Jump to content

NoelC

Member
  • Posts

    5,142
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    9
  • Donations

    0.00 USD 
  • Country

    United States

Everything posted by NoelC

  1. Someone implied earlier that a custom theme is required, but that's not completely true. Aero Glass for Win 8 has the ability to load just a replacement set of graphic theme resources, WITHOUT loading an entirely separate theme. What you have to do is this: 1. Download or create a replacement theme resources PNG file and save it to a path on your disk without any spaces in it (e.g., C:\DWM\AGW8ThemeResources.png). 2. Add the following REG_SZ string registry value to this key. Note that you have to escape the backslashes with additional backslashes. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM] "CustomThemeResource"="C:\\DWM\\AGW8ThemeResources.png" Here's a sample theme resource file I've crafted, which works with the standard Windows 8 desktop theme: http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/temp/AGW8ThemeResources.png With the above resources, loaded into the system by BigMuscle's software via the CustomThemeResource registry value, the desktop looks like this: -Noel
  2. The Aero Glass for Windows 8 software is supposed to self-load the symbols it needs. I don't recall whether that works for Windows Server 2012 though; it was designed for Windows 8. -Noel
  3. For those who may be running Windows 8.1 in a VM for development and testing: When I installed the Windows 8.1 Previews, both Pro and Enterprise, in VMware Workstation 9 virtual machines, I found that the Windows Networking (e.g., copying files and folders from other Windows systems, such as the host) just didn't work right. It would try to work, but would then stall. Invoking other network activity - even something like a web speed test - would magically wake it up. With the help of the VMware people today, we isolated the problem to be in the emulated Intel e1000e network interface. The fix is trivally simple: With the guest OS shut down, edit the .vmx file that describes the virtual machine, and change the virtual NIC from "e1000e" to "e1000". You'll end up with something like this in the .vmx file: ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000" -Noel
  4. FYI, the Windows 8.1 release date has been announced. 12:00am on October 18th in New Zealand (that’s 4:00am October 17th in Redmond, Washington). http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/08/14/mark-your-calendars-for-windows-8-1.aspx That's the day Microsoft puts another nail in its own coffin, despite the best efforts of BigMuscle and other 3rd party software wizards to restore essential functionality. -Noel
  5. Yep, all working great here. BigMuscle does quality work! -Noel
  6. Used Windows 8 with Aero Glass for Win8 on the job all day today doing heavy software evaluation and testing. What an absolute pleasure to use with this fine tool installed by comparison to a stock system. -Noel
  7. NoelC

    Hate Windows 8

    Once BigMuscle releases Aero Glass for Win8, you'll be able to make Windows 8 about 99% as functional as the best configured Windows 7 system. I've done it. This guide tells you how to turn a Windows 8 system essentially back into a Windows 7 system. http://www.prodigitalsoftware.com/W8ToWork.html I can't really see any way that it's better than Windows 7, though. And there are a couple of things they just deleted - e.g., Previous Versions integration with Windows Backup. -Noel
  8. Apparently BigMuscle has removed even the .reg file that helps automate installation, so you have to be an uber-geek to get it working. I can't say I blame him for being gunshy about causing people's systems to stop working, but this software actually seems to have failsafe logic beyond what most has. I'm happy to say that the released version works *perfectly*, using the same technique to load it as before (the AppInit_DLLs value in the registry). Really great job, BigMuscle! -Noel
  9. Pardon me for being blunt, but that's ridiculous. If you don't do it, then basically you'll just have one of the several guys doing one already just pushing theirs. It seems to me half the problems people have had in this thread have been because you didn't provide an integrated, direct installer, and they've been desperately trying to use one of the other installers. The versions are getting crossed up, or they're tweaking wrong registry entries, or... The job's not finished without even the simplest of installers, even if all it does besides deposit files is to set and clear one registry entry. It wouldn't be the first installer that required logging off and on again or even a reboot for the installed software to function. And "dangerous"? How? What's worrying you? Are you making a fundamental differentiation between a user setting a registry value then getting a black screen vs. a user running an installer and getting a black screen? I'm not seeing it. -Noel
  10. Like fine wine, good software takes time. A good installer even more so. -Noel
  11. That's good news. Glad you have things working now. Out of curiosity, do the 3rd party themes affect the scroll bar thumbs in IE10? In other words to they make them anything but flat, light gray rectangles? -Noel
  12. Just looked over the Berlios landing page for the product: http://glass8.berlios.de/ I must say, it's looking nice! -Noel
  13. I have never had a custom patched theme. Just the standard Windows Aero theme plus the glass effect and the replacement of the compositing resources via BigMuscle's registry entry. -Noel
  14. Nope. I've had Aero Glass for Windows 8 installed, running, and up to date ever since somewhere well back in the alpha releases. Windows Updates have just worked. I can't recall having a time when I've had it off. -Noel
  15. I've already sent him money. Why wait for release? I wouldn't blame him if he changes his tune and decides to charge for this software. It could well be the single biggest improvement to desktop usability that anyone's accomplished with Windows 8. -Noel
  16. I have KB2846071 installed and Aero Glass for Win8 is working fine here. I suggest getting the rest of the updates in. I'm fully up to date and everything works okay. -Noel
  17. Interesting. I keep up with Windows Updates and haven't once had the Aero Glass for Win8 feature go awry. -Noel
  18. Sitting here reading the last few entries in this thread on a Windows 8.1 VM... Wow, the bog standard Windows 8 desktop rendition stinks! Aero Glass for Win8 sure gets under your skin quickly. It's difficult not to seriously crave it when on a system that doesn't have it. -Noel
  19. Out of curiosity, what do you and the others hope to gain by providing your installers? Are you trying to be a hero with non-technical users or something? Why not just let BigMuscle finish his installer instead of distracting him with yours? Did it ever occur to you that people who don't know how to edit their registries directly or add values from the .reg files BigMuscle provides - who may not understand the risks of running this kind of beta software - really have no business running Aero Glass for Win8? -Noel
  20. Yes. http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/ForumPosts/AlternateTheme.png -Noel
  21. No additional theme work beyond just resource replacement via BigMuscle's registry entry. -Noel
  22. Sigh. Posts appear to have been lost from this thread again. Bigmuscle, have you considered moving this discussion to a more reliable forum site? -Noel
  23. Sorry, no theory here; I'm all about practicality. Check out my books some time. But I won't litter up BigMuscle's thread with more discussion this subject here. You're entitled to feel however you feel. I just want to say "THANKS" one more time to BigMuscle for his developments here. I just had to test some software installer work on Windows 8, and I actually found it a real pleasure to use once the desktop windows are actually nicely adorned with Aero Glass and drop shadows via theme resource replacement. Of course, that doesn't fix several of the major things Microsoft just deleted, but at least it doesn't poke you in the eye with a sharp stick every time you use it. BRAVO, BigMuscle! -Noel
  24. Clearly Microsoft doesn't want this to work. In their twisted minds, they want to close off everything, so that you get what they give and nothing more. So what? They're all idiots up in Redmond now anyway. They should be happy people are trying to turn their dog crap of a system into something worth using. They clearly can no longer accomplish that themselves. By the way, BigMuscle, your July 4 version, 0.95, works perfectly here on Windows 8.0. I've kind of lost track... Were you thinking of trying to solve the "no highlight behind the title text in ribbon-type windows with Win 8 Aero" problem in your product out of the box, or were you thinking that opening up the ability to use alternate themes covers that well enough? -Noel
×
×
  • Create New...