WindowBlinds 11 planning
Friday, December 25, 2020 by Frogboy | Discussion: WindowBlinds
We are putting together the schedule to make WindowBlinds 11.
Customization is a lot harder now than it used to be. Microsoft, for reasons unknown, has actively encouraged developers to take care of their own client and even non client (border, frame) painting rather than using standard Windows controls.
Microsoft's baffling decision to throw away trying to provide a standard set of in-app controls for developers and instead provide vague, often conflicting standards (cough, Fluent) has resulted in having less and less of the OS we can even touch.
Which is unfortunate because WindowBlinds, in theory, could actually give Windows users a consistent, OS-wide Fluent if apps weren't handling the drawing of their own UIs these days.
Still, with that in mind, there are things we can do such as skin the standard OS controls and then handle apps on a case-by-case basis. Keep in mind though, the more non-standard apps we have to handle, the harder it is for us to keep compatibility.
Earlier this year we released Curtains which doesn't even hook into the OS. This means it is 100% compatible. Skins, even the weirdest ones, won't break a given app. Of course, the price is that it doesn't skin nearly as much (no client area GUI controls like scrollbars, push buttons, radio buttons, etc.). It's done quite well. However, we know there are still plenty of people out there who would like to have more full control over how their Windows desktop looks.
That's where this thread comes in: What would you like to see in WindowBlinds 11?
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Reply #142 Saturday, September 4, 2021 1:52 PM
A question here for the wizards in the group. I have several Stardock programs installed, updated, and running on my fully updated Windows 10 machine. I am also a Windows Insider and would like to try the preview of Windows 11. I am unable to get Windows 11 to install. Could a Stardock program be interfering with the installation?
The hardware requirements for Windows 11 are different. Are you sure your computer will run Windows 11? Sadly, mine won't and I am having to buy a new laptop and desktop computer. Might want to check if your PC will run it here: (AMD) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-amd-processors (Intel) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors .
Your computer must also be TPM 2.0 compatible.
More here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/windows-11-requirements
Reply #143 Sunday, September 5, 2021 12:34 AM
In that list it says Objectdock is not compatible, But i am running Windows 11 latest insider preview and its working just fine . even with multiple docks, tabs and flyouts. Maybe i got lucky lol. Windowblinds definitely has issues. The biggest issue i found is with explorer windows crashing every time they open. They open and instantly close. I can wait for WB 11 though 
Reply #146 Friday, September 17, 2021 10:38 AM
Maybe someone add this: Window Borders and Window Title Bars setting ? because Window Blinds ignored Windows Setting.
Reply #147 Friday, September 17, 2021 11:05 AM
Is there a vaccine against W11? W10 was already such a disease...
There should call it Windows delta.
Reply #148 Friday, September 17, 2021 1:25 PM
The hardware requirements for Windows 11 are different. Are you sure your computer will run Windows 11? Sadly, mine won't and I am having to buy a new laptop and desktop computer....
Your computer must also be TPM 2.0 compatible...
At this point, MSFT is relaxing the hardware requirements for Windows 11. You can install Windows 11 on almost any PC as long as you have drivers that are compatible with Windows 10, and you must also know how to make changes to the Windows 11 install files so that Windows-setup will bypass hardware checks. I'm guessing that Windows 11 final will install on any PC, but with the warning that future builds of Windows 11 may cease to function on PCs that require new hardware.
Windows 11 is a part of a marketing push to get consumers to buy new hardware. This is a story of the "tale wagging the dog" scenario. In the past, hardware development preceded software development. In other words, hardware manufacturers developed new hardware, made drivers for that hardware, and Windows development proceeded to take advantage of the new hardware functionality. Windows 11 presents a new strategy that demands that consumers purchase new hardware to work with Windows 11. This is impractical for enterprise customers that have significant investments in IT devices. It makes no sense to try to motivate enterprises to go out and buy all new hardware so they can run Windows 11. What was MSFT thinking when they dreamed this up? Or perhaps I should say, what were they smoking?
At this point, I would think that Stardock is concurrently working on their apps (including Windowsblinds) so that new versions of their apps are ready to be compatible with Windows 11 when the OS is officially released. It would be nice to get more feedback from Stardock about this.
Reply #150 Friday, September 17, 2021 6:21 PM
Just the fact that there is a WindowBlinds 11 Planning thread says that Stardock is working on being Win11 ready.
Reply #151 Friday, September 17, 2021 8:51 PM
I don't know if this is 100% true, but I have heard if you use open shell or classic shell while using windowsblinds it can cause big problems. I suggest making a popup in the installer warn the user.
nyet, current beta version of open shell (V 4.4.168) works fine with WindowBlinds 10... Both the WB folks and the open shell folks did work to resolve those issues. However, yes, classic shell hasn't worked with WB for some time now; it's a pretty old product at this point.
