Mike995

Join Date 08/2015

Newbie: How to make (minor) changes to my own style

Am a newbie.

I just installed WindowBlinds 10 (registered version)

After installing and registering, WindowBlinds starts with opening 'Style, Wallpaper' etc.
I haven't closed WindowBlinds yet, it is still open, 1st screen, in the background.

Now, I am fairly happy with the background that I have - made it myself.
Also I am happy with the taskbar color darkblue, RGB 0 34 65, (HEX #002241)
and the desktop gradient from RGB 22 101 180, (HEX #1665B4) to RGB 44 137 214 (HEX #2C89D6)

Under 'Style' at the right side, I selected 'Save current colour & texture as preset' - give it a name.
However, it does not show up at the styles below, as 14th style so to say.

I also have Start10 installed.

I want to change the white window border, i.e. the one above 'File-Edit-..' into another color first,
but firstly based on my I have created myself.

Maybe later on I will go on and the other styles and maybe have a chance to edit those, or so.
However, as a first try, something that is supposed to be simple(?)
- save my background/taskbar/colours as a style (so I can return to it, should I mess up too much)
- add some color to the usually all white window border

Any hints as to how to proceed would be welcome.

Can I find a kind of Help-file on this subject?

Thanks!

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LightStar

Join Date 12/2002

+1606

I want to change the white window border, i.e. the one above 'File-Edit-..' into another color first,
but firstly based on my I have created myself.

It is not possible to change that color, it is forced by Windows 10 with now way to change it. You can however get rid of all that stuff in explorer and have it look almost exactly like Windows 7 by installing OldNewExplorer ( https://skinpacks.com/oldnewexplorer-for-win10/ ) if you want. Just be sure not to check "Use alternate navigation buttons style" .

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Eh ... you mean to say, that *I* as user can not change it..?
I see the styles that are provided within WindowBlinds 10 they all have alternative colors, lightblue, darkblue, grey, etc.

So it seems that WindowBlinds can change it?

I mean, like the below.

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LightStar

Join Date 12/2002

+1606

Ohhh, I thought you meant something else Mike. That is the titlebar you are talking about, not sure which color it is in WB10 that you change though, you might try the System Colour: Active Title in the Modify Style area.

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Thanks.

The thing is that I can useone of the styles provided, but I would like to:
a. save my own layout (wallpaper, taskbar colors, start menu - set by start10)
b. only change the titlebar color

Now I am unsure whether I can save item 'a' as my own style (as a backup)
then change the titlebar-color and if that is indeed possible, what to do, how to proceed.

Thansk

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gmc2

Join Date 11/2003

+296

that can be changed with Skin Studio, I believe as I'm using SKS7 and not 10.

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Was confused by trying to change the default style, did not get 'modify style' option.
"Discovered" I need to select any other style, then this option would show up.

Also noticed there is no option to change the fontcolor(?)
WindowBlinds 10, purchased version: "Design your own skins with SkinStudio"
SkinStudio however seems to only work on Windows 7 machines(?)

It would be nice to be able to change font color.
(Maybe it is possible, I wouldn't know how though)

http://i.imgur.com/4r8TucW.png

http://i.imgur.com/dDjIewI.png

http://i.imgur.com/5Jc422J.png

http://i.imgur.com/kMGRNpO.png

http://i.imgur.com/RL4vazo.png

http://i.imgur.com/mrERJEN.png

http://i.imgur.com/UmcKjNH.png

http://i.imgur.com/UE9d2gz.png

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LightStar

Join Date 12/2002

+1606

Mike, Windowblinds 10 and SkinStudio 10 run just fine on Windows 10 (and 7 and 8.1 also). A lot of the stuff you want to do would have to be dine in SkinStudio 10, but it's not as easy as you think. It took me months, almost a year, to learn the functions and many quirks of SkinStudio. So be prepared.

