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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
Join Date 01/2008
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Window Dropshadows Missing in Windowblinds 7?

October 16, 2009 9:06:14 PM from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Windowblinds 7 on Win 7 doesn't seem to make use of drop shadows at all!

The default Windows Aero themes use them, but non of the themes I liked.

How can I get dropshadows - are there any third party apps?

windowblinds
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cordelia0507
2of3
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Reply #1 October 17, 2009 3:22:19 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Perhaps you have accidently checked the Do not use per pixel frames even if the skin provides them option? That is located in the settings menu.

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #2 October 17, 2009 4:29:30 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Thanks for the response.

But, No, I had not ticked that option... Either something is wrong, or non of the WB themes have a dropshadow.

Does anybody know?

 

So are you saying that shadows SHOULD be visible? That would indicate a problem at my end.. but I just insalled a fresh copy of Windows 7.

I tried many different skins, including DIAMOND - no shadows!

This is a non starter for me. It looks ghastly without them.

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cordelia0507
Neil Banfield
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Reply #3 October 17, 2009 6:07:24 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

This is not normal.

Diamond should show shadows.

Can you post your WB info from the about WB page please.

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #4 October 18, 2009 5:21:27 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Thanks again for the advice. The problem mysteriously resolved itself the following day.

I don't know what it could have been... I just want to report one thing - a Beta testing bug, I think:

The shadow is still missing with iTunes...(no shadows whatsoever with any themes). I tried adding iTunes to Windowblinds exceptions ("do not skin") but it didn't help either. Itunes is probably using its own skin (looks quite different from other windows) and it looks like WB7 can't handle it on Win7/ 

When WB is not loaded, then the iTunes shadow is displaying fine.

Also there were no problems with this with WB6 on Vista (can't test it now though)

This screenshot shows iTunes FOCUSSED (so the shadow ought to display....) Perhaps something to pass on to the development team?

Not a showstopper exactly, but since WB is all about improving the looks of the desktop, it shouldn't be allowed because it's ugly!

Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of 5.6
Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 6.4

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 7.0 (build 220 - Windows 7 Edition)

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
(ACER AL2016W ) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT

Wblind.dll         2009/10/14 20:20:20
Wbsrv.dll         2009/10/09 18:56:18
Wbconfig.exe         2009/10/07 21:35:20
Wbload.exe         2009/10/07 21:35:10
Wbhelp.dll         2009/10/07 21:35:07
Tray.dll              2009/10/07 21:35:19
Wbload.dll              2009/09/25 14:41:29
Screen.exe         2009/10/07 21:35:05

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #5 October 18, 2009 5:20:56 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Edit - older themes such as my favourite "Homestead" have no dropshadow either.

The behaviour with drop shadows is sketchy at best. Not reliable and not fit for public release yet.

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cordelia0507
vStyler
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Reply #6 October 18, 2009 5:58:27 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Have you ran the windows Experience score.. recently?  That can stop per pixel frames from working.. which will negate your dropshadows.

Also the theme showed in background in your screenshot appears to show dropshadows.

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #7 October 18, 2009 6:15:38 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Yes, I ran Windows experience last week. I had just installed Windows 7 and ran it twice after I did some overclocking of the hardware.

The point of the screenshot is to show how there is no shadow for iTunes (I explained that, but you must have missed it).

I mostly made the screenshot for the benefit of Stardock. I am pretty sure that this is a bug. It needs some more investigation though.

After spending quite a bit of time today in Windowsblinds it's clear to me that there are lots of other bugs too... So I wanted to make the clearest possible description of the problem so that it can be passed on to the WB development team and fixed. Hence the screenshot.

My conclusion is that WB 7 may be fit for Beta, but it's not fit for official release yet.

(I work in IT and am not upset or anything - just keen to see this fixed asap since I am a big fan of WB and want to use a stable, capable version on Windows 7.)

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cordelia0507
Neil Banfield
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Reply #8 October 18, 2009 6:26:05 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

What other issues have you encountered?

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cordelia0507
vStyler
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Reply #9 October 18, 2009 6:30:19 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

but it's not fit for official release yet.

