The Basic Settings section of the WindowBlinds Advanced Configuration window can be used to selectively enable/disable features. These changes take effect immediately upon pressing the Apply Changes button with the currently selected skin.

Skin Standard Parts

Standard window buttons (Ok, Cancel, etc.)

Change the look of standard windows buttons (like the OK/Cancel buttons). 

Tip: Sometimes buttons are drawn on windows by using other than the standard system buttons. If an application uses a proprietary button control, WindowBlinds may not be able to skin it. 

Taskbar buttons

Change the buttons in the taskbar. 

Toolbar buttons

Use the graphics included with the skin to change the look of toolbar buttons (the little icons for things like Copy/Paste/Print in many apps). 

Tip: Enable this option to skin the QuickLaunch toolbar (included with the Desktop Update feature of Internet Explorer 4.0 and later). Note that WindowBlinds only skins the first QuickLaunch toolbar defined on the system. 

Skin Advanced Controls

Menu borders

Enable this option to allow WindowBlinds to skin the edges of menus. 

Progress bar controls *

Use WindowBlinds skins for regular system progress bars. Note that some applications create their own progress bars and will not be skinned by WindowBlinds. 

Tab controls *

Skin notebook-like tab controls. 

Scrollbars *

Enable scrollbar skinning for apps which use standard scrollbars.

Tip: Some applications (notably Microsoft's Internet Explorer) have implemented proprietary controls that look and function like scrollbars, but are not true Windows scrollbars. At this time, WindowBlinds cannot skin these proprietary controls. 

Statusbar

Skin the statusbar on the bottom of windows.

Menu backgrounds *

Skin the background of menus.

* These options are disabled in the public shareware version. Ordering WindowBlinds or a subscription to ObjectDesktop.net will provide access to an enhanced version of WindowBlinds for registered users with these features enabled. 

Skin window backgrounds

Dialog backgrounds (see Backgrounds to override)

WindowBlinds will apply the skin defined bitmap to controls using the dialog window class and the backgrounds of MDI (Multiple Document Interface) applications (apps which allow you to have multiple open windows inside one larger window which "contains" the little ones). 

If you find the text in dialogs is corrupted, see the Video section of the Support portion of this help file for more information. 

Enhance Desktop Elements

Make 3D toolbars flat style (if not skinned)

Change application toolbars to the "flat" look popularized by Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office 97. 

Make desktop icon text backgrounds transparent

The area behind an icon's text on the desktop is normally set to the same color as the Desktop background color definition in the current Windows scheme settings. This option removes the color from behind the text and makes the background transparent so the desktop is not obscured. 

This option does not function correctly when Web View (Active Desktop) is enabled for the desktop. 

Apply the skins colour scheme (recommended)

Change the Windows colours to match those in the skin definition. 

Apply any wallpaper supplied

If the skin author has included a bitmap for use as desktop wallpaper, select this option to allow it to be applied.

Apply any icon packages supplied (IP required)

Skin authors sometimes include IconPackager icon packages to customize over 50 icons on the desktop for a more complete visual change. You must have IconPackager (available either standalone or for ObjectDesktop.net subscribers) installed for this feature to work.  

Use skin sounds (if any)

If a skin includes .WAV files for its titlebar button actions, use these rather than what your current Windows sound scheme has configured. 

Skin the quicklaunch taskbar buttons

If you have enabled the QuickLaunch toolbar on your taskbar, skin the items on it.

Skin the Display Properties window

Disable this option to leave the Display Properties window unskinned.

Performance

Enable Hyperpaint

WindowBlinds includes features to speed the repainting and movements of windows when you drag them around the screen. In general, unless your video hardware lacks support for this feature, there is no reason to disable it. If you run at very high resolutions frequently and find windows lag when you start to drag them, use the slider to scale back the size of the windows Hyperpaint impacts.

Disable standard windows animation effects

Disable the little animated "stutter" when you maximize or restore a window.

Optimize resizing performance with ClearType

If you are using ClearType fonts (generally on a notebook or laptop), optimize the WindowBlinds painting routines to improve the speed at which windows resize.

Backgrounds

This dialog can be used to override the bitmaps defined in a skin for dialog backgrounds or MDI window backgrounds. Double-click on the image you want to change and select a new .BMP file to be used in its place.