Severe MDI error
Sunday, April 4, 2004 by digital_trucker | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
http://pws.chartermi.net/~digital_trucker/test_gauges/MDIerror.jpg
Only does this with WB skins, not XP skins. Minimized MDI windows appear to 'inherit' transparency from the normal window...despite having set an image for minimized MDI windows. Also, if the MDI window being minimized is exceptionally small, the size of the minimized graphic is clipped, cutting off some buttons
Only does this with WB skins, not XP skins. Minimized MDI windows appear to 'inherit' transparency from the normal window...despite having set an image for minimized MDI windows. Also, if the MDI window being minimized is exceptionally small, the size of the minimized graphic is clipped, cutting off some buttons
Shameless Designs
Reply #2 Monday, April 5, 2004 10:57 PM
Reply #2 Monday, April 5, 2004 10:57 PM
The graphics for the Tool Window Borders (the top window in your linked graphic) and the Minimized Window Caption (the bottom window in your linked graphic) are separate items in WB, although the Minimized Window Caption item is very rarely skinned in most WB's. Possibly it's a new feature in WB that wasn't able to be skinned before, I'm really not sure since I'm relatively new to skinning for WB. But the MWC and the buttons for it are mandatory items according to Skin Studio, so if the images are not provided, they are normally drawn from the default skin.
The only thing I can guess from your screenshot is that you possibly had the same name for the graphics as the default item, which I believe is WindowFrameMinCaption.bmp. I can't think of any other reason why the transparency would show up, but even then, it's still an obvious glitch since only the transparency shows up, and none of the rest of the graphic.
As for the middle bit of your graphic being cut off when the tool window is small, I would suggest that you adjust your sizing margins for that graphic so that the tiled/stretched area of the graphic is between the transparent bits. That area can be as narrow as a one-pixel wide band if necessary for the appearance. I'm pretty sure that would solve that part of the problem, at least.
The only thing I can guess from your screenshot is that you possibly had the same name for the graphics as the default item, which I believe is WindowFrameMinCaption.bmp. I can't think of any other reason why the transparency would show up, but even then, it's still an obvious glitch since only the transparency shows up, and none of the rest of the graphic.
As for the middle bit of your graphic being cut off when the tool window is small, I would suggest that you adjust your sizing margins for that graphic so that the tiled/stretched area of the graphic is between the transparent bits. That area can be as narrow as a one-pixel wide band if necessary for the appearance. I'm pretty sure that would solve that part of the problem, at least.
digital_trucker
Reply #3 Monday, April 5, 2004 11:29 PM
Reply #3 Monday, April 5, 2004 11:29 PM
I'm not talking about the small window (I know that has to do with margins)...I'm referring to the fact that when a small MDI window is MINIMIZED, the minimized graphic is cut off (along with the buttons). The minimized window skinning is new to WB, btw. Names are not the problem, either (I always use unique names).
Shameless Designs
Reply #4 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 1:18 AM
Reply #4 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 1:18 AM
OK, I've done some experimenting, and I am beginning to believe that this problem is unique to PSP. Have you been able to duplicate the problem in any other program? I have tried about a dozen programs that have MDI windows, and PSP (v7 & v8) are the only programs which will let me resize a window down to 100 pixels in width. And it is only when I resize the MDI window that small that the Minimized Window Caption graphic is the corresponding width. In PSP, if the MDI window is at least 142 pixels wide before minimizing, then no buttons are clipped or distorted.
The good news is that the button which remains is the restore button, which is the one button you would really want to have show. I also found that using my own graphic for the MWC window does work in preventing that problem of transparency being inherited, by the way.
The bad news is that nothing else I tried will prevent PSP from resizing an MDI window down to 100 pixels wide, which seems to be the minimum JASC has set. I tried making a graphic 150 pixels wide (per frame). And I played with every option I could think of for both sizing margins and content margins. I also tried changing drawing methods using different combinations of tile and stretch, and I even tried enabling things like Smart Small Margins and setting a Minimum X-value for text. All to no avail.
So, I guess I don't have much to offer that's helpful to you, and I hope Stardock comes up with something for you. Sorry, man... I tried.
PS> Have you emailed anyone at Stardock about this or posted anything on the newsgroups? The reason I ask is that if you haven't and don't intend to, I think I will make a report myself. If you have posted anything on the newsgroups, could you please leave a post here saying on which group you posted? Thanks.
[Message Edited]
The good news is that the button which remains is the restore button, which is the one button you would really want to have show. I also found that using my own graphic for the MWC window does work in preventing that problem of transparency being inherited, by the way.
The bad news is that nothing else I tried will prevent PSP from resizing an MDI window down to 100 pixels wide, which seems to be the minimum JASC has set. I tried making a graphic 150 pixels wide (per frame). And I played with every option I could think of for both sizing margins and content margins. I also tried changing drawing methods using different combinations of tile and stretch, and I even tried enabling things like Smart Small Margins and setting a Minimum X-value for text. All to no avail.
So, I guess I don't have much to offer that's helpful to you, and I hope Stardock comes up with something for you. Sorry, man... I tried.
PS> Have you emailed anyone at Stardock about this or posted anything on the newsgroups? The reason I ask is that if you haven't and don't intend to, I think I will make a report myself. If you have posted anything on the newsgroups, could you please leave a post here saying on which group you posted? Thanks.
[Message Edited]
Sput
Reply #5 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 9:59 AM
Reply #5 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 9:59 AM
I've duplicated the clipping using Photoshop and the skin I'm working on, although it's only clipping the left corner by a few pixels and doesn't affect things too much so I can live with it. But knowing that specifying your own graphic solves it is good news...and hopefully a solution 
Sput
Reply #6 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 6:39 PM
Reply #6 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 6:39 PM
Hmmm, seems that creating ones own graphic doesn't solve this...not for me with the latest WB build anyhow. The minimised window still inherits it's transparency from the non-minimised window frames. Since I want the minimized frame to be non-recrangular I've tried using magic pink etc but to no avail (the magic pink bits show up as black instead)...so, for now I've "fudged it" by using a shade of grey similar to the MDI background image.
However, it still has the problem that a small window when minimized crops the MDI minimised image....hopefully this will be picked up through someone having raised this on the newsgroups or direct to stardock?
However, it still has the problem that a small window when minimized crops the MDI minimised image....hopefully this will be picked up through someone having raised this on the newsgroups or direct to stardock?
digital_trucker
Reply #7 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 8:31 PM
Reply #7 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 8:31 PM
Nope, defining a specific graphic doesn't fix it here either. Also, I've duplicated the problem in another app (3DGameStudio) as well as PSP8. If you remove SKS' exclusion, it does it there too.
Link to this thread posted to WindowBlinds newsgroup.
[Message Edited]
Link to this thread posted to WindowBlinds newsgroup.
[Message Edited]
Sput
Reply #8 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 8:40 PM
Reply #8 Tuesday, April 6, 2004 8:40 PM
Yep, I've duplicated it in every app I've found that uses MDI - including Skin Studio itself, which is perhaps the best thing for Stardock to test it on as it's their software too 
digital_trucker
Reply #9 Friday, April 16, 2004 2:30 PM
Reply #9 Friday, April 16, 2004 2:30 PM
Shameless Designs...I posted it on stardock.windowblinds on the 6th. Still no reply.
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
Reply #1 Monday, April 5, 2004 9:56 AM
BTW - well spotted