Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 ===================================== ©Copyright 2010, Rich „Weeds„ Nagel - All Rights Reserved Overview -------- The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 is a program that can automatically and randomly change your current Windows desktop theme using any of the desktop theme files that you have installed on your computer. The Microsoft "Plus! Pack" for Windows 95 and Windows 98 had this capability, but Microsoft (in their "infinite" wisdom) removed this feature from Windows XP (refer to the "Quote of the Day" section below!). I had previously searched high and low on the Internet for a similar program, but found nothing... hence, I decided to create my own! The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 also features the ability to use a custom edited list of the desktop themes installed on your computer when the randomly chosen desktop theme is applied by the program, so you can use just a selection of your favorite desktop themes when the program is run. This function differs from the "Rotate Theme Monthly" feature of the Microsoft Plus! Pack, as the Plus! Pack's desktop theme control panel applet would use ALL of the available desktop themes that you had installed on your computer (not just a selection of your favorites). System Requirements ------------------- The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 requires Windows XP "Home" or "Professional" (with any of Microsoft's Windows XP Service Packs installed), and will also work with Windows Vista. I have no idea if the program will function properly when run under the "Windows 7" abomination, but you can give it a try. Also, the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 may run properly under Windows 95 or Windows 98 as well (with the Microsoft "Plus! Pack" installed), but I haven't actually tested it. As above (with "Windows 7"), you can give it a try. Note that when the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 is run under Windows XP, you may require "Administrator Privileges" for the program to function properly. Also note that when the program is run under Windows Vista, you will need to change various "User Permissions" in order for the program to function properly (refer to the "User Account Control" section below). Files in this Package --------------------- "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" Program executable. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.ico" NeoBook for Windows v4.1.3a program source code icon. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.pub" NeoBook for Windows v4.1.3a program source code. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.txt" This help and readme file. "Apply Random Desktop Theme.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Apply a random desktop theme from the previously created list of desktop theme files. Note that this shortcut (or the "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator" shortcut) should be copied to your "Startup" folder. "Create Desktop Theme List.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Create a new list of the desktop theme files installed on your computer (without applying a random desktop theme from the list), and then edit the list using Windows Notepad. "Edit Desktop Theme List.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Edit the previously created list of desktop theme files using Windows Notepad. "Quick Help and Readme.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Display the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator quick help, and then the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator readme file. "Windows Display Properties.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Start the Windows Display Properties control panel applet (without applying a random desktop theme from the list). "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator Readme.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Display the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator readme file. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut: Create a new list of the desktop theme files installed on your computer, and then apply a random desktop theme from the list. Note that this shortcut (or the "Apply Random Desktop Theme" shortcut) should be copied to your "Startup" folder. Installation ------------ 1 - Create a new folder located in the "C:\Program Files" folder on your hard drive using the folder name "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator" (e.g. "C:\Program Files\Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator"). 2 - Copy the following four files to the new "C:\Program Files\Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator" folder on your hard drive: "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.ico" "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.pub" "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.txt" Note that the program MUST be installed to the "C:\Program Files\Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator" folder on your hard drive in order for the included Windows Start Menu Shortcuts to function properly. That is, unless you edit all of the included shortcuts to point to the correct alternate path were you chose to install the program. 3 - Copy the following seven Windows Start Menu shortcut files to your Windows Start Menu folder (e.g. "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator"): "Apply Random Desktop Theme.lnk" "Create Desktop Theme List.lnk" "Edit Desktop Theme List.lnk" "Quick Help and Readme.lnk" "Windows Display Properties.lnk" "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator Readme.lnk" "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.lnk" 4 - Copy your choice of either the "Apply Random Desktop Theme.lnk", or the "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut files to the "Startup" folder of your Windows Start Menu folder (e.g. "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"). See the "Usage" section below, and the "Files in this Package" section above for a detailed explaination of these two Windows Start Menu shortcuts. User Account Control -------------------- As mentioned in the "System Requirements" section above, you may require "Administrator Privileges" for the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 to function properly when run under Windows XP. In addition, when running the program under Windows Vista, you will need to change various "User Permissions" by disabling "User Account Control" in order for the program to function properly. To disable "User Account Control" for Windows Vista, perform the following steps: 1 - Start the Windows Control Panel. 2 - Type "UAC" (minus the quotes) in the search dialog box. 3 - Click the "Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off" link. 4 - Click the "Continue" button when Windows prompts you with "Windows needs your permission to continue". 5 - Uncheck the "Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer" checkbox. 6 - Click the "OK" button. 