Macromedia and Stardock

from WinCustomize Forums
Will some Stardock apps, noticeably Windowblinds. Window FX and ObjectDock, ever be fully compatible with Macromedia programs?
For example, skinning any Macromedia proggy with Windowblinds causes toolbar buttons to not function; applying shadows to menus with Window FX causes the menus to freeze, and locks up the proggy so I have to bring up Task Manager and end the "not responding" program, thus losing everything since last save; restoring Macromedia proggys from ObjectDock causes ObjectDock to crash.
It would be great to see these 3 Stardock products work seamlessly with Macromedia stuff, Dreamweaver MX, Flash MX, Homesite 5 and Fireworks MX are 4 of my most used programs, and it's a bit annoying to be unable to use them with Stardock apps.
7,149 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I use Dreamweaver MX and Flash MX all day long (used to use Homesite but it's incorported in Dreamweaver MX now). No problem with Object Dock whatsoever. No problem with menus and shadows with Windows FX either. But I must admit I have Flash, Dreamweaver and Photoshop set in my Windowblinds exclusion list, not because it crashes, but because I find skins too distracting when I'm actually doing some work.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Your lucky paxx. The windowblinds problem has been around for a while, there were a few message a while ago in the WB newsgroup reporting this problem, but no answer was ever forthcoming if my memory serves me correctly. What I've found also is that it's not confined to my machine, also happens on my laptop, which is running WB 3.41 at the moment and with a different installation of MX suite, and also happens on my work machine, again with different installastion of MX suite, and with WB 3.5.
FWIW- home desktop running Win2K, laptop running Win 98 and work PC running XP Pro.
Object Desktop - Get all of our enhancement utilities in one suite
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I hav some problems with Photoshop a couple of times but then I set a UIS1 skin to Photoshop and that ended it.

Maybe you should try that. Use a UIS1 skin on Macromedia stuff.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I used to have that problem with Photoshop. Either a newer version of WB fixed it or changing video cards did. I suspect that it was WB though. For a long time I was able to work around the problem by using a UIS1 skin. I second joe's suggestion.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The MX products and Photoshop don't use standard window controls. Stardock only correctly skins software that uses standard Windows display controls. I don't know all the technicals terms and issues but basically, software can be written all kinds of different ways and it's not feasible for Stardock to figure them all out. They stick to a Microsoft standard because most software developers do as well. But beyond that it would be difficult to keep up.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You can also try the Vantage Browser http://www.vantagebrowser.com/english.html
to check compatibility between Stardock products-Flash.
This is a skinneable browser (like neowin), but it uses Flash for windows decorations (as WB).
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Also keep in mind that Adobe and Macromedia was made for Mac's. So if Stardock is basing there controls off of Windows standard then it wouldn't be a surprize that they do not want to work well.

I am still waiting for WB to work with Power Point. Not that I use that program very much but I can't stand it being the way it looks while other stuff is skinned.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Carlitus, what does this thing Vintage Browser do?? I can't seem to find any info on it. or even a piture.

Help....
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have no problem with WindowBlinds, or Objectdock, in conjunction with Dreamweaver.
Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
sorry, this is the english page:
http://www.vantagebrowser.com/index.asp?idioma=engl
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just uninstalled Object Desktop and removed all references to Stradock from the registry. Re-installed Object Desktop components and now all Macromedia stuff works faultlessly. Maybe the order in which things are installed impacts upon performance, kinda like the way ATI Catalyst driver installation works, but needless to say I'm a lot happier now that everything is skinned and functioning correctly.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
tinker...had you installed the Macromedia stuff before OD, etc, or the other way round?
It's more likely to be that order than the order of installing 'each' Stardock proggy...
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo- thats what I meant, Macromedia installed before Stardock stuff ,sorry, I should have made that clearer. Remembering back, I had Dreamweaver 4, Fireworks 4 and Flash 4 installed long before I installed anyhting from Stardock, and there were no problems when I first installed Windowblinds, then when I updated to a later version of Windowblinds
things started going awry, and got worse when I updated to the MX series. Maybe cleaning out the Registry when uninstalling helped...
Either way, something I did worked...for a change.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's always a good feeling when you get the better of that beige lump sitting by your desk....

BTW...threatening it with a bucket of water has been known to work....
Wear rubber shoes, though....