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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:54 am 
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I have just upgraded, but the clock and keyboard settings are not visible anymore as the taskbar has become a solid black.
Does anybody have any idea what might have gone wrong?
Ludo


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:42 am 
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What version of Windows are you using? Do you have a custom theme?
See if toggling the "Disable taskbar transparency" setting in the Start Button tab fixes things.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:51 am 
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@Ivo, I have the same problem since latest CS Update. Disabling the Transparency does solve the problem, but then I lose the "wanted" new effect. Do you think this could be solved in later updates?


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:33 am 
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What do you mean by "wanted new effect"?


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:40 am 
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when disable transparency is checked, I cant get any color aside from solid black for my taskbar..
Also this disable transparency doesn't work on my secondary monitor, only my primary :P

not that i plan on using it, just trying things out :P

and i asume his 'wanted new effect' is disabled transparency, but with a color matching his theme


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:48 am 
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@Jcee - are you using Windows 7 or Windows 8?


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:06 am 
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This post may appear twice, I keep getting 503 errors from the server and my other reply disappeared.
Sorry about the lack of information. I usually get slammed in forums because my posts are too long and detailed.

I installed Classic Shell because I hate the Win8's look and feel. I installed (Windows 8) only on one of my systems since I wanted to try it out and be able to say I truly hate it and I now can. The first thing that bugged me right out of the box was that Microsoft removed Aero effects after telling us for years that it was a good feature in Win7. Now that I enjoyed those effects, they now tell us how disgusting it is and removed it in Win8 without any way of bringing it back .

I thought that Classic Shell would bring back the transparency/Aero effects in the first version I installed but I did not see that feature or option. I had found some unrelated oddball tweaks (something to do with High Contrast and Fake saves...) that could be applied to bring back a somewhat Transparency lookalike, but it was horrible.


When I updated Classic Shell yesterday, it automatically switched my toolbar to Transparent, Hooray! Sadly, my Clock, Date and Keyboard sections disappeared and I want/need them.


So, the wanted feature is the Transparency but with Clock, Date and Keyboard.


Do you know if this will be abled to be fixed?


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:25 am 
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@ludo and @Golem, are you by chance using an Aero lite theme? That is one reported case when the taskbar clock etc may turn black. Using a normal Aero-based theme on Windows 8 should by default bring back the transparency without Classic Shell doing anything.

@Jcee, on Windows 8, the transparency is disabled for multiple-monitor taskbars as the taskbar is enabled by Windows itself. On Windows 7, the taskbar may be a third party one. Classic Shell can't affect that naturally.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:41 am 
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@GauravK, now I'm the one confused. I don't know about Aero Lite theme. All of the thousands of different options are confusing. I am using Win7 Styles, with Windows Aero Skin, in a Vertical display to the right of the screen. All the other options are just a big blur and are confusing.

All I want is a Start button at the top-right, a Transparent toolbar with all my options available (Clock, Date, Keyboard).btw, my desktop is just a big Black 1280x800.jpg (solid black) image of nothing else than black. Instead of using the NO Background with solid black color since I had found that this slowed down Windows startup where using a JPG gave a faster startup time.


Last edited by Golem on Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:45 am 
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Transparent taskbar with clock etc, is the standard look in Windows 8. Simply select the default theme and uncheck "Disable taskbar transparency" in the Classic Shell settings.

If you do that and still don't get a transparent taskbar, post a screenshot here.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:47 am 
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Can you share your theme in themepack format? So that we will know which visual style your Windows 7 theme is using. :) A screenshot would also be nice as Ivo said.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:06 am 
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Ok guys, super thanks for all the help. Aero lite?, Windows Themepack format?... I give up. This is way over my pay grade. No Transparency is here to stay and will be ok with me.

This is an old laptop that has been upgraded from Windows Vista to Win7 and then to Win8 with the now with the added Classic Shell over top of all of this. I have lost control over all the multiple changes I have tried/applied/changed over the years. When I switch some background settings in Windows, the clock area sometimes turns gray, but then the transparency of the toolbar is no longer black like I want it but rather in an odd greyish color.

