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WindowBlinds Public Beta 1 Issue Report Thread

WindowBlinds Public Beta 1 Issue Report Thread

With the WindowBlinds 11 Public Beta 1 release, we are creating this thread so that users can report any observed issues.  

Obtaining WindowBlinds 11 Public Beta 1

Object Desktop members can get the release from within Object Desktop Manager 

Individual purchases (as well as Object Desktop Members) can also be obtained from your account page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products

For guest check-out purchase (no account), from this link: http://www.stardock.com/support/productkeyretrieval

Reporting an issue

Please include the following for anything found:

  • Exact Windows version \ build (winver.exe)
  • Detailed steps to recreate the issue seen
  • Screenshots and videos are very helpful.  Videos can be uploaded to a cloud drive services (GoogleDrive, DropBox, OneDrive, YouTube) and links included in your post.  Images can be directly added.
  • If there are specific apps that the app does not work (well) with, please note what apps and their exact versions.  If any app is not common, a link to a trial version would be appreciated.

Thank you for your interest and any time you put into making WindowBlinds 11 a better product.

698,756 views 232 replies
Reply #126 Top

Wait, Start11 does not support all orbs ? but Open Shell and StartAllBack yes ?

Reply #127 Top

Not more of a issue but a request. Under use the taskbar and start menu from this style: would like to see a Option to "Use Sart 11 settings" window blinds is overriding many of the settings that I have from start 11. 

Reply #128 Top

Start all back doesn't play well with windowblinds at least on my system. Did notice that if you have start 11 and start all back both installed and you turn off use custom start button image and start 11 you get the larger orb from start all back

Reply #129 Top

Very very happy to see the non-blurred taskbar transparency back in Start11 v1.28.  Took care of Curtains too.  Thanks :)  :)  

Reply #130 Top

When I open the settings app the titlebar doesn't get skinned this happens randomly 

Reply #131 Top

Quoting SimplexDesigns, reply 109

Vista style start buttons do not work like they use to (Use to extend above the taskbar a little). They get cut off. This is present in windowblinds 10 as well. Its been a thing ever since windows 10. Can you guys look into finally fixing it in wb11. Thanks!

Have you tried using explorerpatcher? This is the only third party software that I am aware of that is compatible with both Start 11 and Windowsblinds 11.

Reply #132 Top

Quoting DaveRI, reply 129

Very very happy to see the non-blurred taskbar transparency back in Start11 v1.28.  Took care of Curtains too.  Thanks :)  :)  
I can't see how to enable it, but does it help my issue?

 

Reply #133 Top

I found bug with firefox skinning. skin I use is Autumn by IceBabee

Firefox window is darker then the rest of windows and only firefox has this in windowblinds 10 this was not an issue.

Reply #134 Top

Quoting RedneckDude, reply 132

I can't see how to enable it, but does it help my issue?

You don't enable it, you just don't check the "Force blur effect" in WBConfig.  If the skin is made without taskbar blur in SKS (e.g., Lantana), you get non-blurred transparency now as you should.  If the skin is made with taskbar blur enabled in SKS, you have to go into SKS and change its setting, you can't (and I don't think ever been able to) turn off blur in WBConfig. 

If you look at Lantana now without the "Force blur effect" box checked it should no longer have the color block at the left end of the taskbar (and the rest of the taskbar has the appropriate transparency).  I believe the same will be true of the skin you showed in your first post.

On a taskbar with blur enabled, fully transparent areas on taskbars such as at the ends or rounded corners have had the blur applied to those transparent areas for a very long time, I want to say "forever" but probably not. and that does look poor to me.  Best not to have blur enabled on those.

So anyway now you should see this:

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Reply #135 Top

Quoting ejderegt, reply 133

I found bug with firefox skinning. skin I use is Autumn by IceBabee

Firefox window is darker then the rest of windows and only firefox has this in windowblinds 10 this was not an issue.


I don't think this is a bug.

WindowBlinds 11 will detect when an app requests dark mode and either use dark mode parts (if defined) or automatically darken the existing skin if not for that window.

So this is working as designed.  If you were not running WB you should also see Firefox having a darker titlebar.

Reply #136 Top

Gues its something new in windowblinds 11 as 10 did not do this. Where can I find option to disable that darkmode?

 

Not sure if windowblinds 11 issue to but WinRar refuses to close at all sins I installed windowblinds 11. I can minimize it, maximize it but not close it. Got to terminate winrar in task manager to close it.

Reply #137 Top

Quoting DaveRI, reply 134

So anyway now you should see this:
Yup, I'm a happy camper!

