Koasati

Join Date 07/2001

+21

Tips for new users!

It was suggested that an article I put together should be placed in the New User section. I want to expand on that
What I hope happens in this thread is that the people I see helping others in the forums, will help me put together tips for the new folks.
This stuff can be confusing at first, and we see a lot of the same questions being asked often. So, we should be able to answer them in this thread, where they'll be easy to find.

The Problem:
Auto-installing Skin/Theme files are downloaded as zip files.

The Cause:
SP2 appears to be common factor here, but some people report no change after SP2.
What's happening is this... self installing file extension for most skinning programs are simply renamed ZIP archives. For some reason after SP2 is installed on XP, the extensions are renamed back to .zip when downloaded.
But it's easily fixed.

The Solution:

Step 1. File extension must not be hidden. If you're unsure what that means, open Control Panel > Folder Options > View tab > "Hide extensions for known file types" should be un-checked.

Step 2. Right-click the file and select Rename. Change the zip part of the name to the proper extenion. Example; skin1.zip = skin1.wba (for a WindowBlind skin)

DesktopX Themes = .dxtheme
DesktopX Objects = .dxpack
WindowBlinds = .wba
LogonStudio = .logonxp
BootSkin = .bootskin
CursorXP = .CurXPTheme
IconPackager = .ip

If you get a warning about changing the extention, click OK

Step 3. Double-click the renamed file.

Lantec pointed out that if you use Firefox (or Opera), this file extension won't be renamed when you download.

by Developer Lantec
Monday, January 03, 2005

Just a note;
I was having this problem constantly until I switched browsers.
Since I started using firefox all downloads autoinstall correctly and those that don't auto install have the right extension. There are a whole bunch of other advantages, but this one item makes it worth the trouble. SP2 has been a real pain.....

Jason Carver suggested this work around......... rename the files when you download.

by Citizen Jason Carver
Saturday, February 12, 2005

Heres a shorter shortcut ( well shorter in my opinion )

First write down the file extensions listed here. Next pick something to download. In this case , ill download a Window Blind file. When you click download. It shows the save as dialog. Below it , you have two choices from a drop down menu. "Zip files" and All files. Select all files , and add .wba to the end of the file name. When its done saving , you click open and TADA! its installed.

**UPDATE**

So, you like Internet Explorer....you don't want to switch browsers?
It appears that the problem can be fixed by installing a 3rd party archive program [WinZip, ZipCentral, IZArc, etc.] The problem seems to be caused by XP's built-in zip program.

faq support

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btz563

SHOW DESKTOP

"Show Desktop" does not minimize anything. What really happens is a full screen, borderless, explorer window, opens on top of everything.

You can use.

Winkey + M to minimize all
Winkey + shift + M to restore all

Copy and paste the following into a text file and save it as ShowDesktop.vbs. Then create a new shortcut linked to this file.

Set Shell = CreateObject ("Shell.Application")
Shell.MinimizeAll
Set Shell = Nothing

and

Copy and paste the following into a text file and save it as RestoreAll.vbs. Then create a new shortcut linked to this file.

Set Shell = CreateObject ("Shell.Application")
Shell.UndoMinimizeAll
Set Shell = Nothing

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Okay, here is my problem, I have unchecked hide extensions...but the files that I downloaded do not contain a .zip they are .ini and .bmp and the .jpg Are the programs bad? Or am I doing something wrong? It was working fine yesterday before the auto update of sp2. What can I do now?

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by the way, I am very new to all this, and trying to use bootskins

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dkwb: When you selected to download the bootskin from wincustomize (I assume) what was the name of the file that downloaded?

If the file had a .bootskin file extension, you should have been able to just double click on it to install.

If the file has a .zip file extension, you should rename it to a .bootskin, then double click on it.

At no point should you unzip/unpack the contents of the bootskin file you downloaded (except if this suggestion doesn't work, at which point we will have to figure out a manual install for you)

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Allright, thanks for the info Skarnivorous, I went back and looked at my file extensions and found out that I had indeed unziped them as I should not have. I had to redownload them to see the .zip extension, but then changed them as instructed above...All works well now. Thanks again for the help.

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WALLPAPER IMAGES IN DISPLAY PROPERTIES LIST.

Microsoft includes a number of backgrounds which can be used for wallpapers with Windows when shipped (i.e., ascent, autumn, azul, bliss, etc.). These are stored by default in "C:\Windows" (where "C" is the letter drive).

