolor a skin and save that setting on a per skin basis. (For example changing blues to reds.)
ï¿½ In addition, WindowBlinds now supports ï¿½Advanced HSL Coloringï¿½. Users can choose a single color to change instead re-coloring the entire skin
ï¿½ A Vista-izeTM me function which sets some defaults to have a more vista like look
ï¿½ Explorer background bitmaps can now be included as part of the skin,
ï¿½ And many more featuresï¿½

More features list:
WindowBlinds now has the ability toï¿½
ï¿½ Edit the system colors from WindowBlinds
ï¿½ Change skin fonts from WindowBlinds
ï¿½ Control transparency and blur on start menu, menus, taskbar & window frames. Has some limitations on XP
ï¿½ Save all skin changes as presets
ï¿½ Edit a sidebar skin from within WindowBlinds
ï¿½ Alter the mouse over animation speed
ï¿½ Alter the default button pulsing speed
ï¿½ Handle skin upgrades in an improved fashion
ï¿½ Use the Aero frames with the rest of the skin

[Refresh - turned off a debug file on vista and refreshed Molten skin for XP a bit]
[Refresh - Fixed Miranda IM]
[Refresh - Tweaks to system fonts]
[Refresh - Sidebar preview tweaked]

274

Ecstasy.

on Aug 08, 2007

EDIT: I finally got build 155 imma try it out now thanks

275

WebGizmos

on Aug 08, 2007

Just curious about this one. Why with some skins the Windowblinds Configuration screen rolls up when you right click on it and not with others when it seems like the settings are all the same.

276

phendric

on Aug 09, 2007

Where are you trying to change the background from? I had that same problem trying to change the background from the control panel. As soon as I changed it within WB itself (2nd to last link under "tasks" on the left-hand side), though, all problems stopped.

I don't know if this is a bug, or if Molten, by design or default, sets the background to plain brown when applied...

P

277

Erk.

on Aug 09, 2007

Backed up skins folder.
Archived 5.5... [via Stardock Central]
Set skin to 'Windows XP Style', using the WB Config window.
Unloaded Windowblinds, using the WB Config window.
Uninstalled 5.5 [via Stardock Central]
Rebooted.
Installed WindowBlinds 6 (6.0 (beta build 21 x86)).
Rebooted.
Loaded WindowBlinds 6 (6.0 (beta build 21 x86)).
Applied 'Diamond' ...then 'Molten' ....
WOW! @ 'Molten' & 'Diamond' ..that Dragon animation is a bewdy! ...and Diamond is a very usable skin ...nice and unobtrusive.
Checked all other installed skins ....working fine.
Moved backed up skins back into the skins folder of WindowBlinds.
Tested as many as I could be bothered to ...all fine & working.

Loving this version of WindowBlinds ..still finding some very cool things.

Thankyou Stardock & WindowBlinds Dev's ...this is the best build so far, by a country mile!

I don't know if this is a bug, or if Molten, by design or default, sets the background to plain brown when applied...

Did that for me, but changing background is a snap, anyway...

278

martin10018

on Aug 09, 2007

My personal favorite skin XP Format by RJ Smith has font issues with the beta (textsize to big). With 5.5 everything was okay.

Deleted .wb4 files but no change. Text is still too big.

279

karmat

on Aug 09, 2007

My personal favorite skin XP Format by RJ Smith has font issues with the beta (textsize to big). With 5.5 everything was okay.

Deleted .wb4 files but no change. Text is still too big.

You should be able to go into WindowBlinds 6, click on 'Change Skin Fonts', then click to the left of 'normal' on the scale bar. That worked for me with a couple of skins. Or you can change the font to another one.

280

Cavan1

on Aug 09, 2007

All WB skins have a background color set in them, when setting background color thru Windows display properties it will always revert to the color that is set in the skin you are using at start-up or after a reboot.

To save having to edit all skins you have, the best solution is to open MS Paint and make an image that is the color you want for you background, save as a jpg, set that as your wall and make sure, in Override default setting of WB config, that Apply the wallpaper include with skin is not checked.

281

Cavan1

on Aug 09, 2007

My personal favorite skin XP Format by RJ Smith has font issues with the beta (textsize to big). With 5.5 everything was okay.

From list of WB 6 improvements

[Refresh - Tweaks to system fonts]

XP Format uses fonts for classic widgets for system fonts, they are set at a height of 15, pre WB6 it should be set at -15, I believe that with 5.5 it was being displyed incorrectly as setting was not negative, so now with WB6 it is showing as the large size they are set at. Default I believe is 10.

282

Excalpius

on Aug 10, 2007

I just tried FileZilla here with the latest WB6 build on Vista and it does not crash when I right click.
What build of WB do you have installed? (see Wbconfig System Information page)

I'm using WindowBlinds 6 (6.0 (beta build 36 x86 - Vista Edition)).

Note that I was too hasty in proclaiming Photoshop CS3 crash free. It crashes too.

I think I have figured a way to make this repeat predictably.

Using filezilla select with RMB an item as if you are going to add it to the queue. Then, don't select an option, move your mouse off of the RMB window that popped up. If it doesn't crash the program then and there, it will the next time you try the same thing.

This is also repeatable in Photoshop CS3 if you hit the RMB over an image you have loaded to edit.

This is happening on an Nvidia Quadro 4000 and it has happened with 163.11 and 162.50 whql drivers. Diamond skin, vista 32.

283

LittleBearJason

on Aug 10, 2007

I am having no problems, but I am hoping that some kind of emulator could be written to work around the blurring /transparency issues in Vista Basic. I know it could be done if they just try hard enough

284

BeLGaRaTh67

on Aug 10, 2007

@phendric ... I am trying to use one of the default walls, widescreen aura or whatever its called. I have tried setting it withing WB with no luck, it defaults to the brown again on reboot.

@erk. I understand that I can just go back in and change it as you say erk. but it is a pain to do so every reboot

For now I am using another skin as Molten is too much hassle

285

Alternate Setting

on Aug 10, 2007

Where in SS6, when exploring 'Molten', do I go to see the preview of the dragon & fire animations and see how any values are set ?

I've gone through a couple of times and must keep missing it.

I see the animation strip files dragon.tga and fire.tga are recognised/listed in the selection box (in Edit Start Menu) along with all the other folder files.

Appreciate a pointer from anyone with fresher eyes. Thanks.

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