VistaStyleBuilder

I have encountered a pretty fundamental error in my first few minutes of using Windows Style Builder. I am using the latest version (1.5). This bug can be reproduced with a 100% success rate. I open WSB, create a new theme based on Aero, edit an image and then test. After stopping the test, the import, export and save buttons do nothing when clicked until the program is closed and restarted. I downloaded the latest public beta and tried the same thing, and surprisingly this bug is still present.

Is this happening to anyone else? It's rather annoying having to exit and re-start the program every single time you test the theme.

The thing is, it can't be reproduced 100% of the time. For example: http://screencast.com/t/iduSMm0r
In the beta it should give you an error dialog, if it does post what it says here.

Could the fact that I'm on Windows 7 64 Bit have anything to do with the problem? It's very strange, seems as if it starts off every now and then and progresses to happening all the time.
Here are my full system specs if it's relevant: Win 7 64 Bit, 16GB Ram, i7 2600K @ 3.8GHz (Stock), Nvidia GTX 780


I've clean re-installed WSB, deleting any leftover program files in Program Files, APPDATA, and TEMP (those are the only leftovers I know of). I've then done the exact method below 15 times in a row, and the bug has occurred every single time:

Open WSB > Start a new visual style > Import image for close button > Test theme > Stop testing > Import, export and save buttons all broken

It's not actually possible for me to begin making a theme because this problem happens literally every time, I haven't been able to find a case where the import, export and save buttons actually work after testing the theme... I'll download the latest beta again and see if it makes a difference.

My specs are nearly identical to yours so that's not the issue and I haven't had it since I started the betas. What uxtheme patch are you using?

I'm using UniversalThemePatcher x64. Viewing the properties it says that it's version 1.5.0.22, by deepxw. Quick quesion, does WSB's licence allow me to install on another one of my computers? I could try it on a clean Windows installation then to verify that it's not something that I have installed causing issues.

Yeah you can install it on another computer if you want.

Some things you can try if it persists:
Install the Visual C++ Redist 2008 (x86): http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29
Try using UxStyle as your uxtheme patcher: http://uxstyle.com/

I've done a clean Windows install on my second computer (a MacBook Air) and installed UXStyle and it works seemingly fine. I then went back to my main computer and tried restoring/undoing the patches from universalthemepatcher, rebooting then installing UXStyle and it still hasn't fixed the problem. The bug can still be reproduced 100% of the time on computer 1 again. I already have Visual C++ Redist 2008 installed. Is there a list of the files Windows Style Builder creates? Could it be possible that there's a corrupt file or reg entry hanging around somewhere? I've got a feeling that when I uninstall WSB it's not clearing up absolutely every file that's associated with it.

The only files are %appdata%\VistaStyleBuilder and the installation folder.  Nothing in appdata modifies anything with the save dialog.

Did you try the beta? Anytime the save dialog fails to open it throws an error beginning with CDERR_ and creates a backup of the theme.

Also are you using any other modifications? Custom shell32 for example?

I have tried using the current beta (1.5.6.2) and the problem is still present in the exact same form. No error message when trying the import, export or save buttons, they just do nothing. I am using another cusomization feature which is Windows 7 Navigation Buttons Customizer by Door2Windows. I have tried restoring my navigation buttons to default using this program, but the problem is still present.

If you open up Notepad then WSB and then test, can you open the open/save file dialog in Notepad?

Yes, the open and save buttons work as normal in Notepad before and after clicking test theme. When the import, export and save buttons have broken in WSB, they remain working in Notepad. I have also tried uninstalling UXStyle, running SFC /scannow in Command Prompt to fix any edited Windows system files then reinstalling UXStyle, WSB and trying again and the problem persists.

What happens if you test another msstyles?

I am not using any particular MSStyles, I'm just starting with a new theme and changing the close button. I downloaded and opened the MSStyles file for the theme "Obscuro", and the problem is present with that too. Test the theme, stop testing and after that, the import, export and save buttons break.

