DOCS BEING UPDATED FOR UPLOAD HERE AFTER THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS

WindowBlinds 2.2 help file - almost all of this is still valid and the same [download]

Online documentation

Full documentation can be found online for WindowBlinds at http://www.windowblinds.net/docs/.

Changing skins with WindowBlinds

Windows 98/ME/2000: A Skins tab has been added to Display Properties. Use the Windows and buttons dropdown to select a skin to apply. The WindowBlinds button will take you to the Advanced Configuration window and allow you to adjust additional settings (like which controls are skinned, performance optimizations, and excluded applications). The Advanced button lets you configure font and color settings for the current skin.

Windows XP: The Appearance tab in Display Properties has been enhanced to allow you to select and apply WindowBlinds skins.

Use Display Properties (Skins tab or Appearance on XP) to change skins.

Loading on startup

By default, WindowBlinds will set itself to load on startup when a WindowBlinds skin is selected. Select the Windows Classic skin (at the top of the list) or check the checkbox on the Skins tab to not load on startup. Note: this checkbox is not present on Windows XP. Select Windows Classic or the included Windows XP Style to prevent WindowBlinds from loading.

If you are running Windows XP and find that the skins you set are not loading on startup, please come to the Downloads page at http://www.windowblinds.net and look for a tweaked update file to resolve that.

Downloading and installing new skins

When connected to the Internet, click in the preview window to be taken to WindowBlinds.net. There you'll find links to the WinCustomize.com libraries which currently contain over 1400 different skins which are freely available for your use!

Installing under other users

WindowBlinds does not attempt to install itself under all users on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP system. Please see the documentation on the website for how to add support for WindowBlinds to other user logons on your system.

Creating your own skins 

Documentation is available from http://www.windowblinds.net on the UIS Language used to create skins. Be sure to checkout SkinStudio (http://www.skinstudio.net) for a powerful and easy to use graphical skin builder.

Conflicting applications and non-responsive min/max/close buttons

Some applications do not always play well with others. You may wish to add these to the exclusion list in WindowBlinds or assign them a UIS1+ skin like Watercolor as a Per Application skin. Some applications, like Logitech Mouseware and Commonnames also do not pass messages correctly to WindowBlinds, so you might see your min/max/close buttons fail to respond. Contact the vendor for a fixed version of the application, but you can also try making sure Mouseware (for instance) loads after WindowBlinds so that the message chain is properly followed. 

Additional Links

WindowBlinds Home Page: http://www.windowblinds.net (includes links to the latest enhanced version for registered users)

WindowBlinds Newsgroup: news://news.stardock.com/stardock.windowblinds

WindowBlinds 3 Product Guide: http://www.windowblinds.net/wb3/wb3_guide_final.htm

WinCustomize.com (free skins!): http://www.wincustomize.com

Stardock: http://www.stardock.com

Support: support@stardock.com

IRC: #stardock on IRC.STARDOCK.COM (Web-based IRC chat client)