No screenshot (screen look) in Windowblinds

Windowblinds app shows blanks for some WB files

from WinCustomize Forums

Recently, I downloaded some 'older' (haven't been updated in a while) WB files for use on my machine. Once these files were installed there was no 'screenshot' of the WB file shown on the screen of the WindowBlinds application. Rebuilding the file list did not change this outcome either.  The files still loaded correctly, but in the listing now there is just a blank square that only shows the name when hovered, but no 'screenshot' (see below).

These files are single .wba files whereas other WB downloads have been large zip files containing a myriad of files and do display this screenshot of the screen look when installed.

So I guess my question(s) relating to this are, is there a difference between a single .wba file and these other WB zIp file downloads, other than the number of files they contain, and is a .wba similar to a compressed file, or is it simply a standalone creation?  I'd like to know, thanks.

windowblinds
4,897 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just now downloaded the Aero Metal skin and the preview was generated fine.  I don't know if everything is always the same, but here's what I found with Aero Metal:

I can right click on the .wba file and open it with winzip.  The preview file "Aero Metal.uis.preview10" is not included in the .wba file, it was generated by WBConfig.  When I installed the skin, I did not have WBConfig open.  I doubleclicked the wba file, waited for it, then opened WBConfig, and the preview appeared.

Don't know why WBConfig didn't generate it for you.  Easiest thing to do might be to delete the skin within WBConfig, close WBConfig, reinstall the skin, then open WBConfig back up.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Not sure why it happen on your system, but, on my "Aero Metal" thumbnail show up normally. Might need to delete and reinstall the skin. Try this, right click on that blank skin, select delete skin, make sure that skin no longer listed in WB, double click on that deleted style wba file. That should install the skin. Check if it get listed with thumbnail show up. If not a reboot might help. Try that and report back.

As for Single wba file vs zip file, the main file for WB is wba file only. Some skin author zipped this file together with wallpapers, fonts, icons, cursors and other files. That is the only reason you see zipped files.

Thanks

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This has happened to me several times. My solution is to click on the pin wheel in top right corner and choose rebuild list.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I see it this way in Windowblinds with that skin applied.

 

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I just want to thank everyone who have attempted to help me with this conundrum. I have tried all of your suggested fixes to no avail. Of all of the 'aero' files I've downloaded only one 'AeroSoft' which has six substyles 'sort-of' made a screen look thumbnail, one 'AeroLonghorn' produced an error saying there was apparently no .uis file in the .wba and would not load and the other two remain blank. Only the 'black ops' .wba file loaded and produced a screen look. So the issue is still perplexing. All of these .wba files will load and change the look of Windows 10 but still don't produce a screen look in the actual WindowBlinds application.  Thanks again for all of your help, but at this point it no longer an issue.  I'll just chalk it up to another one of those ' ghosts in the machine' technology glitches' that seem to haunt my computer from time to time and let it go.