To get your wallpapers to show up in the "Backgrounds" list of "Display Properties" under the "Desktop" tab - just copy your wallpaper image (.bmp, .jpeg, .png files) to "C:\Windows" and it will be included in the list.

Koasati, I hope this fits the format of this thread.

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CLEAR CACHE BEFORE REINSTALLING PROGRAM.

There is a "cache" used to save user preference settings for items like - Widgets, Docks, DeskopX themes.

To find cache:

Go to "C:\Documents and Settings\"user name"\Local Settings\Application Data\Stardock" folder (where "C" is the letter drive, and "user name" is the name on account when you are logged in).

If you cannot see the "Local Settings" folder mentioned above - go to "Control Panel > Appearance and Themes > Folder Options > View tab" - ("Control Panel > Folder Options > View tab" in Classic view) - and select "Show hidden files and folders", then click "Apply".

You will need to deselect any options to "run automatically when windows starts" in widgets or programs, and unload any widgets or docks you are trying to clear from cache before performing this procedure.

Clearing the cache = "deleting the folders which bear the name of the widget or program you are trying to clear".

The primary use of this procedure would be to clear any settings for widgets before attempting to reload widgets which exhibit strange behavior, or when performing a "uninstall, reboot, reinstall" procedure on programs like "DesktopX and ObjectDock".

In the "uninstall, reboot, reinstall" procedure, clear the cache after "reboot" and before "reinstall".

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SOME OBJECT DOCK BASICS

The Problem:

I have just installed ObjectDock and downloaded some docks and some icons. Now what do I do?

The solution:

First there is a bit of preliminary information that will help to understand what we are about to do - When ObjectDock is installed, there is a "ObjectDock" folder (directory) created which is found in "C:\Program Files\Stardock" Folder (where "C" is the letter drive).

Inside this folder there are some important folders we need to know about; 1) "Backgrounds", 2) "Images", 3) "Themes". All three of these exist on what is referred to as the same "level", an important term for these exercises.

We will need to copy or move our dock and icon files to one of these folders (or create our own folder on the same level as these folders) by doing the following:

(We will walk through the manual method for this one, so if you feel comfortable with direct extraction, you can use this as a map to the correct folders).

For those of us who want or need to learn the manual method, let's go step-by-step:

1) If the downloaded file is a .zip, extract the files to the same folder the .zip file is located in (in XP, just right click the file and select "Extract" and follow the prompts, for Windows 2000 or below you need Winzip, Objectzip, or similar).

2) For backgrounds (docks) - open the extracted folder(s) until you see some image files (usually .png files) and a file named "background.ini", now go back one level until you see the folder containing these files (usually the name of the dock we downloaded). Copy or move this folder to the "Backgrounds" folder mentioned above within the "C:\Program Files\Stardock\ObjectDock" folder.

3)For icons - open the extracted folder(s) until you see the icon image files (usually .png files). From here we have two options - (a) copy or move the icon image files to the "Images" folder within the "C:\Program Files\Stardock\ObjectDock" folder mentioned above, or (

create a new folder within this "ObjectDock" folder which will reside at the same level as the "Images" folder. This folder can be named something like "Office", "My Icons", or whatever you want. Then copy or move the icon image files to this new folder.

Note - It is important to create new image folders at the same level as the original "images" folder within the "ObjectDock" folder because it allows us to see the image folders when we want to change a dock icon image.

Hint - Seperate image folders also allow us to search a smaller amount of images when changing them, otherwise the "Images" folder can get pretty full over time and we end up with a whole bunch of images to search through.

Just some basics to start with.

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Jason Carver suggested this work around......... rename the files when you download.
by Citizen Jason Carver
Saturday, February 12, 2005

THANKS MAN !

.....this is Koa...Your welcome..... I had to edit your comment a bit........ it was doing strange things to the tables. ~k~

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DesktopX: Objects & Widgets.......... what's the difference?

Objects can only be used if DesktopX (the program) is running.
Widgets will run if DesktopX is installed on the computer. (DX doen't have to be running)
Widgets can be loaded as Objects when DX is running, and modified..............then exported as a new Widget.

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it was doing strange things to the tables.

Oops

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ObjectDock Plus for Beginners - Building Your First Dock Theme http://essencay.wincustomize.com/Articles.aspx?SID=1825&AID=30829

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I've posted this question in a different thread, but I think it can be appropriately answered in this thread.

