Alpha Blending

Alpha Blending Disabled

from Stardock Forums
I restarted my computer and WindowsBlinds, using the Arrow skin (similar to VistaXP Glass), and the Alpha Blending that originally worked fine isn't working now. The only thing I did different was install WindowsFX from Stardock and then uninstall it because it bogged down my system for some reason. It did give me a message about the graphics device support but i can't remember exactly what it said. Please help!
3,767 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Have you set your Desktop Icons to be Hidden ... ?!!
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Yes. They are hidden. As I said, it worked perfectly until i restarted my computer one day. I'm talking about the alpha-blending and capability of the actual skin itself.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Open Windowblinds. There is a button that says system information. Click that ...copy and paste the information here for people to see.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Copy and paste the System Info from WindowBlinds config.

I had this happen when trying to find best version of video card drivers, when installed some of them everything was ok until a reboot. WB system info said that per pixel was supported after install drivers, after reboot said was not.

As for WindowFX, current version is not compatible with WB 5. Stardock is working on WindowFX update.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Alpha-blending has some issues with "Active" desktop (or in simple words with hiding the desktop icons) ... set your icons to visible, apply WB, reboot, and then check if the things work ...
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes. They are hidden. As I said, it worked perfectly until i restarted my computer one day. I'm talking about the alpha-blending and capability of the actual skin itself.


If you turn the Window Animations to disabled in WindowFX, seems to work fine. If the problem you are talking about is Win2000 like titlebars and such, as if it's not skinning at all. But I don't know why it would still be happening if you uninstalled WindowFX. Hope this helps, if not try BX's advice on the desktop hiding. I use SysMetrix and have it hide my Desktop Icons without a problem, with WindowFX running (animations disabled).

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Here is the information, but it DID support per-pixel alpha blending and i don't know why it just suddenly changed.

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 does not support per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

This is because :

Your computer graphics hardware does not support acceleration of per pixel alpha. WindowBlinds requires this for per pixel alphablended borders as without it performance would be poor. Please see if you can obtain new drivers for your graphics hardware. Recent ATI & NVIDIA boards should support this feature. Onboard graphics tend not to.

You have one monitor in total.

(Default Monitor) 1 is attached to ATI MOBILITY RADEON X300

Wblind.dll 2005/11/28 13:57:10
Wbsrv.dll 2005/11/28 15:52:00
Wbconfig.exe 2005/11/28 16:19:00
Wbload.exe 2005/11/25 19:30:58
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 15:37:00
Wbui.dll 2005/11/20 12:23:40
Tray.dll 2005/11/02 13:28:26

ALSO!!! When I Max. a window, the titlebar hides behind the taskbar!