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WindowBlinds 5 BETA 3 available

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WindowBlinds 5 BETA 3 available

Almost there..

http://www.objectdesktop.com
from WinCustomize Forums

WindowBlinds 5 Beta 3 is now out.  WindowBlinds is a program designed to enable users to completely customize their Windows GUI.  It loads special "skins" called "Visual styles" that can change your title bars, push buttons, Start bar, scrollbars, and virtually every other part of the Windows GUI.

WindowBlinds 5 has a ton of new features and changes but probably the most obvious new feature is the ability to do per-pixel alpha-blended title bars, borders, and menus which enable users to have "glass" effects or borders that are very smoothed out.  Other features include the elimination of wbload.exe (there is no longer a resident program required to run WindowBlinds, it behaves as part of the OS).  WindowBlinds 5 also takes far more advantage of hardware acceleration by default (anyone with a recent nVidia or ATI card should immediately notice the difference. For instance, no screen repaints when users move windows in front of other windows).

BETA 3 of WindowBlinds 5 is a major step forward and if all goes well, it will move to release candidate status.

  • Added .JPG wallpaper support
  • Per Pixel Alpha Blended skins support left aligned buttons for Mac-style
  • Per Pixel Alpha Blended skins now support text backgrounds for title bar text
  • Added support for constant alpha blending on taskbar
  • New trouble-shooting advisors
  • Fixed issue with Norton Protection recycle pin and hopefully the weird problem with some Lexmark printer drivers
  • Better support for drawing custom controls in MS Access, OnFolio, Corel Painter
  • Fixed user icon changing
  • Fixed Run-As issue
  • Re-enabled RMB on title bar override options (yay!)
  • Reflection maps can now be clipped to avoid shadows
  • Apps with custom menus should work fine with custom per pixel WB menus
  • Fixed remaining installer issues for X64 users. 

Right now WindowBlinds 5 is only available to Object Desktop users.  When completed, it'll be available on its own for $19.95.  Anyone who has purchased WindowBlinds 4 after September 1 will receive WindowBlinds 5 for free.

25,718 views 48 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top
GREAT! In this build for the first time my taskbar fogging on transparency is solved! And refreshing properly. Everything else seems to be working fine too! Thanks guys!
Reply #27 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks Liquidguru...the info on the link worked great!!!
ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #28 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks Liquidguru...the info on the link worked great!!!
Reply #29 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks Liquidguru

love to take the credit, but it was Carvan1's fab bit of detective work

Reply #30 from WinCustomize Forums Top

WindowBlinds 5 BETA 2 Troubleshooting Report

WindowBlinds5 (5.00 (build 40 x64))

STATUS : WB+ SRV~ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+
WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.
You have one monitor in total.

(Samsung SAMTRON 45B(T)) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200


Wblind.dll  2005/11/1117:06:20
Wbsrv.dll 2005/11/1121:18:42
Wbconfig.exe2005/11/1118:08:00
Wbload.exe2005/11/0213:36:34
Wbhelp.dll2004/09/1816:37:00
Wbui.dll2005/10/1710:55:14
Tray.dll2005/11/0213:28:26

System info:
OS: Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 edition
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 2800+ 1800 MHz
Bus Speed: 200 MHz
Motherboard: ASUSTek 'K8N-E Deluxe'
BIOS: AMI 1006.008
Memory: 512 MB (50ns)
Video: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200


Startup services:
Tiny firewall 64
McAfee AV 8i
MS Anti-spy

Problems:

