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Lotzy
Lotzy
Join Date 02/2015
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WindowBlinds with Classic Shell

April 8, 2016 10:56:57 AM from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

As already was posted in this closed thread: https://forums.stardock.com/453109/page/1/, there is a problem with WindowBlinds and Classic Shell start menu font color: start menu items font color appear dark in many WB skins, so with the usual Classic Shell start menu skins which are dark too, it's hard to read the menu items. From what I was able understand, it seem WindowBlinds controls the font color of Classic Shell start menu items from here: Normal Toolbars -> Button -> Text tab -> Text Colour:

SkinStudio screen shot

 

To solve the problem do the following:

1. Open WindowBlinds skin in SkinStudio.

2. Create a new white or light color if the skin doesn't have one (usually have): from left menu Change skin colours -> Add new colour preset (remember colour numeration) -> Change colour... -> pick white color or a light color -> Close

3. Modify "Normal Toolbars -> Button -> Text tab -> Text Colour": from left menu Edit Controls -> Edit Button Controls -> Next -> Text tab ( you should arrive on the page in the screenshot above) -> change the Text colour from the drop down box selecting a light color or the color number created at step 2 . Save and apply skin.

Note: I don't know why but, in some skins you have to change "Normal Toolbars -> Button (6 State) -> Text tab -> Text Colour"

4. If you have problems with the font metrics, you could fix it with the creation of a new font: from left menu Change skin fonts -> Add new font (a new font will be added with automatic numeration) -> Change font... -> choose and configure the font as you wish

5. Go back at step 3 and select the newly created font as Text font in the drop down box. Save and apply skin.

EDIT: My system: Windows 10 Pro + WindowBlinds 10.0.3 + Classic Shell 4.2.5

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Lotzy
Nerius
Join Date 09/2008
+2
Reply #1 April 9, 2016 2:36:06 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

That color in your pic "colour 14" is the one that controls all of it: Classic shell startmenu text+IE toolbar text, system menu text in device manager+some other text colors. That's the whole problem. No matter what color you choose in button>text>(color 14 in your pic) that will be the same color for all of them. That is the whole problem there's no way to seperate it from Classic Shell start menu text color. WB treats Classic Shell startmenu as a button and Believes it's a button.
That's what need to be fixed. I wish WB could do a total seperation from classic shell startmenu.

Only way i could fix it is by using another theme for IE11, and some other programs for their toolbar/button text.
 
Using Windows 10 586.164 pro x64 + WB 10.0.4 + Classic shell 4.25

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Lotzy
Gaspershooters
Join Date 08/2008
+35
Reply #2 April 9, 2016 5:27:20 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I think Stardock would lifer "accommodate" Star10/8 than this one considering it's a competitive product. Yet,nothing is certain.    

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Lotzy
Lotzy
Join Date 02/2015
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Reply #3 April 9, 2016 9:20:01 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

@Nerius: Your are partially right ... "Colour 14" is just a color definition that can be associated to multiple controls. Indeed I did not notice that System Menu bar in Device Manager or Control Panel became invisible as the text color si white on white background. From what I was able to understand, "Normal Toolbars -> Button" element of the skin, configures the attributes of the elements you listed. But here is an interesting thing, the only skin that works well without the need to modify anything is Precision skin, so there is a way to configure separately the start menu item text color of Classic Shell and the text color of System Menu of Control Panel, etc. I just don't know how this is achieved with this skin.

If I configure another skin the same way as it is Precision skin for the "Normal Toolbars" skin control, System Menu it's ok, black text on white background, but Classic Shell start menu is not, as it is black text of menu item on dark background. We would need the help of a skin specialist.

Til somebody figures out how Precision skin can do it, a compromise would be to define a grey color this way the grey text would be visible in the Classic Shell menu and a Windows System Menu bar too, although pretty faintly ...

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DaveBax
Join Date 10/2007
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Reply #4 April 9, 2016 9:58:11 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I don't use or know anything about Classic Shell. However to change Startmenu text colors using Windowblinds on a regular skin it's done this way. May work on classic Shell or may not. 

Using skinstudio go to "Edit start menu" Left and right hand side there are "Item Mouseover" in each location. Using the text color setting at the bottom changes the color for the SM. Again whether it changes it using CS. Don't know.

Note: The Precision WB has many skin colors set to the "OS Default". Also has it set that way where I mentioned to change the SM color. May want to try the default setting since this skin works for you on CS. 

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Lotzy
Lotzy
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Reply #5 April 11, 2016 2:01:27 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Thanks @DaveBax. As I said in the OP,  this settings "Normal Toolbars -> Button -> Text tab -> Text Colour" is changing the color of Classic Shell start menu items, but as @Nerius observed that setting will impact Windows 10 - System Menu bar as well. 

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Lotzy
Neil Banfield
Join Date 04/2001
+1078 sdemployee
Reply #6 April 11, 2016 6:54:44 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

As explained previously, the issue is with the theme part that classic shell is asking for.

