WallChanger 3.0
#1
Posted 24 April 2008 - 09:45 PM
Description
This little program switches your wallpaper on windows startup.
I made this for myself, there are progs like this around, but they are shareware... :twisted:
Thats why i made one myself.
Development of this baby is done now...
it works great
Any feedback is appriciated.
Released on 20-10-2008
What's New in Wallchanger 3.0 final.
=====================================================
New GUI!!!
Faster execution.
Minor optimisations to the sourcecode.
Updated to the latest beta version of autoit.
=====================================================
Wallchanger 3.0
Wall-Cmd
#2
Posted 25 April 2008 - 03:12 AM
#3
Posted 25 April 2008 - 07:05 AM
damian666
#4
Posted 28 April 2008 - 01:50 PM
thanx man, tell me if you find a bug ok?
damian666
Note: I haven't tried your app yet, but I soon will!
Having said that, I already have a couple of feature requests
I used to use Wallpaper Changer (www.wallpaperchanger.de), which ceased development sometime back in 2001. One thing I really appreciated about the application was the ability to stretch images based on the aspect ratio. Some images (4:3 or otherwise) stretched to a 16:10 display look absolutely terrible.
In WPC, you could set an aspect ratio threshold. Basically, if the proposed image deformation was less than the threshold (say 30%), then the image would be stretched to the entire desktop. If the deformation exceeded the threshold, the image would stretch fully in only one direction and aspect ratio was maintained. Normally this would result in 'black bars' on the sides (or top/bottom) of the image, but the program also could correct the background colour to match the image.
Another nice feature of WPC was the option to automatically tile small images (again, using a threshold). If an image is less than the specified size, it automatically gets tiled to fill the entire screen.
#5
Posted 28 April 2008 - 03:00 PM
well, as far as i know, windows automaticly resizes the images with respect to the ratio.
but i could be wrong man...
and the tiling of images beneath a specified size is easy.
so i will integrate that, and as i said above, i dont think that is neccesary as windows does that automaticly.
thanx man
damian666
#6
Posted 29 April 2008 - 02:42 PM
hi man, thanx for the reply.
well, as far as i know, windows automaticly resizes the images with respect to the ratio.
but i could be wrong man...
and the tiling of images beneath a specified size is easy.
so i will integrate that, and as i said above, i dont think that is neccesary as windows does that automaticly.
thanx man
damian666
I think we're on different pages, so I'll try to clarify. Windows gives you the option to Stretch, Center, or Tile. Center/Tile is pretty obvious. Stretch is the problem. If I use a 4:3 image (say 1024x768) as a wallpaper on a 16:10 monitor (1920x1200), then Windows 'Stretch' causes the image to be distorted. The effect is really clear when you have a picture of a person you know...they end up being 'fat'.
Similarly, you might have an image that is even taller than 4:3 (say you've got a photo cropped at 600x800)...now the 'Stretch' in Windows is even more pronounced. For landscapes and abstract art, stretching the image by this much might not even be noticed...but for recognizable figures it is really distracting. The problem goes the other way as well...if you have a high aspect ratio the subject matter gets stretched vertically (so everyone is skinny like Paula Abdul)
I don't know much about how your program operates, so I wasn't sure if you were stretching the wallpaper yourself or letting Windows (or some library) do the job. If you're just using the Windows interface then you won't be able to intelligently stretch. I'm using XP, so perhaps Vista does things differently...
Cheers,
Dave
#7
Posted 29 April 2008 - 07:36 PM
but i will investigate it, and see what i can come up with
damian666
#8
Posted 05 May 2008 - 07:27 PM
But when I try to run WallChanger, I get this:
Where's it trying to browse to? I don't think that there is anything in the Desktop special folder... maybe it doesn't exist in WinPE 2?
Something to think about. I'm off to bed. It's freezing!
Regards
#9
Posted 05 May 2008 - 11:47 PM
and that installer worked huh?
didnt know that could work on PE2 lol
well, maybe i can modify the wall cmd for you...
but what do you need man?
Damian666
#10
Posted 06 May 2008 - 01:59 AM
well, whatever it is trying to find, it certainly is not in PE2 man
and that installer worked huh?
... installer works only under Dependency Walker - something magic about DW - it slows the processing down to steps? BTW, only tested under Virtual PC. It may be different with a real CD.
... and the installer needs a HDD attached to the booted machine, or...
... with HDD; default installation directory:
running the program...
well, maybe i can modify the wall cmd for you...
OK. I can switch to a cmd-line version.
The random Wallpaper batch file suggested by jaclaz in another thread won't work because there is no 'findstr.exe' in WinPE - only 'find.exe' and 'dir'. (Is there another way?) The registry settings used by the batch look OK... need to replace 'system32\winpe.bmp'.
So, I thought it may be OK to change it manually after boot. Could the program nominate a default location for the collection of wallpapers, and I can use Winbuilder to copy them to that location. Better would be collection of special WinPE wallpapers (two to start with, chosen by you ... ...) bundled with the application.
Regards
#11
Posted 06 May 2008 - 04:52 AM
Something like. Excuse me but I dont know the names used in actuall PE.
..Program Files\Wallpaper Changer\Wallpapers
#12
Posted 06 May 2008 - 09:07 AM
is that there on winpe? else just drop it in the same dir and your done.
secondly, why do you need a preset dir? you can make whatever dir you want and put in some jpg wallpapers.
it gets converted to bmp, and applied to the desktop.
