Windows 7 Themes + Dexpot

[philyao]

I want to have a different theme on each of my desktops - this means a different set of backgrounds on each desktop (a set with changing nature pics, a set with changing architecture pics). How is this possible on Dexpot, where it seems I can only set one picture to each desktop...it also looks like I can't just select a theme as my background picture.

Thanks!

[Sebastian]

,

currently not supported.

[Guest]

need this feature

[selden]

Please add me to the list of people who would very much like to be able to use different Windows 7 Themes on different Dexpot Desktops.

Would it be technically possible for someone (not necessarily a Dexpot developer) to script a command which selects a Theme whenever a Desktop is entered?

[CircleDock]

Please add me to the list of people who would very much like to be able to use different Windows 7 Themes on different Dexpot Desktops.

I hope Patrick and Sebastian don't mind me mentioning that this is something we (Team Circle Dock) are currently looking to provide as a Dexpot "plug-in".

Would it be technically possible for someone (not necessarily a Dexpot developer) to script a command which selects a Theme whenever a Desktop is entered?

In theory it's possible but somewhat difficult in practice. For such a script to work, it would firstly need to register as a "plug-in" and then wait for desktop switch messages from the VDM. There is an added complication in that another registered "plug-in" could veto the switch, so that would need to be factored-in as well.



Mark

[Patrick]

Would it be technically possible for someone (not necessarily a Dexpot developer) to script a command which selects a Theme whenever a Desktop is entered?

In theory it's possible but somewhat difficult in practice. For such a script to work, it would firstly need to register as a "plug-in" and then wait for desktop switch messages from the VDM.

Dexpot has a feature called "Desktop Start-Up" (under "Configure Desktops") which can be used to run scripts every time the desktop is switched, without the need to register a plugin.

As for the "Is it possible to write a script which selects a theme?" aspect of the question, on Windows 7, .themepack files are opened with

Code: Select all

%SystemRoot%\system32\rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk,@Themes /Action:OpenTheme /file:"%1"

This changes the theme, but also brings up a Control Panel window, which would have to be closed again or suppressed .

If we only care about the wallpaper slideshow part of themes, the better approach might be a plugin that regularly cycles through items from a set of wallpapers for the currently active desktop, bypassing the Windows slideshow settings altogether. That's what you had in mind, Mark, right?

[CircleDock]

If we only care about the wallpaper slideshow part of themes, the better approach might be a plugin that regularly cycles through items from a set of wallpapers for the currently active desktop, bypassing the Windows slideshow settings altogether. That's what you had in mind, Mark, right?

Yes indeed, Patrick, something like that! At the simplest level, a user can select an image for each desktop which will be used when switching to that desktop. Alternatively, Users will be able to set a series of images for each virtual desktop and these can - on a per desktop basis - be set to cycle in order or in a random sequence. Image files can be in BMP, JPG or PNG format and are resized and converted to 32-bit/pixel bitmaps internally.

Unlike Windows 7's Themes - which seem to be restricted to a maximum of six images - our changer will allow for as many images as you wish (within the limitations of your PC's resources). It will run on earlier versions of Windows as well.

We will be releasing this shortly.



Mark

[selden]

Mark,

I regularly have used Win7 themes with far more than 6 backgrounds.
I'm currently running Win7Pro x64. I dunno if that makes any difference.

I'll admit that the other theme features haven't mattered to me. Changing the icon images and alert sounds isn't a priority for me but might be for others.

s.

[ronberg]

I don´t understand the problem: Just add the theme file (including the full path) to the "Desktop Start-Up" option in the "Configure Desktops" window. Set as option "everytime the desktop is opened", and everytime you enter the desktop the chosen theme will be applied. For a better look of the desktop changes you may add as a background picture the first picture of the chosen theme.
The theme files are stored under "%Windir%\ressources\themes\" resp. the downloaded themes under "%Userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\".
The disadvantage of course is the time the computer needs to load the new theme everytime you are changing the desktop. But that is in the nature when you want to load a new theme everytime you are changing the desktop.

[ronberg]

1. The path to the themes directory has a typo: of course it must be "resources" instead of "ressources".
2. The first time you open a desktop the command will open the Control Panel window to select themes. Minimize it to the taskbar and keep it open. Subsequently you will have no further problems with it.

Ronberg

[gaste]

WE NEED THIS FEATURE!!!!!

[Patrick]

TELL MICROSOFT!!!!!

[sgtevmckay]

TELL MICROSOFT!!!!!

LOL....Indeed

Understand folks, that although MS has given us a great OS in Windows 7, they also made it that much harder (or more so) to to work with the OS.

There are programmers, working in conjunction with Dexpot, that are working to bring such capabilities to Dexpot, but only if it is reasonably feasible to do so.

Be patient folks; Rome was not built in a day, and neither was Dexpot.
It has taken years to bring you the quality program that we use today.
Advancement will not be overnight, and not without obstacles to overcome

[Mind]

+1
It would be nice to see this feature in DexPot.

