Trial Sofware - Skin Applying Issues

from Stardock Forums
Before I start:

Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of 5.7

Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 5.9

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 5 (5.51 (build 110 x86 - Vista Edition)) - Shareware

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC

(Dell 3007WFP) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX

Wblind.dll 2007/06/18 15:55:34
Wbsrv.dll 2007/03/07 11:08:27
Wbconfig.exe 2007/06/19 11:43:09
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 16:54:14
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:07
Tray.dll 2006/04/28 19:27:49
Wbload.dll 2007/05/26 12:35:56

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Okay, essentially I can only apply the default Vista theme. Anything else and it just goes straight to Classic. I've tried re-installations with no success. I'm trying to find a good program to make a minimalistic setup like that from BBLean and wanted to see if Windowblinds would be a good solution. I just need to get it working first.
508 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How long have you had the trial version installed? After 60 days it no longer skins the windows and will revert to the classic/default skin.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
This was an issue I had the first time I tried to apply Diamond (a skin that is included with the trial version of WB6). Merely restarting WB 6 solved the problem (in fact, I'm running Diamond now). The issue he is referring to is WB6 *hanging*.

Actually, Diamond looks pretty darn nice (I have no other components of OD installed/loaded whatever). What is all the slicker is that, at least at this point, unlike with XP, WB6 does *not* require WindowFX for the fancier pixel trickery to be available (Diamond is, in fact, a perfect skin to show off WB6's slick per-pixel tricks, as it's a *transparent* or *plexi* skin; it's meant to appear clear, so you can see the bottom edge of your wallpaper through the taskbar, and behind your icons/tasktray/etc.). It's a piece of per-pixel trickery that *can* be done in Windows XP, but it requires both WindowBlinds *and* WindowFX to pull off, and plain Vista can't do it at all! The closest any part of Vista gets is the transparency of the Sidebar; however, even with Aero, you can't have a fully-transparent *taskbar* without WB6. I'm a former OD subscriber (OD 2004, to be precise); I've waited for greater Vista compatibility before re-signing up for OD. It looks like Stardock, with WB6, is well into leaving me sockless once again!

Christopher L. Estep
Curtains - Customize Windows with additional styles
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's a piece of per-pixel trickery that *can* be done in Windows XP, but it requires both WindowBlinds *and* WindowFX to pull off,


Where did you read that? I'm using WB6 *without* WindowsFX and I have all the per-pixel shadows and transparency. The problem is the trial WB doesn't apply transparency on downloaded skins, only the ones that come with it. As for Vista transparency....it has to have the right drivers (WDDM) and Aero enabled for WB to display it.