Thanks, bud. 

Never mind, 3am, I adjusted the sizing margins for the 1x6px image from 0, 0, 3, 1 to 0, 0, 4, 2 and they show perfectly now. Thanks a million, man.  



It's probably overkill adding the same properties that an area inherits anyway, but I did that throughout. BTW, what did you do to solve my disappearing separator issue anyway???

The separators are showing (and staying) now, 3am, but they're just the black default and not the image I use. If you right-click the taskbar, that separator is the one I want system-wide (2px in height). Thanks for helping!    

I've updated my theme with Mr. Grim's Windows 10 1809 WSB update and Dark Mode Style Script, found here: http://virtualcustoms.net/showthread.php/80749-Windows-10-1809-WSB-update-and-Dark-Mode-Style-Script , (thanks, Mark, btw) done everything right... but my context-menu separator disappears on mouse-over! I can't for the life of me figure out what the heck is causing it. When I right-click, the separators are there but when I glide down the menu with my cursor the separators disappear. Anyone know what might be causing it? I've played with margins, made sure that I added the correct stuff to the other areas (Windows 10 New Classes, Windows 10 Dark Mode, etc.)... but I must be missing something...

Here's the msstyle if anyone wants to look at it:

Make sure you've updated your classmaps. Also, if you're porting say a theme from Windows 7 or 8.1 (or some lower build of Win10) to a higher build, there are steps you need to go through. And before you test your theme, save it to Desktop or something first then re-open it to test.

jwilco777, you have to be interested enough in theming to seek out class-maps you may need for different Windows o.s. The forum here is chock-full of information if you'll only be patient and look. Also, you might consider joining a site called Virtual Customs. The site owner, Mr. Grim (Mark), along with other members there are always adding new stylehacks, class-maps and other Style Builder helpfuls in the WSB section of the forum and general Help sections. Many of them are members (and WSB owners) here, too.

The WSB program certainly does work fine, you just have to understand that as the developers at Microsoft continue changing stuff with Windows, especially with the msstyles, we are forever having to play 'catch-up' here and in the custo world in general. WSB isn't like Windowblinds by Stardock. A lot of the stuff you have to do in the program requires you to tinker with the basic files that make up the program's guts (such as getting customized class-maps from others, etc.). Seek and you will find...  

http://virtualcustoms.net/forumdisplay.php/858-Updates-Style-Hacks-For-WSB?s=8012a3666a84918166fa571d56396d15

I like the View button, but the Help button is useless in 10.

for some reason the site is giving errors, leading to double-posting...

This is great, Mark! Definitely using it.

I'm glad you got it fixed! That is weird, though, the fact that the laptop somehow required the location but not your desktop.....I guess it's one of those WSB mysteries, lol. When I first started with WSB, I had some issues with 'shine layers' (like in command module), trying to figure out why some image I'd added wasn't showing. I think my issues were in Win 8.1 vs at the time, I can't remember. I do know that progress bars can be tricky, too.

I'd play around with the sizing margins for that indicator a bit, Ascaris, top and bottom, since it appears to be that image rather than the background bar....Or perhaps the content margins (top, bottom) of the bar? I don't have that theme, so I don't know how the images are set. Also, to be sure there's no semi-transparent white line in that indicator image, open it with PS and stick a colored layer under it....if you still don't see anything, copy the indicator layer a few times (by selecting it, then pressing ctrl + j); the white line might be very faint...And doesn't that background draw from 2 images? Check them both if so, look for differences in margins and appearance.

I managed to port most of Work Nite Shift over to 10, on my wife's machine (laptop), grabbing Grim's ClassMaps and some other tips from some of you guys. As soon as I have the port completed to my satisfaction I'll post it here.

I also have been disabling a lot of the things in 10 that neither she or I are comfortable with, privacy-wise. Aside from the stuff you can find on the 'Net about how to turn off certain things, I've found a good bit of stuff on my own that can be disabled in 'gpedit'. Cortana of course got dumped first and foremost, lol. I deleted her ass. She'll likely be resurrected by some update, though, so I have to watch for that. Getting rid of her didn't break anything that I can find, even Edge and Search still function fine without Cortana. My wife seems to like the way I've set her computer up so far, but I'm still not wanting 10 just yet. Gonna give it several more months, see what comes out in the wash with development and with what others discover.