And with the cmd version, you just tell the path to the wallpaper.jpg, and its done man.
thats all you need, and me telling you what papers to include?
dont know man, i have thousands
Damian666
#13
Posted 06 May 2008 - 01:48 PM
There are two gdiplus.dll files - both in winsxs\ folders - no others anywhere else.well, to start with, the wallchanger needs gdiplus to function.
is that there on winpe? else just drop it in the same dir and your done.
Everything is preset in WinPE - nothing changes unless Winbuilder tells it to change. I thought it might be easier to do away with the browse-for dialogue.secondly, why do you need a preset dir? you can make whatever dir you want and put in some jpg wallpapers.
it gets converted to bmp, and applied to the desktop.
And with the cmd version, you just tell the path to the wallpaper.jpg, and its done man.
thats all you need, and me telling you what papers to include?
dont know man, i have thousands
... three or four of your lightest in size. I'll try the command-line in a moment.
I like surprises! Have you thought about the randomizer? That could be command-line - it would be nice to have an icon for the shortcut though. Just a click on the shortcut to change the wallpaper? ... and random at boot?
EDIT: Oops! First look, and I see it has a nice icon..... ...
Thanks
#14
Posted 06 May 2008 - 02:30 PM
However, the wallpaper didn't change, and when I move a window around, it rubs the wallpaper out... goes black.
I'll give it a go with some of the optional WinPE packages.
BTW, the help screen says 'WallChanger.exe...', not 'WallCmd.exe...'.
Regards
#15
Posted 06 May 2008 - 03:33 PM
I'll give it a go with some of the optional WinPE packages.
Nope.
And this ...
RUNDLL32.EXE USER32.DLL,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters ,1 ,Truedoesn't work either.
Regards
#16
Posted 06 May 2008 - 04:37 PM
let me see if i can change that for you man
i will report back
damian666
#17
Posted 06 May 2008 - 04:50 PM
Damian666
Attached Files
#18
Posted 06 May 2008 - 10:15 PM
Thanks.
#19
Posted 07 May 2008 - 10:54 AM
any more requests???
Damian666
#20
Posted 07 May 2008 - 07:33 PM
ok, then thats step 1
any more requests???
Damian666
Hmmm. You really want to know? How about a one-click random wallpaper? I'd rather that than typing in 'HANDS_OFF_by_paperfairys.bmp', etc. The spelling gets me every time... ...
Can it be done?
Thanks
#21
Posted 07 May 2008 - 08:40 PM
i will see if i can fix something for you man.
and what dir would you like me to use to search for the walls?
oh, and man, you can use jpg, thats smaller, it will convert them on the fly
damian666
#22
Posted 07 May 2008 - 11:15 PM
well, if it can be done... i can do it too
i will see if i can fix something for you man.
and what dir would you like me to use to search for the walls?
oh, and man, you can use jpg, thats smaller, it will convert them on the fly
damian666
Any directory is fine. Except system32 which contains the winpe.bmp...
I'd like to make it easy for users (especiallly myself) to break the monotony of the same old wallpaper... a default selection of wallpapers for anyone who is too lazy to select there own. .jpg files? I'll take a dozen! ... ...
I was thinking that I could possibly do a separate randomizer to select the wallpaper file then add the result as the parameter to the WallCmd. At least, I could test one independently of the WallCmd.
Regards
#23
Posted 07 May 2008 - 11:22 PM
Any directory is fine. Except system32 which contains the winpe.bmp...
I'd like to make it easy for users (especiallly myself) to break the monotony of the same old wallpaper... a default selection of wallpapers for anyone who is too lazy to select there own. .jpg files? I'll take a dozen! ... ...
I was thinking that I could possibly do a separate randomizer to select the wallpaper file then add the result as the parameter to the WallCmd. At least, I could test one independently of the WallCmd.
Regards
well, i can let it check in the same dir as the exe itself, that would be ok right?
and you want wallpapers? are you sure?
i can give you some if you like...
and you can make that randomizer if you like, or i can see if i can do it, whatever you want.
p.s. i looked for a msn adress, but can not find it, maye talk sometimes?
damian666
#24
Posted 07 May 2008 - 11:52 PM
well, i can let it check in the same dir as the exe itself, that would be ok right?
and you want wallpapers? are you sure?
i can give you some if you like...
and you can make that randomizer if you like, or i can see if i can do it, whatever you want.
p.s. i looked for a msn adress, but can not find it, maye talk sometimes?
damian666
I thought yo meant msdn address for a randomizer script?
I will need to search hard to find one made from 'dir'. But if you can do it easily, be mt guest ... ...
Yeah! I reckon you can get better wallpapers than I could. Here's a snap-shot of my tastes... not everyone's cup of tea.
http://relativity17....arewell-8369177
Regards
#25
Posted 08 May 2008 - 06:21 AM
RUNDLL32.EXE USER32.DLL,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters ,1 ,True
(BTW It worked once, so I opened the registry to see what had changed. It didn't work again until I closed regedit.)
Three problems: Doesn't do jpg files, AFAIK; no download from developer - so would need to encode it in a Winbuilder .script or write it on the fly during building of the project; and the user would need to find the .bmp files, rename them and put them in a folder to copy them from during the build - i. e. it requires a usage manual ... ...
Regards
I also like this wallpaper - .jpg download. I came across this and the other one when using a theme from Litestep-France.
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