DesktopX 3.5 was released recently, and one of the biggest feature updates is the ability to export your DX creations as a Vista sidebar gadget.  Creating a gadget for the Vista sidebar isn’t the easiest thing to do, and it has limitations that DesktopX can easily overcome.  DesktopX is a very powerful application which can create a wide variety of mini-applications for your desktop.  These can range from simple weather gadgets, on up to very complex applications with multiple functions all that can be wrapped in custom graphics. 

The gadgets that can be created with DesktopX can be scripted with many languages including C++, which allows an almost endless amount of possibilities.  Now if you aren’t big on scripting, don’t be too intimidated, as you can still create some great gadgets with the included plugins, or by going through the huge amount of documentation/tutorials provided by Stardock.  You can also find more tutorials written by experienced community members which can be found at the WinCustomize Wiki.

I have created quite a few DesktopX widgets over the last few years, and although I am not a coder, I was able to create some really cool and useful widgets.  I’m going to take you on a walkthrough on how to create a desktop widget, and turn it into a Vista sidebar gadget using DesktopX Pro 3.5.  I’m going to break apart the Election Countdown gadget I made, which will make a perfect example for today’s guide.

Since I am somewhat of a political junkie, I wanted a simple countdown gadget that would tell me how many days left until the 2008 election.  Remember, this is just the example I’m using today, the process for creating the sidebar gadget will work the same for whatever type of gadget you create.

First step is creating the basic graphic resources for my project.  This of course will vary depending on what type of gadget you are creating, but since mine is a simple countdown, I really just needed a single image which will have space for the countdown numbering.

 

Once my graphics are complete I fire up the DesktopX Builder and click the button to create a new desktop object.  This will serve as the base of my countdown gadget.

From the properties window I can set my graphic resources, and create a new script which will control the actual countdown.

Once my countdown script is set and applied, I can move on to tweaking the font that will be used to display the number of days remaining according to my countdown.  You can also adjust colors, add shadows, and many more options in this area.

I check to make sure all my graphics are looking good, and I can then right-click and group all my objects so that they will behave like one object, but keep the functionality of the different layers I have applied.  Now would be a good time to give your gadget a test.  If all is working correctly, right-click again and select Export.

From here you will begin the process of exporting your desktop object into a Vista sidebar gadget.  If you are using DesktopX Pro you can check the setting to export as a stand-alone gadget, so that users won’t have to have DesktopX installed to use it.  You will also be given the options to enter information like author information, description, etc. 

After all that, just set your output, click finish, and your gadget should be created.

Just double-click to install the gadget file, and you should now have your gadget occupying the Vista sidebar.

For more information about DesktopX, visit www.desktopx.net.

Gonna use one skin this week and take it several different places for you.

100: A Tribute to Boxxi by Pandorra (aka KittyMalone)

This is a beautifully worked skin that showcases the talents of two skinners in such a stylish way.

Boxxi's work has always leaned toward the flowing lines of Art Deco , giving his works a look of something you'd see in the home of a 1920's flapper.  Combining that style with Kitty's breathtaking artwork is a real winner here. The two styles compliment each other so well, it's like a pairing that' was meant to be.

 

The blind itself is easy on the eye, keeps it's coloration to a minimum so you can use any color you like with it and it still looks sharp and stylish, and is a fast load , easy to work with no matter how many windows you have open.

Since there isn't a CursorFX set yet for this blind, I found Eclipse by J. Aroche worked nicely with the whole concept.

I love this wall and just had to use it.It's by Pandorra (we're gonna miss you  KittyMalone!) 100 A Tribute to BoXXi ( I am so  thankful she uploaded this! you would have been missing out if you couldn't download it!) The irreverent pixielike girl swinging on the moon's beams , looks so free and happy I had to use her. And since she created a wall for this suite, I felt I should include it.

I used Slider by Skinhit twice this week. Because at the time I am putting these themes together, there is yet no Iconpackage nor as I mentioned earlier CursorFX theme.

I love the DesktopX theme created by PuterDudeJim for this suite. 100- A Tribute to BoXXi has everything you need in a desktopX theme all wrapped into one control panel. I like that feature makes things so easy to decide and I can pick and choose which items I want to display when.

100 A Tribute to BoXXi by Xiandi is a sharp little  RainLendar skin.

for the second look:

I looked at several walls, and found that BoXXiLoGiX by BoXXi was the logical path to take here. I liked one other (Existence by D8abyte) ,but it became too busy and I had to change. I will save that wall for a screenie with nothing but blind, as It is so intricate you really can't add to it without ruining the flowing lines that make up that wall.

I mentioned I was going to take one skin and show several versions of how it can be put together, this is my second look for the 100  A Tribute to BoXXi skin suite.

