panpan81

Join Date 03/2005

Windowblinds Error?

I have flaws in the skinning program, anyone can help?

Currently I am using the shareware version of windowsblinds, and I am using the newest version (4.5.1), and was planning to max it out and see what I can get before purchasing the full version. But suddenly out of the blue, my right click menu, and the menus you get on your windows (like FILE, EDIT, VIEW, FAVORITES, etc) are all un-skinned.

Previously, it was all skinned perfectly, and I understand that there are certain limitations for the shareware version, but as far as I know, it was working before so I don't see any reasons why it's not working now. I already contacted the windowsblinds support via email, and they seem to have no clue on whats happening to my case, and they have stopped replying me. Probably they thing I am wacky or something, but it's kinda disappointing if they know how eager I am to purchase the whole object desktop.

Before this problem occurs, nothing happened, no errors no hangs, one day it just decided not to skin those menus I have mentioned, and I have tried every possible thing that I can do. Un-install, reboot, re-install. I even deleted theme manager and other related programs that skins my GUI.. and still to no avail. I thought downloading the newest version of the shareware can help.. but apparantly not. I even downloaded new skins, as I thought the skins I have might be corrupted, but apparently it didn't work either.

So if someone, or anyone, knows or understands why my right-click menu and my windows menus are not skinned properly, please drop me a line at norman_inbox@yahoo.com, or you can reply here.

Anykind of help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to everyone beforehand,
Norman.

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Cavan1

Join Date 08/2004

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Open WindowBlinds config, click Basic Settings, you will see that Advanced Controls, which Menu Backgrounds are part
of require purchase of registered version.

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Corky_O

Join Date 04/2004

panpan81,

Not sure on this one, but if you have not already done so, you might try this:

Unload WindowBlinds via the systray icon, then return Windows to the defaults including all icons.

Save any skin, themes, etc. that you downloaded and installed for Stardock programs which were not included with the default installations to a temporary folder.

Go to this page Link, and in the last item on the page, you will find a link to "ODNT_zapper" utility.

Download the utility, double-click it, and use the Uninstall section to select and uninstall the Stardock programs you have installed (this does not include ObjectDock, which should not be creating the problem anyway).

Reboot computer after uninstall, and go to "C:\Program Files\Stardock" folder (where "C" is the letter drive), and delete any folders that bear the name of the programs you just uninstalled if they still exist. If you do not have ObjectDock installed - you can just delete the whole Stardock folder if it still exists.

Check to make sure your right-click menus and explorer menus are working in the default Windows theme.

If all is well, download fresh copies of the Stardock programs that you want to use, and install them individually - rebooting between each install.

Run the programs in their default theme, or with one of the pre-packaged themes or skins that may come with them to verify that the install was clean.

If all is still well, place any saved skins, themes, etc. back into their correct locations and try again.

I hope this helps.

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Thank you for the information my friends, I have tried all that Corky_O, and still nothing changes. I deleted the windowblinds folder and I re-installed it. I also did try the OD Zapper thing, but nothing happens.

As to Cavan's reply, the right-click menus and the explorer menus were skinned before on the shareware. I did ask the support at windowblinds, and they said this problem shouldn't happen in the shareware..

So is it me or what? Because it WAS working just fine (seriously). So I am currently confused, which is true? Not that I am doubting you, but I have very different infos feeded into me.

Thanks,
Norman.

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And oh, here's a catch.. might help or not.

I installed window blinds say on the 10th of March if I wasn't mistaken. And my friend installed it on the 11th of March.

My windowblinds went wacky on 29th of March, and my friend's also had the same problem on the 30th of March.

It seems to me that there is some kind of "Trial Expiry Date" or something? But again I asked windowblinds and they said there are no time limits for the shareware version or any expiry dates or whatsoever.

*IF* Purchasing windowblinds should solve the problem then I rest my case and I'll buy the product. BUT, what if AFTER buying the product and the problem persists? And I'll be losing out on my end having an imperfect skin...

And one new question, if I do purchase the programs, can I install it on my two laptops? Like 1 software for 2 laptops or does the program only work on one?

Thanks again.
Norman.

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So is it me or what? Because it WAS working just fine (seriously).

