Curtains 1.19 Release Issue Report Thread

from Stardock Forums

With the Curtains 1.19 release, we are creating this thread so that users can report any observed issues.  

Obtaining Curtains 1.19

Object Desktop members can get the release from within Object Desktop Manager 

Individual purchases (as well as Object Desktop Members) can also be obtained from your account page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products

For guest check-out purchase (no account), from this link: http://www.stardock.com/support/productkeyretrieval

Reporting an issue

Please include the following for anything found:

  • Exact Windows version \ build (winver.exe)
  • Detailed steps to recreate the issue seen
  • Screenshots and videos are very helpful.  Videos can be uploaded to a cloud drive services (GoogleDrive, DropBox, OneDrive, YouTube) and links included in your post.  Images can be directly added.
  • If there are specific apps that Groupy does not work (well) with, please note what apps and their exact versions.  If any app is not common, a link to a trial version would be appreciated.

Thank you for your interest and any time you put into making Curtains a better product.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

curtains faq support
17,988 views 15 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Changelog:

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

With the release of Curtains 1.19.1, we are closing this thread.

Thanks to all that provided feedback.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Had a trial of Curtains and decided to buy Object Desktop. After the install of OD, there was a message about Curtains error and needing to update. Kept getting errors with update. Uninstalled Curtains. Now I get errors trying to install Curtains. Running W21H1 19043.1081. What do I do next? Curtains was the main reason I bought OD.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

It all works now. I ran a bunch of cleanup routines (disk cleanup, bleach bit, glary utilities, etc.) and tried again. Curtains installed without a problem. Must have been some random bit of junk still left in the system when I tried the first time. 

To answer the question, though, I never received any error codes. I tried updating/installing with Object Desktop. The little progress bar would get a few notches across and then a red box would pop up saying there was an error. That's it. I would X out of the red box and OD would switch back to a button to either update or install Curtains. 

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

High GPU usage and lag.

 

Specs

  • Windows 10 ver. 2004 (build SO 19041.264)
  • GTX 960 Ti (works fine on latest games)
  • i7 4790k (up to 4.39GHz)

 

How to reproduce?

  • Enable the explorer transparency option in your Curtains theme
  • Then open 10 explorer windows
  • Try to move one explorer window around, you will notice an insane latency

 

While working on large projects it's understandable to have multiple explorer windows opened, I hope you can provide me a workaround or find a way to fix this problem, maybe limiting the max number of windows with blur processed.

You can download my theme here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q35y77jvj77h7r3/Dark%20theme%20%2B%20transparent%20explorer.CurtainsStyle?dl=1

Thanks a lot for the support.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting LoneDev4419, reply 6

High GPU usage and lag.

Specs
Windows 10 ver. 2004 (build SO 19041.264)
GTX 960 Ti (works fine on latest games)
i7 4790k (up to 4.39GHz)

How to reproduce?
Enable the explorer transparency option in your Curtains theme
Then open 10 explorer windows
Try to move one explorer window around, you will notice an insane latency
While working on large projects it's understandable to have multiple explorer windows opened, I hope you can provide me a workaround or find a way to fix this problem, maybe limiting the max number of windows with blur processed.

You can download my theme here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q35y77jvj77h7r3/Dark%20theme%20%2B%20transparent%20explorer.CurtainsStyle?dl=1

Thanks a lot for the support.

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Does the issue only happen with your style or any style?

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 7

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Does the issue only happen with your style or any style?

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

 

Hello!
It only happens with the theme you can download with the Dropbox link.
I'm 99% sure it's due to the transparency effect.
I think the only solution would be to take a count of the opened explorer windows, if count is > 3 (for example) disable the rendering of the transparency effect.
Another solution would be to stop rendering the transparency effect if there are 3+ windows on top of the explorer windows (both explorer and any other program).

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting LoneDev, reply 8

Hello!
It only happens with the theme you can download with the Dropbox link.
I'm 99% sure it's due to the transparency effect.
I think the only solution would be to take a count of the opened explorer windows, if count is > 3 (for example) disable the rendering of the transparency effect.
Another solution would be to stop rendering the transparency effect if there are 3+ windows on top of the explorer windows (both explorer and any other program).

Hello,

I have tested your theme on my system with 5 explorer windows and transparency turned on. With no lagging issue. Any reason you're not updating to latest Windows 10 version? I am on Windows 10 V21H1 (OS Build 19043.1237).

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Also do you have transparency effects enabled in the OS?

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 9


Quoting LoneDev,
reply 8

Hello!
It only happens with the theme you can download with the Dropbox link.
I'm 99% sure it's due to the transparency effect.
I think the only solution would be to take a count of the opened explorer windows, if count is > 3 (for example) disable the rendering of the transparency effect.
Another solution would be to stop rendering the transparency effect if there are 3+ windows on top of the explorer windows (both explorer and any other program).



Hello,

I have tested your theme on my system with 5 explorer windows and transparency turned on. With no lagging issue. Any reason you're not updating to latest Windows 10 version? I am on Windows 10 V21H1 (OS Build 19043.1237).

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Do you think that updating would change anything? I'd avoid updating if possible.
The source of the lag seems to be high usage of dwm.exe (Desktop Window Manager), 30% of the CPU is used while dragging the window (normally less than 1%).
I also have Wallpaper Engine running while testing. I now closed it and the lag appears only with 10+ opened explorer windows.

Quoting Neil, reply 10

Also do you have transparency effects enabled in the OS?

Yes

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting LoneDev, reply 11

Do you think that updating would change anything? I'd avoid updating if possible.
The source of the lag seems to be high usage of dwm.exe (Desktop Window Manager), 30% of the CPU is used while dragging the window (normally less than 1%).
I also have Wallpaper Engine running while testing. I now closed it and the lag appears only with 10+ opened explorer windows.

Updating might help. Since, I am running the latest official Windows 10 release and I do not see the issue you're having.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

On the Release version of Win11.  Not a preview.

 

I get no titlebars.  Sorry if this has already been reported elsewhere.

 

Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting RedneckDude, reply 13

On the Release version of Win11.  Not a preview.

 

I get no titlebars.  Sorry if this has already been reported elsewhere.

 

Reduced 55%
Original 1509 x 928


This is known and why Curtains is not compatible with Windows 11.

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Neil, reply 14

This is known and why Curtains is not compatible with Windows 11.
I had read in another forum thread that Curtains was working for someone.  Should have known better, but thought I'd try again, since I now have a release version of 11.

 

By the way, uninstalling those 2 products ( Start11 and Curtains) left my taskbars all messed up, size wise and the icons too.   It took a system restore to fix it.

 

I'm, sure Curtains was the culprit.