Close button visibility
Saturday, September 18, 2004 by smoke-tetsu | Discussion: Skinning
Reply #22 Sunday, September 19, 2004 10:52 PM
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Reply #23 Sunday, September 19, 2004 11:50 PM
Reply #24 Monday, September 20, 2004 12:08 AM
Again...why are we trying to 'help' you?
As far as your skins being my bag,how would you know...you just said we would not be using it.
Reply #25 Monday, September 20, 2004 12:33 AM
Here's the image again (top classic, middle visual styles, bottom WB) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v447/Adia06/closebuttonstuff.jpg
I.R. I only asked the question because I *tried* the alternatives (which don't work the way I want them to especially just leaving it as it is (always visible)) like I said and I came here as a last resort to find out the specific visibility number that you have to put into the UIS file to get the setting which I was looking for but I have since then found out that it's not in WB yet. This was a specific question which required specific information. I reserve questions for after I've tried the alternatives. And I don't even ask very many questions this is the only question in a long while that I have asked.
And for the last thing since you don't like this function then there most likely other features in my skins that you probably won't like. But that's ok I don't need everyone to use them.
Anyway this should be closed as far as I'm concerned because there is no answer to this as there are no alternatives that are satisfactory (to me) other than leaving it as it is until the function is put in.
I'm no more enlightened after all this than I was starting off to begin with. The only reason why I asked this question in the first place is because I mentioned how I'm still waiting for the function to be put into WB and frogboy said that there are many visibility functions in WB including the ones I'm looking for however I could not for the life of me find them in skinstudio so I was hoping that someone here would at least know the visibility number so I can manually put it into the UIS file. But now I'm sorry I even brought it up.
BTW, I.R. you do have a good question and that is "why are we trying to help you", you obviously don't know the answer (and how could you the function is not in WB yet). So WHY are you trying to "help"?
So in closing I'm sorry that I started this thread, asked this question or came here for help.
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Reply #26 Monday, September 20, 2004 1:30 AM
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Reply #27 Monday, September 20, 2004 1:37 AM
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Reply #28 Monday, September 20, 2004 2:33 AM
The problem may be that windowblinds will draw a normal close button whether it works or not. Are you saying that on some windows, windowblinds will not draw a close button? Because, if I remember correctly when I was playing "Quake 3" in window mode, windowblinds did draw a close button but it didn't work. I wouldn't close the window with that button while playing Quake 3. But, it was there. Can you show an example of a missing close button where you want one, or where you feel that there should be one? Because, the option to "show if window is active" or "show if window is inactive" should work on all windows for the close button.
It does seems true that there is no option to "show if there is NO close button". But, I assume this is because all windows have a close button.

Reply #29 Monday, September 20, 2004 2:49 AM
Windowblinds is fully endorsed by Microsoft, StyleXP is not.
I don't think that Microsoft intended customers to bypass legal windows by closing them. And windowblinds also follows legal and copyright issues. You may be stuck with hacked shells that attempt to bypass such legal windows.

Reply #30 Monday, September 20, 2004 2:59 AM

Reply #31 Monday, September 20, 2004 8:30 AM

Reply #32 Monday, September 20, 2004 11:18 AM
Games like quake3 are another good example as in the shot I put in previous to the one you saw had Doom which had the close button showing a disabled state (on OSX no less). The close button on Quake 3 for example would show disable image would not do anything just as it did before but it would show a different image to tell you that it is disabled so it would be there as to not force the window to have a close button but be an anchor for the other 2 unless the other 2 aren't there which then it would show none.
So with the function I was looking for the window would not be forced to have a close button if it doesn't have one or a window that the close button doesn't work on would show the appropriate state for it. So I would have a close button (show if there is a close button) A disabled one (show if there is not a close button) a min (show if there is a min), a min disabled (show if there is no min show if there is either a min or max) a max (show if there is a max), max disabled (show if there is no max button show if there is a min or max). And that would take care of pretty much everything. I tried putting close to show only if there is a min or max but it removed it from all windows that don't have a min or max which is not what I want to do as there are some that don't have min or max but do indeed have a close button.
Not only where they not understanding but I do not like when I ask a question and someone says things like, "Doesn't always visible work?" (that's what it already is set to and I want to do something NEW and something everything else can do), "When is there NOT a close button?" (this is not helping and I didn't commit to memory all the windows that don't have one but I felt I didn't need to in order for someone to give me either the info for the UIS or an answer that it's not in WB yet).
I tried showing them a screenshot that shows the effect I'm going for and an explanation but they failed to see the effect or understand. This is just all a big misunderstanding and I don't see it clearing up. Maybe I reacted a little harshly but I felt my intelligence insulted and others being rude to me. Things like "Why doesn't always visible work?" Is rude when I want specific information which is why I said please only reply to this if you know the specific answer that I'm looking for. Things like the above only derail the topic which has happened. Also if you assume hostility in this message for example then you are misreading as it is easy to do here on the net because we can't hear tone of voice, see body language, etc.
Why don't we just end this thread as I know now that the function is not in WB yet so I just have to wait some more? I have my answer, what more can anyone ask for?
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Reply #33 Monday, September 20, 2004 12:57 PM
| Things like "Why doesn't always visible work?" Is rude |
What is rude in that question? There is absolutely nothing rude in that question. I think what you are failing to understand is that this is a skinning community. People here gain knowledge from working with the program. According to your statements you are trying to do something new. I think on the whole of it, no one is quite clear now on that issue but you. So, people with experience might say, "Why didn't this work", because they are surprised(from their experience) that it didn't work. And, you would say, "it didn't work because...". Then the person might say, "Oh, I see what you are trying to do..." They may even be able to give you a solution. It is through discussion in this manner where someone with experience might be able to help you, by fully understanding what it is you are trying to accomplish. But instead, you jumped on them, and told them to basically shut the hell up. Now, that was rude, and not conducive to helping you in your creative endeavor. All you did was alienate yourself from some really experienced people and others with ideas that might have helped you to develop your new idea. But, I am not here to give a manners lesson or lessons on etiquette. But, I must say that these people are fellow artists and members, who are generally kind and helpful people and they don't deserve to be abused either.
Maybe you didn't actually intend to be rude. The problem may have been a little lack of patience. If this is true, and I believe it is, then you must know that working with computers sometimes takes a lot of patience. Just like discussing things with people who are trying to understand what you are trying to do.
Now, I understood that you wanted a button to show on your close button that was not showing in WB but it was showing in another skinning program. Now, it seems you are saying that you don't want a button to show and it is showing. Which is it?
There are two other visibilities that might help you. Have you tried "show if window is MDI child" Then, maybe you could just plaster a large button to cover the other buttons that matches the actually frame background. Or maybe the visibility of "show if there is NO window text" Since, neither of those windows had windowed text(meaning window text, not dialog text) maybe that would work.
But, if you are specifically having this problem because you are looking for a visibility that doesn't exist, then the only way around it is to be creative. Lots of new creative ideas have been accomplished here, but not by your approach. People may even joke around here, but it isn't anything personal against you. This is a fun hobby and no one helping here on these messageboards are getting paid, not even the administrators. So, please try to relax and make yourself some new friends. And maybe develop some new creative ideas to share with the skinning world.