I've been having this issue for quite a while. This is the first post on these forums for me, but I've had WSB for a while. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes for the bug to happen, and sometimes it takes 20 minutes. the GUI gets very glitchy with visual bugs everywhere. Any dialog opened besides the main one (even the "do you want to save" prompt) are invisible/hidden. If you know the correct amount of tabs/arrow-keys to press, you can still "use" the invisible/hidden interface. This didn't ever happen (IIRC) in the "old" 1.5 builds prior to the ribbon being added.

Hmm, that's quite interesting. I've tried it on my copy but it seems there is no window there at all, as using the arrow keys and tabs just make the Windows "ding" sound to signify that the key does nothing. This is definitely a problem with some file on my machine, as I've now tested WSB on two computers, one with a clean Windows install and one with an old Windows install and they both work just fine. Is there a way to get the "old" builds still? It'd be interesting to see if it's something to do with that.

Has anyone got any ideas? I've done multiple sfc /scannow commands and according to that, all the system files are fine. I've done multiple re-installs of UXStyle and WSB and the problem still persists. I'm getting to the point where I would like a refund as this product simply does not work.

EDIT: I just re-tried opening Notepad, then WSB and testing the theme and the open and save buttons break in Notepad too! I then tried opening Notepad and changing the current theme to a custom one through the Windows personalize menu and it breaks Notepad's open and save buttons too. So it looks like for some reason, changing the .MSSTYLES while programs are open breaks their open and save buttons every single time. I wonder why that's happening...

Can you run this build attached and tell me what it says when you try to save? It should pop up with some message boxes when it fails to save.

I opened your test program, imported a new image for the close button, tested and then tried the import button which was then broken. I tried to click save and got the popup: Failed Window Show, 2 Common Dialog, 0 Windows.

Any difference in this build?

There doesn't seem to be any difference. I did the exact same thing and the buttons are broken. The save button displays the error "Failed Window Show", 2 Common Dialog, 0 Windows.

Ok, new build. This one after it fails it should open a new SaveFileDialog. The second one uses copy/paste default template code so it should work (though won't actually save anything yet). If it works I'll track it down from there.

I'll give it a go now. Remember though, this doesn't seem to just be a problem with Windows Style Builder. If I open Notepad, change my theme to a custom one using the Personalise menu, then try to open or save in Notepad, it breaks there too, without even touching WSB. It doesn't seem to be caused by Windows Style Builder, it's caused by changing the active .MSSTYLES, which is leading me to believe it's a problem with UXStyle or something in that region.

As for the latest build, the exact thing happens. Failed Window Show, 2 Common Dialog, 0 Windows.

Ok well you stated in a previous post it didn't affect Notepad: "Yes, the open and save buttons work as normal in Notepad before and after clicking test theme. When the import, export and save buttons have broken in WSB, they remain working in Notepad."

Does this only happen with the theme "Obscuro" or default Aero as well?

I know I stated it in a previous post. I was changing the theme, then opening Notepad, which is why the effects weren't being shown!

This happens when changing the theme from the default Aero theme to Obscuro or any other theme that uses a custom .MSSTYLES file. Changing between themes that have aero.MSSTYLES (such as Nature, Landscapes and other built-in themes) as their common .MSSTYLES does not affect the save buttons.

Ok, then it might be an issue with that theme. The Common File Dialog (Save and Open) will fail if there's an issue with the Shellstyle.dll, if you copy the Shell folder in Aero's folder (C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\aero\Shell\) into the directory where Obscuro.msstyles in (overwriting the Shell folder that's already there) does it work then?

I tried copying the folder "C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\Aero\Shell\NormalColor" which contains ShellStyle.dll over to the same place in the Obscuro theme's folder and overwriting it but it seems to have no effect... The problem still persists. If I open up Notepad, change the theme to Obscuro and then try to open or save, nothing happens! If I start with the Obscuro theme applied, then open Notepad and change back to the default Windows 7 theme, that also breaks the open and save buttons!

First you say:

"This is definitely a problem with some file on my machine, as I've now tested WSB on two computers, one with a clean Windows install and one with an old Windows install and they both work just fine"

Then you say:

"I'm getting to the point where I would like a refund as this product simply does not work."

Make up your mind.

You seem to have a problem only on one computer. So it's something there. Not with WSB.

