Browser Bother

Now ALL the major browsers are broken!

from Stardock Forums

I just renewed my Object Dock subscription after leaving it for 4 years because I wanted to throw a little support behind Stardock because of their problems with their recent game launch (being an indie game developer myself, I sympathize). But there's a problem. My favourite web browser is Google Chrome but guess what, after being out for over 2 years, Stardock still hasn't fixed the glitches with it and WB. But hey, I thought that since I paid for WB, I might as well go back to FF for a while. But again, FF 4 and WB don't play nice together. FF crashes. Well, IE 9 should at least work, right? WRONG! Crash. So now not a single one of the major browsers work with WB. Adding a per application exception doesn't even give me a standard Aero window, instead I get a gimpy looking classic windows. This really sucks. I hope Stardock can pull away from their games long enough to fix the software that started their company.

windowblinds
4,876 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think FF 4 and IE 9 are still in beta.  I believe one of the recent updates to WB though was to correct some problems that was happeing with those two browsers.  Is you copy of WB current?

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Just installed the beta and FF 4 and IE 9 now display correctly. But what about Chrome? It's not a new browser anymore, I think it's time it got a little love.

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I'm not sure about Chrome and some of the others like Opera.  I think Stardock works for compatibility with FF and IE because they seem to be the most used or popular browsers.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Chrome works (and looks) best if it's excluded. Since it doesn't have a title bar it really makes no sense to skin it anyway....I think ff4 will likely be the same.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Then WB is broken because Aero and Aero mods using the uxtheme patcher behave correctly. Speaking of broken, IconPackager doesn't work well either. I'm beginning to feel I wasted my money. No wonder so few modders use Stardock tools anymore. I hope they can make it with their games.

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

If you are having issues I would recommend contacting support@stardock.com.  Both WB and IconPackager work flawlessly and any remnants of uxtheme patcher could be what is causing your issues.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

watchitman... if you've been using a patched uxtheme.dll you will have issues.  Hacks [patches] generally are asking for trouble as Windowblinds expects to be functioning within a 'genuine' OS set of files, not to be in conflict with something bodgeyed together by a third party....:)

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

What problems are you having with the Chrome browser?

The only issue we are aware of is the controls inside the window appear as classic, but thats due to the sandboxing that Chrome uses.

IE9 and FireFox4 (both betas) should work fine with the current WB beta.  Likewise Opera should appear with full glass in the 7.19 betas.

I would recommend against excluding google chrome as it does have a titlebar and looks very good with glass aware skins.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Of course you would say that, then people wouldn't buy your product. And most modders DO NOT. I've NEVER had issues with the patcher to the extent I've seen with WB. Windowsblinds simply isn't very good. And for your information, I was running with the original, unaltered files while running Windowblinds.

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Looks fine you say? Then you're not looking very closely. Every single WB skin (except the built in MS skin format) has a gap between the WB frame and the content. Every. Single. One. I'm not going to reinstall WB just to take some screen shots. Just open your friggin' eyes and look at Chrome while using WB.

As for Iconpackager: It mangles system icons and it doesn't display live folders properly. That's not a minor thing since essentially every folder is a live folder. Now someone is going to say "that's because the author didn't make them right." Oh, so the icons that come with Iconpackager, the ones commissioned and approved and shipped with IP are all designed incorrectly? There's something wrong there.

Look, I've been through the forums, these are not new issues. I'm not going to file a bug report because it will be ignored. This is stuff that's been around for quite a while. Aero window skinning is 3 years old, Chrome is 2. It's clear this stuff isn't getting fixed. Unfortunately, I paid the money for it. Am I bitching, you bet I am. But I can see this is a lost cause. I'm outta here.

 

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The beta release of WB 7.19 resolved the very small gap between the borders and the client area.

The left and right borders will be dialog coloured unless the skin has the left and right glass sections defined.  The top and bottom will be using the top glass section.

I am sorry you have chosen to take a negative position before anyone has even had the chance to find out what your issues were, but if you wish to take a step back and calm down then we will be only too happy to assist you.

Regarding the IconPackager issues, this is not the right forum for those.