Aero effects with imported visual styles

Did I discover a good bug?

Now my understanding is if you import Windows XP visual styles using SkinStudio into WindowBlinds , it won't be able to use the Aero effects. However I discovered something unusual that allows me to enable hardware acceleration with Aero effects using visual styles imported into WindowBlinds. Please note I'am using Windows Vista.

Now to get it to work I first had to apply the default windows Aero theme in WindowBlinds 6. Of course hardware acceleration works with this. I then imported a particualr Windows XP visual style called SlanXP into WindowBlinds. I then applied that visual style. Using this visual style I somehow am able to use the Aero features. If I apply another Windows XP visual style after that, that visual style can also use the Aero features. The key is I have to apply the Aero theme first and then apply the SlanXP theme after. I don't know whats it doing but its pretty cool to get hardware acceleration working with imported visual styles. Is there an actual way in WindowBlinds to enable DWM or did I just stumble into something weird. If this is the case I think it should be a feature =)


Heres a video to show what I'am talking about: Link
2,063 views 2 replies
Reply #1 Top

Imported XP visual styles so support aero effects on Vista with WB as long as your hardware is capable of supporting aero.

Reply #2 Top
Then why doesn't it work with other XP visual styles I imported? Desktop composition gets turned off and I can't turn it back on.

It seems to only work with this one particular visual style SlanXP.