Reply #138 Top

Quoting PhoenixRising1, reply 131


Quoting SimplexDesigns,

Vista style start buttons do not work like they use to (Use to extend above the taskbar a little). They get cut off. This is present in windowblinds 10 as well. Its been a thing ever since windows 10. Can you guys look into finally fixing it in wb11. Thanks!



Have you tried using explorerpatcher? This is the only third party software that I am aware of that is compatible with both Start 11 and Windowsblinds 11.

 

Not fully compatible nor does stardock support it. Theres a chance it will break eventually.(clock currently gets a button highlight behind it when you enable explorer patcher.) Start button is still cut off on that as well. Its been an issue since windows 10 for stardock software. I just dont get why they say its a limitation of the os when a free open source software can do it perfectly fine (open shell). Man, even those old school programs vistart from the xp Era to mimic Vista work on 11 fine. So stardock needs to look into their implementation of the button.

 

Also seems to have issues with start menu blur not working on current skins.

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Reply #139 Top

Before windowblins 11 fully releases

 Please make sure skin studio gets updated as well. Since wb11 only supports 10/11, dump all the unused options to streamline theme making. There are so many fragments of xp/Vista still in the theme files that go unused. Each part should have a special drop down to define light and dark mode textures for use. Darkening of the textures is a crappy way of implementing dark mode textures. It also darkens the window text. (White text becomes gray) and window frames that are gray become almost black. I tested with my theme experience, it makes using zune style unusable for me. Makes those things hard to see.

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Reply #140 Top

Quoting Neil, reply 135


Quoting ejderegt,

I found bug with firefox skinning. skin I use is Autumn by IceBabee

Firefox window is darker then the rest of windows and only firefox has this in windowblinds 10 this was not an issue.



I don't think this is a bug.

WindowBlinds 11 will detect when an app requests dark mode and either use dark mode parts (if defined) or automatically darken the existing skin if not for that window.

So this is working as designed.  If you were not running WB you should also see Firefox having a darker titlebar.

 

coming back on this seems to be a bug. in WB11 you can chose automatic, light or dark mode. also settings in firefox on lightmode this skinned window stays darker then any other window with this skin. as said before WB 10 never had this issue.

 

download some new skins in WB 11 and all has this issue that firefox is darker.

Reply #141 Top

Quoting SimplexDesigns, reply 139

Before windowblins 11 fully releases

 Please make sure skin studio gets updated as well. Since wb11 only supports 10/11, dump all the unused options to streamline theme making. There are so many fragments of xp/Vista still in the theme files that go unused. Each part should have a special drop down to define light and dark mode textures for use. Darkening of the textures is a crappy way of implementing dark mode textures. It also darkens the window text. (White text becomes gray) and window frames that are gray become almost black. I tested with my theme experience, it makes using zune style unusable for me. Makes those things hard to see.

Many of those 'unused' parts are not as unused as you may think.

With regards to dark mode, SKS11 already has options to define the dark mode images and colours.  You can download it from your account.  If you define them then WB11 will not autogenerate versions.

The auto darken will not work perfectly on all skins, but it should do a reasonable job on most.

Reply #142 Top

Quoting ejderegt, reply 140


Quoting Neil Banfield,






Quoting ejderegt,



I found bug with firefox skinning. skin I use is Autumn by IceBabee

Firefox window is darker then the rest of windows and only firefox has this in windowblinds 10 this was not an issue.




I don't think this is a bug.

WindowBlinds 11 will detect when an app requests dark mode and either use dark mode parts (if defined) or automatically darken the existing skin if not for that window.

So this is working as designed.  If you were not running WB you should also see Firefox having a darker titlebar.



 

coming back on this seems to be a bug. in WB11 you can chose automatic, light or dark mode. also settings in firefox on lightmode this skinned window stays darker then any other window with this skin. as said before WB 10 never had this issue.

 

download some new skins in WB 11 and all has this issue that firefox is darker.

I would check you have not set firefox itself to use a dark theme in firefox itself.  WB respects the apps choice in this matter.

Given the darker toolbar in your screenshot I would strongly suspect it is set to use a dark mode.

Reply #143 Top

Quoting ejderegt, reply 136

Gues its something new in windowblinds 11 as 10 did not do this. Where can I find option to disable that darkmode?

 

Not sure if windowblinds 11 issue to but WinRar refuses to close at all sins I installed windowblinds 11. I can minimize it, maximize it but not close it. Got to terminate winrar in task manager to close it.

You would need to check the app you are using thats appearing darker.  The app decides if it wants light/dark mode.  Some apps will respect the global OS setting (the one in WB settings), some will be forced to light (older apps), some have options to pick system/light/dark such as notepad in newer versions of Windows 11.