It only happens with custom msstyles.It happened when you were testing while using UniversalThemePatcher x64 and then it happened after you uninstalled that and then installed Uxstyle. Makes me think that maybe the first patcher you used wasn't working correctly and didn't uninstall correctly. Have you checked that out? Can you apply a custom theme using Personalization in the Control Panel?

Also do the Export and Import buttons become unresponsive when there is an image present? Because if there isn't any image then those buttons are disabled.

Yeah, I know I contradicted myself there. I did say multiple times that I know it's not a problem with WSB, I was starting to think that it was but then realized it wasn't when I discovered that the problem occurs without WSB even being part of the equation.

I have checked all of the system files that UniversalThemePatcher modified (even though I used the in-built restore function before I installed UXStyle) and they are all un-modified, with their "Date Modified" values the same as the other machines that I tested WSB on. I have also executed SFC /scannow in CMD to check for and reinstall any modified system files. This tool comes up clean and says that no action needs to be taken. I have been using Personalisation in Control Panel to test this out, so that I could confirm it is nothing to do with WSB. When I switch to a theme that uses a custom msstyles in the Personalize window, all currently open applications such as Notepad can no longer open the save/load dialog box, and simply do nothing when their save/open/import/export buttons are clicked. I've recently noticed that this affects Google Chrome too, preventing the save dialog from popping up when trying to download a file.

Yes, the import/export buttons inside of WSB become unresponsive when there is an image present, but only after I test the theme (which loads the custom msstyles which breaks the buttons).

To clarify, I originally thought that Windows Style Builder was breaking itself. But I've recently discovered that the act of applying a theme that uses a custom msstyles stops any Windows save/load dialogs from appearing in any application that uses them.

I know you've done SFC/scannows but you might want to actually look in System32 and SysWOW64 to see whether the theme file patches have uninstalled correctly.

Check themeui.dll, uxtheme.dll and themeservice.dll in system32 and sysWOW64 for any variants of those names and then delete the variant ones.

I'm saying this because you are having this problem with all custom themes and also through  Personalization.

Otherwise I can only suggest uninstalling anything you have on the computer where this is happening that isn't on the other two, testing and then reinstalling until you find whatever program is causing this problem. Pain in the ass but what are you going to do right?

Just a note. Try using this theme patcher instead of UxStyle:

http://www.codegazer.com/vistaglazz/

I use it in 7 because nothing else worked for me and it has never given me a problem. Maybe it'll work for you too

I have looked in those folders. I created a .bak for every system file that could get modified (ExplorerFrame.dll, themeui.dll, uxtheme.dll, themeservice.dll) and have restored them to these backups.

When you say "delete the variant ones", do you mean the ones that have a different file extension? I've got a few .mui files for themeui, uxtheme and themeservice but I don't know if they're part of Windows or not...

Don't delete the mui files, they're supposed to be there.

Yeah if they are weird extensions.

Like using Vistaglazz I get patched files like:

themeui.dll.vgorg

but like Panda said don't delete .mui files which are normal and necessary

Yeah, I won't touch them. UXStyle appears to run a background process that intercepts Windows' theme signing, it doesn't actually touch the system files. So seeing as I reverted to the backups I made before I even activated Universal Theme Patcher, I don't think it could be to do with system files being strange. I guess the worst case scenario is that I develop my theme on another computer and then use it on my primary one. It's just a little weird seeing as the system files are vanilla as far as I can tell, and Windows Style Builder is pretty self contained, so something else is affecting the themes being used.

But you won't be able to apply your custom theme on the affected computer because you said this problem happens whenever you use ANY CUSTOM THEME

Yes, applying any custom theme breaks the open and save buttons for any open programs. So you have to re-open those programs and then the buttons work again. That's livable for every day programs, and will be fine when my theme is finished as it will be set as the default one and not changed, but when you're working on a theme, it becomes very annoying having to close and re-open WSB after every test, especially not being able to save after you've tested the theme too.

EDIT: Earlier in this thread I did mention having used Windows Navigation Buttons Cusomizer and Start Orb Changer. Even though these tools seemingly work seamlessly with visual styles, and that I've used the built in restore functions to restore them to their default state, have they been known to cause problems to anyone else?

Yeah I' haven't used those particular customization programs but I have had problems with similar ones that never uninstalled correctly