I think... We must have this precccciiooussssssss.

 

Maybe I'll just wait for some months, see how it develops.  Since I did upgrade my brand new computer first, I can now re-install 10 Pro for the life of my device. Right now I'm not liking it, and have went back to 8.1 Pro wmc, but I'll keep my eyes and ears open to W10 development and hope for some improvements. After all, 8 sucked until enough people caused MS to develop it into 8.1, which was a big improvement imo. I have the Win 10 .iso now, so I'll re-install in a few months and check the progress. I'm sure many of the bugs that are still in the os right now will be worked out, but I really hope MS will continue to tweak the ui and options. I don't have the patience to keep it installed as an Insider or whatever. I only have one computer, which I use a LOT.

...I do.

Just wanted to express my own angst about the "best Windows ever", figured the Other section would be appropriate....

So, a few weeks ago my Father-in-law sprung for new computers for he and I. Mine came with 8.1 installed, so I clean installed 8.1 Pro from my disk in anticipation of upgrading to 10 Pro yesterday. Didn't install any extra programs or patch anything because I wanted the upgrade to go nice & smooth. Which it did.

But, my gawd, what a disappointment! I waited for almost 3 weeks, only to be so disgusted that I almost puked when the upgrade finished.   I know, I know, whaa-whaa-whaaa, quitcherbitchin. But I just had to whine a little to y'all, sorry. So, now I just finished re-installing 8.1, my Work Nite Shift theme, extras, etc....and am a happy camper now.  

My wife seems to be OK with 10 on her laptop, at least somewhat. She experienced several bugs with getting free games from the Windows Store, has had a few learning-curve issues with the ghastly u.i., but hasn't told me yet to get her Windows 8.1 back.  

There are a LOT of things that I hate about 10, all the way from the Frankenstein-monster start menu, to the cartoon u.i., to limited customization choices, to windowed-apps, to bugs everywhere..... It just ISN'T an upgrade imho. I know I thought that same thing when 8x came out, and then later began to like 8.1 a lot, but I don't see me ever wanting to install 10 again. It's like MS took a poop on my windowsill with 8, cleaned it up with 8.1, then knocked me down and had diarrhea on my new shoes with 10.  

So what are your thoughts, my friends?

So we're in for some slow going with 10, as far as zammel goes, huh. Oh well, if I know this community, and I think I do, we'll make progress with editing at least some of the zammel in 10 in due time.
My only concern is that MS will keep doing major changes to ui and code, as time goes forward, and customized systems will be breaking more often than ever happened in previous versions of Windows.
Makes me not want to fool with doing too much to customize Windows now, which is a shame.

I haven't even attempted to fiddle with 10 yet. And even though I'm an Insider, I've not been running any of the betas since the 1st one upset me so. Just been waiting for the 29th to get the final version. I'm over my 'upset' now; 10 has turned out to look pretty darned cool! Looks like I have a bit of a learning-curve to tackle when I do start fooling with it in WSB. You guys have been doing a great job keeping up with the changes ,discovering new locations, and updating Maps (Grim, you rock!).

I did a clean install of 8.1 a few days ago in anticipation of the upgrade.... Nothing patched, no customizations, everything default. Didn't want to take any chances of something going screwy during upgrade. I'm pretty stoked about getting 10 now, can hardly wait.

Editing XAML actually looks kinda easy, am I wrong? I've been looking at of MS's Expression Blend stuff about XAML (zammel), trying to get a handle on it: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc294525.aspx
A lot of us have been editing code in .dlls and such for quite a while, especially Grim, Dave Sr., 3am, so XAML doesn't appear to be that big a challenge, but are Expression tools a must-have for us now, right along with image-editing software and tools like Restorator and Reshacker? They're not free....



Again, you guys have done a great job at staying on top of things.

