Thick Headed Newbie could use a helping hand.........Anyone feeling generous????

Cannot load or install themes

Hi, I'm a newbie to the whole "skinning" scene and am having significant difficulties with the programs. First, I have Object Desktop and all the other programs installed including: Theme Manager, Stardock Central, Desktop X, and WindowBlinds. My problem is that I can't download or install new themes or suites. Whenever i try I get the zip issue.....which I understand and I rename the file with the extension .suite, but it still won't apply. When I try to download through either object desktop or Theme Manager, I get the message that I need to choose a skin. Clicking the advanced tab reveals that there is nothing downloaded for that particular theme for skins etc... The new themes show up in the Theme Manager Suites and the DesktopX Themes window, but will not download and apply due to this issue. I'm usually pretty capable when it comes to using programs and the computer.........but this one has me stumped!! I've looked and looked in the forums and support pages to no avail. Can anyone give a girl a helping hand? Thanks for any help anyone is willing to provide.

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PixelPirate

Join Date 07/2003

+17

What happens when you run ThemeManager and click add?

And have you downloaded it and chose save as .suite instead of .zip?

Or perhaps put the file in C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\ThemeManager\Themes (.suite)

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When I run theme manager and click add, it acts like it is downloading the theme but it doesn't appply it. When I choose apply.........I get the message that I must select a skin or theme. When I have already added the theme (as it shows in the suites or theme window, depending on whether I am choosing a suite or theme). It simply won't apply them. I have also been changing the .zip extension to .suite and I have also tried adding the .suite file after it has been changed directly to the themes directory with absolutely no success. This, to me, is not an easy program to use. I don't have this much difficulty with anything I try to do on the computer. I still am having no luck. Any more suggestions or thoughts??? Thanks again for the reply and the help.

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To provide more info.... I just looked in my C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\ThemeManager\Themes folder and most of the .suite files I have downloaded appear there, but they simply will not load. What is going on?

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What 'Suite' did you download and try to install?

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The following themes show in my Theme manager window : Ambient III Suite, BP-XPG, Cyberskin, Friday, MacPC, Nov-Themes, Pinstriped, Rise of Nations, Winnet102, XP Prime, and an attempt to download the feature suite as well.

When I click on any of them to download or apply, it shows the screen where it is downloading the elements, however, when I choose to apply them, it then tell me I must select a skin or theme file to continue. Clicking on the advance tab reveals no skins or themes are there to apply, therefore it doesn't work. I really don't know what is going on or how to fix the problem. Its making it pretty difficult for me to decide to shell out the $50 to buy the whole object desktop program. I"m really frustrated and disappointed. I love the way the themes look.

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I use to have the problems you've been experiencing and I found out, I cannot change where the file I want to download is going in zip. I use to try to change the destination but I could never find it.
So, when I download a theme, suite or whatever, once it goes to zip, I just click next, next, next, etc.. Then when the screen site pops up showing what I have downloaded and installed, I double click the icon or words next to it. You should get a pop up asking if you want to install or download the suite now? Click yes or no.
I've been with Object Desktop for four years and love it but you have to get the hang of how all the programs operate and that does take some trial and error, unfortunately, to understand how they all work, but the outcome is worth it, I assure you.
As one female to another, I know you will get the hang of this and it will end up being very satisfying and a welcome addition to your pc. A lot of times I don't bother with Suites, I individually add all my own programs the Suites provide only because I like to apply my own desktop picture, icons, cursors.
Just try Window Blinds first. Click on Window Blinds from Object Desktop, click on Settings and click Show Icon in the Taskbar and make sure you click on Start when Windows starts. Once in the taskbar, right click to open it. Once it loads fully, you can click on a Blind you like and it will have show you a preview, then apply if you like it; click close program tab.
Get the hang of the easy part and then go on.
It will be a wonderful experience but you will need patience. All of this beautiful work people have created, isn't a snap but anything worth while usually takes some quality time. Lots of luck, Janet.
P.S. When you go to WinCustomize.com, click on Window Blinds. Look through the skins you like and hit download. Wait a few seconds and a balloon message will pop up (not zip) stating it has downloaded, do you want to install theme? If you want to install it, click the balloon and wait, it will change the theme right then and there. If you want to add it to your file of Window Blind themes and don't want to install it right away, when the balloon pops up, leave it alone and it will go away. Then you are ready to find more themes to download but not install.
That's when you click onto the WindowBlinds icon later on, in your taskbar , for another theme, open the program, and the blinds you downloaded will be there, leave time to populate all the downloads you've previously chosen (a partial part of the Blind will appear with color and style). Once you scroll through them and find the one you want, click on it, a preview will pop up to show you what it looks like, if you want that one, hit Apply to the Right. Wait a few seconds for it to install, then click Close program on the left. That should be it.
A suite, to me, is still a pain, I rather install every program sepetately so I get what I want. So don't start out with the hardest one first.

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