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DaveBax

Join Date 10/2007

+629

Starting with skinstudio. you are showing in one of your images"Supports windows 7". forget that means nothing. Open skinstudio in win 10. Click the menu at the top "HELP" click on "About skinstudio" This will give you the version you are using. Should say Version 10. Saying that before SS 10 was available many of us actually used SKS 7 and it worked fine. so your problem isn't SKS on win10 but if you have WB 10 you should have received SKS10..

To truly modify a skin you need to use SS not Windowblinds. Many colors are controlled by images made by the Skinner. Most colors and fonts are controlled in the "change skin colors" and "change skin fonts" section in SKS. (skinstudio). However it isn't that easy. there are many, many places in SKS that change these sections. They are put in specific to different areas. There are a few places that are controlled by the OS.

There is so much to know about SKS one really needs to try different things in it and see what happens. Remember anything you change you always have to click apply.

Try tihs and maybe it will give you an idea. Open the Acrylic 7 skin in SKS. Click on Edit startmenu and taskbar on the left side. A window will open "edit Start Menu. Click on "Left hand side/ Programs list. When you open Program list at the bottom click on "Text". when the window changes to "Text Color" there is a drop down menu. Open that and pick a different color. Since it is now White change it to Black so you can see the change easy. Now click Apply skin on the right side. Now open you startmenu on windows 10 you will see the left side text color is Black. to change the right side you would go to "right hand side/Places list.

Try the above and you will see the changes. Specific areas have to be changed using SKS. One more suggestion. when changing a default skin make sure you know what you changed in case you want to go back. They are not skins you just just go and download again. My suggestion to practice you do it on a free downloaded skin. Maybe like a light colored skin also. If you like the skin but need to to go back to it's original you can just install it again. Remember any changes require you to apply the skin to see the changes.

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Both - Thank you very much indeed!

I really do appreciate your feedback.
Frankly, I assumed that the Skindesign was included in the purchased WindowBlinds 10 product. I confess: wrong assumption.
Investigated further and noticed the WindowBlinds invoice shows SkinStudio 10 (digital download) 0,00 costs and WIndowBlinds 10 at 9,99.

When I click on SkinStudio 10, in the invoice, it links me to https://store.stardock.com/product/ESD-SDS-W1243 where I can purchase the product.
It is titled SkinStudio 10 there.

Is https://www.stardock.com/products/skinstudio/ the same then as SkinStudio 10 ?
Will the WindowBlinds 10 key be the same as for SkinStudio? (the invoice I got only shows 1 key, that for WindowBlinds)

Thanks again.

BTW: I am running it on a VM, so no issue messing things up. A few styles are already very nice, though I like the darkblue colors more.
I don't like 'fancy' backgrounds, solid colors, but rather not black and.. of course white desktop fonts

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DaveBax

Join Date 10/2007

+629

Quoting Mike995,

reply 9

Will the WindowBlinds 10 key be the same as for SkinStudio? (the invoice I got only shows 1 key, that for WindowBlinds)

well first I always thought SKS came with WB. About the key. If you are an Object Desktop member all programs use the same key. If you purchase stand alone programs they may have different keys. Not 100% sure about the stand alone products.

Maybe someone else will know 100% if SKS comes with WB. As I said I thought it did. If you don't get another reply in a while you may want to ask support about your purchase questions. Such as does SKS come with WB and would they have different keys. I have been an Object Desktop customer for year so know the same key works on all programs you can download from OD.

If you write a support ticket only submit it once. Be patient and you will receive a reply. If you don't hear back as soon as you think you should don't send in another ticket. Because if you have an open ticket it will get moved to the bottom of the list again.

SUPPORT: https://esupport.stardock.com/index.php?/Tickets/Submit

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Maybe I will send a support ticket. I already asked sales and got an autoreply.
That was on 17th.

When buying WIndowBlinds 10 the shopping cart looks like this.

However, as said, the link in the invoice gets you to a version that should be purchased...

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DaveRI

Join Date 09/2003

+477

Quoting Mike995,

reply 9

Frankly, I assumed that the Skindesign was included in the purchased WindowBlinds 10 product

Log into your account here:

https://store.stardock.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/myaccount/products

I expect that you will see SkinStudio listed for download. I don't believe it will have a specific product key associated with it.

