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StarGazer1777

Join Date 04/2025

Windowblinds

WindowBlinds 11.06 (021 - Windows 10 Edition) - 64 bit OS

Hello Folks, I am trying to understand why my favorite Windows Blind theme, Aero 11 by Simplex Designs is screwing up my "explorer" title bars on some applications. Open Shell's T-Clock gets hit the worse. I have about 7 themes I tired and none cause the shading or rounding of the buttons as Aero 11. I am not naive enough to know many of the "graphically" based programs aren't all trying to hit the same memory locations. Since Aero 11 is one of the few themes that really pushes transparency (why I love it), I have not been able to find a setting to clear up the title panel. Anyone have a similar experience? I did read somewhere (can't remember), Stardock and OpenShell could not co-exist in the same environment peacefully. Thanks for any thoughts. TJ.

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basj

Join Date 03/2001

+1601

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. I don't use Openshell, but there were few reports on issue with Openshell. Perhaps someone with more knowledge on Openshell will come in and share some though on it.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Generally, having two different apps trying to make changes to the UI is not going to work well - if you turn off OpenShell, does everything go back to functioning normally?

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Thanks "basj" & brad_sams", I realize from my early days of programming (never had time to get to c++), that memory locations can get stomped on by graphic intensive utilities, that's why I was looking for an intensity setting in the Aero 11 theme that would even out the tones in the title bar. Like I mentioned I have only downloaded 7 themes as most are way more than I want, and Aero 11 is the only theme that causes this issue. It is also the only one I found that can "glass" the title bar area. If I change the theme the problem goes away. In the top two images you can see the desktop and the area with the multi-tone buttons. Thankfully this doesn't effect the wider "explorer" titles. I going to mess around with the OS color settings to see if I can find a cause and effect. Have I told you how much I hate Windows 10? Miss XP and really miss Windows 7. If I had wanted a MAC, I would have gone that route when I moved on from my beloved TRS-80. I read more and more about non-tech folks playing around with their Windows 10 registry just to make a color change. That's not right or safe Mr. Microsoft. Maybe the guys at "Simplex Designs" have a solution? Thanks again.

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DrJBHL

Join Date 04/2002

+4042

SimplexDesigns is one skinner.

Not sure why you're averse to trying Brad Sams' request to just trying turning off OpenShell. That could solve the problem very easily.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1802

Quoting StarGazer1777,

reply 3

Miss XP and really miss Windows 7.

There is a solution to that. You stay with Windows 7 and use other methods to keep it safe and current. [eg 0patch].

The issue is typically not with memory-intense GUI changes... that's a thing of the past with both Modern OS memory management and modern systems having oodles of ram.

The issue arises when 2 competing programs are trying to modify [skin] the same GUI component/s.

As brad_sams suggests try all the Windowblinds skins and its options without running Openshell. You will find everything will function as it should [other than newer OS changes/updates thanks to MS that may have not yet been accommodated].

Lately Windows 7 has been left behind by Microsoft to the point I really needed to be using Windows 10 [at least] but simply loaded that into a Virtual Machine instead.

I let Win 10 play with 4 cores and 8 gig of ram, Win 7 gets the full 16 cores and 64 gig ...

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Well, I do want to thank all the early responders for their suggestions. But after spending almost 30 years in the IT profession at companies like IBM, NEC, Digital, Apple, GE Capital IT, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard and forming my own, "Pulse Software" company back in the day, I've come to realize if you look under the covers you find the basic problem. I want what I want! LOL! I have never bought a big desktop system, if I need one I built it. The company's I worked for supplied the laptops, which I would never try to build. Since I have already invested in WindowsBlinds, I may just give "Start11" a try since StarDock only wants $10.00 for it. I am not willing to live with Windows 10 as it exist. The old guard at MS is gone and the new crew seem to be programming for their convenience and not the end user, and that's not just my opinion. I m really "old school!" LOL! Just in case you're curious when I said I build my own. Picture of interior of current build almost finished. Peace and thanks again.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1802

There's a lot who 'build their own' in our bunch. Customizing the GUI is one thing... customizing the hardware is simply another part of it.

Current machine.... went live in January, 2015 ... has an uptime of around 10 years.... I mean the big lump of Thermaltake Level 10, not the laptop... It's No 221 of a world wide limited 500.

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Quoting StarGazer1777,

reply 3

Lower your screen DPI to 100%, for some reason higher dpi in the current skin version does not obey the image margins correctly on 120% and higher scale. I am working on an updated version of the theme, but its taking quite some time as I have to import hundreds of images for higher screen scales (Some dont have them so I have to manually make them).

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1802

Then, earlier this year... No. 021... second hand took a lot of rebuilding, particularly when I discovered not all Modular PSUs are wired the same....and fried a 1000w Antec.

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I see I am among the "elite", how refreshing! Sorry about the image, forgot to down scale it! Looking at "Jafo's" images, I may never put the covers back on the case. LOL! It's a Fractal Design. I see someone likes either flight or space sims. I go all the way back to the first Wing Commander's. Been waiting for Squadron 42 for "ever!" Just bought a Trustmaster T.16000, changed my mind about spending $500 on a Warthog. Special thanks to the folks from SimplexDesigns for responding. Oh, did try 100%, but at 1920x1080 (recommended) made no difference. Not to worry, I am a patient "sob" and will wait for an update. I know it won't take as long as waiting for Squadron 42! ROFLMFAO!!!

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DrJBHL

Join Date 04/2002

+4042

Quoting StarGazer1777,

reply 10

Special thanks to the folks from SimplexDesigns for responding.

SimplexDesigns isn't a company. He's a solo skinner, and a rather good one.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1802

Quoting StarGazer1777,

reply 10

I see someone likes either flight or space sims.

I do graphics [I skin planes] for MS FSX .... they are a challenge as they never follow a standard method of doing them.

When done from scratch and generating your own 'paint kit' it can take a huge amount of work..

Here's a whacky example....

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Quoting StarGazer1777,

reply 10

Oh, did try 100%, but at 1920x1080 (recommended) made no difference. Not to worry, I am a patient "sob" and will wait for an update. I know it won't take as long as waiting for Squadron 42! ROFLMFAO!!!

Make sure when you set to 100% screen dpi that you restart your system to take affect. Make sure that it did not set back to higher than 100% after restart. You might need to re-apply the skin if possible. Idk why but windowblinds does not read margins properly on higher DPI settings if the main image is too small, it causes the margins to only select from the edges rather than 2-3pixels set by the skin settings. This causes everything to look stretch wonky like in your pictures. They said its working as intended but thats not how windows native visual style files work.

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