 

[don't]

The best method is to change whatever items that you can (whichever ones that don't have an 'inherited from' property regarding said items, and the .msstyle will automatically change whatever is inherited from the items you can change. You can start from anywhere, as far as order goes. There is no correct 'start-point'. Some people start in Fonts, Colors, & System Metrics, some start with images in various locations, etc.

See, if you change any items that DON'T have an 'inherited from' notification in the properties sidebar (right side, WSB) or in the bottom status bar, it's likely that that same item is the 'Parent' to some other item, the root which some other item inherits from. Get it?

The "ground-zero center" is any item that ISN'T 'inherited from' somewhere else. I call it the root....or the 'Parent'. And there are many. The 'child(ren)' of any 'Parent' will change automatically through their inheritance. You CAN'T change the 'child(ren)' first and expect the 'Parent' to inherit from the 'child(ren)'.

Hope my explanation helps, JebDude.  

1920x1080

[and]

Use MrGrim's custom Classmap and shellstyle.dll from here: http://virtualcustoms.net/showthread.php/63105-Custom-Class-Maps-for-WSB-1-5-5-6

MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER! MAKE SURE YOU ADD THE NAVIGATION TEXT PROPERTY TO EXPLORER & SHELL > EXPLORER > PROPERTYTREE OR YOUR EXPLORER WINDOWS WILL BE BLANK AND UNRESPONSIVE!



Once you have added his custom Classmaps, added the Navigation Text property to Explorer & Shell > Explorer > ProperTree, you'll be good to go and can see/modify the custom properties he added to the Classmaps without errors....

...Because if I replace the shellstyle that comes with the modified theme, the windows do not respond

In order for a theme that was made by someone who didn't use MrGrim's custom Classmap and shellstyle to work without errors, you MUST add that Navigation Text property to Explorer & Shell > Explorer > ProperTree in that theme's .msstyle! You must add that property to ANY theme's .msstyle that doesn't already have it. If you don't, and just add the shellstyle.dll, your explorer windows will be blanked-out and unresponsive.

...Ohhhhh 

Where exactly is this button in Windows u.i.?     Can't tell from just a lone button image with no surroundings.

Good basic concept...but that would be one loooong-running wizard! Even if you had all of your images laid out and ready.

Thanks.

But there are plenty of people that know more about this stuff than I do.

I just like trying to help answer questions.

Ahh, don't be too modest. If it seemed like I poured it on a bit thick, that's just a matter of perception; take the compliment and consider it earned.

Yeah I didn't notice that white bit with a light theme.

I can't seem to get rid of it whatever I do. Sorry.

Oh well, someone will run across the fix somewhere down the line, I'm sure. Not to be repetitive, but thanks again man. You really are deserving of that Dedicated Helper title you have, and I for one always appreciate your help. You continue to be the #1 Teacher here at VSB, a very valuable one at that. There'd probably be a lot of frustration in the theming community if you weren't around. Have a great day 3am!

See, I already have an image there:   <--- all 4 states



....if I color one of the images ('normal' in this example) red, this is what I get:



You are using a light theme, so maybe the white outline isn't as obvious.

Same thing in MrGrim's 'Blade for 8.1' theme:



...so I guess it's normal/unchange-able in 8.1? Or perhaps editing some code in shellstyle fixes it? Oh well, it's not a big deal and I don't want to fiddle with the shellstyle tonight. 

Thanks again for your help, my friend. 

Rename border is Buttons, Boxes, & Controls > Boxes > Edit > Aero > Textcolor
Shortcut border is Buttons, Boxes, & Controls > Boxes > ComboBox > Border

Thanks 3am. The Buttons, Boxes, & Controls > Boxes > Edit > Aero > Textcolor address did the trick for editing the 'rename border'....
...but I have images at the other address (Buttons, Boxes, & Controls > Boxes > ComboBox > Border), and nothing else I do there seems to alter that 'shortcut border':

Hey my friends---

I need help finding the white border that surrounds the rename input-field:



Also have it here:



Thanks in advance for the help! 

I would say thats because of the background image, the lines in the background line up with the bevel and it makes it brighter, to avoid this you could make the bevel opaque.