[javalava]

Just add the theme file (including the full path) to the "Desktop Start-Up" option in the "Configure Desktops" window. Set as option "everytime the desktop is opened", and everytime you enter the desktop the chosen theme will be applied.

Thank you for this suggestion. I used the "Personalise" control panel to save themes called "desktop 1.theme" etc. within "%Userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\" so Windows 8 could find them.

It worked by browsing to the "desktop 1.theme" as the Desktop Start-Up command. The themes have a "fade in" which harmonized well with the swapping desktops.

BUT...
Every time I swapped desktops, the cycle of images started from the first one again!

So my solution has been to use Dexpot as intended: manually change the wallpaper when I'm fed up with it.

[Kevin]

1+

[yboivin]

Hi,

A solution that works on Windows 7 64 Ultimate French with an Every Entry Event and Command like:

"C:\Temp\Dexpot\NewChangeTheme.vbs" "%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\Dark Skie\Dark Skie.theme"

Were "NewChangeTheme.vbs" contains the following code and is taking the name of the theme as an argument:

-----------------------------------------------
' Based and adapted on code
' found at this thread:
' http://www.sevenforums.com/themes-style ... theme.html
' Do remark the French name of Desktop Properties, this needs to be adapted for every language
' also, the 3000 for the Sleep is a minimal value that works on an Alienware laptop MX18R2 with an i7 and dual Radeon
' you may need to adjust upward for a slower computer. If not, the window will stay open

Dim var1
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run "rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk,@Themes /Action:OpenTheme /file:""" & WScript.Arguments(0) & """"
set Arg = Nothing
Wscript.Sleep 3000
WshShell.AppActivate("Panneau de configuration") '("Desktop Properties")
WshShell.Sendkeys "%{F4}"
-------------------------------------------

Thanks to WindowsStar and jasonpatrick of http://www.sevenformus.com !

PS: don't change window until the cycle is complete or it won't work !
PS2: I tested it on a Every Entry event, it fires on every change of desktop... Not perfect but it works !
Next, testing on a First Entry !

Yves

[yboivin]

Just add the theme file (including the full path) to the "Desktop Start-Up" option in the "Configure Desktops" window. Set as option "everytime the desktop is opened", and everytime you enter the desktop the chosen theme will be applied.

Thank you for this suggestion. I used the "Personalise" control panel to save themes called "desktop 1.theme" etc. within "%Userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\" so Windows 8 could find them.

It worked by browsing to the "desktop 1.theme" as the Desktop Start-Up command. The themes have a "fade in" which harmonized well with the swapping desktops.

BUT...
Every time I swapped desktops, the cycle of images started from the first one again!

For the theme to be Shuffled, edit each .theme file with notepad and make the
following change in the [Slideshow] section

[Slideshow]
Interval=1800000
--­>Shuffle=1
ImagesRootPath=%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\Bodydresses\DesktopBackground

Then, save the .theme file and you should have a new image everytime !

[yboivin]

Hi,

Five simple lines in Powershell ! Can even be combined on three !

Start-Process -FilePath $args[0] -WindowStyle Normal
sleep 3
(New-Object -comObject Shell.Application).Windows() |
where-object {$_.LocationName -eq "Personnalisation"} |
foreach-object {$_.quit()}



Can't get them to execute with the Desktop Startup command ! Spent hours debugging the script and testing it, I know it works from either: Execute, Command prompt Window and Powershell window with this command:

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -file c:\temp\ChangeTheme.ps1 "c:\Users\Yves\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\Australia\Australia.theme"

Works like a champ everywhere but not in Dexpot Desktop Startup Command.... There's a window that opens briefly but can't see what kind. Is it CMD or PS ?

Anyway, spent enough time on this, the script described above works even if it's not elegant and that's going to be it for a time !

Thanks !

Yves

[SomeoneSuperior]

Hi,

A solution that works on Windows 7 64 Ultimate French with an Every Entry Event and Command like:

"C:\Temp\Dexpot\NewChangeTheme.vbs" "%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\Dark Skie\Dark Skie.theme"

Were "NewChangeTheme.vbs" contains the following code and is taking the name of the theme as an argument:

-----------------------------------------------
' Based and adapted on code
' found at this thread:
' http://www.sevenforums.com/themes-style ... theme.html
' Do remark the French name of Desktop Properties, this needs to be adapted for every language
' also, the 3000 for the Sleep is a minimal value that works on an Alienware laptop MX18R2 with an i7 and dual Radeon
' you may need to adjust upward for a slower computer. If not, the window will stay open

Dim var1
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run "rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk,@Themes /Action:OpenTheme /file:""" & WScript.Arguments(0) & """"
set Arg = Nothing
Wscript.Sleep 3000
WshShell.AppActivate("Panneau de configuration") '("Desktop Properties")
WshShell.Sendkeys "%{F4}"
-------------------------------------------

Thanks to WindowsStar and jasonpatrick of http://www.sevenformus.com !

PS: don't change window until the cycle is complete or it won't work !
PS2: I tested it on a Every Entry event, it fires on every change of desktop... Not perfect but it works !
Next, testing on a First Entry !

Yves

Works great.Thanks a lot.