Taskbar Eats Application Tops

from Stardock Forums
When Windowblinds 5 is enabled, the top of every maximized window is 'eaten' by the Windows Taskbar. That is, the bar at the top of any application, containing the [minimize],[restore/maximize] and [exit] buttons and application name, is always concealed by the taskbar, whenever the application window is maximized.

This occurs with every skin, except for the original Windows Classic and XP skins.



Countless restarts. This happened before with WB4, so I'm sure restarting will be of no further help.

This is kind of minor, but I just can't understand why it happens.



System Specs:

Intel Pentium M 1.5GHz

256 MB RAM

Intel(R) 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller [64 MB]



windowblinds
13,840 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Right click your taskbar and go to Properties. In the first tab of the properties window, uncheck the box marked "keep taskbar on top of other windows" option. Then click apply. Then exit. This should let windows sit on top of the task bar. To access the task bar you will need to either have to minimize the window or hit the windows key on the keyboard to bring it forward again.
DD

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Darned double posts....grrr!
DD
Object Desktop - Get all of our enhancement utilities in one suite
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm not absolutely positive this is the same problem, I'm having, but @DigitalJames, it is NOT fixed by a setting in Windows (nothing to do with keep taskbar on top, etc.

I posted this in another thread but no one has responded. Since posting I have realized that this now occurs with every single WB4 skin in WB5 (for example if I use iFlex with alpha-blending, windows maximize fine, but if I use iFlex for WB4 substyle, windows maximize so that the entire titlebar and menubar are above the screen:

This has been bugging me for quite a while but I never really bothered to figure out what was going on.

I have noticed that when I'm using certain skins, windows won't maximize properly. They maximize beyond the taskbar edge so that even if I hide the taskbar, I still can't see the window's titlebar. I know this has nothing to do with my WB settings since I observe this only with particular skins (in this case, most of them were done by bzeitler over on Aqua-Soft and are OS X style).

Here's a pic:


Here is another screenshot, this time with my taskbar on the top edge of my desktop but set to auto-hide:



What do I need to edit in Skinstudio to fix this?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This happens to me with Stardock Central - NOT Maximized - with EVERY skin I've run WB 5 with....Fire it up and the title bar is always hidden under my task bar. VERY annoying.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ah HAH! I just figured it out!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't fix it, because I think this is something Stardock has to take care of, but here's the deal.

Now that there is WB5 around, Skinstudio (and presumably WB5) appear to assume that skins have per-pixel window borders. I poked around in Skinstudio and realized that every single WB4 (or WB5 not using pp-transparency) skin has now gained a section in the skin called "Window Borders-PerPixel"

This is not a problem for skins like Simple Alpha that were designed with WB5 in mind. However, the majority of WB skins out there are NOT designed for WB5 and do not have images defined for this section!!

This is a huge huge huge problem because Windowblinds appears to be looking to the Per-Pixel section for even the normal "Maximized Active Window" properties! This is overriding the skin's prior setup which just defined top, left, right, bottom borders under the "Window Borders" section, so since the author did not define the images for the separate section under "Window Borders - Per Pixel > Maximized Caption", WB5 sees that there is no such image, so it makes the window titlebar (aka caption) have 0px.

That is why the titlebar goes missing all the way above the screen--WB is trying to show a non-existent graphic.

Now, I'm not a skinner, so I don't know how to fix this, but it seems like this is a pretty big issue that Stardock out to address. Right now the vast majority of Windowblinds skins are still for WB4 and all of these are fairly unusable because maximized windows lose their titlebars!


We don't seem to be getting replies to this topic and to one I had posted earlier today. Is there any way we can bring this to Stardock's attention?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just tested both WB4 and 5 skins with taskbar at top. Only time any problem was when open window is maxed when apply skin; right clicked on taskbar button, restored window, it then maxed fine. I did check WB 4 version of iFlex after restore window after appling skin works as it should. I think that when apply a skin with open maxed window WB assumes taskbar at bottom, once skin is applied and window restored then maxed again Windows knows the Taskbar is at top. The only SkinStudio options for taskbar are horizontal and vertical, it does not know top, bottom, left or right.
I am Object Desktop subscriber so have up to date full versions of WB and SkinStudio.

