Problems with skinning one app
Is there any fix?
Thursday, July 8, 2010 by Benjamin Cowgill | Discussion: WindowBlinds
I use a sophisticated relational-database application (Time Matters, a practice management program for lawyers), I use it continuously every day. I often have four child windows open at once, including a calendar, to-do list, time sheet, etc. So I'm looking at that app almost all the time.
Unfortunately, it's the ONLY app I use that has trouble accepting a WindowBlinds 7 skin. All of my other apps are skinned just fine, but this app crashes every time I try to skin it with a WB skin.
I have tried all of the special settings within WB 7 - skinning the title bar only, excluding menu and background skinning, etc. -- but the app crashes unless I exclude it from WB entirely. When I do, it works fine -- and looks awful, compared to the rest of my desktop and my other apps. It doesn't even retain Vista-style features when WB is running, but instead reverts to Windows Basic clunky appearance.
I would be thrilled if someone knows of some tweak or workaround that might help me force this app to accept some WB skinning -- even if it's only the title bar.
I am running Windows 7 Ultimate (32bit) with Windowblinds 7. I also use ObjectDock and DesktopX for other desktop enhancements. The WB skins I have used include Stealth and Cypress, which are both very attractive dark skins.
Can anyone help? Thanks!
Reply #2 Sunday, July 11, 2010 1:41 PM
Thanks, Dave! That's a very clever solution. You've inspired me to create a combination of DesktopX layers and widgets that will cover up the worst-looking part of the ugly app and also run scripts to operate it.
Reply #3 Sunday, July 11, 2010 4:01 PM
And here I was worried that you might not understand what I was talking about 
You're going to "Do my technique on steroids". I was pleased with myself for just figuring out how to cover them up!
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Reply #1 Sunday, July 11, 2010 3:53 AM
I don't think there's really a direct way to fix it.
What I've done with such apps if they really annoy me is make a DesktopX layer object to cover them up. Short directions:
Take a screenshot with the app opened at the size you usually want it
Paste the screenshot into an image editor. Crop the image down to a dash bigger than the program's window. Use it as a template to cut out whatever you want to see of the app and any buttons you need to push. Either cut it out of the original picture and then change the original (e.g., darken it, hue shift it, whatever), or cut it out of a layer you've created or placed underneath the original image. Save it as a png file.
Go into DesktopX Builder. Create a new object, type=layer, z-order=always on top. It only needs the one image state, use your new image as the image for it.
After you get it tweaked the way you want it, save it either as a widget or an object. Then cover that ugly program up!