Flickering text and titlebar buttons
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by 2of3 | Discussion: Skinning
I have an issue that's driving me a bit nuts.
While building a WB, I'm getting flickering text and buttons on my titlebar. I have confirmed that it isn't specific to my skin, but it seems confined to skins that have dark titlebars and light text.
Is it a WB issue or perhaps a graphics card driver issue?
My WB info:
Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of
Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 6.6
WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 7.1 (build 263 - Windows 7 Edition) - 64 bit OS
WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
(Generic PnP Monitor) 1 is attached to ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730
Wblind.dll 2010/04/22 15:15:20
Wblind64.dll 2010/04/22 15:15:48
Wbsrv.dll 2010/04/01 11:43:41
SevenConfig.exe 2010/02/15 21:09:57
Wbload.exe 2010/02/02 21:33:18
Wbhelp.dll 2009/10/07 22:35:07
Tray.dll 2009/10/21 16:13:19
Wbload.dll 2010/04/01 11:43:28
Screen.exe 2009/12/03 20:43:26
Reply #3 Wednesday, April 28, 2010 4:50 PM
But when do they flicker? What are you doing at the time?
Reply #4 Wednesday, April 28, 2010 5:01 PM
I have tried with nothing open except task manager. The text, system icon and buttons all flicker. I doesn't do it less or more depending on how many things I'm doing at once. It happens whether I mouse over the buttons or not.
Reply #5 Wednesday, April 28, 2010 5:27 PM
Seems to be happening to me on a few skins. I don't have to be doing anything. I'm running the latest beta WB7.
Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of 5
Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 5
WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 7.1 (build 263 - Windows 7 Edition)
WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
(Generic PnP Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce GT 220
Wblind.dll 2010/04/22 15:15:20
Wbsrv.dll 2010/04/01 11:43:30
SevenConfig.exe 2010/02/15 15:09:57
Wbload.exe 2010/02/02 15:33:18
Wbhelp.dll 2009/10/07 16:35:07
Tray.dll 2009/10/21 10:13:19
Wbload.dll 2010/04/01 11:43:28
Screen.exe 2009/12/03 14:43:26
Reply #6 Wednesday, April 28, 2010 5:28 PM
I can confirm what Tim is seeing. I tried his skin, and Stealth OS and they both do it. the text, icon, and buttons on the titlebar flicker. It does not matter what you are doing or how many windows you have open. I tried it on Vista and Windows 7 and it happens on both.
I checked it with my newest skin (not published yet), and it does not do it...however, my skin has a text background, the other 2 do not. I don't know if that makes the difference or not, but it might be helpful.
Your computer has a Windows Experience Index base score of 4
Your Windows Graphics Experience score is 4
WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 7.1 (build 263 - Windows 7 Edition)
WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
(HP w1907 Wide LCD Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 8400
Wblind.dll 2010/04/22 15:15:20
Wbsrv.dll 2010/04/01 11:43:30
SevenConfig.exe 2010/02/15 15:09:57
Wbload.exe 2010/02/02 15:33:18
Wbhelp.dll 2009/10/07 16:35:07
Tray.dll 2009/10/21 10:13:19
Wbload.dll 2010/04/01 11:43:28
Screen.exe 2009/12/03 14:43:26
Reply #7 Wednesday, April 28, 2010 5:51 PM
You can also get the toolbar button text on Venom to flicker if you mouseover the titlebar buttons fairly quickly, and the titlebar text flickers occasionally when you do that as well.
Edit: I just checked on my skin. The toolbar button text flickers on titlebar button mouseover too.
Reply #10 Thursday, April 29, 2010 3:37 PM
A small flicker if you mouseover a titlebar button is normal. Likewise an animated skin may flicker occasionally.
But thats the only time it should happen. If you see flickering at other times then something else on your machine may be sending paint requests to windows incorrectly. What else do you have running?
Reply #11 Thursday, April 29, 2010 4:24 PM
So it's normal for the toolbar text to flicker when you MO the close, max, min. buttons?
Reply #12 Thursday, April 29, 2010 6:17 PM
Nothing unusual. WB, SKS, PS, and OD. No other desktop modification programs.
Reply #13 Sunday, May 2, 2010 3:38 AM
So this must be something related to my system even though others have reported the same issue?
Reply #15 Sunday, May 2, 2010 9:47 AM
changing skins back and forth seemed to fix the issue......I can't explain it. 
It's been going on for days now. Thanks for a good suggestion, Neil anyway.
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Reply #1 Wednesday, April 28, 2010 4:07 PM
When are they flickering?