VistaStyleBuilder

Hello,

recently my WSB doesn't work.

Alsways if i try to save ore test my style it appears an error like this:

Error Testing MsStyles Files
or
Compiling the MsStyles file

I tried some of other styles and older styles which are all OK.
May that be due to the last Windows updates?
Do you know something about it?

(Win7 Style Builder 1.5.0.0 newest version, I think)

That means your msstyles either has an error or you've reached some limitation of UxTheme.

If it's happening when you first test/save then try again. For some reason WSB tends to fail on first try.

When I'm experiencing it, I simply stop explorer.exe, save it, then launch back explorer. It has always worked.

You don't need to do that, just try again and it'll work, unless something really is wrong.

See here: http://screencast.com/t/BM3CUkAA3zH0

I've just had it, but actually this is not the same thing/message :

Compiling the MsStyle file
the target file is in use

Sorry ! :-[

some details:
It does it while I've already said "yes" to switch to aero, and apparently switched. It doesn't compile even if I try a lot of times. I just have to do what I told above.
By the way I notice that the font inside the tabs of the taskmanager (process list, headers...) is not segoe's aero but 'mine'
After having saved and applied the theme, there is no text anymore for the menu items of this taskmanager until I relaunch it.

No, the msstyles file is definately OK. And it was working before - today I wanted to change a tiny thing.
Also if I open the file and want to test it comes it to this error. Without changings.
I have tested it with other working msstyle files. Always the same.


OK, this I haven't tried  :o
This I will do next time

Thanks to all so far ...I will report about

OK, I tried it.

I started the save procedure several times and I tried to test the style several times. It doesn't work!

I opened another working style - but its the same  :'(

What can I do?

To kill the explorer.exe didn't work, too.

Without the amazing Stylebuilder I can't complete my style...

What UxTheme patcher do you use?

I use the UniversalThemePatcher!

Note: I worked at my style since August 2011. Never I had some problems with the WSB before - its a cool tool. My *.msstyle is practically finished.
I only needed one tiny modifation yet - but the WSB doesn't work... :(
Currently I'm working at some dll-files and the logon screen.

You can see a screenshot of my currently desktop here: http://www.gtjlcars.de/images/GTJLCARS-Desktop001.jpg (http://www.gtjlcars.de/images/GTJLCARS-Desktop001.jpg)

Now I will try to install the WSB again.
I hope this leads to a solution...

The quickest way to a solution would be to upload the theme so I could go through a series of tests. WSB doesn't throw that error unless UxTheme refuses to load the msstyles. So it's not something on WSB's part.

Alternatively you can try re-patching UxTheme since that large patch Tuesday happened. If you decide to do this I recommend http://www.uxstyle.com/ since it doesn't modify system files that might be replaced in windows update.

OK, here's my msstyles-file for testing.

Next I will unpatch the uxtheme.

After this I will try your recommended patcher.
Cross your finges for me  :)

The theme's working for me. Had you tried importing an image prior to the error showing up? There's some unknown limitation with uxtheme and image file sizes that can cause uxtheme to not apply a theme.

Thank you for testing my file.

Sorry, I don't know what I precisely done before I stored the last version of my style  :-[
It's from the 20th of april...

But I could test it and I could save it without problems.

Yes I know, I used some graphics which have another sizing as the original picture - and this is a cool feature of the WSB. But this always worked.

But also I tested any other msstyle files - (not my own). And here I it's the same problem, too.
I think the problem are not the msstyles files but something is wrong at my windows system or (sorry) at the WSB...(??)

So, now I used the new UXStyle Patcher. Thank you for it.

First I depatched the sytem, of course  ;)
The problem with the Style Builder is the same...
Then I uninstalled the WSB completely (with REVO Uninstaller)
After this I installed the WSB again. (no password query?? I thought the system aked for it again...)

But...the new installed WSB doesn't work still not yet  :'(

What happens if you try to save a default Aero theme without modifications (try saving twice to skip the possibility of the fail on first try bug)?

WSB is a portable application so uninstalling it doesn't change anything. Also it doesn't ask for the key because it's still stored in appdata. WSB wouldn't just stop working for no reason unless it was something everyone else experienced.

I also tested and saved your msstyles without any problems.

@3am: Thank you for testing, too. OK, now I know that my style-file is all right  :cool:

Now I cleaned my registry with TuneUp Utilities. But that wasn't the right way.

@PandaX: I tested the original aero-style. It didn't work, too.
I tried to save the file a few times. Always the same problem.

Now I think my pc ist the main problem. Probably I have to setup it newly.

What one is doing for a new style... :P

Thank you very much for your trials to help me.
(And sorry that I considered the WSB would be possibly faulty...its the one and only and the best tool to mod ones pc)


And I thank you for tolerating my bad english ...

I plan on releasing a public WSB 1.6 Alpha soon if you want to try it.

 :|

Yes, I would like to test it. :D thank you for your offer.

But currently I set up my test computer.
A fresh system is a good platform to test all the other things that don't work before  ;)
I know it's the last thing what one has to do - but I think it's in my situation the best.
But this time I will create more safety system copies than before  :)

Yeah installing can be a pain. I had to install Windows twice last night  :(

Now the WSB is working again  :D

Thank you for your help.

Sorry, now I have the same problem again  >:(

The Style builder is not working.

I installed Windows 7 again. But the style builder shows me an error during testing a msstyle file like before (see above).
Its the same at original aero msstyle or one of my own msstyles or another msstyle files.
Very seldom it works and by the next time it works not.
My own created msstyle file is okay. I know it because I have many different versions of it.
Some of them are very old and I know that they are working.

All(!) my mssytyles files are working perfect in the C:\\windows\resources\themes directory. But never in the StyleBuilder.

Yesterday I installed a VM on my main PC. The virtual Windows 7 works very good on it.
Here I installed the Style Builder again and I tried to test all my own an strange msstyle files.
No one of this is working as a test in the Style Builder.
Its always the same problem like before on my test computer.

In the past, three month ago it works very good. Why doesn't it working now???

Do anybody have the same problem , too?

I' very desperated... :'(

Now I tried a Windows 7 in my virtual machine without any installations.
And without Avira AntiVir!

Then I installed the Style Builder and tested a style file.

Hey - now works it!!!

Do you know about it? Perhaps the virus tool blocked any subroutines of the VSB...??
But I don't know which of it. The AntiVir is telling nothing about it.

Working without an antivirus utility is inadvisable...

That's good,
  one time after a database update Avast stopped Restorator  from working,it gave a message of this though,I  had to add it to the exclusions list in Avast settings,maybe you can add WSB  to your antivirus exclusions,or report it as  a  false positive  to Avira.
   After a couple of  Avast database updates  Restorator    was  working ok and I no longer have to add it to exclusions.

   Thanks for posting your fix.

That's odd, I'll look into it. I recommend though Microsoft Security Essentials as an AV. It's what I use and I'm not getting any interference.

Now I have the solution for this problem  :cool::

You can continue to use Avira Antivir - but you have to fold the AntiVir umbrella in the systray.
Click with the right mouse button on this umbrella icon. In the context menue selecting the live guard and deactivate it.
The umbrella folds together.

Now you can use the Vista Style Builder like before.

I think one of the newest virus signatures classifies the VSB as potentially dangerous.

I hope this information is for one or more people useful.

btw I use Antivir but I havn't got this problem... (7 x64)