For the Iconpackage, I used Slider by Skinhit. I tried to recolor it, by inverting the colors , and while it looked exactly as I had hoped on my configuration screen, Iconpackager has some issues with recoloring still and it didn't make it to recoloring on my desktop. Too bad, while it looks good as it is, it would have been spectacular recolored with this skin theme.

 

I wanted to incorporate BoXXi's work into this theme and found a great CursorFX theme that works perfectly with the grouping I've created here. Allante by BoXXi (now renamed to BoXX) has the points and lines that flow nicely with the rest of the group. The pointer is sharp and easy to maneuver which is important when you are trying to highlight text and point to minute objects in whatever window you are using. I enlarged the cursor as well, to make it stand out more.

I chose to use just an Object Dock theme for the desktop this time. I didn't want to go so busy your eyes hurt! BoXXi has a great theme for ObjectDock that I felt really spoke to this setup . The BlackBoXX  is the perfect accent here and I had a hard time choosing which of the images I wanted to use for the icons, there are so many and they are all great. I stuck with the images that mimic'd the tribal tatoos I have seen. Tribal tats have that pointed fading line style that is rapidly becoming the theme of this grouping.

CarbonRC by Nimbin worked the best here. It's simple, black and has a graphic with the same flow the rest of the theme seems to be taking.

 

Now for my third setup, I am going to add a bit of color to this blind.

Saturnesque2 by BoXXi is the wall I chose. I wanted to keep within the theme of highlighting BoXXi's work and when I saw this wall, I knew it would provide the color I needed to point out my idea of bringing out the beauty of this blind.

I did a bit of recoloring to the blind itself as well. There is a subtle purple hue to the  parts of the blind that take color. I will be showing a window for you to see that coloring ,in the screenie.

 

Win3D DuskXP Was a most colorful Iconpackage , all the Win3D packages are colorful and well done, but the lavender hue of this package worked perfectly with BoXXi's wall and the recolorization I did with the blind. I only wish there had been a firefox icon in the pack.

The cursorFX theme is kurio cxp suite by HAPTORK. I chose the kurio color duo subtheme here. I liked that it was already lavender and I didn't have to colorize.

I only used one desktop addition here ,as I wanted it to really show off the blind and wall. DesktopX object Glass Menu by Themer Boy had the right shade of blue and just the right amount of backlighting to work with the wall I chose.

All in all I would have to say the 100 tribute is very versatile and highly usable. I haven't even touched on all the accessories available to compliment this theme. I am glad that they chose to pay tribute to BoXXi, as he's been a hard working highly talented member of this community for a very long time. He is missed.

Unfortunately, this has become a small tribute to KittyMalone who has recently left the community as well. I will miss her as will many other community members.

Thanks for reading, all!

Wulfie  

With Dell taking the Windows experience to the next level with the introduction of the Dell Dock, I've seen a lot of online buzz about it.  Most agree that the Dell Dock is really good but intermixed are a lot of Mac fans who use terms like "Mac rip off" or how it's a copy of the Mac dock.

Mac zealots have a long and glorious history of retroactively claiming pre-existing concepts as being invented by Apple.  For example, the modern "widget" (end user created applets that use Javascript) was not invented by Apple.  They also didn't first appear in Konfabulator either. They appeared in Stardock DesktopX years earlier. Apple zealots usually counter by arguing that things like desktop accessories from 1981 "invented" the concept (as if the average user was going to whip out small assembly language programs).

I think most rational people agree that the modern widget is a mini application that can be created by end users that are tied together with a high level scripting language (i.e. Yahoo Widgets, Dashboard, Sidebar Gadgets, DesktopX).  And DesktopX borrowed the concept from IBM's worksplace shell which in turn was inspired by prior art as well.

But the controversy over widgets is nothing compared to the claim that Apple somehow invented the concept of docks.  Even allowing for the history of NeXT with its side dock, the dock concept is ancient.

 Stardock, for example, has been doing "docks" since 1994.  Object Desktop for OS/2 included things like Tab LaunchPad and Control Center. You don't see Stardock fans complaining that every sidebar is a "rip off" of Control Center. And Control Center certainly didn't invent the concept of a side-based bar or dock either.

You would be hard pressed to find many companies that have been continuously producing a dock and a sidebar as long as Stardock has -- 14 consecutive years of development. I think it's fair to say that we weren't "inspired" by an Apple OS that wouldn't exist for 7 more years from the time we started doing this sort of thing.