We will investigate the winrar issue.

Reply #144 Top

Quoting Neil, reply 141


Quoting SimplexDesigns,

Before windowblins 11 fully releases

 Please make sure skin studio gets updated as well. Since wb11 only supports 10/11, dump all the unused options to streamline theme making. There are so many fragments of xp/Vista still in the theme files that go unused. Each part should have a special drop down to define light and dark mode textures for use. Darkening of the textures is a crappy way of implementing dark mode textures. It also darkens the window text. (White text becomes gray) and window frames that are gray become almost black. I tested with my theme experience, it makes using zune style unusable for me. Makes those things hard to see.



Many of those 'unused' parts are not as unused as you may think.

With regards to dark mode, SKS11 already has options to define the dark mode images and colours.  You can download it from your account.  If you define them then WB11 will not autogenerate versions.

The auto darken will not work perfectly on all skins, but it should do a reasonable job on most.

 

But what about the user interface and organization of the application? That part of the question was skipped. It feels super dated and still uses screenshots from past OS systems. It would be nice for skin studio to get a refreshed ui like the rest of your apps. It still feels the same as it did back then on windows 7. I just want whats best for these applications. I love them and just hate that some things get left untouched.

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Reply #145 Top

Quoting Neil, reply 143


Quoting ejderegt,

Gues its something new in windowblinds 11 as 10 did not do this. Where can I find option to disable that darkmode?

 

Not sure if windowblinds 11 issue to but WinRar refuses to close at all sins I installed windowblinds 11. I can minimize it, maximize it but not close it. Got to terminate winrar in task manager to close it.



You would need to check the app you are using thats appearing darker.  The app decides if it wants light/dark mode.  Some apps will respect the global OS setting (the one in WB settings), some will be forced to light (older apps), some have options to pick system/light/dark such as notepad in newer versions of Windows 11.

We will investigate the winrar issue.

 

I found out indeed that theme used (sadly all fitting themes) trigger dark mode. but managed to make fitting theme and main source of trigger dark mode darkest gray possible to still be consider light mode.

 

bit of hassle so maybe get an option in per application to force light mode/dark mode for that program?

 

Got my fix for now and winrar for now uninstalled it and using other zip program can open them but hopefully that issue can be recreated and fixed.

 

Greets

Reply #146 Top

Quoting SimplexDesigns, reply 144

But what about the user interface and organization of the application? That part of the question was skipped. It feels super dated and still uses screenshots from past OS systems. It would be nice for skin studio to get a refreshed ui like the rest of your apps. It still feels the same as it did back then on windows 7. I just want whats best for these applications. I love them and just hate that some things get left untouched.

I agree. The UI is hard for new skinners and relies on people that already understand how it works. It could use a refresh to pull in a new generation of artists.

Reply #147 Top

Hi. WB11 works correct on Win 11 22H2 22622 ? I want to upgrade licence if works ok.

Reply #148 Top

Quoting Robert84MK, reply 147

Hi. WB11 works correct on Win 11 22H2 22622 ? I want to upgrade licence if works ok.

Yes it even works with the upcoming "moment" upgrade in the beta channel. No issues so far. However some of the older skins will need to be updated to look better with explorer tabs. All of stardocks loaded skins looks great with them though.

Reply #149 Top

Quoting PhoenixRising1, reply 148


Quoting Robert84MK,

Hi. WB11 works correct on Win 11 22H2 22622 ? I want to upgrade licence if works ok.



Yes it even works with the upcoming "moment" upgrade in the beta channel. No issues so far. However some of the older skins will need to be updated to look better with explorer tabs. All of stardocks loaded skins looks great with them though.

 

Hi mate hope you are well.

 

I remember the word "Working" way back last year causing a bit of dispute when we trialled Explorer patcher with WB 10. It does seem WB 11 has a fair few teething problems to get to a point were Working is a true statement. You are one of the first i have read saying it mate, that makes me happy to hear "No Issues So Far". I thought the Beta would be for me, then i read the numerous reports about WB 11 creating problems for plenty of users and decided against the upgrade just yet as my set up is a bit complex as you know, i am looking forward to a point were i can install it. For me that is not right now. Glad its going well for some users though.

Reply #150 Top

I've always really liked the Aero effects in Vista. I've been wanting to modify a pre-existing Vista/7 theme to incorporate the dynamic glassy Aero reflections window title bars, but i'm not really sure where to 'hook' in a script that would handle and display them. is what i'm trying to do even possible in WB / SkinStudio?

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