***BUG*** alphablended "Places list" (right) background

100% reproducable!

Picture says it all.  Does Windowsblinds 6.1 fix this bug?



4,515 views 11 replies
Reply #1 Top
Not really a bug i guess, It's a Skinning thing.

I had this happened to me when trying to use a translude background once.
This Menu can't be transparent/translude it can only be plain. And when the skinner used trans (in this case i'm pretty sure it's a .tga with alpha chanel) for this menu see what happens.

To fix this, you'll have to open the skin in SkinStudio 6 and in "Edit Startmenu and Taskbar" / "Edit Start Menu Popup menus" to change the image used as background to a simple bmp without alpha chanel.
So uncheck "this image has transparent parts" and "This image has an alpha chanel", then press "Edit image" button to open the image with your graphic editor, Then in your graphic editor simply save the picture in a .bmp (in be sure to have deleted the alpha chanel, there it depends of which graphic editor you have), Then in SKS 6 to import the new image in place of the old: next right of the "Edit image" button there are an arrow, press on it and chose "import", Then save the skin and apply.


Reply #2 Top
Do you have vista-ize me active in WBconfig?(or menus set to transparent)
Reply #3 Top
This problem does not happen for pop-up menus using the same transparent background. I'm not sure if I have Vista-ize active or not. Changing transparency options for menus in WB does not fix the problem. How can I get around this problem? I really want to keep my transparent popup menus; and have transparent "Places list (right)" as well.

Do you have vista-ize me active in WBconfig?(or menus set to transparent)
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Reply #4 Top
reset vista-ize me in WB config and check again.Is that menu a tga or bmp?What are your trans settings for the image in SKS?Transparency level?(in painting options)SKS.
Reply #5 Top
I know how to "avoid" the problem by taking out alphablending completely from the menu background image. As far as I know, the only way to have alphablending in the image is to save the image as png... and SKS imports it as TGA.

I specified in SKS that the background image has alpha/transparency in it. No different than all the other images I use with this effect.

Again, this problem doesnt happen for the popup menus... ONLY "places list (right)". Both popup menus and "places list (right)" share the same background. Except "places list (right)" appears to be be broken for transparency images.

Again, popup menus show perfectly, so do all other items in my skin that show transparencies.

reset vista-ize me in WB config and check again.Is that menu a tga or bmp?What are your trans settings for the image in SKS?Transparency level?(in painting options)SKS.
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Reply #6 Top
in SKS5 and XP...those menus are not the same.It is grabbed from the more programs menu and that cant be transparent.

Vista may be able to use trans there but from your screeny,it dosnt work very well. ;) 
Reply #7 Top
Make sure you have a more programs menu(BMP)and then see.
Reply #8 Top
Ahhhhhh! I think it's grabbing it from two different places... which is why I see that ghosting effect. I will check the "more programs menu" section when I get home. I cant remember what I have set there.
Reply #9 Top
Okay, it looks like I was right all along. This is a bug. Can someone with Vista and Version 6 of SKS/WB please confirm this? I certainly can't be the first person in this world who's discovered this problem.

It doesnt have anything to do with settings such as Visa-ize, transparency/alpha channel selection in image properties of SKS. Bottom line is transparent backgrounds are broken specifically for "Places list (right)" which share the same background as popup menus; NOT.. "more programs menu"... at least with the current release of SKS/WB under Vista.

Popup menus display transparent background correctly; but not for "Places list (right)". I'm hoping that a beta build will fix this bug or at least get the developers to work on a fix if I"m the first person ever to notice this.

Anyone??

Reply #10 Top
Actually, I think I understand the limitation. That particular menu does not like transparent backgrounds. I'm guessing maybe in th future stardock might support it; but for now, at least I understand the software is NOT broken, it just doesnt support it at this time.
Reply #11 Top
I got really odd behavior in that menu when I went to windows effects config...it didnt like any of the windows menu animations or shadows.

I mean the effects menu you get when you right click my computer>properties>advanced> performance settings.