Why are most WindowBlinds themes buggy with Window Alignment?

from Stardock Forums

For example;

 

The Win8 Metro theme is perfectly designed to match the, let's say, dimensions, of the original window frame. I also use WindowFX to align Windows to the corners of my desktop and I like to have everything pixel perfect.

 

When applying a custom theme or another official theme from Stardock itself, most of the time the alignment of the EDGES of the windows differ from the original Window borders so with some themes, there are "gaps" between the aligned Windows.

 

This in turn means I can't use most themes since most themes are very misaligned with the original window borders.

 

Hard to explain but does anyone know what I mean?

windowblinds
8,843 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The intent of Windowblinds is to change or redraw the windows borders [frames] and other GUI components.  It gives the skinner the opportunity to shape and size GUI components to his liking/creativity.

Transparency to window border areas can look like the windows are not 'aligned' pixel beside pixel - but that is the design of the artist and thus is not actually a 'bug'...;)

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A picture speaks a thousand words, Sojiro. Can you show us an example?

Curtains - Customize Windows with additional styles
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A skin would have to be specifically designed with no shadow on the frames to fix your problem Sojiro84. Windows 8.1 does not use frame shadows, or any shadows at all. Most people design WB skins with shadows, so there is no bug in any of the skins you are using, they are just designed that way.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks for the information people. Shame to hear that it isnt really a bug. But, I did made some screenshots to show what I mean. The first image is a theme that aligns perfectly and the other aligns weirdly.

 

"The perfect theme"

"The misaligned theme"

 

As you can see, the top window aligns with the top but there is a small gap to the left and a bigger gap between the windows and the bottom window. I aligned them in the corners with WindowFX to make sure they are 25% of the corners.

 

So this is really a designers choice?

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Sojiro84, reply 4

So this is really a designers choice?
End of Sojiro84's quote

Typically, yes.

Once upon a time it was far more common for extreme/odd Blind skins that definitely were not even rectangular...so open 'gaps' between windows was truly intentional...;)

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Sojiro84, reply 4

So this is really a designers choice?
End of Sojiro84's quote

 

Quoting LightStar, reply 3

A skin would have to be specifically designed with no shadow on the frames
End of LightStar's quote

I believe your screenshots are a fine example of Lightstar's explanation.  If you look closely at the images, the top skin has no shadows and the bottom skin does.  Those shadows are built into the window frame images and they take up space on the screen, even though part of the shadow is almost completely transparent to provide for a smooth blending out.  So, when a designer chooses to build shadows into the theme, which is typical, the window will use "extra" space for those shadows.

On an older version of Windowblinds, in the WBConfig window (where you select skins), there is an option in the "Settings" tab which can be selected - "Do not use Per Pixel frames even if the skin supplies them."  I don't know if that option remains in the current version or how it might perform on Win7 or Win8.  It will make WB use a second set of frame included in the skin, UIS2 frames.  They will have very little or no transparency, and you can not use the WB transparency adjustment on them, but using that might be an option to accomplish the effect you're wanting.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That setting is still there Dave, might be highly useful to this individual if activated.  :)

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thanks for letting me know it's still there.  I really didn't know, it comes up so rarely.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks all for the very clear and descriptive answers and for a option to turn it off.

Now I know why themes differ in this regard so much. 

Thanks!