I'm having a problem downloading Cursor XP onto my system, I'm getting this error C:PROGRAM FILES\CURSORXP_FREE.EXE IS NOT A VALID WIN32 APPLICATION. What am I doing wrong?

To expand a little more of what exactly I'm doing here is the process that I'm going through:

When I click to download the program, it downloads and when the file is completely donwloaded it asks me if I want to save or run the program, I choose to save it to my Programs folder on my C:drive. A second after I choose for it to save, it give me this error:C:PROGRAM FILES\CURSORXP_FREE.EXE IS NOT A VALID WIN32 APPLICATION. I have downloaded a couple of other peices of software successfully from this website, the only 2 that I am having problems with is Cursor XP and stardock central. They both give me the same error. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

***By the way, I am using Windows XP home edition.

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It sounds like you are trying to save an executible installer file (.exe) to the "Program Files" directory.

The job of the installer file is to install all the program files in their correct location and to register them with the OS.

You should be able to download and save the file to "My Documents", then double-click the Installer file which will begin the installation process (you may have to unzip the file if it is in a ".zip" folder).

I hope this helps.

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Man that worked!!! Thank you so much!

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I always thought that "is not a valid win32 app" error means a corrupt file.

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I had a huge crash when I tried to use a bootskin. took me many hours to get my laptop up and running again. Now, when it boots, the splash screen for Object desktop is mostly balck. Also, now I can7t get my Right click to work on this computer.HELP!

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charms55,

Please give some more details on what happened and what you have done so far to get up and running again.

Have you done any Uninstall > Reboot > Restore procedures with ODesktop software yet?

I don't own a laptop (yet), so may be of limited help if it is an issue which does not pertain to a desktop, but I am sure that someone will be able to help with a bit more information.

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WINDOWBLINDS.. TOOLBAR ICONS WON'T CHANGE!

After you've set the new toolbar icons, open the Display Properties (right click desktop, and select Properties), choose another skin in the list, then go back to the skin you're using (this is to get the Apply button enabled) then click Apply. The new toolbar icons will be applied.

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I have downloaded some suite from wincustomize to enhance the appearence of my lame Pc...HoweVer,I dont seem to be able to install it to my com as no program can open it...

What should b done to remedy tis???D file is in .suite form....

HeLp..

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ryinof... for suite files you need the Theme Manager program, but you also need all the programs that suite file will apply.

WindowBlinds need the WindowBlinds program, CursorXP sets need the CursorXP program, and so on...... suites are collections of skins that are applied as a theme with Theme Manager.

Click the Software tab above, or use this https://www.wincustomize.com/software.aspx to access the downloads of the programs needed.

I know this is a rather simplistic explanation, but I hope it gets you started. Others more familiar with Theme Manager may be able to explain it better. (I don't use it, being more of a do it yourself kind of guy)

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Dropped by during lunch and am feeling a bit adventurous, so here is a bit of a Theme Manager overview:

Theme Manager is a sort of component coordinator. It looks at a .suite file and communicates with all the individual programs responsible for applying the different components of a theme.

For example, the computer needs the WindowBlinds program to change the appearance of the Start Menu, Taskbar, Explorer shell (the window frame, menu bar, tool bars, toolbar icons, as well as animations (like when you download a file, you have a nice little dialog box with a progress bar or animation).

The computer also needs Icon Packager to change the system icons (folders, start menu icons, file type icons, etc.), it needs DesktopX (until gadgets get going) to display widgets on the desktop, (such as the weather, a calendar, an analog clock to name a few), it needs Cursor XP to change the cursors, and of course you may want to change the wallpaper on the desktop.

These are a few of the programs that Theme Manager can communicate with, and instead of the user having to load each program individually and select and apply a skin or package - Theme Manager handles all the loading and applying for you by looking at the suite, writing the files to their correct locations and instructing all the individual programs to apply the components of the suite.

You just load Theme Manager, select a suite, and click apply - Theme Manager handles the rest. It will also allow you to save a theme as a ".suite" file for uploading and sharing with others.

Note - as Koasati indicated, you will need the relevant programs installed on your computer because they are the softwares that actually apply the changes.

I hope this made sense, and is not too long-winded.

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Thanks some of these tips have really helped me

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im a new user and i dont no a thing about applying these skins. i have changed the format into a wbx file but i dont know how to apply the differences. can u tell me how?

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