Install skins not working

Published on November 10, 2005 By Autumnmist In WindowBlinds

Double-clicking on a .wba file no longer works to install the skin. Windowblinds popups the systray message saying the skin is installed and if I look in the Windowblinds folder, the skin has a folder properly created there.... but the folder itself is EMPTY! None of the actual skin files/images get copied over.

Comments (Page 1)

milksama

on Nov 11, 2005

For the time being, you could try copying the .wba file into "C:\Program Files\Stardock\SDCentral\Download" and extracting the file using Stardock Central. You may also use the skin browser here to download skins if you prefer.

The .wba files are actually just renamed .zip files. They have been renamed to give them a unique identity. If you feel comfortable, you may extract the contents to your WindowBlinds directory "C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\Windowblinds" using your favorite zip program (WinRAR is my program of choice: www.rarlabs.com).

Had installing skins worked previously for you? If so, did you possibly make any changes between now and when they worked?

Which version of WindowBlinds are you running and which version of Windows (including service packs)?

-Mike
[Stardock Support]

Autumnmist

on Nov 11, 2005

I know how to install skins by hand, but it's really pretty annoying to have to manually extract WBA's to the WB folder.

Installing skins did work at one point, but not any longer and I really haven't been able to figure out what (if any) changes I may have made. I am running XP SP2 and WB 4.6 (most recent update before the 5.0 betas).

By the way, uninstalling WB and reinstalling does not fix this problem.

aufisch

on Nov 11, 2005

Maybe you will have to reassociate your *.wba files with WindowBlinds? Right-click on a *.wba file > "open with..." > choose or browse for wbload.exe and make sure that "always choose this program to open this kind of file" is ticked.

Just a blind guess, but maybe it helps.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central

Autumnmist

on Nov 12, 2005

@aufisch, already tried that, no good. Like I said, WB *does* recognize that it should open .wba files. It creates the skin folder, but it doesn't seem to manage to extract the actual skin files to install.

scorpio-logic

on Nov 12, 2005

Have you tried refreshing the skins list? Does this happen with every .wba skin, or just a select few?

Autumnmist

on Nov 12, 2005

Happens with every single .wba I've downloaded over the past... 7 months maybe? Doesn't go away no matter what. Refreshing the skins list?

Cavan1

on Nov 12, 2005

How did you uninstall WB?
Move WB skins to another folder, unistall using odnt Zapper https://www.stardock.com/files/odnt_zapper.exe
Reboot, delete anything WB in Object Desktop folder.
Run a regisitry cleaner, CCleaner is a good free one http://www.ccleaner.com/
Reboot, reinstall WB using Stardock Central.
I had same problem with WB 4.6, the above fixed it for me.

Lantec

on Nov 12, 2005

Happens with every single .wba I've downloaded over the past... 7 months maybe?

Sounds like a problem with a SP2 or another security program like Norton or AVP etc. You might want to try disabling the Firewall/Virus Protection while you test it out and download a blind. If it turns out to be the problem you going to have to go through the options to find out whats blocking the zip file content. (.wba is just a zip file with a different extension)

If your using IE you might want to try Opera or Firefox. They seem to avoid the problems created by SP2 when it comes to downloading content.

Autumnmist

on Nov 20, 2005

Not a problem with any security programs. I'm pretty tech savvy (I do tech support at my college) and I don't have any spyware. Only running Symantec AV Corporate Edition. I use Firefox. It's not a problem with downloading content because I am installing the skins from the desktop.

I may try the ODNT Zapper.

Lantec

on Nov 20, 2005

What's your default zip file program? Is it the built in XP version or some other third party software. Sounds to me like the error occurs in the extracting files process. I would have thought maybe a script blocker like Norton would be the most likely cause but if your using a third party program as your default then something may be lost in the "fight" over the action.

Autumnmist

on Nov 21, 2005

Default is winRar, same as it is on my laptop where I am also running WB (but installing skins works fine on the laptop)

Lantec

on Nov 21, 2005

Both have the same version?
I use WinRAR also although mines an older version 3.42 I don't have it set to be the default zip compression software however. I use it for rar, ace, uue, 7-zip & tar. I let windows handle the zip compression since it's already loaded into the system.

The other item I would consider is disabling the Symantec AV and see what happens. Frankly, I used to be a major fan of Norton. I beta tested Speed Disk for Peter Norton via Compuserve Forums back in the late 80's. What Symantec puts out today I won't have on my computer.

scorpio-logic

on Nov 21, 2005

BOOOOOOOO!!! Bad Norton!

Autumnmist

on Nov 21, 2005

Symantec *Corporate* is very nice; doesn't mess with anything else on the system and it only scans. No excess pretty graphical "the word 'virus' scares me" sort of junk. Corporate is no-nonsense and simple and fast. Symantec regular/home version, though, I wouldn't speak for.

Plus, it cannot be Symantec or Winrar that is the problem because I have the same exact versions installed on both computers!

I am very certain that this is a problem with WB missing some registry or dll hook with Windows so that extraction of files doesn't work properly. It'd be helpful if I knew what WB does to tell Windows how to handle .wba files (e.g. extract to folder in WB installation folder)

Bichur

on Nov 21, 2005

Did you install anything requiring WinFX Beta?

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!