The WinCustomize Browser screenshot shown doesn't look or operate like what I was sold....

from Stardock Forums

No I am not talking about the skin. :) 

I bought this thing thinking it would help me navigate the wincustomize site as its everywhere and all over the place. Well it doesn't look like the screenshots, doesn't seem to be able to be edited like the screenshots, and not all the functions work and I hope I have a bad version or something because I am getting pretty hacked.

Here is the product's site:

https://www.stardock.com/products/wincustomize/

Here is one of the screenshots I saw from the site:

Site's browser

Here is a shot of what mine looks like:

My browser

Now I've bought a few things from Stardock, besides this most recently Sins, so I'm not crying foul or anything I just want to know whats what. The functionality from the screens on the website is what I want. The main difference is I want the big preview when you click on the file name to show up within the right frame. As it is in mine they are all just jumbled thumbnails so its like navigating the regular WC site. I want the individual file names on the left and the preview on the right not the general categories that I have (in other words I want it like the screenshot from the products site). Also not all of the setting options work. None of the radial buttons in the settings dialog work. They aren't clickable so you can't change them. Also when I go to add a comment or view comment it says page not found. Same with trying to post something in their newsgroup. Page not found.

Anyway like I said I am not crying foul but I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little juked atm. I hope I just got an old version or something. Or better yet I just don't know how to use the thing and its all on me.

IF anyone can help me out I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

5,665 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK, first thing.  When you buy WC Browser (WCB) you get the stand-alone browser and you also get Stardock Central (SDC) integration.

The second screenshot shows WCB integrated in an old version of SDC. That's one reason why it looks different. [I'll bump someone to take a look at those images]

And you are using the Wincustomize Browser (stand-alone) in your third shot.  If you want to integrate into SDC I can help with that . . but it's practically the same when it comes to the skin browsing.

Newsgroups are dead.  Been dead for a good while.  RIP.  I really liked them.  The forums took over (called discussion in WCB and SDC).

I was able to see a large preview and view comments and post comments (but it's not the same as the second image.).  i can help walk through those if you want to get into more detail.  What's the biggest pain you are having and we can start there.

What version of WCB are you using anyway?
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The main difference is I want the big preview when you click on the file name to show up within the right frame.
End of quote


Biggest is the 'tiles' - you're on 'thumbnails' - pull down the drop down at the top (to the left of search)

None of the radial buttons in the settings dialog work. They aren't clickable so you can't change them.
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mine work

2.00c(b).003
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
OK, first thing. When you buy WC Browser (WCB) you get the stand-alone browser and you also get Stardock Central (SDC) integration.
End of quote


k got it. Already had SDC when I got Object Desktop. Just got it the other day.

The second screenshot shows WCB integrated in an old version of SDC. That's one reason why it looks different. [I'll bump someone to take a look at those images]
End of quote


Thanks. :) 

And you are using the Wincustomize Browser (stand-alone) in your third shot. If you want to integrate into SDC I can help with that . . but it's practically the same when it comes to the skin browsing.
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No I don’t need to integrate the two. I just got the browser because it looked like an easier way to navigate through all the content and organize it.

Newsgroups are dead. Been dead for a good while. RIP. I really liked them. The forums took over (called discussion in WCB and SDC).
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Fine by me I was just looking where to ask for help and that seemed the closest place. I tried to post in the discussion through the WCB but it was so slow the pages took forever to load. So I used IE and the pages have still been slow though my post eventually went through. I just started coming here when Sins was released so maybe there is a increase in traffic I don’t know but slowness is discussion for another time… ;) 

What's the biggest pain you are having and we can start there.
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There are really just two. The program works like it should it just doesn’t display the results as I expected. In the first image you can scroll through the wallpapers moving down a scroll list and I assume the preview pane on the right picks that up and displays the corresponding image. In the second image there is no individual file list there are just categories and when you click on them the thumbnails pop up on the right. You can see the images from them obviously but it is too small to really get anything but a feel for one. So you right click and hit preview and a new window opens up and you get the full screenshot. Then you close that and do it again. Toggling between the windows is pretty much how you do it on the website, no WCB needed. I was aiming for the preview thing as it would quickly allow me to see the file and the preview all in one step all in one window.