Might have been some kind of glitch or something. I thought I had CursorXPPlus because all the tabs were working and all the extras were there. But when I went to upgrade, I had no serial number, no email conf, support found nothing, etc.

Sometimes I think it's kinda like a subliminal advertising gimmick. Slip ya the full for a while, then back to the regular. Once you realize how much you miss the extras.....

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Corky_O

Join Date 04/2004

panpan81,

I do not know whether there is some issue with the free version after a given time, because I downloaded it, installed it, ran it, unloaded it, and uninstalled it to verify that the program worked with my computer and that it could be uninstalled cleanly.

I then bought Object Desktop which includes the full version of WindowBlinds. I would say that you should not see any issues with the full version - but your current issue makes me wonder whether there is something else going on with your system.

Is this happening with just one skin, or a number of them?

Have you installed at any time in the past another GUI modification software (like TweakUI, or similar) on that system?

On the other question:

When I purchased Object Desktop, the understanding was that you could install the program on more than one computer, but you could not have more than one instance of that software running at any given time. In other words, only one computer powered up with the same software at a time.

If you decide to purchase and install the full version, I would suggest uninstalling and deleting any trace of the free version - then installing the full version with Windows in the default theme to the default path: "C:\Program Files" (where "C" is the letter drive).

Good luck.

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Corky_O,

The skin problems I am experiencing are on ALL skins, new skins old skins, I even downloaded a new skin yesterday hoping things might be different, but nothing changes. Yes as far as I know, support from windowblinds also told me there is no time limit or anything of that sort.

In the past I have not installed anything that changes my GUI, Windowsblinds is my first, and I have not downloaded anything else ever since. All I have right now is the windowblinds, cursor xp, windows fx and theme manager. Besides that, I have no other skinning programs available.

I understand that I *Shouldn't* see any problems with the full version, but with my current problem, I have alot of doubts. And to let you know, this happened in two computers, my computer and my friends'. And he had more programs in his computer, but if I may say again, the day of which the error occurs is exactly one day after me (he installed windowblinds exactly one day after me as well).

So I am beginning to ponder if there *IS* actually a time limit of some sort.. but the wierd thing is windowblinds support is stating that they do not have expiry dates on the shareware.

To tell you the truth I am REALLY eager to purchase the object desktop full version, and that is why I bother to even create a forum here and ask for help, since support windowblinds have given up on me.

And about one software on one powered computer at a time, does it mean that it's gonna crash if I turn both of my laptops on? Or it's the legal issues? Or does it crash when both are connected to the internet?

Thanks for replying Corky_O, I am glad someone is actually trying to help me.

Norman.

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Corky_O

Join Date 04/2004

Norman,

It is a legal issue.

Assuming that the policy is the same, you can install the software on say your desktop computer and your laptop computer (or two laptops that both belong and are used by yourself).

Stardock will not permit you to have both computers booted up and using the same licensed software version at the same time. Obviously, some one could do this, but it would be illegal and not too cool.

This is probably also to prevent any confusion about installing the software on your computer and then allow a friend to install it on his/her computer (under the claim that Stardock indicated it was okay to have it on 2 computers), which in a court of law would invalidate any arguement about only one computer being booted up at a time - because there is no way you could legally claim that you have control over your friend not using his/her computer at the same time as you are using yours.

I have Object Desktop and have never regretted purchasing it. I do not, however; use Windows FX due to my graphic card resources and the fact that I tend to work the way an administrator does using keyboard shortcuts and not getting too fancy.

I do use WindowBlinds, IconPackager, and ObjectDock Plus (not part of Object Desktop) all the time - and have had no issues that were not easily addressed by setting the theme up with IconPackager first, WindowBlinds second, and finally creating and saving an ObjectDock theme.

If you decide to go with Object Desktop, I would suggest installing just WindowBlinds, Icon Packager, and Cursor XP to start (after deleting all trace of previous freeware/shareware Stardock products), and get a good idea of how your system works with these programs.

Then move on to Windows FX, DesktopX, and Theme Manager if you want.