Reply #152 Saturday, September 18, 2021 3:59 PM
I don't know if this is 100% true, but I have heard if you use open shell or classic shell while using windowsblinds it can cause big problems. I suggest making a popup in the installer warn the user.
nyet, current beta version of open shell (V 4.4.168) works fine with WindowBlinds 10... Both the WB folks and the open shell folks did work to resolve those issues. However, yes, classic shell hasn't worked with WB for some time now; it's a pretty old product at this point.
Classic Shell v4.3.0 has been compatible with WindowsBlinds for many years. But when the developer transitioned to Classic Shell v4.3.1, and then abandoned the project, Classic Shell v4.3.1 would no longer allow WindowBlinds to paint the taskbar. Simply rolling back to Classic Shell v4.3.0 has worked for me for a long time.
But then another developer agreed to develop Classic Shell and renamed it to Open Shell, but all the versions of Open Shell after Classic Shell v4.31 until v4.4.160 have behaved like Classic Shell v4.3.1 and impede WindowBlinds from painting the Windows 10 taskbar.
I'm glad to announce that v.4.4.160 and v4.4.168 beta appear to be WindowBlinds friendly and allow WindowBlinds to paint the Windows 10 taskbar!
EDIT: Open Shell v4.4.169 appears to be available:
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu/releases/
Reply #153 Saturday, September 18, 2021 8:42 PM
Open Shell v4.4.169 appears to be available
Open Shell and Start10/11 doesn't work correct on Window Blinds. Start orb has not correct position. On Open Shell work only Start orbs from Vista/7/8/10 but XP doesn't and in Start10/11 Vista/7/8 Start orb is too small.
Reply #154 Sunday, September 19, 2021 4:17 PM
Open Shell v4.4.169 appears to be available
Open Shell and Start10/11 doesn't work correct on Window Blinds. Start orb has not correct position. On Open Shell work only Start orbs from Vista/7/8/10 but XP doesn't and in Start10/11 Vista/7/8 Start orb is too small.
I don't have verification that your statements are true. Open Shell v4.4.16X works fine with Windows 10, to my satisfaction. I don't use Start10 or Start11 beta. I don't see how Start11 could be finished, considering that Windows 11 has not officially been released. I'm not concerned with the orb positioning for Windows XP/Vista/7/8, because I'm more focused on running Windows 10.
Perhaps you could start a new thread about Open Shell, or Start10/11, and how they interact with WindowBlinds. If you have problems with Start11 beta, then you should probably take that up with Stardock.
Reply #155 Sunday, September 19, 2021 4:57 PM
I don't have verification that your statements are true. Open Shell v4.4.16X works fine with Windows 10,
Start10/11 + Window Blinds = correct.
OpenShell + Window Blinds = not correct (it's cover 2 icons)
Start10/11 not correct:
Open Shell/StartIsBack correct.
Reply #156 Monday, September 20, 2021 12:34 AM
Actually, a fix IS needed. Not everybody who uses WB has heard of, or uses, OldNewExplorer. I know until recently, past year - ish, I hadn't and before installing it for the first time, I always had issues with the Nav. Buttons NOT staying skinned. It primarily happens when you open Explorer and leave it running for a long time, 10 min. or more, in the background. Currently, the only way I know how to resolve that problem is to exit Explorer and reopen it.
Reply #157 Monday, September 20, 2021 12:37 AM
3. Fix the issue with Navigation Arrows (upper left) in Explorer not staying Skinned.
No fix needed, since that is caused by OldNewExplorer. Be sure to have the "Use alternate navigation buttons style" unchecked, and you'll be fine. 
Actually, a fix IS needed. Not everybody who uses WB has heard of, or uses, OldNewExplorer. I know until recently, past year - ish, I hadn't and before installing it for the first time, I always had issues with the Nav. Buttons NOT staying skinned. It primarily happens when you open Explorer and leave it running for a long time, 10 min. or more, in the background. Currently, the only way I know how to resolve that problem is to exit Explorer and reopen it.
Reply #158 Monday, September 20, 2021 3:14 AM
I don't have verification that your statements are true. Open Shell v4.4.16X works fine with Windows 10,
Start10/11 + Window Blinds = correct.
OpenShell + Window Blinds = not correct (it's cover 2 icons)
Start10/11 not correct:
Open Shell/StartIsBack correct.
We are now "off topic", as this is supposed to be a Windows 11 Planning thread. But for the sake of discussion, I will address your response.
I don't use Open Shell to paint the start button. I turn that setting off in Open Shell and let WindowBlinds paint the start button.
Here are 5 different taskbars, from 5 different WindowBlinds styles, by 5 different authors. Open Shell v4.4.169 is installed but is not allowed to paint the start button. As you can see from these captures, there are slight variations in the start button positioning, but nothing I cannot tolerate.
I hope this helps...
Reply #159 Monday, September 20, 2021 4:24 AM
Will there be a New SkinStudio making it possible to skin for Win 11's new features? 
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Reply #141 Saturday, September 4, 2021 12:18 PM
So now we have a release date for Windows 11, Officially 5th October, how far behind does anyone think Windowblinds will be before we get a Fully Compatible Edition, and will Start 11 then become out of it's Beta stage.