Small demo, works on Win7 (x86  x64) and Vista (x86 only for now) - run on own risk.

Please read the instructions carefully

Small Close Buttons

I figured out how to change it, unfortunately, you'll need a debugger and some offsets - I will look into the possibility of making an application for it.

work in progress

No need to change system files  on your disk anymore...  8)

What e-mailaddress did you use to register VSB? 1.5 blacklists a lot of warezed keys...

Hmm strange, the installer had the user/serial embedded into it?

Which e-mailaddress did you use to activate VSB?

The exe version should say 1.5.0.3, that's the leading version number.Right-click, properties, details.

There was a small isue detected with the "Edit Image" button - it would always ask for a new image editor to be set.
This issue has been quickly corrected in 1.5.0.3 which can now be downloaded  Whoops!

New versions are available at the original download link . I've just double-checked the file and it is version 1.5 for me.

Version 1.5 of Vista Style Builder has just been released and focusses on full Windows 7 compatibility as well as new features. You can get this version thru the download link you received in your activation e-mail.

Changelog 1.5:

FIX: lastImageId is now set correctly by default, newly compiled themes will no longer crash when logging on
FIX: Fixed memory leak when opening a lot of themes
FIX: Searching is somewhat faster
FIX: STREAM/atlas generator works better for border cases resulting in smaller STREAMS for better system performance
FIX: One-time uxtheme patcher are now launched correctly
FIX: Windows 7 classes, parts and states are finalized (PandaX)
FIX: Vista to Windows 7 MsStyles converter has been fixed (PandaX)
FIX: Open-file dialogs not working should be fixed now (upgraded GUI library to new version)
FIX: editing RECT properties on Windows 7 should now work
FIX: "add property" and "remove property" buttons will no longer disappear
FIX: Missing icons on Windows 7

ADD: Integrated help/wiki system
ADD: tabs for multiple images
ADD: Option to Switch between Basic/Aero mode (shift+click = test in basic mode directly)
ADD: Search for colors in either r,g,b or #RRGGBB format
ADD: Search for colors in images
ADD: Window position is now retained when closing the application
ADD: Last opened file is opened by default
ADD: Image dimensions are displayed on the image preview
ADD: Shift+click on the edit button to change the image editor used

Fixed:
  + DEFAULTPANESIZE:RECT edits not being saved in the msstyles file
  + disappearing "add property" buttons
  + missing icons on Windows 7

Added:
  + VSB window positioning is now saved & restored
  + last open file is opened by default
  + image dimensions are displayed in the image viewer
  + shift + click the "edit" button to change the image editor used

+ Added an option to Switch between Basic/Aero mode (shift+click = test in basic mode directly)
+ Added an option to search for colors reliable, either by r,g,b or #FF00FF notation. Also searches colors in images

Can you post a screenshot of the about window?

[documentation]

For the upcoming version of Windows7 Style Builder, we are integrating documentation!
There's a wealth of unique information on this forum, but it's hard to reach for new users and it can be annoying to find when one is busy doing stuff in the StyleBuilder.

Therefore, we came up with the idea of integrating user-editable information right into 7SB, see the screenshots for more!

Feedback?

[DONE]

There's a lot of info on the VSB boards which isn't available in the app yet - we could try to incorporate a wiki-editor (backed by http://vistastylebuilder.com/wiki/) into VSB 1.5.

Steps:
 + auto-login in wiki based on user activation e-mail
 + get a nice skin for the wiki
 + incorporate a trident control in VSB for displaying wiki stuff

DONE 

[Fixed so far for Win7 compatibility]

We are closing for a 1.5 release of VSB 1.5 which focusses on Windows 7 RTM compatibility.

Fixed so far for Win7 compatibility

• lastImageId is now set correctly by default, newly compiled themes will no longer crash when logging on
• Fixed memory leak when opening a lot of themes
• searching is somewhat faster
• STREAM/atlas generator works better for border cases resulting in smaller STREAMS for better system performance
• One-time uxtheme patcher are now launched correctly
• Windows 7 classes, parts and states are finalized (PandaX)
• Vista to Windows 7 MsStyles converter has been fixed (PandaX)
• Made multiple images such as DPI or glyphs more discoverable (see screenshot)
• Open-file dialogs not working should be fixed now (upgraded GUI library to new version)

Could not reproduce

• DEFAULTPANESIZE:RECT not being modifiable on Windows 7, seem to work for me so far. Would love to get more input on it

StartButton
I've also almost finished a project that allows one to change the startbutton in Windows 7, without modifying explorer.exe. I'm not quite sure if it will be released publicly, since there is also commercial interest from a 3rd party.

Input is appreciated! I would like to get in contact with someone that experienced the open-file-dialogs-stop-working-after-a-while bug to verify the new GUI library version fixed this problem.

http://vistastylebuilder.com/forum/index.php?board=11.0

Most probably a bug in Paint.net which is probably checking for the current theme name being "Aero" instead of checking if DWM rendering is enabled. Best thing to do would be to submit a bug to Paint.net

VSB has been written in C++, using WTL as the primary GUI wrapper.

I'm working on final Win7 support.

I've traced this to a bug in a Microsoft supplied library on Windows 7 so far... Working on a work-around the next couple of days.

 Make sure you have rights to write the file (e.g. admin/superuser rights).

Of course you can run a copy of VSB in virtual pc It's your copy, after all.

I've made the source code of 3D User Pic available for free, so no secrets here . 3D User Pic simply moves the user picture "frame" (window) by loading a piece of code into explorer.exe at runtime. That piece of code actually moves the user picture frame at runtime.

I have no idea if it is possible to move the user picture by modifying properties in the MsStyles file - I think MS programmers coded it to be centered with respect to the places list. Although, the RECT property might have some influence here.

Nice find!

I'll have to investigate if this is possible in the MsStyle, if so, I'll add it for the next version!

Please use the workaround described here http://vistastylebuilder.com/forum/index.php?topic=268.msg1318#msg1318 for Win7 RC and above.

[Japan]

From 12 May 2009 to 27 May 2009, the support will be slower from my side because of a trip to Japan.

Of course, I will check my e-mail daily and PandaX is also available

PS: read more about it here, http://transpimps-japan.blogspot.com/ . I like how I can post blogs from my iPhone with pictures being uploaded directly to picasaweb and being tagged with google maps

We might build in an automatic vista->win7 converter one day.

http://www.avestyler.com

[here's a temp. solution:]

We (hopefully) identified the problem; here's a temp. solution:
1. Open up (or create the file) %appdata%/vistastylebuilder/settings.ini in notepad, be sure to give it an *.ini extension.
2. Add the following:

[Settings]
FirstImageId=508

3. Save the ini file
4. Resave your msstyles file
5. it should no longer crash now

Ifthis proves to be working for everyone, we'll release an update for VSB/7SB.

As I said, we are investigating this. Since Windows7 is not final, things can change from build to build, unfortunately

We're investigating this. Could you e-mail the theme that causes the problem to ave@vistastylebuilder.com ? Thanks!

Windows unfortunately hard-checks the name for being Aero -> if the name in the documentation section is not Aero, Windows will think it's a basic theme. That's why AveStyler comes with a theme-manager app

Did you change the name of the theme in the documentation section?

which beta version of win7 are you running? (build nr, eg 7.068)

Do you run a uxtheme patch for Win7?

You can disable the build in patcher by renaming CustomThemeEnabler32 and CustomThemeEnabler64 in the VSB folder to some other filenames. Give it a try and see if your problems go away  .

I'm having a hard time to reproduce this issue . Which uxtheme patcher are you using and what are your system details?