How do I get same effect as Trial Version using the fully licensed version?
Tuesday, February 5, 2008 by jamespaulp | Discussion: WindowBlinds
When I installed the trial version of WindowBlinds (at work) and downloaded a blind, WindowBlinds showed a message that some of the features were disabled for that blind. How can I get the same effect with my licensed version of WindowBlinds. One setting I know is the "Never use per pixel window borders...". I would like to test my blind under those conditions. My blind looked really awful (not that it is "superior" otherwise) when applied on the WindowBlinds Trial edition.
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Daiwa
Reply #22 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 2:48 PM
Reply #22 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 2:48 PM
I'm still not 100% sure what you are trying to accomplish, jamespaulp. If you know what the skin looks like with the purchased version, you know what it looks like. There is no way to get the trial version to skin things it just doesn't skin. As I said, including standard frames will at least avoid the problem of the trial version not displaying the perpixel borders properly. You can have both standard & perpixel frames defined in a skin.
ZubaZ
Reply #23 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:00 PM
Reply #23 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:00 PM
He wants to create a skin that will look acceptable for people using the trial. But he can't easily test it on a full version of WB.
He wants to have an option to see his skin the way it will look in the trial version.
James, may I suggest a virtual machine?
MS offers XP with IE6 and 7 virtual disks here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=21EABB90-958F-4B64-B5F1-73D0A413C8EF&displaylang=en
Here is a link to their VM engine: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/virtualpc/default.mspx
If you like VMware more you can do that too. (I like VMWare for their snapshot function)
He wants to have an option to see his skin the way it will look in the trial version.
James, may I suggest a virtual machine?
MS offers XP with IE6 and 7 virtual disks here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=21EABB90-958F-4B64-B5F1-73D0A413C8EF&displaylang=en
Here is a link to their VM engine: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/virtualpc/default.mspx
If you like VMware more you can do that too. (I like VMWare for their snapshot function)
jamespaulp
Reply #24 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:44 PM
Reply #24 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:44 PM
Thanks Zubaz (for both clarifying what I am trying to do and for the links.) I think that is much easier to setup the VM than a dual boot for this purpose.
ZubaZ
Reply #25 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:51 PM
It would be a nice feature in SKS to be able to preview the skin with those user settings. Worth a email to suppot?
Reply #25 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 3:51 PM
I think that is much easier to setup the VM than a dual boot for this purpose.
Agreed.It would be a nice feature in SKS to be able to preview the skin with those user settings. Worth a email to suppot?
jamespaulp
Reply #26 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 5:56 PM
Reply #26 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 5:56 PM
It sure is. Is that SKS beta feedback still being watched by the developers?
Jafo
Reply #27 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:12 PM
Reply #27 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:12 PM
Is that SKS beta feedback still being watched by the developers?
Beta feedback is always watched/noted....
Cavan1
Reply #28 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:12 PM
Reply #28 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:12 PM
From checking your skin a couple things
1) for the standard window frames you for left right and bottom have used a tga image, must be a bitmap.
2) you have made the standard frames the same as per pixel, they are not, for per pixel the top and bottom go completely across window and the sides fir between. For standard frames the sides go from top to bottom of window and the top and bottom fit between them.
1) for the standard window frames you for left right and bottom have used a tga image, must be a bitmap.
2) you have made the standard frames the same as per pixel, they are not, for per pixel the top and bottom go completely across window and the sides fir between. For standard frames the sides go from top to bottom of window and the top and bottom fit between them.
ZubaZ
Reply #29 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:16 PM
Stardock *always* listens to feedback from users. I think it's part of what makes them great.
Neil was watching this post ealier.
Email support. Reference this post. They'll get it to Neil formally.
Let me know if you have any VM issues. (don't expect you will though.)
Reply #29 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:16 PM
Is that SKS beta feedback still being watched by the developers?
Stardock *always* listens to feedback from users. I think it's part of what makes them great.
Neil was watching this post ealier.
Email support. Reference this post. They'll get it to Neil formally.
Let me know if you have any VM issues. (don't expect you will though.)
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #30 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:20 PM
If you have perpixel frames this image isnt used by WB anymore(in XP)...sucks too.
Reply #30 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:20 PM
Yesterday I was looking at the menubar background image and it doesn't get used in my registered version
If you have perpixel frames this image isnt used by WB anymore(in XP)...sucks too.
Daiwa
Reply #31 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:29 PM
Reply #31 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:29 PM
I think I get it, now. Still, the components that are not skinned in the trial use the Windows classic graphics - no way to "pseudoskin" those.
If the standard frames were not constructed properly & used the wrong type of graphics, that would explain much of what he's describing. Hoever, defects in the standard frames should be just as apparent in the purchased version as in the trial. The problem is that SKS (at least version 5) is "hopeful," as I think Jafo once described it, and the Preview will often look right when the applied skin does not. The applied skin using the purchased version of WB should look just like the skin in the trial version except for those elements the trial does not skin by design, provided correctly constructed standard frames are included in the skin. So, I'm still left scratching my head a little.