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Problem is that no account has been created.

Weird thing:I just created an account and when I went to downloadswithin my new account, SkinStudio was/is there for download.

Strange way...

Anyway, I will check it out.

Thanks for the tip!

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Have been able to install SkinStudio 10 successfully.
Frankly I don't which element to edit to change the caption text of programs below the desktop icons.

Simply changing from black to white.
Any suggestions?
Maybe specifically that element is not included and can not be edited...?

http://imgur.com/lHUDABy
http://imgur.com/HsbvwAF
http://imgur.com/qaq1uI8
http://imgur.com/uB6N85v
http://imgur.com/0h1sa8t
http://imgur.com/ekEkkDA
http://imgur.com/bV3SWNI
http://imgur.com/ehDxIML

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DaveBax

Join Date 10/2007

+629

Quoting Mike995,

reply 14

Simply changing from black to white.
Any suggestions?

I think I know what you ant to change.

Instead of posting screen shots of windows open in SKS post screen shots pointing to what you want to change. Actual SS please.

Circle the area you want to change or point with an arrow

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Hello again

Actually I seek a way to change the font into white. I using Acrylic 7 and it displays black fonts below the desktop icons.

I'd like them to be white, but don't know where exactly to look within SkinStudio 10.

Left is Acrylic 7 (on my VM), right is Win8 Metro on host-pc.

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Wait!

My 'mistake' I guess

I applied Acrylic 7 to the host-pc

Se the difference - specifically the font.

Ahum . . .

Probably within VMware WindowBlinds reacts differently.

Sorry...

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I think I have found a better style, at least one that suites -me- better (with all due respect to the makers of all other styles).

Have no applied 'Precision' (Windows 8)(Preset) by Stardock Design.

If I would like to a few things changed, should I then ask Stardock?
Or should I ask someone else? Or post elsewhere?
How to proceed?

Thanks

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neone6

Join Date 12/2010

+942

Quoting wulffra,

reply 18

How to proceed?

You should probably learn how to fix exactly what you want by studying the SkinStudio Tutorial By Our Top Skinner Vampothika. (Click the Blue link for download)

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gmc2

Join Date 11/2003

+296

you may change any part of someone else's windowblind for your own personal use. You may NOT alter someone else's windowblind and claim it as your own or upload it as your own.

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Okay, many thanks.

Well, frankly, by now I have spent a lot of time trying all styles, see how they look like when using applications
(incl. file open/save, scrolling, selecting files and see how they are marked, etc.) trying to figure out how to adjust them.
Tried Skinstudio, went through many examples on the Wincustomize website.
Made an awful lot of screenshot, whilst comparing each style, and so on and so on.
In the end, I returned to the default style though.

In fact, I was reverted to WindowBlinds, merely because I was seeking a way to add some color to the all white titlebar:
in case of a few windows open, it sometimes is a bit difficult to see which titlebar one is grabbing, to move or close that window.
There is only a very thin line around the active window, at least that's the way I have it. My desktop is not entirely default, I changed
the desktop and also the taskbar color - although, that was way back at the introduction of Windows 10, i.e. I would need to
figure out again how I did it

All provided skins within WindowBlinds, with all due respect, they all look very nice, but, well, they have something I don't like
(admittedly, it is all a personal taste of course).
Either to dark resulting in unable to see the name of the file in the titlebar because it is black font on very dark grey, or
selected files (Explorer, right window panel) were/are not 'greyed' or colored in any color, but are just getting a thin border, or
the sliders in scrollbars almost have the same color as the scrollbars themselves and therefor difficult to see then, or
the windows file open/file save dialog - is too darkgrey.
That aside, I'd like the windows not to have a 'shadow' because I very often capture screenshots using SnagIt and SnagIt
will take a wide border around the windowpanels, i.e. I have to manually select exactly what to capture.
That is not the case with windows without shadow, like 'Precision' or 'Modern'.

Is there a way to copy-save the default style so I may -try- to adjust the titlebar, if at all possible..

A bit like the below.

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