WindowBlinds
From WinCustomize Wiki
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WindowBlinds is a computer program that allows users to modify, or "skin" the Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) using skins, or visual styles, created by other artists and users. Developed by Stardock since 1999, it is one of the most popular skinning applications out there, with millions of users world-wide. It is the flagship product of the Object Desktop suite of customization software. WindowBlinds is available either as part of ObjectDesktop, as a stand-alone product, or as an ActiveX/COM component called DirectSkin, which allows developers to build UI skinning directly into their application.
WindowBlinds currently has more than 4,100 skins available for users to download on WinCustomize.com
Contents |
[edit] User Experience
[edit] What WindowBlinds Does
WindowBlinds allows users to load "skins" created by other artists that change the appearance of all major components of the Microsoft Windows user interface.
[edit] How to Use WindowBlinds
[edit] The Basics
WindowBlinds skins have the file extension .wba, and if WindowBlinds is already installed on your system, the file will be automatically associated with the program. To run the skin, first double-click the skin file to install it, then load WindowBlinds either via your Start Menu shortcut or from the icon in your system tray (near the clock, it looks like a painters pallet). When you open WindowBlinds, you'll see a scrolling list of all skins you have available on your system, and a preview of what a selected skin will look like.
Select the skin you want from the list, and then click on the "Apply" link in the preview portion of the application window. It will take several seconds as WindowBlinds applies the skin to your system.
Viola! You have successfully installed WindowBlinds and loaded your first skin.
[edit] Advanced Features & Settings
- Transparency & Blur for XP
- Animated Start Menu & Title bars
- Application Exemption List
- Mixing & matching elements from multiple skins
- Color Override
- Wallpaper Changer
- Override Settings
[edit] Skinning
[edit] How to Create a WindowBlinds Skin
There are two methods to make a skin for WindowBlinds:
- SkinStudio - An application designed to visually step artists through the process of creating a skin.
- Manual Scripting using UIS1 or UIS2 - You can manually assemble a WindowBlinds skin entirely in a text editor if you want. Even if you're not that hardcore in your skin building, knowing the two can be very helpful in building a skin.
No matter what route you choose, you will also need a suite of graphics applications you are both familiar and comfortable with to draw all the individual elements that you will include in your skin.
For a more comprehensive discussion on creating skins for WindowBlinds, please see the Skinning for WindowBlinds article. It will discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of the tools and languages available.
[edit] History
[edit] Current Version
6.2, 6/23/08
[edit] Version History
- v1.0 - September, 1999
- v2.0 - October, 2000
- v3.0 - November, 2001
- v4.0 - April, 2003
- v4.5 - January 2005
- v5.0 - November, 2005
- v5.5 - March, 2007
- First Vista-ready version. Skins created for Windows XP can be applied to Windows Vista.
- v6.0 - October 2007
- Intoduces Start Menu & Title bar animations.
- Adds Blur & Transparency to Windows XP
- v6.1 - May 2008
- Adds Explorer Background feature.
- v6.2 - July 2008
- Improved compression on start menu animations.
- Animated wait screens during Apply.
- Enhanced layer support (accompanied by skin author support in SkinStudio 6.2).
- Bug Fixes.
[edit] Links
[edit] Product Information
[edit] Downloads
[edit] Documentation & Help
[edit] Tutorials
- Windowblinds: Basics
- Windowblinds: Reverting to XP
- Windowblinds: Advanced Per App Skinning
- WindowBlinds 6: User Interface Walkthrough
- WindowBlinds 6: Changing Skin Fonts
- WindowBlinds 6: Override Default Settings
- Changing Colors in WB6
- WindowBlinds 6: Changing Explorer Backgrounds
- Windowblinds 6: Changing and Managing Wallpapers
