KVR Audio

takecha · Post by **takecha** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:04 pm

It's strange that this hasn't been talked about until now, but I feel strange about the position of the close button on a basic window that reflects the Windows 10/11 default theme when displaying VST plugins in many DAWs. A close button is slightly to the right. And needed a few dots space in right, which gives a bad impression of the overall design and reduces motivation. This plugin's window display is mainly seen in Ableton Live, Reaper, Bitwig Studio, etc. However, FL Studio, MuLab, n-Track Studio, Reason Studio, MPC Software, Waveform, Studio One, etc. use their own plugin's GUI window design, so I don't have any of the issues I'm concerned about and it feels good. And all of the standalone synths also have no problem. What do you think? Or do you not care? Or escape to macOS?

For example, This ugly close button position...

AlmostDAWsVSTPluginWindowCloseButtonOfWin1011theme.PNG

Case of standalone, the appearance is normal and good...

StandaloneWindowCloseButton.PNG

VOODOO U · Post by **VOODOO U** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:19 pm

Your motivation is reduced because of the close button position? May I ask how you manage to get anything done?

takecha · Post by **takecha** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:41 pm

VOODOO U wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:19 pm Your motivation is reduced because of the close button position? May I ask how you manage to get anything done?

Yes, it may be a small thing, but it is very important to me. When I'm creating a track using a DAW that displays the ugly design above, I concentrate on the sound, but when I'm using a DAW that has its own unique plugin's window design, I feel very comfortable.

VOODOO U · Post by **VOODOO U** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:50 pm

Hmmm. I think i understand. Kind of like being in the studio with an ugly female vocalist, i tend to just focus on the sound.
But when there's a smoking hot Scarlett Johansen look-a-like i feel very aroused (which for me is comfortable because i have italian blood in me).

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:18 pm

My close buttons don't look like that. I'm on FL but not the default theme. My close buttons aren't even buttons, just white X's.

THE INTRANCER · Post by **THE INTRANCER** » Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:01 am

You can buy a copy of Curtains to customise the look of Windows 10 for £9.99. Try the free 30-day trial. I use it and find it a nice add-on. It also adds a transparent glass-like effect to the background like Windows 7 did.

https://www.stardock.com/products/curtains/

takecha · Post by **takecha** » Sat Jan 20, 2024 4:34 am

THE INTRANCER wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:01 am You can buy a copy of Curtains to customise the look of Windows 10 for £9.99. Try the free 30-day trial. I use it and find it a nice add-on. It also adds a transparent glass-like effect to the background like Windows 7 did.

https://www.stardock.com/products/curtains/

I used Stardock WindowBlinds a long time ago and loved the BeOS theme. And when I moved to Windows 10, my machine didn't have much power, so I stopped using WindowBlinds. But I didn't checked Curtains. I'm interested in whether it is possible to edit just the close button of the VST window. Anyway thank you for the useful information!

takecha · Post by **takecha** » Sat Jan 20, 2024 4:41 am

osiris wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 9:18 pm My close buttons don't look like that. I'm on FL but not the default theme. My close buttons aren't even buttons, just white X's.

Yes, FL Studio is a nice environment regardless of the OS because it has its own complete GUI including a VST window!

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:47 pm

Yes I think there's about 5 different themes now.

THE INTRANCER · Post by **THE INTRANCER** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:04 am

takecha wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2024 4:34 am
THE INTRANCER wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:01 am You can buy a copy of Curtains to customise the look of Windows 10 for £9.99. Try the free 30-day trial. I use it and find it a nice add-on. It also adds a transparent glass-like effect to the background like Windows 7 did.

https://www.stardock.com/products/curtains/
I used Stardock WindowBlinds a long time ago and loved the BeOS theme. And when I moved to Windows 10, my machine didn't have much power, so I stopped using WindowBlinds. But I didn't checked Curtains. I'm interested in whether it is possible to edit just the close button of the VST window. Anyway thank you for the useful information!

If the DAW VST window is using the same native Windows OS windowing system then yes. You can create your own UI skins.

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:42 pm

I used to use WindowBlinds +1 for that.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:58 pm

takecha wrote: Fri Jan 19, 2024 7:04 pm What do you think? Or do you not care?

The latter.

pough · Post by **pough** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:07 pm

I hadn't specifically noticed the close button before but then the only DAW I use with this small issue is Reaper and most controls in Reaper look like they've been drunkenly pissed onto the UI like a men's bathroom in a night club at 1 AM.

cdbaksu · Post by **cdbaksu** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 8:01 pm

That would drive me insane!

On macOS things are much better, happy to report. The UI is taken care of in a sense that no other OS does, as far as I've seen. Though there are developers who insist on catering to Windows people and change out the placement of those buttons, but they are very few.

But yeah, holy crap, I'm totally one of those people that are bothered by stuff like this!

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 8:26 pm

I don't really know what to say about that. Apart from that some DAW developers choose to create their custom UIs, and some use the Windows default windows, and some windows simply look like that.

If that's such a thorn in your side that you consider switching to Mac OS, then I think that's borderline insane, but, hey.

Win VSTs close button design