WSB won't work on windows 10 ( all of a suden )

[claude96]

Hi, I have a frustrating problem with all versions of windows style builder ( downloaded from here btw, by MrGrim ), they all used to work like a charn !!!, and out of no where they all won't work anymore !!!???, I get error testing all working .msstyle files , I tried everything , even tried on a clean re-install of windows 10, same !!!???
I would appreciate any help I can get, thanks a bunch.

[ミறѳѳղղįզվદ彡]

Hi, I have a frustrating problem with all versions of windows style builder ( downloaded from here btw, by MrGrim ), they all used to work like a charn !!!, and out of no where they all won't work anymore !!!???
I get error testing all working .msstyle files , I tried everything , even tried on a clean re-install of windows 10, same !!!???
I would appreciate any help I can get, thanks a bunch.

https://virtualcustoms.net/showthread.php/83569-Windows-10-19H1-1903-Updated-ClassMaps-and-Import-Scripts?p=342735&viewfull=1#post342735

Troubleshooting Msstyles Errors

If for some reason you are getting msstyles errors this is usually due to having too many large images, you will need to optimise these images by reducing their size as much as possible and then using Sizing Margins to stretch the images.

You can find out what images are the largest by opening the theme with a resource hacker and extracting the image folder, open the folder and arrange it by size, you can then see the largest images and the number that corresponds to them, enter that number in the search bar in WSB and in the search drop down select Value, this will show you where that image is used in WSB and you can then edit it.

Some of the following locations can contain the largest images that need to be optimised.

Start Menu
Taskbar & System Tray
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Control Panel > ControlPanel > NavigationPane
Windows 10 Dark Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > ItemsView > Folder background
Windows 10 Light Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > ItemsView > Folder background
Windows 10 Dark Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > Details Background
Windows 10 Light Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > Details Background

If you are not sure if the problem is with the image sizes then you can run some of the other Style Scripts to test, make sure that you do not save the theme during the following test, Remove SiB Start Menu, this will remove the entire start menu, if you test the theme now and you do not get an error then you know there are too many large images and that you will need to optimise them.

Other Style scripts you can run safely that may help are "Remove Legacy Start Menu" this will remove all the images and properties from Windows Legacy > Start Menu and may be enough to stop the error, if will definitely help and put you in the right direction.

Now for the part you don't want to hear, as much as I have tested these methods I can not guarantee that you will not have a catastrophic error and black screen, if this does happen then I recommend reseting your PC and then in the accessibility options on the sign in screen select High Contrast and this should allow you to log back in.

Another option is to make sure you have a second account or Admin account you can log in to, you can then go in to the registry and Search for ThemeManager and when you see something like "Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager" look for a string called DllName and if you see a value like C:\ProgramData\Windows Style Builder\Testing\theme name 16-06-2019 12-17-55 PM.msstyles then change the value back to the default %SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles

You should now be able to log back in to your account.

The last option is to use a VM and once you have your testing environment set up and you are ready to start testing, create a snapshot of the OS, this way you can easily recover the VM although this will result in any work after the snapshot in being lost, if there is something you want to recover before reverting to the shnapshot, first shut down the VM and then go to settings for the VM and click on the Hard Drive and then you will see an option to Map the Hard Drive, this will allow you to search the files and recover anything you don't want to loose.

[claude96]

https://virtualcustoms.net/showthread.php/83569-Windows-10-19H1-1903-Updated-ClassMaps-and-Import-Scripts?p=342735&viewfull=1#post342735

Troubleshooting Msstyles Errors

If for some reason you are getting msstyles errors this is usually due to having too many large images, you will need to optimise these images by reducing their size as much as possible and then using Sizing Margins to stretch the images.

You can find out what images are the largest by opening the theme with a resource hacker and extracting the image folder, open the folder and arrange it by size, you can then see the largest images and the number that corresponds to them, enter that number in the search bar in WSB and in the search drop down select Value, this will show you where that image is used in WSB and you can then edit it.

Some of the following locations can contain the largest images that need to be optimised.