Again I thank you for your time. I will leave this as is. At least I get the Start (Classic Shell) Button with my programs and the search function.

Thanks for the program. Thank for the help. Golem out.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:10 pm 
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do you get the same problem in a Horizontal display?

you could try Stoic Jokers T-Clock to see if it helps with your Clock issue: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/inde ... ic=21944.0

Stoic Jokers T-Clock also has an option to make the entire Taskbar Transparent.. maybe you could try using that.. but dont go above 85% or it will disappear completely


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:00 am 
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Im on windows 8, and am not using a 3rd party taskbar (i do use display fusion but i have its taskbar disabled and use windows taskbar on both, yet one of my taskbars is solid black, while my secondary taskbar is transparent blue..
It could potentially be caused by my theme, its an aero theme, and i have this running: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/161788-aero-glass-for-win8-v07-aka-beta-1/ (But i tried dissabiling that, yet with my theme, the primary taskbar remains solid black(cant change color), and my other taskbar remains transparent and the color i choose in personalize menu


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:32 am 
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On Windows Server 2012 standard running Classic Shell version 3.6.6.
Worked fine prior to this upgrade.

With Classic Shell running, taskbar now black, no clock or toolbars.

If I exit Classic Shell, taskbar restored to Windows setting with (Desktop and Custom) toolbars and clock.

Regards,


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:51 am 
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Try toggling the "Disable taskbar transparency" setting in the Start Button tab. Please, report here if it fixed your problem.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:37 pm 
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@GauravK, in response to your Off Forum request, here are two of the Four Snapshots for the settings I tried and the way they look. I am not permitted to post all four in one Post, so these are the White Background with Transparency Enabled and Disabled.


Attachments:
enabled-white.PNG
enabled-white.PNG [ 7.58 KiB | Viewed 65911 times ]
Disabled-white.PNG
Disabled-white.PNG [ 9.06 KiB | Viewed 65911 times ]
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:40 pm 
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@GauravK, (second of two posts) in response to your Off Forum request, here are two others of the Four Snapshots for the settings I tried and the way they look. I am not permitted to post all four in one Post, so these are the Black Background with Transparency Enabled and Disabled.


Attachments:
enabled-black.PNG
enabled-black.PNG [ 7.46 KiB | Viewed 65910 times ]
Disabled-black.PNG
Disabled-black.PNG [ 9.26 KiB | Viewed 65910 times ]
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:10 pm 
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I found the solution I WANTED. I know I said I Give Up, but I am also somewhat OCD so this problem gnawed at me all day.
Here is how I solved my problem and finally got what I wanted since the beginning.

In the Bug Reports section of these Forums there is a thread named: Task Bar Color Incorrect - ClassicShell 3.6.6
The User bobdukes (second reply, third post) described how he solved his problem. I did a similar tweak, so here goes:

1- Changed Windows Theme to Windows. (and saved)
2- Changed my Background Image to my Black.jpg as before.
3- Changed Color settings to Color 1 (dark gray)
4- Tweaked additional Color settings as in image below.
5- Classic Shell Option: Start Button = Disable Taskbar Transparency (UN-Checked).
6- Switched Classic Shell to Smoked Glass and VOILA!
My menus are Black, my Taskbar is Transparent Black and the Clock/Date/Keyboard sections are Whitish as I wanted.

Thanks to all, this does it for me. I am happy now even though I still Hate Win8.


Attachments:
proof-transparent.png
proof-transparent.png [ 81.09 KiB | Viewed 65899 times ]
taskbar-and-clock-fixed.png
taskbar-and-clock-fixed.png [ 9.03 KiB | Viewed 65899 times ]
color-mix.png
color-mix.png [ 5.4 KiB | Viewed 65899 times ]
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:23 pm 
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@Ivo
Ok a bit wierd but here goes...

Disable transparency checked, Color intensity pre-set to 50%:
both taskbars are transparent. Secondary is less transparent than my primary, both have color.