I realized it, after I posted this. (Something soooo obvious that any novice would immediately realize it, Graphics-101) DUH! I feel like a real banana-duck now.  

[exactly the same]

Guys I'm just wondering if there's a way (besides using a solid color) to get the bottom highlight, or bevel, @  Buttons, Boxes & Controls > Progress Bars > Normal > TransparentBar > <2> to display exactly the same for my hard drives as for the remove-able storage.
If you'll look closely at my screenshot, you can see that the bevel for the bg in the hard drives isn't as bright as the one for the remove-able drives.



I know that all are using the same image, namely the one @ Buttons, Boxes & Controls > Progress Bars > Normal > TransparentBar > <2>, because I've colored that bevel green to test....



....but why is it that a semi-transparent bevel (like in the 1st screenshot) renders less bright for main disks? I've noticed this in a lot of themes, not only MrGrim's HUD series. I'd like the bevel to look exactly the same in both instances, meaning I want the remove-able drive bg images to be less pronounced, as in the HDD images. I've played around with sizing margins, content margins, tried editing all of the other progress bars, nothing seems to help solve this little mystery. It's not a 'big deal', but is driving me a bit bananas nonetheless!   There HAS to be some little trick to this, besides having to go with a solid color.

Thanks for whatever help anyone can offer!  

[flash]

Guys, where is the bluish glow that's behind taskitem buttons when you hover over them located? Even though the actual taskitem images in this theme have colors for the glows and flashes, this blue glow (and flash) happens when something is opened or hovered. The same glow follows your cursor when you hover over any area of the taskitem:



Should the buttons be opaque to fix this? But, if they're made opaque, how then to see progress animations???

Nevermind, I simply had to re-load the theme....The last theme I had loaded was Aero, so it must have kept that color until reloading the custom theme.

Are the shadows visible on any other themes?

Yea, other themes look normal on her computer. But we haven't tried any other high-tech ones, like the other HUD themes. Only regular deviantART-type stuff like Placebo, etc. And the HUD Machine Pink looks normal on MY computer....but not on her laptop for some reason.

Well if it works fine on your computer but not hers then make sure everything in that "Performance Options" window is exactly the same on both computers.

Otherwise I have no idea

Yea, they're exactly set the same. It's her laptop. It just can't deal with all the shiny, rich colors and sharp graphics of the theme I guess.

Seeing I don't have the msstyles or your wife's laptop to check:

1) Are the left and right frame images correct?

2) Could it be a shell32 problem? Latest Windows Updates for 7 replaced the shell32 with default

3) Or another system file problem? I know HUD comes with a bunch of extras

Just some thoughts off the top of my head

Everything is as it should be except those borders/shadows. And I've un-installed/re-installed it 3 times. Works perfectly on my desktop. It's Grim's installer, an inno executable, un-modified.
I also re-did the customizations on both computers after Patch-Tuesday's updates. Her problem began a while ago, though, before these new updates.
I just think her computer has 'had it'. Like I said, it has always flickered and stuttered, even shortly after we got it. Should have returned it way back then.

[too graphics-intensive]

Well I spoke too soon. The fix you suggested IS the one which SHOULD HAVE done the trick, but it's still not doing it for her laptop. Show shadows under windows is checked. I've un-checked it, re-checked it, restarted the computer, troubleshot aero, etc., for almost an hour. The basic HUD Machine Pink theme doesn't cut off the borders (shadows), but the aero version does. And again, the default aero theme (Windows default) does just fine.

FOR SOME REASON HER COMPUTER ISN'T RENDERING THE HUD MACHINE PINK IN AERO.

I suspect her graphics card is shot. Before I installed the theme on her computer, I was afraid of something like this happening. Because her screen often flashes (black and light) when booting up; it has done that for a long time. It's a cheap-o HP Pavilion lappy, a few years old. Piece of crap. Had bad reviews from a lot of people, I found out after we got it. Even simple games cause her screen to flicker and stutter when full-screen. It's not a virus, we have Kaspersky 2015, and I'm pretty savvy about system-protection. It's just a p.o.s. 'puter. Guess it's just time to junk it and buy another.

