Help needed in understanding MyColors and Impulse

from WinCustomize Forums

Hi

I am somewhat behind in the new products: MyColors and Impulse.

I am running Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 and have the following Stardock products:

  • CursorFX Plus
  • Object Desktop Ultimate
  • ObjectDock Plus

I received the email about MyColors Gloss Burgandy for Object Desktop Subscribers. This made me realise I was not up to date with MyColors and Impulse.

My understanding of Impulse is that it is a new software manager. Do I need to update Stardock Central to Impulse if I am only using the Stardock customizaion programs listed above? I would prefer to keep it simple if possible and just use Stardock Central  but I can not find the latest version of ObjectDock Plus in Stardock Central.

Do I need to install MyColors to use the free MyColors Gloss Burgandy for Object Desktop Subscribers? I am only interested in the WindowBlinds theme if this can be applied without having to install MyColors as well that would be great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,816 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
alpha-prime Hi...as you know Impulse is the new download manager. This new free suite can be donwloaded thru Impulse and then applied by using MyColors which both can be downloaded for free as you are an Object Desktop Ultimate subscriber
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi

Thanks for the reply. I would prefer not to install Impulse as it looks overkill for just getting updates to the Stardock customizing programs. I would also perfer not to install MyColors - seems excessive if I already have Object Desktop. Is it possible to extract the WindowBlind skin like you could from Theme Manager?


Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My understanding is that you would need impulse AND MyColors to install the Burgandy theme at the moment, but I believe that Stardock may be looking at making the suites available as Theme Manager suites for those of us that don't want to use MyColors, but I'm not certain.

As regards Impulse, you really should install and use this fine application, as it will be replacing Stardock Central in the future and you can do everything you can do in SDC, but more of it IF YOU WANT TO.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Peter

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I wonder if delaying theme releases is fair to OD customers that don't want to renew their subscriptions but lose out on the theme due to the delay. So effectively Stardock can simply release 4 themes in one month then not release anything regularly and if a subscriber misses out on that month, he or she can say goodbye to it.

eg... a theme was supposed to be released in Apr as part of the launch of OD08, and a second in Jul. Yet, themes are delayed so that both themes + one more theme is released in Sep, a person who let's his or her subscription expire in Jul will lose out on 2 themes.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My understanding is that you would need impulse AND MyColors to install the Burgandy theme at the moment, but I believe that Stardock may be looking at making the suites available as Theme Manager suites for those of us that don't want to use MyColors, but I'm not certain.As regards Impulse, you really should install and use this fine application, as it will be replacing Stardock Central in the future and you can do everything you can do in SDC, but more of it IF YOU WANT TO.Hope this helps.Regards, Peter
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I have not tried Impulse but was put off by the reference to third parties being able to use the platform for updates. Not sure if I understand this right but it sounds like opening a potential security loop hole.

I hope that the MyColors suites are released as Theme Manager suites.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think I got the same email you got, and if you look towards the bottom it says something like - If you prefer to install it using MyColors instead of Impulse, click this link and we'll send you a registration number for the suite. (??) I think that means you don't have to have Impulse installed to load it, but not sure as I did use Impulse. You would have to install MyColors.

The last I saw, and this was several months ago, Stardock is only going to release new premium suites in the MyColors format, and they are only going to provide any updates to premium suites in the MyColors format (including suites orignally released as Theme Manager Suites). The MyColors format is encrypted and they are trying to cut down on the piracy of them. So I really wouldn't expect them to release Theme Manager versions of them, but it could happen I guess.

Is it possible to extract the WindowBlind skin like you could from Theme Manager?
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Not quite sure how you mean this. If you have MyColors installed, and I'm pretty sure it does have to be installed, you CAN just load the WB skin from within the WB config window just like any other WB skin without opening up MyColors and applying the entire suite. I think you do have to load the entire suite once via MyColors though just to get everything extracted.

So if you want the Gloss Burgundy suite, I believe you can get the reg # via the email you received, download and install MyColors, and ignore Impulse for now if you want. You will also see 2 or 3 other free MyColors suites that might interest you. And oh ya, you will want to reboot after installing MyColors before trying to do anything with it. Hope this makes things clearer, and I hope I've kept my facts straight, hard to keep up with things sometimes.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Hello. Don't use Impulse if you can avoid it...read my post "Impulse--What Fresh Hell is This?" which describes the hellish night I've had because of this same mess. Now I can't use Impulse AT ALL and can't access my account info at all, all registrations are considered INVALID. I'm not a programmer/developer, so I'm really lost and afraid I just blew $50 on a useless bug-laden set of programs.

X-(
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hello. Don't use Impulse if you can avoid it...read my post "Impulse--What Fresh Hell is This?" which describes the hellish night I've had because of this same mess. Now I can't use Impulse AT ALL and can't access my account info at all, all registrations are considered INVALID. I'm not a programmer/developer, so I'm really lost and afraid I just blew $50 on a useless bug-laden set of programs.
End of quote
One users experience does not make a pattern.  Get with support to see what happened.  Then go from there.