 

Probably why it's still beta.. I was just pointing out that it's perhaps something different from experience score as u did indeed have shadows on an explorer frame.

So then I have to ask.. what other windows aren't dropshadowed, other than Itunes.?

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #10 October 18, 2009 6:41:42 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

@Neil - I have posted about the other issues I have found here in this forum, today. Just check for my posts. 

@vStyler - In that screenshot I think the other windows have a shadow. However the theme "myHomestead" which I used on Vista have no dropshadows now, whereas it had them on Vista. Same with some other older themes. However I've been focussing on fixing my machine, so I haven't particularly looked for this problem. For a while I thought it was fully solved - then it appeared to have recurred.

I am trying to set up my desktop the way I'd like it (same as I had on Vista with WB6). However I am encountering problems that I did not have on Vista/WB 6 - that's the reason I'm not too happy with the Beta version at the moment.

PS - re the shadow - Stardock used to make an app which controlled that separately - it would solve the problem but I don't think the app is supported anymore. If this application is still around and works on Win 7 could you tell me what it's called and where I can get it?

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cordelia0507
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Reply #11 October 18, 2009 7:01:03 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

As i thought... MyHomestead WB does not have per pixel frames, most older WB's do not.. therefore it will not have dropshadows, nor will any other themes without per pixel frames.

Its not 7 doing that.. its just an old theme with no dropshadows.. doesn't have them in XP or Vista either, never has. They werent incorporated into the WB when authored.

 

Doesnt explain Itunes though unless its a very old build you are using.

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #12 October 18, 2009 7:09:21 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

vStyler - Thanks for investigating the situation with the old theme..

The iTunes is the very latest release from Apple and the problem doesn't happen when WB is disabled...

That's why I thought it must be a bug or at least some kind if incompatibility.

Since iTunes is such a commonly used application --- it ought to look good in WB !

 

Do you know anything about: PS - re the shadow - Stardock used to make an app which controlled drop-shadows and lots of other things - it would solve the problem but I don't think the app is supported anymore. If this application is still around and works on Win 7 could you tell me what it's called and where I can get it?

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cordelia0507
vStyler
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Reply #13 October 18, 2009 7:23:33 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

https://www.stardock.com/products/windowfx/  Pretty sure its not Seven supported tho and will play havoc on windows that already have shadows.

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #14 October 18, 2009 8:07:05 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Ah - ok, yeah... I remember now.  I tried that on Vista not a good idea... 

So it's hardly going to work on Win 7..

Less than 2  years since I went through this whole exercise for my Vista migration...

 

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cordelia0507
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Reply #15 October 18, 2009 9:30:23 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

I suggest loading a modern theme, perhaps Diamond, or one of the Aero clones that come with WB, make sure you have dropshadows on your explorer windows (you should), this should also remedy most 3rd party apps as most frames from them are skinned by WB, then go thru your apps, look for ones that use their own UI, like Itunes.. and see if there are any other offenders... If not.. sounds like you may have a bad install of Itunes perhaps.. or its just not playing nice with WB.

All in all if you have a modern skin loaded.. and i mean anything within the last 2-3 years.. you should be ok.. as most of them should have per pixel\ dropshadowed frames incorporated. Anything without per pixel frames you would never have had dropshadows with, regardless of OS.

 

Hope this helps.

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cordelia0507
Neil Banfield
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Reply #16 October 19, 2009 5:17:14 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Not showing a shadow on Itunes is perfectly normal.

Only a few WB skins will do so, though more and more skins will probably do once WB7 is released and we provide documentation on the new shadow sections.

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cordelia0507
cordelia0507
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Reply #17 October 19, 2009 7:39:27 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

Thanks - glad to hear it's not a bug.

It sure looks ugly though - and remember, Aero draws a big fat shadow under iTunes, so most people will expect the same in WB, I think.

Best thing was if WB had a shadow control, so that people could control how much or how little shadow they have. Some may hate it, but most like it.

The Stardock suite was fantastic on XP and I really missed windowfx/  on Vista.

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