Raindexer - individual Rainmeter skins per desktop

[Patrick]

,

are you using Rainmeter, the popular desktop customization tool? With the Raindexer plugin, you can have different Rainmeter skins on each desktop.

Installation
Save the Raindexer.exe to your Dexpot plugin folder (usually 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Dexpot\plugins').

Usage

1. Start both Rainmeter and Dexpot.
2. Open the Dexpot Settings and go to the "Plugins and Extras" section. Check the box next to "Raindexer" in the plugin list to start the plugin.
3. Read Rainmeter Manual: Config Groups.
4. Create a new config group containig all the skins you want to appear on a specific desktop. Let's call it "Desktop1ExampleGroup". Make sure the skins are loaded in Rainmeter.
5. Click on the "Configure" button for the Raindexer plugin in the Dexpot Settings. A file called "VDMConfig.ini" should open in your text editor. You can also create the file manually in the Rainmeter settings folder, usually 'C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Rainmeter' (on Windows 7/8/8.1).
6. Copy the following text to the VDMConfig.ini file:
   

   Code: Select all

   [Desktop1ExampleGroup]
VDesktop=1
HideMethod=Group
   "Desktop1ExampleGroup" is the name of the config group and "VDesktop=1" indicates the number of the desktop it's assigned to.
7. Save the file and restart the Raindexer plugin.
8. Switch desktops to see if it works.
9. Add more config groups to Rainmeter.ini and VDMConfig.ini as needed.

Here's some more advanced stuff you can do with individual skins in VDMConfig.ini. Figure it out yourself.

Code: Select all

[Gnometer\Bars]
VDesktop=*

[Gnometer\System]
VDesktop=3,4
VD3Position=800,0
VD4Position=1000,0

[illustro\Clock]
VDesktop=1
HideMethod=Deactivate
IniFile=Clock.ini

[ben.basinski]

[Desktop4]
VDesktop=4
HideMethod=Group

[ChaiFox]

I just started using Rainmeter and I have no idea how to make a config group I've looked at the Rainmeter Manual link but that just tells me what they are. Could you tell me how to make a config croup or at least point me to a tut for one.

[Patrick]

Hm, looks like they have a new manual.. without the config group example that used to be there.

Basically, for every skin you want to be part of the group, you add "Group=GroupName" to the skin's section in Rainmeter.ini. If you need more help with that, it would probably be better to ask on the Rainmeter forums.

[Pres]

Hi,
I am using Rainmeter and Dexpot, and I wanted to make individual skins for my desktops. I installed Raindexer and I do everything from the manual - as far as I got it from the rainmeter groups manual, to make a group I just need to implement Group=SomeGroup in the skin I want to make available say just for desktops 1,2 and 3.

Code: Select all

[Elementary\Weather]
Group=Main | Internet | Work
Active=1
WindowX=292
WindowY=0
AlphaValue=255
FadeDuration=250
ClickThrough=0
Draggable=0
HideOnMouseOver=0
SavePosition=1
SnapEdges=1
KeepOnScreen=1
AutoSelectScreen=0
AlwaysOnTop=-2
LoadOrder=0


Main, Internet and Work are the names of the three desktops I want to make the skin available to. Then I go to the VDMConfig.ini file and I do that:

Code: Select all

[Main]
VDesktop=1
HideMethod=Group
[Internet]
VDesktop=2
HideMethod=Group
[Work]
VDesktop=3
HideMethod=Group
[Play]
VDesktop=4
HideMethod=Group


So the group Main will show on desktop 1, group Internet on desktop 2 and so forth. Did I got it right? I'm not quite sure, because when i refresh everything the skin shows only on the third Desktop (group Work). Please explain it to me - what am I doing wrong?

And a second question - how can I make plugins like Raindexer and Taskbar Pager start with dexpot? Some plugins like Mouseevent and DexCube do that, and some (like the above mentioned ones) don't.

Thank you.

[AthleticTrainer]

Hi all I'm new to using rainmeter and dexpot but I found I couldn't get different skins on different desktops this way I'm running windows 7 64x if that makes a difference. After much searching I found a solution that worked. at this here:http://lockergnome.net/questions/162614/anybody-here-uses-dexpot-and-rainmeter-at-the-same-time-can-you-teach-me-how-to-set-up-different-skin-per-desktop

What I kept finding was that rainmeter and dexpot had to be restarted but the order seemed to always be incorrect. For me I needed to exit both and start rainmeter first and only after that fully loaded dexpot. Also I had to edit the VDMconfig file first through rainmeter then add a small bit at the end through dexpot (I'm not sure if that is actually necessary but I'll try playing around with it today) I also never changed desktops while editing anything if that makes a difference.

Anyway that was my solution...THANKS!

[virtualose]

Is there a way to actually get the current (active) desktop's number (or name) for to display in the Rainmeter skin?

[Patrick]

Assuming you have some experience editing Rainmeter skins: Use the Virtual Desktops plugin with "VDMeasureType=CurrentDesktop".