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 Post subject: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:38 pm 
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Well, to start with the next version is going to fix a couple of issues in v17.12 which unfortunately were only detected after the official release.

One has to do with the new background file copy feature: be advised that the file copy or move operation will fail if one or more of the files has a comma in the filename.

The second issue can cause WorkShelf/Nexus Ultimate to crash and is related to the creation of folder and document thumbnails. Apparently if a live folder thumbnail takes too long to retrieve (in this particular case we are talking about a folder containing hundreds of videos *and* residing in an external drive that needs some time to spin up) it's possible to click on a new tab while we are still retrieving that particular thumbnail, which results in an immediate crash.

Both these issues have already been fixed internally.

Now, something else I kept going back to with no success until now had to do with the Windows 10 new 'Dark Theme' mode, which, in my opinion, looks rather nice. This is discussed in more detail HERE.

Anyway, the idea was to add a 'Dark Mode' optional setting to the Preferences UI, which would nicely match Windows 10 dark mode and the current Accent color. The result would look something like this:

Image

Never mind the Windows 7 window title bars in that screenshot, since the screenshot is obviously a mockup.

The problem I stumbled into had to do with the Windows Common Controls engine responsible for Visual Styles not allowing me to set the color of check boxes and option buttons - the text would thus remain black in a black background, rendering it invisible.

Well, turns out I just managed to work around it by disabling the Visual Style only for those controls.

What do you guys think?

EDIT: Ah, and possibly we could also have a similar 'Gray Theme' mode, which would still be a good match to the Windows 10 native Dark Theme, similar to this:

Image

Probably a bit easier on the eyes for some. :)

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Jorge Coelho
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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:35 am 
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They both look good. I like the one on your monitor better. Is the theme global to the PC. or is just for Winstep?

If it's global to the PC, I will remove the one I currently use and try it out. The problem I have with the one I use is that the text in dialog boxes are the same as the background making it difficult to see.

It appears from your statement that you've solved that problem. Also, I'm using Windows 7. Will it work the same as it does in 10?


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:01 am 
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Just a little correction - the video folder isn't on my external drive.
There were also folders from the external drive in the folder tab, but the culprit folder is on my internal drive.
The thumbnail thing is alone responsible for the crashes.

Edit: I didn't make it clear - at first I was suspecting the spinup time of the external drive as the culprit, because the crashes always happened when the drive was spinning up.
But then I was suspecting the video folder, and I forgot to mention that this one is on my internal drive.
And in my last test, I've made a new tab that contained only the video folder.


Last edited by toniostarcevic on Sun Dec 31, 2017 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 2:30 pm 
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winstep wrote:
Anyway, the idea was to add a 'Dark Mode' optional setting to the Preferences UI, which would nicely match Windows 10 dark mode and the current Accent color. The result would look something like this:

Image


Haha, I have it already, using a dark windows visual style*.

Image
(*side note: Windows needs to be patched for third party themes - never had any problem with it in a decade, *IF* you uninstall the patch before *ANY* Windows feature-update)

But...

winstep wrote:
The problem I stumbled into had to do with the Windows Common Controls engine responsible for Visual Styles not allowing me to set the color of check boxes and option buttons - the text would thus remain black in a black background, rendering it invisible.

Well, turns out I just managed to work around it by disabling the Visual Style only for those controls.


This! One of the never ending issues when using a dark theme...
Great that you managed to fix it for Winstep!
I'd need this workaround for any program!! :cry:


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:19 pm 
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Another confirmation for the video thumbnail issue.
I've added another folder to the shelf that contains videos. The so called "Dreamscene" folder. It contains short video clips, that can be used as video-desktop background, with the program "Stardock Deskscapes".
Usually, the video files within this folder are packed into a special format (.dream), but you can also put regular videos to it, like MPG, which then also can be selected within Deskcapes. There aren't many video files in that folder - maybe 20, and all just about 10-30 seconds long.

This folder is on the internal SSD drive, contains only MPG and WMV files, and causes the same crashes like the other video folder that is on the internal HDD drive and contains a lot of different video file formats.


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:21 pm 
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I've just noticed that a right click on mpg videos takes very long suddenly. Up to 10 seconds. I've tested any file type I could find on my computer - it happens only on mpg videos. This is probably related to the crashes.
Maybe it's just a rarely occuring windows-related issue...


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:02 am 
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toniostarcevic wrote:
I've just noticed that a right click on mpg videos takes very long suddenly. Up to 10 seconds. I've tested any file type I could find on my computer - it happens only on mpg videos. This is probably related to the crashes.