7 - Click the "Restart Now" button to reboot your computer and restart Windows. 8 - After your computer has rebooted and Windows has restarted, start the Windows Control Panel again. 9 - Click the "Security" link. 10 - Click the "Security Center" link. 11 - Click the "Change the way Security Center alerts me" link. 12 - Click the "Don't notify me and don't display the icon (not recommended)" link. Note that Microsoft does not recommended disabling any of these Windows features, but disabling them is the ONLY way that the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 (as well as a LOT of other third-party programs and utilities) will function properly when run under Windows Vista! Usage ----- The first time that you run the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 you will be presented with a brief welcome screen, as well as the program's quick help and readme file. At that time, a new list of all of the available desktop theme files installed on your computer will be created. The filename of the list of desktop theme files will be "ThemeFilesList.txt", and will be located in the same folder where the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator is installed on your hard drive (e.g. "C:\Program Files\Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator\ThemeFilesList.txt"). The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 initally searches the following folders and subfolders for desktop theme files that are installed on your computer when initially creating the new list of installed desktop themes: "C:\Users\USER NAME\Documents" Windows Vista user account "My Documents" folder. "C:\Documents and Settings\USER NAME\My Documents" Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows XP user account "My Documents" folder. "C:\Windows\Resources\Themes" Windows XP and Windows Vista default desktop themes folder. "C:\Program Files\Plus!\Themes" Windows 95 and Windows 98 Microsoft "Plus! Pack" default desktop themes folder. This list of desktop theme files can be edited using Windows Notepad to easily remove any desktop themes from the list that you do not wish to be used when the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator applies a random desktop theme. Alternatively, you can simply leave the list file unedited so that the program will use all of the available desktop themes installed on your computer when applying a random desktop theme. Lastly, after running the program for the first time, the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator quick help and this readme file will be displayed so that you can familiarize yourself with the program. You will probably want to copy your choice of either the "Apply Random Desktop Theme.lnk", or the "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.lnk" Windows Start Menu shortcut files to the "Startup" folder of your Windows Start Menu folder, as this is really the whole point of this program... to automatically and randomly change your current Windows desktop theme. Refer to the "Files in this Package" section above, and the "Command-Line Parameters" section below for a detailed explaination as to exactly what each of the shortcuts do. You can also use the Windows "Task Scheduler" to create a new "scheduled task" that points to either one of these two Windows Start Menu shortcuts, so that the operation of the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 is similar to the "Rotate Theme Monthly" feature mentioned in the "Overview" section above. Refer to your Windows documentation and help file for help with using the Windows Task Scheduler, and setting up new scheduled tasks. Command-Line Parameters ----------------------- Note that the command-line parameters listed below are already utilized within the various Windows Start Menu shortcuts included with the package (refer to the "Usage" and "Files in this Package" sections above). "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" (no command-line parameter) Create a new list of the desktop theme files installed on your computer, and then apply a random desktop theme from the list. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" /L Create a new list of the desktop theme files installed on your computer (without applying a random desktop theme from the list), and then edit the list using Windows Notepad. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" /E Edit the previously created list of desktop theme files using Windows Notepad. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" /R Apply a random desktop theme from the previously created list of desktop theme files. "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" /D Start the Windows Display Properties control panel applet (without applying a random desktop theme from the list). "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.exe" /H Display this quick help message, and then the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator readme file. Source Code ----------- Also included with the package is the original source code for the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0. The included file "Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator.pub" is a "NeoBook for Windows" publication, and can be viewed or edited using "NeoBook for Windows" version 4.1.3a or newer. Programs and Utilities ---------------------- The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 was programmed and created exclusively using NeoSoft's NeoBook for Windows v4.1.3a. Copyrights and Legalities ------------------------- Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 - ©Copyright 2010, Rich „Weeds„ Nagel - All Rights Reserved The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 (WXPDTRotator.zip) may be freely distributed in it's whole and unmodified form for any non-commercial usage, contained in it's original unmodified and unedited ZIP format archive, including all documents, text, and support files. The Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 (WXPDTRotator.zip) and included content may NOT be distributed on any commercial CD-ROM or any other commercial magnetic or electronic media (commercial or freeware implied), on any "pay per download" online service, for ANY purpose of financial gain whatsoever, or for any purpose other than 100% FREEWARE (with exclusions as stated above). Use the Windows XP Desktop Theme Rotator v1.0 at your own risk... I will not be held responsible for absolutely anything , and the like. Void where prohibited; not available in all states; removing factory seal will void your warranty; removing information tag from pillow is a violation of federal law; does not include tax, tag, and title; your results may vary; results not typical; supplies are limited; I'm not a real doctor, but I portray one on TV; don't blame me, I didn't vote for him; etc... etc... . Version History --------------- v1.0 - First Release. (January 13, 2010) Quote of the Day ---------------- "You can't fix stupid..." - Ron White ENJOY! ------ Rich „Weeds„ Nagel richnagel@earthlink.net http://www.richnagel.net http://www.cmoo.com/snor/weeds/Desktop_Themes/