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Lotzy
Lotzy
Join Date 02/2015
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Reply #7 April 11, 2016 1:28:17 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Here is the summary of fixes to do with SkinStudio:

1. For the skins included in the WindowBlinds install kit:

a. Acrylic7 - not fixed, unable to open it in SkinStudio

b. Change "Normal Toolbars -> Button (6 State) -> Text tab -> Text Colour" to OS Default for:

Corporate
Echo
Eva
Ice
Lantana
Modern
The Captain
Win8
Win8 Metro

c. Ok as it is:

Diamond
Precision

 

2. For other skins such as those by Essorant (that I like most) I really don't know what's missing (or have in plus) to fix them like the ones included in the WB install kit. You'll have to tinker "Normal Toolbars -> Button -> Text tab -> Text Colour" with a grey color that is visible on dark background (Classic Shell) and white background of Windows System Menu bar. Also you might have to change the "Normal Toolbars -> Button -> Text tab -> Text Font" too.

Probably there is the need to update these old skins to the latest WindowBlinds release, because if I try to change some font settings, SkinStudio gives me an error: "The parameter is incorrect" so I have to edit .uis file with a text editor to change font metrics. 

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Lotzy
Nerius
Join Date 09/2008
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Reply #8 April 12, 2016 11:25:26 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Lotsy i wrote Color14 since you had that marked in the picture.
Yes it goes to some different colorsettings, so it's harder to figure out what goes to what in the skin.

I've tried config precision skin but it's hard to fugure out what goes to what.
When changing something then something else don't match and so on.
A skinexpert who's really knows that skin maybe can explain it.

Neil so it can't be configured at all in WB or be fixed within WB?
Couldn't you adding something so WB tottaly ignore classic shell
or maybe thats no possible?

/Best regards

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Lotzy
S J N
Join Date 10/2001
+43
Reply #9 April 12, 2016 3:16:48 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I use CS for everything BUT the start menu. Too hard to figure out how to get it just right. I'm still on win 7 and intend to stay there.

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Lotzy
Lotzy
Join Date 02/2015
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Reply #10 April 13, 2016 4:46:14 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

On my system had no need to change anything in the Precision and Diamond skins. From my experience these two skins are the only one that work perfectly as they are.

I only would like to know in what control skinning part there is difference between let's say "Echo" skin and "Primo" skin by Essorant that I am not able to tweak "Primo" in the same way as "Echo". I mean, for "Echo" it's enough in SkinStudio to change "Normal Toolbars -> Button (6 State) -> Text tab -> Text Colour" to "OS Default" from "normal text" and everything is ok, but in "Primo" skin by Essorant this change will not take any effect, you have to change "Normal Toolbars -> Button -> Text tab -> Text Colour" to some grey color and have to change "Text font" because the one configured has a drop shadow, so the Classic Shell text color to be changed.

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stevvie70555
Join Date 11/2012
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Reply #11 April 21, 2016 7:40:29 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

how do we get SkinStudio, everytime i right click a skin and click edit it takes me to https://www.stardock.com/products/skinstudio/ with no way of downloading it. I'm on Day 1 of my 30 day trial and already hit 2 BIG problems and 1 small one. the two big ones are, font colour problem and not skinning firefox like uxthemepatcher does on My windows 10 and the small one is i select right button to rollup but most of the time using the Echo theme it just brings up the context menu, a few times it does actually rollup the window but thats less than half the time.

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Lotzy
Hankers
Join Date 04/2004
+539 moderator
Reply #12 April 21, 2016 8:33:30 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Quoting stevvie70555,
reply 11

how do we get SkinStudio, everytime i right click a skin and click edit it takes me to https://www.stardock.com/products/skinstudio/ with no way of downloading it

If you look on that page you will see ....

SkinStudio

SkinStudio is a skin editor for WindowBlinds that allows users to create visual styles for Windows 8 / 7. It is included free with your WindowBlinds or Object Desktop purchase.

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Lotzy
stevvie70555
Join Date 11/2012
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Reply #13 April 22, 2016 8:42:32 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Quoting Hankers,
reply 12


Quoting stevvie70555,
reply 11

how do we get SkinStudio, everytime i right click a skin and click edit it takes me to https://www.stardock.com/products/skinstudio/ with no way of downloading it



If you look on that page you will see ....

SkinStudio


SkinStudio is a skin editor for WindowBlinds that allows users to create visual styles for Windows 8 / 7. It is included free with your WindowBlinds or Object Desktop purchase.

But as I said I'm on day 2 now of my 30 day trial so that doesn't help me if I'm ironing all the bugs. I don't really want to purchase WB until these silly bugs of start menu, Firefox window are fixed. And it's not included in the 30 day trial, or not in the stardock or windowsblinds folder

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Lotzy
Gaspershooters
Join Date 08/2008
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Reply #14 April 22, 2016 10:14:27 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

You would be benefited more by purchasing WB to "iron" out bugs which not just cosmetic fixes but technical support and progressing updates.    

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