Now that there is WB5 around, Skinstudio (and presumably WB5) appear to assume that skins have per-pixel window borders. I poked around in Skinstudio and realized that every single WB4 (or WB5 not using pp-transparency) skin has now gained a section in the skin called "Window Borders-PerPixel"


If show all is selcted in SkinStudio, all options will show for all skins. If no per pixel in skin it will not be in the files for skin, how can it look for something that it does not contain.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm up to date with both WB5 and Skinstudio as well.

I don't believe that it's a taskbar at bottom vs top thing (one reason is because I use a lot of OS X-style skins that were all designed for taskbar at top) and I never had this problem until I upgraded to WB5. Just minimizing, restoring, maximizing only works for me if I try it like 5-6 times.

In Skinstudio, try selecting Windows, and in the Preview window, change from "Active Window" view to "Active Maximized Window". In all my WB4 skins, the Luna Blue titlebar is loaded but only because no other file is defined.

Setting this graphic to, for example, the skin's already-existing titlebar fixes this issue. This is why I think this is the source of the problem.

Also, adjusting the Screen Clip top property to apprxoimately -25 (e.g. in the skins I'm using, the height of the usual titlebar graphic).
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm not absolutely positive this is the same problem, I'm having, but @DigitalJames, it is NOT fixed by a setting in Windows (nothing to do with keep taskbar on top, etc.


First, it's Danes, not James (I'm female just like you). Secondly, it was just a suggestion to the poster with limited information revealed in the original post. Since I don't use a task bar on the top of the screen or use maximized windows (I prefer to use windows dragged out to size), I took a guess as to what may prevent the problem from occuring. Since obviously my suggestion wasn't needed and was so harshly stated as being wrong, I'll sit back and shut up. Thanks for making me realize that only those that have been here posting for eons are welcome to try and help.....
DD

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't consider just using caps to emphasize the fact that it's not fixed by a particular method as harsh. Please, don't take things as a personal insult just because they happen to pertain to a comment you made. However, sorry about the name mixup; I assumed that since I know there is an artist named DigitalJames that it was the same username.

Actually, I think the people who have been posting here for eons are often the worst at (not) being helpful because they always assume that the problem is due to someone's individual computer having spyware, antivirus software, or other miscellaneous issues while they ignore the steps that the user says have already been tried.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I also tested the skins mentioned, with taskbar positioned at top. I cannot replicate what is said to be happening on your machines. Even with "auto-hide" I could not match results. The only way I matched results is having taskbar's "always on top" unchecked. Wish I could help out on this one.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Autumnmist, when titlebar gets hidden behind taskbar is window all the way to bottom of screen or is it up about enough for the taskbar if it was at bottom. If so, I would say that for some reason Windows is not remembering that taskbar is at top. Taskbar top bottom left or right and window min max restore are Windows functions not WB. I reread my above comment and what I said about WB assuming task on bottom when apply skin, meant Windows.
If you as I have asked have space at bottom when titlebar gets hidden, I would, unlock taskbar if you have it locked, move it to bottom, lock it then unlock it, move back to top lock and unlock again. This if Windows is forgetting where task is should give it a kick in the pants.
WB does not control Windows functions it just tells Windows how to paint the parts.
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
I have tried the suggestions mentioned above, but to no avail. My system is Windows XP Home, using Windowblinds 5. Taskbar at top of window. Top of opened windows being hidden. Don't care to move taskbar to bottom to accomodate this bug, but seems to be my only choice, other than unloading Windowblinds (which I purchased...)
Hope fix for this bug comes out soon...
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

I'd like to add my vote to fixing this issue.


My primary machine is a tablet pc. Putting the taskbar at the top makes things extremely more convenient, so this problem has been a pretty big inconvenience to me. To make matters worse, it's not as easy to reposition the windows with just a stylus, when the titlebar is hidden underneath the taskbar.


Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My primary machine is a tablet pc. Putting the taskbar at the top makes things extremely more convenient


Moving to the edge of "off topic", I also use a tablet (convertable). Why do you find the taskbar better at the top?

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Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I have tried reproducing this without any luck.. WB4 skins maximize just fine here with the taskbar at the top of the screen.

