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TryingToCustomize
Join Date 03/2017
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Unable to try WindowBlinds 10. Trial popup doesn't work.

March 26, 2017 8:10:38 PM from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Hi there,

I wanted to give skinning a try on Windows 7 Ultimate, so I downloaded WindowBlinds 10.5 from the official website to try. (As an aside, the installer still reports the program as version 9.5.1.0, so that might need looking at).

Upon running it for the first time, WindowBlinds customization window loads, and then a modal dialog appears over it to force me to make a choice: either to enter a key, buy now, or start a 30-day trial, as shown in this screenshot:

Screenshot 1

Pressing the Enter Product Key button does nothing.

Pressing the Start 30-day Trial button does nothing.

Pressing the Purchase Product Key button attempts to load the Stardock website inside the tiny modal dialog as shown in the screenshot below. This web view is virtually unusable. Some links are clickable, but none of the website's CSS or JavaScript loads.

Screenshot 2

So now I'm stuck unable to use WindowBlinds. I can't even close it without using the task manager to kill it. I have also tried restarting Windows, uninstalling and resintalling the program, with the same results every time.

Not a good first impression, but perhaps Stardock staff can help me work around this issue so I can at least decide whether to buy it or not.

windowblinds
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TryingToCustomize
Wizard1956
Join Date 01/2008
+2202
Reply #1 March 26, 2017 10:32:02 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Try downloading and installing with any AV/Antimalware apps you may be using temporarily disabled.

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ZubaZ
Join Date 11/2001
+917 sdemployee
Reply #2 March 27, 2017 2:53:12 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

What version of Internet Explorer are you using?

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TryingToCustomize
TryingToCustomize
Join Date 03/2017
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Reply #3 March 31, 2017 9:04:06 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Quoting Wizard1956,
reply 1

Try downloading and installing with any AV/Antimalware apps you may be using temporarily disabled.

I'm using Kaspersky Internet Security 2017. I paused protection and ran the installer again, restarting at the end. Same issue.

Quoting ZubaZ,
reply 2

What version of Internet Explorer are you using?

IE is not installed on this machine for security reasons.

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TryingToCustomize
gmc2
Join Date 11/2003
+296
Reply #4 March 31, 2017 9:14:16 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

might you be using "scriptblock" or something similar.

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Neil Banfield
Join Date 04/2001
+1104 sdemployee
Reply #5 March 31, 2017 10:07:47 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Quoting TryingToCustomize,
reply 3


Quoting Wizard1956,
reply 1

Try downloading and installing with any AV/Antimalware apps you may be using temporarily disabled.



I'm using Kaspersky Internet Security 2017. I paused protection and ran the installer again, restarting at the end. Same issue.


Quoting ZubaZ,
reply 2

What version of Internet Explorer are you using?



IE is not installed on this machine for security reasons.

Did you run something which removed the OS component which provides the IWebBrowser control, or limits the functionality to trust nothing / allow no scripts to ever run?

That window uses the embedded IE framework (A stock OS component) and such settings would break it from being able to run correctly.

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TryingToCustomize
TryingToCustomize
Join Date 03/2017
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Reply #6 March 31, 2017 1:48:17 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

I was loathing the idea of having to temporarily reinstall IE to get this working, but your comment gave me a flash of inspiration. I restored the 'Internet zone security settings' to their defaults and, as if by magic, everything started working!

I'd still say that implementing any software that depends on IE or embedded web plugins is a bad idea (Stardock would certainly have to change things up if they ever wanted to move beyond Windows operating systems), though, but thanks for the hints.

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Neil Banfield
Join Date 04/2001
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Reply #7 March 31, 2017 3:13:37 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Quoting TryingToCustomize,
reply 6

I was loathing the idea of having to temporarily reinstall IE to get this working, but your comment gave me a flash of inspiration. I restored the 'Internet zone security settings' to their defaults and, as if by magic, everything started working!

I'd still say that implementing any software that depends on IE or embedded web plugins is a bad idea (Stardock would certainly have to change things up if they ever wanted to move beyond Windows operating systems), though, but thanks for the hints.

None of our apps would be designed to work on anything other than Windows anyway.  They would require pretty much total recodes for any other platform.

The reason for using the OS functionality is because it is built in and so ensures our applications do not need to ship an additional bloated HTML renderer.  There is no point reinventing the wheel after all.

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TryingToCustomize
Join Date 03/2017
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Reply #8 March 31, 2017 3:53:19 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

True enough, although the market for Macs keeps growing, so always worth keeping an eye open for that!

Usually when it comes to utilizing existing components, I would agree wholeheartedly. In the case of Windows' IE and all internet zone settings, though, I would personally steer well clear of it. The way it tries to model threats and allow potentially dangerous things to happen purely based on the supposed origin of the page is, IMHO, flawed and outdated. Even IT administrators have trouble setting this up correctly, and the risks of being too lenient are all too apparent. I'm surprised IE11 is still in Windows 10, really. I can't wait to see the back of it.

Perhaps it sounds like I'm ranting, but I think it's worth noting that I've been using this configuration on my PCs for over 5 years, and never had problems with any other software.

When it comes to developing fancy workflows in applications, WPF would probably be the preferred way to go now. Perhaps something for the future, eh? Or, if you still want to keep a few things web-based, embedded Chromium is pretty popular these days. It's used in Steam, Discord and a few others.

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RedneckDude
Join Date 04/2009
+2223
Reply #9 March 31, 2017 5:56:04 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Quoting TryingToCustomize,
reply 6

(Stardock would certainly have to change things up if they ever wanted to move beyond Windows operating systems),
  It's called WinCustomize for a reason...lol.

 

I would love Stardock apps for Android, that'd be awesome...

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Uvah
Join Date 05/2006
+874
Reply #10 March 31, 2017 6:31:54 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Quoting RedneckDude,
reply 9

I would love Stardock apps for Android, that'd be awesome...

My almost smart phone uses Android. I can just me now...trying to skin my phone. Oh jeez!  

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DaveBax
Join Date 10/2007
+629
Reply #11 March 31, 2017 7:54:42 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Quoting Uvah,
reply 10


Quoting RedneckDude,
reply 9

I would love Stardock apps for Android, that'd be awesome...



My almost smart phone uses Android. I can just me now...trying to skin my phone. Oh jeez!  

No please. Ross phone up time 10%. Downtime 40%. Won't work at all 50%. 

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TryingToCustomize
Join Date 03/2017
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Reply #12 March 31, 2017 8:33:39 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Quoting RedneckDude,
reply 9

  It's called WinCustomize for a reason...lol.

Conveniently, 'Win' can apply to any OS that has a window management system - not just Windows with a capital W.

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RedneckDude
Join Date 04/2009
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Reply #13 March 31, 2017 11:12:21 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Win, here, means Windows. 

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Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #14 April 1, 2017 4:47:45 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Quoting TryingToCustomize,
reply 6

I was loathing the idea of having to temporarily reinstall IE to get this working, but your comment gave me a flash of inspiration. I restored the 'Internet zone security settings' to their defaults and, as if by magic, everything started working!

I'd still say that implementing any software that depends on IE or embedded web plugins is a bad idea (Stardock would certainly have to change things up if they ever wanted to move beyond Windows operating systems), though, but thanks for the hints.

Stardock's origins were with OS2... only then moving to MS Windows.

There's absolutely no mileage to be had with involvement in any other OS .....certainly not Apple's or Torvald's.

Theye are both essentially dead....

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