Disable transparency Un-checked, Color intensity pre-set to 50%:
now my primary taskbar isnt transparent, and wont change colors with theme (stays solid black) my secondary monitor is more transparent than it was with disable transparency checked.

Closing classic shell:
both monitors are transparent

Disable transparency checked, color intensity set to 100%:
both monitors have transparency disabled (or atleast very hard to see)

Disable transparency un-checked, color intensity set to 100%;
Primary display is flat black in color, and wont change colors with theme. secondary monitor is transparent.

Also Toggling 'disable transparency' does seems to be getting inverted seemingly randomly. (sometimes it switches around, to where being checked removes the transparency from my primary, and not my secondary, or both, or neither, or secondary but not primary. Same with unchecked)

SysInfo:
Theme:http://xxinightxx.deviantart.com/art/Windows-7-Vs-REV-F-4-10-13-350491112
Might be affecting:http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/161788-aero-glass-for-win8v03/page__st__320 , my primary taskbar has blur, and my secondary doesnt via this app...
Have Display fusion on, but am not using the taskbar component of it.
Using windows 8 x64; and the inbuilt taskbar on both screens.


@Everyone
try going to:
Control Panel\Appearance and Personalization\Personalization\Color and Appearance
then setting Color intensity all the way to the right, and pressing save changes
then toggling the transparency setting.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:49 pm 
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Looks like the aero lite theme is the default for Server 2012 and can't be changed.

I prepared a patch that hopefully fixes the problem. Download it from here: (Note that the DLL fix is only for 3.6.6 only. Later versions include the fix)
32-bit version - http://www.classicshell.net/files/patch ... enuDLL.dll
64-bit version - http://www.classicshell.net/files/patch ... enuDLL.dll

Exit the start menu (right-click on the start button and select Exit), then copy the downloaded DLL file into the Classic Shell folder. Run ClassicStartMenu.exe.

Let me know if that fixes the problem. If enough people report that the problem is fixed I will make a new build this weekend.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:41 am 
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Ivo,
The dll patch fixed it for me. Did have to change anything in personalization. Just replacing the dll the taskbar is now correct and the transparency setting is not set.Any intention to release 3.6.7 or something?
Pete


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:41 am 
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Yes, if no problems are found with the patch I will release a full version 3.6.7 this weekend.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:16 pm 
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I was running Aero Lite theme on Windows 8 64bit and had the problems as described above following the update.

The downloaded DLL fixed it for me.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 5:57 pm 
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does this patch only apply to that theme? and not custom themes? if-so maybe you should dissable the option when one of the supported themes isnt available (or will it work on some custom themes, you just cant figure out which, then maybe have a warning on the option)


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:04 pm 
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The patch should work for all themes.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:09 pm 
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ah ok, ill be gone for a week or so, ill test it when i get back (if the new version hasnt been released :P)


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 1:02 pm 
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The new version 3.6.7 is released. It contains the fix for the taskbar.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 1:29 pm 
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@Ivo, even though I had tweaked CS to my satisfaction using another users information, I did take the time to upgrade to your latest version. Now, when toggling the Disable Taskbar Transparency, I get a new information window telling me I need to shutdown Classic Shell and re-launch it for changes to take effect. I imagine this is a new safeguard you added? In any event, I have not seen any problem with the update, everything looks the same and seems to work perfectly. The Taskbar can be transparent or not, and the Clock/Date section are no longer affected.

Thank you very much. Great work.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 1:39 pm 
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Yes. I had to make this setting "cold", so it requires a restart of Classic Shell.

The technical reason is that if it is "hot" like before, my code had to be always active and attempt to replicate the default taskbar behavior when the setting was unchecked. This proved to be difficult because different themes work differently. With the new "cold" setting, the code is only active when the setting is checked. When unchecked, the code simply doesn't run, leaving Windows alone to do its thing.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:46 pm 
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hmm, im suprised you even tried to do that thing 'hot', customization is the first thing you should expect from a user base, that well... customizes.. (and if they didn't they probably wouldn't have classic shell :P)


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