Reply #34 Monday, September 20, 2004 1:03 PM
Reply #35 Monday, September 20, 2004 1:55 PM
Speaking of being alienated I have been alienated as well because what I was looking for was not to be told to leave it the way it is (why doesn't always visible work), or fake ways of doing it (which I already tried). I have a lot of experience with WB (4+ years) and I was because of Frogboy thinking that this was a undocumented feature.
And yes I am creative but I don't implement things in a way that doesn't satisfy me which is pretty much all other fake ways of trying to do this. You misunderstood when you thought I said I wanted a button to show on my close button that was not showing in WB but it was showing in another skinning program because it's the other way around. It's not showing on the other program so I don't want it to show on mine either. However I only want it to be removed for that special case. I still want it to show on windows that have a close button but no min or max.
About this:
"There are two other visibilities that might help you. Have you tried "show if window is MDI child" Then, maybe you could just plaster a large button to cover the other buttons that matches the actually frame background. Or maybe the visibility of "show if there is NO window text" Since, neither of those windows had windowed text(meaning window text, not dialog text) maybe that would work."
Both instances of windows that this would apply to aren't MDI windows. And they do have window text look again at the screenshot in #25, it says "Palacechat" in the titlebar.
Believe me when I say I consider all fake ways of doing it. But in this case there is no satisfactor fake way of doing it. All I need are visibility options for the close button the same way the min or max have them.
When someone says a thing such as, "Why doesn't always visible work?" it doesn't sound like they are trying to really understand. The same thing could be said about any of the titlebar buttons. And when someone keeps on saying there are no windows that don't have close buttons (or disabled ones) when I know there are it's frustrating. That type of thing really tests my patience because that's not what I'm looking for. If the person knew the setting if it indeed existed then they would not ask the above question nor would they tell me there are no windows that don't have close buttons or disabled ones.
Like I said, I only asked because Frogboy said there are many visibility settings including for the close button so I was wanting to know the specific setting, no more.. no less.
[Message Edited]
Reply #36 Monday, September 20, 2004 2:38 PM
| I want it to show a close button if there is one, show a disabled one if there is a disabled one such as in Quake 3, or no button if the window doesn't have buttons such as in the screenshot I showed. |
Finally, we got the definitive answer about exactly what you are trying to do. See, all it took was a little patience.
Don't take this all too serious my friend. It is meant to be fun. You're right, there is no disabled close button, like the other disabled function buttons. I guess the program doesn't perfectly emulate the windows style in that regard. Windowblinds doesn't perfectly emulate the Windows style but, it is not meant to do so. Windows doesn't have a roll up button, transparent windows, winamp buttons and a ton more customizing options. I have a lot of creative ideas too. Sometimes you just have to move on, and say, "well, I can't to that yet" But, I ralize that this is a great program and there is so much that I can do, that I can't do with the regular windows style. In fact, to me, that style is downright boring.

Reply #37 Monday, September 20, 2004 4:21 PM

Reply #38 Tuesday, September 21, 2004 12:33 PM
No offense or anything but I don't think that lacking a feature should be considered a feature, hehBTW, I'm not upset or anything I'm just relieved at this point that everyone understands.
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Reply #39 Tuesday, September 21, 2004 3:23 PM
Reply #40 Tuesday, September 21, 2004 11:36 PM
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Reply #21 Sunday, September 19, 2004 10:49 PM