Window FX 3 beta conflicts with MS Excel (2003) Workbook files

from WinCustomize Forums
Since installing WinFX 3.0 beta upon release, I've found that I can no longer open MS Office Excel Workbook files directly by clicking on the saved file itself. If I create and save a file in MS Office Excel format, then subsequently click on that file to open it, only the Excel application window opens - not the file itself. The file must be clicked a second time or opened from the file menu within the Excel program before it will appear in the application window. I did not experience this problem with any previous versions of WindowFX (including betas). Uninstalling WinFX entirely (through SDC) solves the problem, whereas reinstalling brings the problem back. Interestingly, this issue does not seem to affect MS Office Excel files that are saved in XML spreadsheet format, only those saved as Workbook files. For what it's worth, WindowBlinds is not currently installed on my machine.


Specs:
Dell Dimension 8400 Pentium 4 3.2GHz w/ HT

Windows XP Media Center 2005 w/ SP2

Nvidia GeForce 6800 256Mb, driver version 6.14.10.8198(81.98)
windowfx
7,332 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I can confirm this, I'm seeing it with Excel 2002/XP.

WindowBlinds 5.0 System Information Report:

STATUS : WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

You have Stardock WindowFX running. Please be aware that WindowBlinds 5 is not compatible with WindowFX 2.11 or 2.19. WindowFX 2.5 beta which is compatible with WindowBlinds 5 will be released later this year

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to RADEON 9600 SERIES

Wblind.dll 2006/03/21 13:33:46
Wbsrv.dll 2006/02/05 12:58:22
Wbconfig.exe 2006/03/19 14:33:44
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 17:54:12
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:00
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 21:29:06
Tray.dll 2005/11/02 13:28:26

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Same here.




WindowBlinds 5.0 System Information Report:

STATUS : WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

You have Stardock WindowFX running. Please be aware that WindowBlinds 5 is not compatible with WindowFX 2.11 or 2.19. WindowFX 2.5 beta which is compatible with WindowBlinds 5 will be released later this year

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Default Monitor) 1 is attached to ATI MOBILITY/RADEON 9000 (Omega 3.8.231)

Wblind.dll 2006/03/21 14:33:46
Wbsrv.dll 2006/02/05 13:58:22
Wbconfig.exe 2006/03/19 15:33:44
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 18:54:12
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 17:37:00
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 22:29:06
Tray.dll 2005/11/02 14:28:26

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

What settings do you have enabled in WindowFX? and what version of excel?

I have been unable to reproduce this with Excel 2003 and the latest WindowFX build.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm using MS Office Excel 2003 (11.6560.6568) SP2, Small Business Edition. I have the following options enabled in WinFX: Shadowed windows and taskbar (Darwin); very short window fade animations; very short fade menu animations; task switching using default Alt+tab; moderate semi-transparent window dragging; large desktop icons; 86% menu transparency. I haven't changed these settings from the previous versions of WinFX I've used over the past year or so. One other problem I'm having with the 3.0 beta is that the upper right and left corners of my application windows come to sharp white points behind the rounded edges of the title bars. I think I saw another post about this somewhere, but I'm not sure. Hope that helps!

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Let me add to this. I am running Winxp home edition SP2 with MS Office 2000.
I installed WIndows FX 3.0 (32bit) the other day. Whenever I go to use the Avery Wizard Version 2.11 in Word 2000 it crash's. I tracked it down to the problem being with Windows FX Animations. If I tell it to "I do not want Windows to Animate" Avery Wizard works. There needs to be a patch for this problem.

Thanks
Irv





AMD Athlon XP2600 Barton Core
Model #AXDA2600DKV4D
2Gb pc3200 DDRram
Asus a7v8x-x Motherboard
nVidia FX 5500 8X 128mg

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Exact same problem here with the exception that if I wait long enough, say 30-45 seconds, the Excel workbook will finally open by itself. Or if Excel is already running, the workbook will open immediately as it should. Currently running Office 2003 professional with SP2 on XP professional with SP2. I do have WB5 installed, but am not using it at the moment.


Relevant system specs:
Asrock dual sata mainboard
Athlon 64 3700 (San Diego core)
2GB pc3200
GeForce 6800 (vanilla 128MB model) using Forceware 84.12

WindowFX settings:
Shadows-Tri thin
Animations-Fade in and fade out. Short duration.
Menu animations-fade in and fade out. Short duration.
Taskbar preview-on with medium size.
Task switching-on using alt-tab
Window transitions-spin to taskbar. Short duration.
Window dragging-no
Desktop icons-large icons
Application transparency-nothing set
Window tiles-no
Maximize to size-no
Transparency effects-no
Popup task switching-no


WindowBlinds 5.0 System Information Report:

STATUS : WB+ SRV+ HLP+ UI+ TRAY+

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC.

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

You have Stardock WindowFX running. Please be aware that WindowBlinds 5 is not compatible with WindowFX 2.11 or 2.19. WindowFX 2.5 beta which is compatible with WindowBlinds 5 will be released later this year

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

You have one monitor in total.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 6800

Wblind.dll 2006/03/21 13:33:46
Wbsrv.dll 2006/02/05 12:58:22
Wbconfig.exe 2006/03/19 14:33:44
Wbload.exe 2006/03/13 17:54:12
Wbhelp.dll 2004/09/18 16:37:00
Wbui.dll 2005/12/06 21:29:06
Tray.dll 2005/11/02 13:28:26

*** Small update here: I just went through my WindowFX settings and turned them off one by one and discovered, as Zayde did above, that if I turn off window animation, workbooks open perfectly in Excel. I've become rather used to my fade in/out and hope the problem can be identified and fixed quickly. Until then, I have added Excel as an exclusion to WindowFX.