Start Menu
Taskbar & System Tray
Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Control Panel > ControlPanel > NavigationPane
Windows 10 Dark Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > ItemsView > Folder background
Windows 10 Light Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > ItemsView > Folder background
Windows 10 Dark Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > Details Background
Windows 10 Light Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > PreviewPane > Details Background

If you are not sure if the problem is with the image sizes then you can run some of the other Style Scripts to test, make sure that you do not save the theme during the following test, Remove SiB Start Menu, this will remove the entire start menu, if you test the theme now and you do not get an error then you know there are too many large images and that you will need to optimise them.

Other Style scripts you can run safely that may help are "Remove Legacy Start Menu" this will remove all the images and properties from Windows Legacy > Start Menu and may be enough to stop the error, if will definitely help and put you in the right direction.

Now for the part you don't want to hear, as much as I have tested these methods I can not guarantee that you will not have a catastrophic error and black screen, if this does happen then I recommend reseting your PC and then in the accessibility options on the sign in screen select High Contrast and this should allow you to log back in.

Another option is to make sure you have a second account or Admin account you can log in to, you can then go in to the registry and Search for ThemeManager and when you see something like "Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ThemeManager" look for a string called DllName and if you see a value like C:\ProgramData\Windows Style Builder\Testing\theme name 16-06-2019 12-17-55 PM.msstyles then change the value back to the default %SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles

You should now be able to log back in to your account.

The last option is to use a VM and once you have your testing environment set up and you are ready to start testing, create a snapshot of the OS, this way you can easily recover the VM although this will result in any work after the snapshot in being lost, if there is something you want to recover before reverting to the shnapshot, first shut down the VM and then go to settings for the VM and click on the Hard Drive and then you will see an option to Map the Hard Drive, this will allow you to search the files and recover anything you don't want to loose.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, but I think I didn't explain my problem with WSB clearly enough ( sorry for that, my bad ), I have problems testing ALL and ANY .msstyle I test ( witch means I can't use WSB to modify or even make a theme " someday !!!!! ", pls check the new att pics : this happens every time with all and any themes I test ( Un-modified : right after loading any themes !!!!! )

[ミறѳѳղղįզվદ彡]

Thank you for taking the time to reply, but I think I didn't explain my problem with WSB clearly enough ( sorry for that, my bad ), I have problems testing ALL and ANY .msstyle
I test ( witch means I can't use WSB to modify or even make a theme " someday !!!!! ", pls check the new att pics : this happens every time with all and any themes I test ( Un-modified : right after loading any themes !!!!! )

oh then you can try this step
please do not open theme as File/Open/Import 7 theme
i think here is your problem because this themes has been already imported with custom scripts
Open this theme only as File/Open
do not click on Import 7 theme thats all
hope this help to you

[claude96]

oh then you can try this step
please do not open theme as File/Open/Import 7 theme
i think here is your problem because this themes has been already imported with custom scripts
Open this theme only as File/Open
do not click on Import 7 theme thats all
hope this help to you

[ATTACH]90833[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]90832[/ATTACH]

Well !!!!!, I was so fixated on trying to port a themes I'm fixated on ( !!!!!! ) that I've forgotten to just use the ( open ) insted of import ( an already imported themes !!! ) .
Thanks a million for ALL ( * ).
PS : the folder BG works only with your ( sell update), so thanks for that too.

( * ) : By All I mean for all your Great work & Help ( not just help here btw ).

Have A Great One.

Cheers.

[ミறѳѳղղįզվદ彡]

Well !!!!!, I was so fixated on trying to port a themes I'm fixated on ( !!!!!! ) that I've forgotten to just use the ( open ) insted of import ( an already imported themes !!! ) .
Thanks a million for ALL ( * ).
PS : the folder BG works only with your ( sell update), so thanks for that too.

( * ) : By All I mean for all your Great work & Help ( not just help here btw ).

Have A Great One.

Cheers.

i am very glad this helped to you
and yes File/Open/Import 7 theme
this step can be used only if you need to update old themes not if you need to edit this themes correctly
and i am very glad you like this updated Shell file
its updated by me for allowing to using special images used in the file explorer and explorer (open with)
you can use two different Images
Windows Style Builder Location is
Windows 10 Light Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View
Windows 10 Light Mode > Explorer & Shell > Explorer > Items View > ItemsView > Selected Property