Beutiful theme!
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Beutiful theme!
End of quote


Absolutely friggin' gorgeous! :HOT: 
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
DawnD13 you should get with support. I assure you there is nothing wrong with any of this.
Impulse is the best program that Stardock has come out with to date.
Anyone with a problem should contact [email protected] ASAP
Be sure to check your spam mail for a reply once you have submitted your problem.

As for My Colors - again there is nothing wrong with the program. It is another good one from Stardock.

If you want you can contact me directly and I'll do my best to help anyone with whatever their problem may be.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
I wonder if delaying theme releases is fair to OD customers that don't want to renew their subscriptions but lose out on the theme due to the delay. So effectively Stardock can simply release 4 themes in one month then not release anything regularly and if a subscriber misses out on that month, he or she can say goodbye to it.eg... a theme was supposed to be released in Apr as part of the launch of OD08, and a second in Jul. Yet, themes are delayed so that both themes + one more theme is released in Sep, a person who let's his or her subscription expire in Jul will lose out on 2 themes.
End of quote


These themes are updated quarterly. In this case if you still had a subscription after April first, but it has now run out, you would still have been sent the account information to use the free theme.


Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Alpha Prime

You can have both Impulse and Stardock Central installed if you so choose. If you have MyColors installed right now you can use it to preform the registration for you. However as many have suggested here Impulse can handle this much easier for you. The free theme you have been sent is already attached to your account with a serial number. Installing Impulse and loging in works like Stardock Central except in this case you can see the MyColors theme and just hit apply much like you would with Theme Manager. It really is simple and we are very proud of it. If you have any troubles you can always contact us at [email protected].
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
now you can use it to preform the registration for you. However as many have suggested here Impulse can handle this much easier for you. The free theme you have been sent is already attached to your account with a serial number. Installing Impulse and loging in works
End of quote


Hi,

Apologies but I am still a little confused. I only want to use the Window Blind style theme in MyColors Gloss Burgandy and not any icons etc. Can this be done?

I don't really want to install impulse as I do not have any games I have no need for installing large programs and SDC does all I need. Any chance the latest update to ObjectDock plus can be added to SDC, it seems to be missing as the last ObjectDock version in SDC is 1.90.026
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Yes you can.

In MyColors click on the settings tab > see advanced options...

Then go to apply the theme, when you do it will ask what parts of the theme you would like to apply. Simply make sure only the WB skin is checked and you are all set.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes you can.In MyColors click on the settings tab > see advanced options...Then go to apply the theme, when you do it will ask what parts of the theme you would like to apply. Simply make sure only the WB skin is checked and you are all set.
End of quote


Hi

I am not having much joy with MyColors  (:( 

First issue I have is that I installed MyColors on Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 via an admin ccount. Now whenever I run MyColors from a general user account it asks for the admin password, which obviously I do not give out to the other users of the PC. Can MyColors run on a general user account?

Second issue is after entering the Admin password and I try to register Gloss Burgandy I get the error messsage:


There was an error validating your registration information, please try again.
End of quote


But the info is entered correctly.

Info:

MyColors Version: 2.50.234

Windows Vista (Ultimate), (Media Center Edition) Build: 6001 Service Pack 1

Wblind.dll 06/09/2008 11:59:24 511569
Wbsrv.dll 07/05/2008 16:07:54 210168
Thememgr.exe 07/09/2008 15:41:52 643280
Wbload.exe 08/13/2007 18:11:16 238256
Wbload.dll 11/04/2007 17:50:44 58792
Screen.exe 06/09/2008 11:59:24 161016
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you simply set MyColors to run as administrator through the properties options the general users can change their themes at will through Vista. They wouldn't have access to your personal information just the option to "reskin"

But the info is entered correctly.
End of quote


Normally this is the part where I would confirm your account information with you just to be sure. However that isn't possible on the forums for obvious reasons. Since you have already registered your MyColors theme though I think this must be another admin problem with Vista. Try the above suggestion of running MyColors as admin and see if it still has the same trouble. If you so please contact us at [email protected] so we can look at your account information while trouble shooting.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you simply set MyColors to run as administrator through the properties options the general users can change their themes at will through Vista. They wouldn't have access to your personal information just the option to "reskin"
But the info is entered correctly.Normally this is the part where I would confirm your account information with you just to be sure. However that isn't possible on the forums for obvious reasons. Since you have already registered your MyColors theme though I think this must be another admin problem with Vista. Try the above suggestion of running MyColors as admin and see if it still has the same trouble. If you so please contact us at [email protected] so we can look at your account information while trouble shooting.
End of quote


I went back to the Admin account and entered the registration details into MyColors from that account and it worked. The registration succeeded and Gloss Burgandy downloaded and installed.

Not sure what you mean by run as administrator though properties option. I can not find anything obvious. Can you give some more info please?

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sure!

Right click on the short cut to MyColors on the general users desktop. Go to properties > Shortcut tab > Advanced button > then check Run as Administrator.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sure!Right click on the short cut to MyColors on the general users desktop. Go to properties > Shortcut tab > Advanced button > then check Run as Administrator.
End of quote


Hi

I had not tried that technique before. I followed this method but when you then click on the desktop icon it still asks for the Admin password. Looks like MyColors can not be run without Admin privilege.