So I am going to need more information on the systems affected as I suspect its a conflict between WB and some other utility on the PC.  Do the machines have WindowFX, UltraMon, NView or Hydravision installed for example?  How many monitors?

The maximized caption bit for WB5 skins has no impact as that is purely a painting section used by per pixel skins.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, I'm running WindowsXP, no WindowsFX (b/c I have problems with it and alpha-blended skins, so I'm just not using it currently). I don't use Nview.

Other programs running:
Avedesk
Objectdock
Rainlendar
SpringFolders (Stardock)
Trillian
Adobe Acrobat Loader
Symantec Corporate Edition
iTunes' Ipod Service


This issue can also be affected (but not really fixed) by adjusting the Screen Clip top and bottom settings.
Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

I'm using nview and I'm constantly watching the bottom of maximized windows slip under the taskbar. My taskbar is at the bottom of the screen and using dual-monitor (laptop 1280x800 and crt 1280x1024). No matter what skin I use the bottom slips underneath. But, not immediately. If I unlock and then lock the taskbar again it resets everything and windows are fine. But, within a day or two it slips back under the taskbar again. Not sure if WB is doing this or if nview is doing it. Its not a huge issue, though, so I don't really pay attention to it. Its not like losing the statusbar on a window is killing my ability to work on the computer. Also, when I push an application window over onto the CRT (1280x1024) I lose a few pixels on the bottom of every window as it slides off the visible screen.


Either way, its an interaction of nview and windowblinds. At home where I'm just using one monitor and windowblinds its no problem at all. Never seeing anything vanish beneath the taskbar.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i too, have been having problems with the Task Bar, when set to the top of my screen, eating the top of an application, in this case Adobe Photoshop CS2, when in Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar.

I have some screenshots for you

1. With PS in normal full screen mode - Everything fine





2. When i put PS into Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar (how i always work in PS)..you can now see the Menu Bar in PS is under the Task Bar




Now my solution, thus far, has been to set the Task Bar to autohide, but i do not like my taskbar to autohide, and this is clearly a (small i hope) bug with windowsblinds.

I am using the lastest WB5 beta, iFlex skin, Windows XP Home, SP2, all hotfixes, screen res 1680x1050

WindowBlinds 5.0 System Information Report:

STATUS : WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Default Monitor) 1 is attached to MOBILITY RADEON 9600

Wblind.dll 2006/01/09 18:11:00
Wbsrv.dll 2005/12/20 22:57:44
Wbconfig.exe 2005/12/05 18:42:52
Wbload.exe 2005/12/21 00:04:40
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:00
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 21:29:06
Tray.dll 2005/11/02 13:28:26

I hope the above helps
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It can't be an interaction with nview behind this issue since I don't use nview and liquidguru isn't even using an Nvidia gfx card, let alone nview.

It's not a huge problem if you are using your taskbar on the bottom of your screen, but if your taskbar is at the top, then, as liquidguru shows in the screenshots, you lose the entire menu bar (major issue for me).
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
thought maybe last nights build of WB might address this issue, but Photoshop is still doing the same thing.

@Neil- are you having any luck reproducing this? any idea what may be causing this?

thanks
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
re my earlier post....sorry, as i should have checked all possibilties first..

when i unload windowblinds completely, have my taskbar at the top, i still have the same problem as reported in post #18...looks like it's a windows/photoshop conflict and nothing to do with windowblinds at all...i will go bug the adobe people instead..
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
finaly do FUCKING something about IT stardock


Yeah. . . that's going to influence people.
-=sigh=-

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Reply #24 from Stardock Forums Top
The problem isn't limited to having the taskbar at the top. My taskbar is on the left of my screen and I am constantly having problems with windows slipping underneath the taskbar. I have to minimize and maximize the windows to get them to work correctly.

The only theme that I can recall using that doesn't seem to have this problem (at least as much as the other themes) is Thallos.

The *extremely* annoying (and counterproductive when I need to get work done) and I've thought about just uninstalling WindowBlinds and counting the money I spent on the software as a loss. I'm dying for a solution...!
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've had this problem since windowblinds first came out. Which has been years ago.
It only happens with some apps. though, not all.
I have since learned to live with it. If there is a fix, it would be great.