StyleXP vs Windowblinds

... And because it uses MS built-in visual style engine it can only skin what that engine specifies. Which isn't really that much! Which really isn't that much. Purchase the full version of WB and you'll really say WOWWWW

Listen to Bill...

Why would I want to partially skin my OS when I can skin the whole thing with WindowBlinds and use less resources? Just out of curiosity, how do you think StyleXP 'enhances' Microsoft's skinning engine? Afterall, it's just a hack that lets you use unsigned visual styles. It doesn't support any extra features over what MS included in XP.

Some people are easily impressed I guess. The shareware version of wb does cut out quite a bit of stuff like scrollbars so if you're just using that i bet style xp can look good. But for people with jobs, 20 bucks is nothing and the advantages of wb are magnificient.

Yep, I started skinning a bit with StyleXp but when I tested Windowblinds... well I resisted only one hour before use my credit card and purchase the whole WB suite.

However I notice something which probably is a result of my "messing" enthousiasm, which I do not understand.

With StyleXp I had ALL the windows showing the SAME skin applied.
Now with Winbli I have 2 different type of windows.
The most are following the loaded skin (liquid2 f.ex.) but when I open a certain type of window (for example "display properties") the style is a normal square ugly & uncolored window.
The same happens for example when I pley Yahoo Pool. The rooms and tables windows are showing my WebBlinds choices but when the game itself starts, again it opens the same type of "display properties" ugly window.
Stange.

I've tried of course to change, reload, replace many Styles but this don't change.

Any idea?
(in case I can drop here, if permitted, an image of the desktop with the 2 types of windows.

Thanks
Lexar

I don't know about Yahoo pool, but the display dialog is not skinned by default to protect you from the theoretical situation in which a skin hoses your desktop, preventing you from getting to the display dialog.

That said, you can still have WB skin it by setting a value in the WB.INI file.

I don't remember what the setting is. I'm sure someone else can chime in with it

copied from the NG:

We call that a safety feature, but we're going to change it to be an
option since it causes more questions than anything else.

For the moment, edit \windows\wb.ini and add to the [global]
section:

SkinDisplay=1

Then restart WB.

Lexar, the windows with the ugly plain look are drawn as tool windows, which are not skinned by UIS2 skins. If you use a UIS1 skin, they will be skinned as well. You can recognize a UIS1 skin in the Display Properties because it will show 3 windows in the preview instead of 2.

well bill sawyer...I would like to buy the full version of WB but here in my country cradit cards are rare items..hehehe..
I only know the shareware version of WB..that's why I like more the stylexp

Ahh.... I guess that could be a problem! I guess as an American I tend to forget that not every person in the world is walking around with five credit cards in their wallet, and I should know better. It really is interesting to see how global this site is, what part of the world are you from?

I'from Kurgan...Russia...little town...not much credit cards, but lots of mountains...hehehe
I think I'm the only one with a computer around here..hahha

They take money orders, too.

If you want toolwindows skinned, add SkinToolWindows=1 to wb.ini. Might not work in all situations . . .

thanks TheGreenReaper

Thanks Chris, bmetelsky, MikeB314 and alla the others for the hints.
Actually I'm re-installing WB suite again 'cause some problems due to a Skin-suite which probably corrupted something at the Logon level files...

I will try the WB.INI correction suggested.

By the way, talking about international community, I'm from Genova (Italy) where they say... "Girls have smooth SKIN!"

Have been a WB registered user since their inception and really love the program. I appreciate the talent of all who skin. Come to this site everyday to look around and gather the goodies. Also, have IP, CursorXP and LogonStudio. Variety is a good thing and having said that, StyleXP has a great look for XP. Very clean and smooth lines and has a very classy look. The colors are great and the talent. So I'll use both and look forward to ALL the great talent out there.

Ok friends,
I reinstalled WB and added the "SkinDisplay=1" in the WB.ini file and finally the "Dispaly properties" window is equal to the others.

However... the Windows Media Player (full mode) has still the old & ugly shape & skin... ??? terrible!

Any other INI suggestion?

Thanks

That is permanently excluded because it has problems when skinned by WB (black bits covering the windows etc). To see, try renaming the WMP executable file and running it. Would be nice if these could be fixed, at least if using a UIS1 skin . . . it does show up a bit.

I would've bought Object Desktop now (i've used almost every product in it, and i haven't had any problems with anything besides minor version incompatibility things on Desktop X) and if it wasn't for the slight fact that $1 Australian (where i live, obviously, otherwise i wouldn't say it here) is equal to 50c US, making everything that i want to buy VERY expensive, plus the fact that i'm 15 years old and i don't have a job yet, makes it hard for me to buy things.

TheHamster - But for people with jobs, 20 bucks is nothing and the advantages of wb are magnificient.

just a passing point, i have a job but 20 dollars isnt nothing to me, its a fair bit of money. well worth it, but still not nothing

Yeah, I'm with feline on this one.
It isn't much by itself, but if I spent the 30$ (CA money) every time I wanted something, I'd be poor in no time.
Believe me, there a LOTS of 20$ things I'd like to have.

the whole ODNT was about 53€ here at Finland, and I consider it's worth it. And I even fall to that 1st category on that poll... both of us (me & my wife) are unemployed, and that spells "poor" in Finland :/

on a sidenote: There's one feature in "StyleXP" (aka. MS SkinningEngine) that I miss on WB. the left-side bar-thingy on XP. It looks *way* out of place in most of skins