I can't help you with the SkinStudio problems but I've had the occasional Wincustomize issue. What I did was to uninstall/reinstall choosing the option to all files. Everything restarted pretty quickly after that.

Koasati, thanks for ur input but, there IS a problem with Window Blinds latest release. System halts after bootskin runs. Second restart and all's well! I didn't have this problem with the WB iteration prior to this latest release, so.......I figure if I'm paying for software, then it better work properly, EVERY TIME. Seems like with the last updates of Object Desktop programs, there have been more problems than additional capabilities. This is fine with freeware but, I think it's pretty sloppy for payware!! A little bit more attention to detail on the programming side of the show would benefit us paying customers!!!

Listen to Sput..... you install betas at your own risk. If you insist that payware be flawless, then turn off "Show pre-release (alpha/beta) versions in SDC settings.

The latest Bootskin is the cause of the system halt. A few people have reported it and I think it's being looked into. QUick fix for now is to stop using it.

As for the WB skin not applying, Skinstudio just sends the message to WB to tell it to apply the skin, it has no effect or control over the displaying of the gfx, so it's not repsonsible for that problem I would say.
And Sks doesn't load anything at startup so it can't be the cause of any system lock ups upon boting either.

 

And as for "I figure if I'm paying for software, then it better work properly, EVERY TIME"
No software is without problems. PC hardware changes so much these days that progs need to keep up with it. WB in particular, as and example, is constantly being recoded to work on newer gfx cards with better features, etc.

Hippy and Sput, thanks again for the input. Hippy, I didn't know about the bootskin problem (I have version 1.03 I think, anyway, latest iteration of it). Will revert to the default WinXP boot and see what happens. Additionally, I emailed Stardock and got a response from JAKE and sent a follow-up to him with my system specifics. Waitin on an answer. I can understand the bootskin thingie but, it doesn't explain why WB is not repainting changed skins, either seperately or during use with Skin Studio. That is the primary problem I'm having. Secondly, if Bootskin is buggy, why is my system starting normally on the second reboot/restart attempt? Is that a software glitch/bug too? And lastly, guys, I DON'T expect software to be perfect but, I DO expect program changes to be a little more qc'd BEFORE releasing and it just SEEMS like in the past month, lots of quick changes have been made by Stardock to WB, DX, SkinStudio, SDC controller, etc and for the most part, have worked. If this iteration is a "release candidate" and they need input, that is basically what I'm trying to provide. It doesn't work and specifics have been provided and hopefully they'll fix it as quickly as they did the 4.29b version. Again, thanks very much for your input and especially for the news on the BOOTSKIN problem Hippy! Really appreciate it and just trying to get a problem solved for the betterment of the great programs Stardock produces. IMHO, they're working terrifically hard on stuff and I am just trying to give them some feedback on a problem.....Standing by to standby.

Maggot - well done at sticking at it. Hope you don't think we were getting at you as it was only the point about "paying for things and expect them to work 100% of the time" which I thought needed clarification....other than that, it's excellent that you've helped them improve their products through the beta process for the good of everyone

Hopefully you can feed back results of the experiments you've made to them too...it's a pity bootskin is having such problems as it got off to such a good start, but hopefully 1.04 will get back on track. And the skin changing issues - I've yet to see this fancy morphing on skin change, but I suspect that the code for that (which was only introduced a couple of revisions back) is the cause of a lot of the glitches like this that people are reporting. Whenever a new feature is introduced, then there's likely to be a period of glitches till all the different configs come to light. I had my own problems with the revision before the current one and had to roll back a version so I appreciate how difficult it can be

Maggot - apparently (and I have to rely on other people for this), Stardock have introduced a "cool morphing effect" from one skin to the next so that it sort of fades smoothly from one skin to the next. I@ve not seem it as there is apparently an issue with dual monitor set ups, and also with old video cards (which I have both), so like you, all I see is a (long) pause and then a quick flicker and it's all changed.

Opinions vary on if the morph effect is great or anoying, but the vast majority seem to like it....seems that me and thee are missing out on something, but never mind. If I hadn't heard about it here, I wouldn't be missing it

#11  by  Neil Banfield - 3/30/2004 3:16:24 PM  It will only 'morph' if you change skins from wbconfig and if you are not using a multiple monitor system (works on some, not others).  You also require a high end graphics card (ATI, Nvidia, Matrox)