Note - Theme Manager is getting a significant amount of forum threads right now (perhaps due to the new site and server changes), so you might want to wait until the dust clears and apply your theme components with the individual programs. Theme Manager is more or less a component manager, which downloads and extracts files and instructs the relevant programs to apply the parts (components) of a theme. You can do all this manually, which will also give you a better understanding of what each program does to the GUI.

Just out of curiosity,

Can I assume that your right-click menus, and your explorer menus are working correctly in the default Windows theme (and that you are using XP or 2000)?

If so, I would think Object Desktop should work well.

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Corky_O,

Ah yes, when I meant that my friend installed it, I meant we both downloaded the shareware version, so I don't think I created any legal issues there.

Well I have two laptops, but the other one functions more as a desktop actually since it's pretty old and heavy. Which I don't think I will install windowblinds anyway since the system might not be good enough.

But currently, I am using XP Home Edition, and when you meant working correctly in the classic view... in what way? It is working normally now too, it's just not skinned. It remains "STANDARD", just the color changes according to what the skin wants it to be. But it's not skinned. The font and the skins are the only thing that doesn't change (and backgrounds as well). But the colors changes, and it's working normally (function wise).

And about installing windows fx and the likes, I think my system should hold up, I have 128MB of video card...

So do you think I should un-install Theme manager for now?

Thanks,
Norman.

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Corky_O

Join Date 04/2004

Norman,

I was referring to the correct content, with a white background and Tahoma font size 8 pt. - while in Windows XP default blue theme. If this is true, then the explorer shell would seem to be uncorrupt and WindowBlinds full version should work fine on your system.

Uninstalling Theme Manager will remove a possible conflict from being considered in troubleshooting for now.

I would uninstall all the Stardock programs and return everything to the default Windows XP theme via the "Display Properties > Themes tab > theme list" before installing Object Desktop. This will give you a "clean start" if you will, to make sure the installer file works correctly - because these are usually written with the default windows state in mind.

When you install Object Desktop (via a download), you will actually be installing the "Stardock Central" program, then running it. Stardock Central will open into an interface with categories on the left side, and programs in the center window which you can select and install from the Stardock Central interface.

Make sure you go to "Tools > Register Products" in Stardock Central, input your serial number in the Object Desktop (drop down list) section, then click "update". You are then set to install any of the programs that give you an "Install" button.

Again, I would suggest giving IconPackager and WindowBlinds a go to start.

Note - ObjectDock (free version) is also available in the "Misc" section I believe, (at least that is where the purchased ObjectDock Plus is in my account). A fun little program giving fast access to system links, programs, URL's, etc. directly from a dock on screen, which allows you to assign high quality images to.

I suggest applying your customizations from the XP theme vs. from the Classic View. The classic start menu can create some limitations for IconPackager and some skins.

Happy to help in any way I can.

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Well I did try alot of things yesterday, and somehow it almost caused my computer to crash. So I am unsure what else to do, it's fixed now, thank God that I have enough brains to solve the problems out heheh.

But it did cause me to lose all my system recovery points and some other glitches occured. It's all fine now...

And the problem that caused it was changing it via the properties thingy to change the theme via windows, and then it gone wacko.

Thanks,
Norman.

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The menu skinning in WindowBlinds shareware is disabled after 30 days automatically.

Support should have been aware of this.

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Corky_O

Join Date 04/2004

Well, there you go, Norman.

Neil is the WindowBlinds lead developer if I am not mistaken (if you right click the system-tray WB icon, and click "About WindowBlinds" - you will see his name).

Glad to hear you kept the computer from a serious crash.

Based on Neil's statement, you should not see any issues if you decide to invest in Object Desktop. If you enjoy customizing your computer - I think you will really enjoy all the great programs that come with the package.

Sorry no one knew before now to inform us of the limitation, it would have saved a bit of pondering and experimenting.

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Ahh FINALLY! Thank you Niel~! You saved me and especially Corky a great deal of time.

But I *DO* wonder why doesn't support tell me about it? It seems that they are unaware. And I *DID* ask them if there are any expiry dates, but they said there are no such thing. Thank Goodness.

Well, waiting for my payday and I should be purchasing it.. hehe. Wonder if they can mail the CD to Indonesia..?

Thanks,
Norman.

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