This Is Rediculous
Wednesday, June 18, 2003 by MindlessPuppet | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
In the past 24 hours I've scrapped 2 skins, which I have entirely planned out. For those of you who know who I am, I took a nice long break from skinning. I start skinning again, only to find out that the original issues I had with WindowBlinds still exist, I mean sure they've add more; shell styles, more XP support, ect. But it seems as they haven't improved too much other than performance. I wonder if the programmers even attempt to skin themselves... Over a year ago I felt that I had maxed out the abilities of windowblinds, and sadly it still seems this way.
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sig101
Reply #22 Thursday, June 19, 2003 2:14 PM
Reply #22 Thursday, June 19, 2003 2:14 PM
Beastatron: MindlessPuppet isn't exactly a newbie or a newcomer to this site. Apparently he took a long break so you may not be aware of him or his work.
So before you so glibly suggest he isn't capable of completing a skin (an odd way to "encourage" someone, btw) you might want to check out his work on this site. I still have some of his WB skins on my old W98 box.
So before you so glibly suggest he isn't capable of completing a skin (an odd way to "encourage" someone, btw) you might want to check out his work on this site. I still have some of his WB skins on my old W98 box.
CerebroJD
Reply #23 Thursday, June 19, 2003 2:42 PM
Reply #23 Thursday, June 19, 2003 2:42 PM
Holy cow! I just checked out some of his themes! If thats what he can do when he has limitations, what could he do without them!? 
Jafo
Reply #24 Thursday, June 19, 2003 6:51 PM
Reply #24 Thursday, June 19, 2003 6:51 PM
Limitations as such can be frustrating, but overcoming them gives a great sense of satisfaction....on-going proggy development....actually 'helping' to improve the breed with bug-squashing reports, etc is what it's ALL about...
MindlessPuppet
Reply #25 Friday, June 20, 2003 12:39 AM
Reply #25 Friday, June 20, 2003 12:39 AM
heh, thanks sig, I started typing a big defensive post. And then I glanced up and read yours. Nice to know I haven't been entirely forgetten. 
MadIce
Reply #26 Friday, June 20, 2003 12:53 AM
Reply #26 Friday, June 20, 2003 12:53 AM
I have to agree with him that Windows still has a lot of bugs that haven't been fixed. Stability bugs are being fixed, but bugs that effect skinners are not fixed until you move heaven and earth.
Some bugs cannot be fixed, because it would break existing skins. For example: If you make a button in the bottom-left corner then it is off by a pixel or so. Existing skins depent on it.
Another odd one: Some dialog colors will produce task bar buttons on non-XP systems showing the wrong frames. I don't see the direct conection, but it seems to be a reproducable bug. A lot, maybe a quarter of the skins suffer from it. Some skinners work arround it, either by changing the dialog color or changing the frames. I asked why this wasn't fixed. The answer was that it was too difficult to do and a future version of WB may replace it after all. Rationalizations like that drive me nuts. Because too many existing skins suffer from it now.
The list is long. MP named a few. All he can do is to ask support or visit the #Stardock channel and talk to WBlinds (the Master behind WB). Support is not available here, so that is why I suggested he should read the link and try.
Good luck.
Some bugs cannot be fixed, because it would break existing skins. For example: If you make a button in the bottom-left corner then it is off by a pixel or so. Existing skins depent on it.
Another odd one: Some dialog colors will produce task bar buttons on non-XP systems showing the wrong frames. I don't see the direct conection, but it seems to be a reproducable bug. A lot, maybe a quarter of the skins suffer from it. Some skinners work arround it, either by changing the dialog color or changing the frames. I asked why this wasn't fixed. The answer was that it was too difficult to do and a future version of WB may replace it after all. Rationalizations like that drive me nuts. Because too many existing skins suffer from it now.
The list is long. MP named a few. All he can do is to ask support or visit the #Stardock channel and talk to WBlinds (the Master behind WB). Support is not available here, so that is why I suggested he should read the link and try.
Good luck.
Frogboy
Reply #27 Friday, June 20, 2003 12:26 PM
Reply #27 Friday, June 20, 2003 12:26 PM
A lot of effort recently has been put on creating a Universal Skin Format.
If you download SkinStudio 2.9, you can see an early version of it. The idea is to "clean up" the skinning formats to create one where things are consistent, doumented, and intuitive.
It's still quite early (you can't put title bars ont he bottom yet for instance) but things are progressing.
MindlessPuppet
Reply #28 Friday, June 20, 2003 7:20 PM
Reply #28 Friday, June 20, 2003 7:20 PM
Hmm, I'd love to check that out, unfortunately too hard on cash right now to renew my Object Desktop subscription. Out of curiousity would that mean I'd have to start placing my Close button on the right side? Cause that wouldn't be cool...
joetheblow
Reply #29 Friday, June 20, 2003 8:43 PM
Reply #29 Friday, June 20, 2003 8:43 PM
I think you can have the close button on the left side (on the top)
I think it is also possible to have the close/max/min/system icons on the bottom ad well. Just not the tittle of the window.
Mindlesspuppet, I know of which you speak. I have wanted to do round windowblinds, triangular, odd shapes fused shapes and have been working around the 'overlapping issue' and other issues once you really start to push the design.
The best thing to do is to tell the programmers. I think you would help all of out if you did. I know I will.
Also, I have learned to lie with the limitations and instead just make due, I create ways around it or fix the design to still be dramatic within the constrants.
I learned that from many years of doing Architecture. After all the 'you can't do this' and 'time limits you to do that' you get the idea that your design is never finished and sometimes the limitations actually save you from a lousy design.
--- JTB aka another dramatic skin artist: Look out for me soon
I think it is also possible to have the close/max/min/system icons on the bottom ad well. Just not the tittle of the window.
Mindlesspuppet, I know of which you speak. I have wanted to do round windowblinds, triangular, odd shapes fused shapes and have been working around the 'overlapping issue' and other issues once you really start to push the design.
The best thing to do is to tell the programmers. I think you would help all of out if you did. I know I will.
Also, I have learned to lie with the limitations and instead just make due, I create ways around it or fix the design to still be dramatic within the constrants.
I learned that from many years of doing Architecture. After all the 'you can't do this' and 'time limits you to do that' you get the idea that your design is never finished and sometimes the limitations actually save you from a lousy design.
--- JTB aka another dramatic skin artist: Look out for me soon
Jafo
Reply #30 Friday, June 20, 2003 9:08 PM
Reply #30 Friday, June 20, 2003 9:08 PM
'make do'....
As for Architecture....anything can be done...if you throw enough money at it...
As for Architecture....anything can be done...if you throw enough money at it...Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
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Reply #21 Thursday, June 19, 2003 1:33 PM