Whatever you do, please don't try to fix it until we know for sure that the changes I just made also prevent the Shelf from crashing.

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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:54 am 
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winstep wrote:
toniostarcevic wrote:
I've just noticed that a right click on mpg videos takes very long suddenly. Up to 10 seconds. I've tested any file type I could find on my computer - it happens only on mpg videos. This is probably related to the crashes.


Whatever you do, please don't try to fix it until we know for sure that the changes I just made also prevent the Shelf from crashing.


Okay.


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:04 pm 
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toniostarcevic wrote:
Okay.


Ok, new beta is out. Can you give it a try and please report back?

Thanks! :)

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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:00 am 
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Jorge, so far so good with the new release. However, I didn't get a notification that a beta is available. I've been coming here frequently to check up on things. I had to check for updates manually. Is there a setting to alert me to beta updates?

Also, is that issue with alerts being blocked by Windows still a problem? I have Win7 and Windows Defender is turned off.

My anti-virus is still flagging it. I got this when I tried to install and DL the beta release. I didn't get a chance to click the *I trust this file* option because it disappeared a second after I pulled up my print screen program. I was lucky that it got the screenshot just in time. I had to go back to NextSTART and call it up again (Check for Updates) for DL.

Attachment:
Avast Winstep Install Notification.jpg
Avast Winstep Install Notification.jpg [ 25.42 KiB | Viewed 30674 times ]


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:19 am 
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Look, there really isn't anything I can do. AV vendors keep coming up with new ways to distinguish themselves from each other, and then they come up with very silly things.

Look carefully at what that dialog is REALLY telling you: it is not telling you that it has found something SUSPICIOUS in that file, no, it's telling you that it is a RARE file (i.e.; one it hasn't come across yet).

Of course it hasn't: it's a beta I *just* released, and very few people have their settings set to be notified of beta versions, and, from those, only another fraction will also be using Avast!

This is similar to Symantec's infamous Reputation1 or whatever. It's a really stupid method: it leads people to think a file might be infected when it really isn't.

Other than that all I can say is that I have been using Eset AV for YEARS without a SINGLE problem, ever since I filled a false positive report with them and they invited me to be part of their beta tester's group.

Anyway, that is the Setup file for the v18.1 beta of Winstep Xtreme. I just submitted it to VirusTotal and HERE ARE THE RESULTS.

As you can see, it's clean for 66 of the 67 different virus engines - including Avast - and only eGambit reports it as suspicious (i.e.; a false positive).

Now, I never heard of eGambit before, I did submit a false positive report to them some time ago - which I got zero response for, not even a confirmation email - and I think they are a complete JOKE.

To understand WHY I think they are a joke and should not even be included in the list of VirusTotal engines, all you have to do is read their False Positive submission page HERE. Just the tone of what is written there is unbelievably amateur and patronizing! Sincerely, I picture that 'company' as a couple of kids in their basement trying to pass off as grown ups.

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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:41 pm 
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winstep wrote:
toniostarcevic wrote:
Okay.


Ok, new beta is out. Can you give it a try and please report back?

Thanks! :)


Yesss, it's fixed.
I've dragged both crashing video folders to the shelf - no crash anymore.
But there are no preview thumbnails for video files shown anymore.
If this is part of the fix, I'm okay with it.


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:06 pm 
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toniostarcevic wrote:
But there are no preview thumbnails for video files shown anymore. If this is part of the fix, I'm okay with it.


What, what?! No, that's not part of the fix.

Do you mean no preview thumbnails for *folders* containing video files? Or for actual video files?

Also, does that also happen if you

a) Exit WorkShelf
b) Run WorkShelf
c) Go to the tab containing the folder with video files and *wait* ?

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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:10 am 
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winstep wrote:
toniostarcevic wrote:
But there are no preview thumbnails for video files shown anymore. If this is part of the fix, I'm okay with it.


What, what?! No, that's not part of the fix.

Do you mean no preview thumbnails for *folders* containing video files? Or for actual video files?

Also, does that also happen if you

a) Exit WorkShelf
b) Run WorkShelf
c) Go to the tab containing the folder with video files and *wait* ?


Yes, the preview thumbnails inside the live folder icon.
Restarting Workshelf fixed it... (didn't had to open the video folder)
Can't believe that I didn't try this... :? Sorry for the trouble.


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 Post subject: Re: So, what's next after v17.12?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:55 am 
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Ok, so you get the proper live folder thumbnail if you wait, but if you quickly switch between tabs as when you were trying to crash the Shelf, there is no thumbnail, just a folder icon.

Correct?

You'll have to restart WorkShelf every time you experiment, because icons and thumbnails get cached internally.

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