Like I said, you DID give me the correct fix, I know you did. I tested unchecking and checking 'Show shadows under windows' on my own computer, and it gave me those expected results. So I thank you.....Just made no difference on her laptop.
BTW: when I ran the Troubleshooting tool to detect and fix problems with aero, it switched her theme to the default Windows Aero theme, and, in the 'details' area said that the previous theme doesn't support aero.....Which is poppycock. It works awesomely on my desktop, full aero-enabled, in all its glory, no disabled borders/shadows.

Her computer is apparently about to bite the dust. The HUD Machine Pink theme is just too graphics-intensive for it. Oh well, she's not bent out of shape about it; she'll play on it until it dies. She's not a computer-freak like me. I FREAK OUT when some tiny little quirk happens on my desktop! As long as she can play her online bubble-shooter type games, she's happy as a clam. Plus she doesn't keep anything on it, just a few pics. My computer is chock-full of documents, pics, graphics, music, movies, etc. It's an entertainment center! I am a nazi about backing-up with Acronis and keeping it in peak condition.

We'll just stash away a little new-computer money for her XMas I guess. Thanks again for your help friend.

Make sure that the option "Show shadows under windows" is checked

You're awesome! Something soooo simple, and I missed it! DERP. Thanks a million man. I was almost ready to go through a freaking repair install on her 'puter!  Whew!

Guys, I don't have a way to get to my wife's laptop right now, so the screenshot below is of my own desktop.....I edited the pic to show the issue she's having on her lappy that I'm wondering how to fix.



My wife's laptop has a resolution of 1600x900 (Windows 7 Ultimate x64), she is using Mr.Grim's HUD Machine Pink theme, and her left & right borders are chopped off like in the screenshot. The little lights in the theme that are on the borders, the ones which show whether-or-not the window is active are just cut completely off, like in this screenshot.  

I've tried adjusting her resolution, etc., which does nothing useful. Of course.

I'm wondering if it's the theme, that it doesn't have the stream calculations or something for her resolution? It's like the theme thinks it's in full-screen mode (no left/right borders) when it's not. This doesn't happen with default themes or any other theme.  Any help would be appreciated.  

1.) No start orbs?
2.) No start menu for StartIsBack or others?

1) Nope.
2) Nope.

Thank you, JoCe-from-France! Glad you like the Path mod.  

I'm glad you have the Itype.exe figured out. It would be cool if you are able to customize the volume display. I suggest using Resource Hacker. I'm pretty sure that you can customize those images and change some of the color-related coding. Just dig around in there, see what's what.

Have a great 2015 yourself, my friend.    

[imgur]

Hi, happy new year to all, 3am, PandaX, Andreas & all the windows modders!!

I have a small problem I dont find any answer anywhere. I've just had a new keyboard.
My old keyboard was a logitec using SetPoint.exe, which showed a volume, caps lock & vernum indicators.
Now back to raw windows, even deactivating motherboard stuff (msi, realtek) in system tray, I still have what's shown in attached image below when I change volume, which I think is sndvol.exe related, but dont find how to deactivate or to modify resource images.

Any idea ?

thx in advance!!
Joce

For what it's worth that icon is in SndVolSSO.dll not sndvol.exe.

No idea why you have a progress bar there

That indicator is from Microsoft Intellitype. (keyboard software/driver) It's very fugly, for sure.  

Uninstall it. Or go into the settings and disable the volume on-screen-display maybe. I have a Comfort Curve, but I never let Windows Update give me Microsoft's Mouse and Keyboard Center.
I'm guessing you most likely got it through Windows Update due to your new keyboard.

By the way, you should use an image host to post images in the future, OK?    It's much easier than having people download a .zip containing an image.  
Here are two good ones:

imgur http://imgur.com/

postimage http://postimage.org/





"In the soup
ginger crouton
cover him in grease(!)
rawww limby sausaaage.

bobbing poulet
salted joints
tuna in brine
deep dark slaww anoints

undertow the broken ford
back to garage help him, LORD!..."