  1. Machine automatically restarts while changing skins - specially if you are going to apply 'Sleath OS' or '5imple Alpha compact'. Probably 'Aura' is the only skin working fine at x64 and '5imple Alpha' is creating problem only by restating computer otherwise it's OK. So, system has become unstable with WB5.
  2. The skin - 'Sleath OS' probably is the worst of the lot. It has never been successfully loaded. While loading it restart my computer. Moreover it slows down my PC so much that the hide button at the system tray takes almost 10 to 15 minutes to slide while showing the hidden icons. Practically it's almost impossible to load 'Sleath OS' successfully.
  3. While changing wallpaper change of wallpaper doesn't take place at the taskbar. As the taskbar is transparent it should show the part of the new wall that is covered by the taskbar area. But, just after changing the wall, the part of the old wall is still visible through the transparent taskbar. It shouldn't happen. It should the part of the new wall behind it. But, this is not happening. I've to make unlock the taskbar and then relock it to fix the problem.
Reply #31 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The most recent update installed through SDC without issue and appears to be working as intended, for me. With this update, I've noticed an improvement in the speed and efficiency of WB 5.....great work, Stardock
Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Did beta 3 get rolled back or something? I started SDC, and it asked me to update to beta 2. Now I can't update to beta 3.
Reply #33 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have a question. Will everyone have to pay for Window Blinds 5? Will it be part of the Object Desktop Package? I have it installed and love it! I had problems with the first beta's. Seems like it is stable on my laptop now. Thanks
Reply #34 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I just updated from Monday's version to today's beta. I did the update through ODNT the usual way, no problem. My whole system seems to run faster, WB5 definitely faster. Another thing, previous betas prevented a couple of my other start-up programs from running on a reboot, that is fixed as well. Great work Stardock!
Reply #35 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am showing (in SDC) an available beta update of 4.96b[b].002 dated 11/17/2005, is this the latest one?

I had tried to uninstall SDC (via Control Panel) to install the latest version but it kept hanging at the start of uninstall...it wasn't able to find sdmcp.exe inside the Stardock folder (it's located in my common files folder), so I instead updated SDC by allowing it to update itself at launch. Is this a common problem? Should I be placing a copy of sdmcp.exe into the stardock folder?
Reply #36 from WinCustomize Forums Top
my titlebar overrides for send to tray still dont work

any tip as to when it will be fixed?
Reply #37 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Will it be part of the Object Desktop Package?

Already is.........so.......yes.

Reply #38 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My SDC showed my installed version as 4.96b[b].003, but the latest available version said 4.96b[b].002 . I was stupid, so I updated it and restarted. Windows became very angry and crashed every time I tried to open My Computer, any folder or browser. I uninstalled it, now everything's ok. I'm kind of scared to reinstall. ?????
Reply #39 from WinCustomize Forums Top

4.96b[b].002

This is what is shown in the SDC version 2.10a.348, and what is installed on both my machines. Also the latest beta version offered in this non-beta version of SDC.

I'm kind of scared to reinstall

Not sure on the .003 listing, but perhaps: "If it ain't broke...."

Reply #40 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Arrgghhh...what happened to the systray icon?? It was gone, then it was back, now it's gone again.
Reply #41 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Alas, WB5 Beta locked me out of my bank's Web site! Oh no. It appears it doesn't 'obey' the per-App instruction I gave it not to skin IE6. When I called the bank they said the error msg I was getting involved having too many windows up -- which I didn't (only one). Then I thought, maybe it thinks WindowBlinds is another window (which it is sort of, I guess). Even closing WB didn't help. I uninstalled it and things came around right.

Back to WB4 for now!!
Reply #42 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Did you try rebooting when you had the error?

WindowBlinds should have no impact on your banking website and if you have unloaded WB then its not doing anything to interfere with it.  Uninstalling WB would have taken a reboot, so I wonder if thats all it wanted.

I have also tried excluding internet explorer here with WB5 and it excludes it correctly.

Reply #46 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Are you trying to install the app?

Installation must be done under an admin account, but WB itself should not have any problems once installed.

Reply #47 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Godskin - try the workaround I used here: https://www.wincustomize.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=167&AID=91777
Reply #48 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you, Garry.
I tried that workaround for five times and always be failed.
(Before each new try, I restore GHOST backup of my system.)