If the standard frames were not constructed properly & used the wrong type of graphics, that would explain much of what he's describing. Hoever, defects in the standard frames should be just as apparent in the purchased version as in the trial. The problem is that SKS (at least version 5) is "hopeful," as I think Jafo once described it, and the Preview will often look right when the applied skin does not. The applied skin using the purchased version of WB should look just like the skin in the trial version except for those elements the trial does not skin by design, provided correctly constructed standard frames are included in the skin. So, I'm still left scratching my head a little.
jamespaulp
Reply #32 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 8:06 PM
Reply #32 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 8:06 PM
You are right Cavan1. I created separate images for those since. But I could still use the TGA images for left, right and bottom without any problem. Only titlebar needed to be BMP file.
IR - If per pixel frames from a blind are not used by WB in the trial version, is it safe to assume that the menu bar image will be used? If that is true, I would not be able to check how it will look with that image on using a registered version of WB.
Daiwa - In SKS 5 everything looked good (?). Only when I disabled the per pixel frames from WB, I could see what was wrong. The preview window in SKS 5 shows the per pixel form once the pixel frames are setup in the blind(?). Right now I think I may have elements other than the standard frames as differences (menu bar image as an example. What else?)
I know it is not a big deal. Unlike many of you here, I am not good at visualizing how all those tiny images when placed in the right order will look like. I can only do that with pieces of source code
IR - If per pixel frames from a blind are not used by WB in the trial version, is it safe to assume that the menu bar image will be used? If that is true, I would not be able to check how it will look with that image on using a registered version of WB.
Daiwa - In SKS 5 everything looked good (?). Only when I disabled the per pixel frames from WB, I could see what was wrong. The preview window in SKS 5 shows the per pixel form once the pixel frames are setup in the blind(?). Right now I think I may have elements other than the standard frames as differences (menu bar image as an example. What else?)
I know it is not a big deal. Unlike many of you here, I am not good at visualizing how all those tiny images when placed in the right order will look like. I can only do that with pieces of source code
Daiwa
Reply #33 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 8:53 PM
Reply #33 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 8:53 PM
jp -
There is a dropdown box at the top of the SKS5 preview window when the Windows preview pane is selected. You can select which set of borders are displayed in the preview window from there. Displays the Active nonperpixel window by default.
There is a dropdown box at the top of the SKS5 preview window when the Windows preview pane is selected. You can select which set of borders are displayed in the preview window from there. Displays the Active nonperpixel window by default.
jamespaulp
Reply #34 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 9:13 PM
Reply #34 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 9:13 PM
There is a dropdown box at the top of the SKS5 preview window when the Windows preview pane is selected. You can select which set of borders are displayed in the preview window from there. Displays the Active nonperpixel window by default.
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #35 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 11:35 PM
Your overthinking ...if your unsure...cut the images,and take a look.I THINK the menubar images will show if you have perpixel disabled in wbconfig(assuming you have perpixels frames).(but why have them if registered users wont see them?)
Reply #35 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 11:35 PM
IR - If per pixel frames from a blind are not used by WB in the trial version, is it safe to assume that the menu bar image will be used? If that is true, I would not be able to check how it will look with that image on using a registered version of WB.
Your overthinking ...if your unsure...cut the images,and take a look.I THINK the menubar images will show if you have perpixel disabled in wbconfig(assuming you have perpixels frames).(but why have them if registered users wont see them?)
jamespaulp
Reply #36 Thursday, February 7, 2008 12:33 AM
I am back home and checked it. You are right. It is using the menu bar when perpixel border is disabled.
Cavan1 - This is standard borders (fixed) using TGA (left, right and bottom). Titlebar is bmp.
Reply #36 Thursday, February 7, 2008 12:33 AM
THINK the menubar images will show if you have perpixel disabled in wbconfig(assuming you have perpixels frames)
I am back home and checked it. You are right. It is using the menu bar when perpixel border is disabled.
Cavan1 - This is standard borders (fixed) using TGA (left, right and bottom). Titlebar is bmp.
jamespaulp
Reply #37 Thursday, February 7, 2008 12:52 AM
Reply #37 Thursday, February 7, 2008 12:52 AM
Downloaded and installed the VPC. Now DL'ing IE7 virtual disks.
jamespaulp
Reply #39 Thursday, February 7, 2008 1:44 AM
Reply #39 Thursday, February 7, 2008 1:44 AM
WB up and running on the VPC. WB said my graphics card does not support per pixel and gave me an option to enable limited per pixel support. Here is the image. Thanks Zubaz. It is great idea!
ZubaZ
Reply #40 Thursday, February 7, 2008 8:24 AM
That VHD will expire . . but MS keeps releaseing new ones . . Don't know how long it will last but it sure is easier (and not violating any licences) than installing an OS on a VM.
Reply #40 Thursday, February 7, 2008 8:24 AM
Thanks Zubaz. It is great idea!
Glad it works for you!That VHD will expire . . but MS keeps releaseing new ones . . Don't know how long it will last but it sure is easier (and not violating any licences) than installing an OS on a VM.
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Reply #21 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 1:14 PM
I guess. Yesterday I was looking at the menubar background image and it doesn't get used in my registered version. This may be another item.
Or do something like what I did and feel embarrassed when see it in action after publishing