Heh I know that makes me sound like a tight-ass (and that’s not out of the question…) but there is just so much content out there I was hoping this would help me go through in a more organized manner. Maybe I misunderstood what the browser did.

I am new to this stuff and there are lots of accounts that tie together, products that come with other products, new products, phased out products, XP stuff, Vista stuff and on top of that there is a lot of content. That’s a good thing but when you are new you are bound to open the same door a lot thinking it’ll lead somewhere else.

I was able to see a large preview and view comments and post comments (but it's not the same as the second image.). i can help walk through those if you want to get into more detail.
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The comments button just leads to a page not found for me.

As far the large preview I can see that to it’s just in a different window as I described above. Plus it’s been really, really slow to load and that’s doesn’t help. The image I mean.

What version of WCB are you using anyway?
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Version 2.0

Thanks for looking into this. I really appreciate it. :D 
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Biggest is the 'tiles' - you're on 'thumbnails' - pull down the drop down at the top (to the left of search)
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nope, it's my eyes - same size - text is set either side or bottom


in settings under preview there is the option of preview size - yours is on small, click small if the drop down arrow isn't showing and choose large - still not as big as the old shot you posted but still much better to see - I seem to recall a post a couple of years ago and I think the sizes for preview used in WC are also to accommodate us rural dialuppers


stick with Z
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi Zubaz ! Hmm.. I think I will watch this ...  ;)  !! (no Watch button )
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
mine work2.00c(b).003
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Mine don't. In this shot that unclicked radial button does nothing when I click on it. So there are setting I can't change.

But it is interesting our version numbers are different. Mine is even at 2.00.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Look in SDC (click Wincustomize) to see what you have installed and what's available

(down at the bottom is an option to show pre-release versions - checking and unchecking will show the latest released or beta version)
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Look in SDC (click Wincustomize) to see what you have installed and what's available(down at the bottom is an option to show pre-release versions - checking and unchecking will show the latest released or beta version)
End of quote


Thanks for that info I didn't know about doing that. I did check and sure enough there was an update available. I downloaded it and mistakenly got the beta version too. My fault. I turned that option off so it wouldn't show those pre-releases and then did this:

1) Uninstalled WCB
2) Rebooted
4) Ran Norton's One Button Checkup to get rid of any any left over icons, references or what not.
3) Cleared the registry of any references it might have left over to it with CCleaner.
4) Deleted the WCB installation folder.
4) Rebooted
5) Installed the latest version of WCB from SDC and installed in it a directory with a new name.

My version now says 2.00.021. The radials still don't work so I still can't change some of the settings. The interface is still the same but it runs fine. I can download the content and all that. Still very puzzling about the radials. Never seen that before.

It seems that the download links to the WCB in the receipt email (the one with my serial number in it) pointed me to an older version, 2.00. After reading some of the responses that people started to post here I decided to try the second download link in the email thinking maybe the first just went to the older version. The second link downloaded the same version, 2.00, as well.

But anyway like I said I have 2.00.021 now and according to what I see in SDC that should be the last version right up until the beta version it seems you can get as well.

Anything else is appreciated.

Thanks so far for all the help guys. :) 
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I use the beta with no problems . . :)
I don't get teh radial buttons.  I'd update to the beta and if that fails to fix it email [email protected] to start a case.

Sorry I can't help more.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I forwarded the screenshot "issue" to our web dev manager. Thanks for bringing our attention to that.

Bichur is running the beta as well. When you see (b) in the version number, it means it's a beta. :)

I also apologize for the issues with the forums.  Lots of changes have taken place through the forums (and the increased SINS traffic), and we are working on getting them resolved.  Zubaz is correct as in the Newsgroups are officially dead.  I also told our manager that there is a Newsgroup link that we need to remove.

Thanks!
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
try the beta