Tab LaunchPad on OS/2 circa 1994

Stardock makes no claims of having invented the dock.  We called our first dock Tab LaunchPad because IBM itself had created a dock for OS/2 2.0:

IBM OS/2 LaunchPad circa 1992

But let's say you're a true die-hard Steve Jobs zealot and want to argue that NeXT "invented" the dock. You'd still be wrong as docks were part of Acorn computers from the early 80s.  The point, of course, isn't who invented the dock, the argument of course is whether companies like Stardock (who wrote the Dell Dock) were somehow ripping off or stealing or what have you from the MacOS dock and I think you can see why this is such an obnoxious and offensive argument - we've been making docks since before Apple had figured out how to do preemptive multitasking.

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words.  Here is a picture of what the Macintosh looked like in 1996 (System 7.5) along with a picture of Stardock Object Desktop in 1996:

vs.
Mac 1996 vs. Stardock Object Desktop 1996: Which desktop do you think more closely resembles today's modern desktop? Note that Object Desktop was written during the Windows 3.1 era.

Stardock doesn't run around claiming that it invented the modern desktop experience. We don't imply or assert that everyone else is "ripping us off". Some ideas are just obvious.

The Dell Dock represents the continuing evolution of the desktop experience. Like all improvements to the user experience, inspiration can be found everywhere. But when advocates of a company or an operating system try to lay exclusive claim to all such improvements, they diminish the hard work, innovation, and inventiveness by thousands of other people from around the world who often have worked in obscurity with little glory. It is bad enough that these innovators don't get credit they deserve, it's even worse when they are so often smeared as copying those who came after.

Other Pictures:

Dell Dock

Stardock ObjectDock

Stardock ObjectDock Plus (4 different docks)

Stardock Impulse Dock

Friday is here, so the next edition of This Week in Skinning is here!  If you have friends or family that might be interested in skinning their PC's, you might want to refer them over to TWiS, just to show them what they are missing.

Now for this weeks picks!

	LED3: Dot Matrix for BootSkin by sydneysiders This bootskin is match to compliment the LED3 WindowBlinds skin.  I'm sure we will see many more matching skins in the coming days.
	Radio Wave DX in DesktopX Themes by PuterDudeJim This DX Theme has a wide assortment of widgets for the desktop, and the theme is resolution independent.  Great job!
	Happy Birthday in DesktopX Widgets by HAPTORK Two for one with this widget.  A game and a desktop animation.  Fantastic work on this one.
	SpyroGyro in Dreams by CarGuy1 The "swirling" colors of this .dream are terrific.  Check this one out for sure.
	deepsea_life_3 in Dreams by muckyman As the title says, this .dream features a unique look at "sea life", that looks really cool on the desktop.
	Resonance in Wallpapers by Rahul29 I really enjoy the colors and design of this wallpaper.  Goes great with many themes too.  Great job!
	Deco XP for WindowBlinds by Goldwing Here is the XP version of the Deco skin.  Great design, easy on the eyes.  If you have Vista, there is a Vista version as well.
	Avanti for XP and Vista for WindowBlinds by vStyler This Master Skin is one of my favorites so far.  A very clean design that is perfect for everyday use.

Another great week of skin submissions, and I thank you all for your work.  See you next week!

 

 

In the last walkthrough I showed you the Spring MyColors theme, and today we have a more seasonal oriented MyColors theme to show…..Sunny Day.  This is a theme designed for MyColors, and to find more information about MyColors, you can read through a walkthrough or view a screencast with more information.

Visual Style and Wallpaper

The Sunny Day MyColors theme has some bright and stunning colors.  Sunny Day is the appropriate name for this theme as the visual style as several elements of the “sun” in it, and the mix of colors in the taskbars and title bars are beautifully designed.  The start menu even has an animated sun that pops up when opened.

The wallpaper is a “sunny” scene of a grassy field in the summertime. 

 

Icons

The icon package included with the Sunny Days MyColors theme is one of my favorites.  In particular, the Recycle Bin is a sand pale which fills up with sand when it’s not empty.  The rest of the icon pack is just as cool with many other summer-inspired icons.

 

Gadgets

The Sunny Day theme includes two gadgets, a clock with the Sunny Day style, and an expandable weather gadget.

The Sunny Day MyColors theme is available for both Windows Vista and XP.  If you are a subscriber to Object Desktop then you are eligible for a discount for MyColors themes.  For more information visit the Sunny Day MyColors page.

Stardock’s Impulse is here, and whether you are purchasing a game, software application, or MyColors theme, the checkout process is basically the same.  I wanted to write a guide showing just how simple purchasing through the Impulse Store is, and what to expect when your sale is completed.

This is the Impulse Store.  You can get here by selecting the Store tab in Impulse.

As you can see in the notes in the screenshot, you can select different tabs to view different product categories.  From there you can also filter and sort by using the drop-down menus.  Once you find something you are interested in, just click it and a more detailed product view will appear.  I’m going to select the Rockstar MyColors Desktop.

You can view more detailed info here, and when ready to buy, just click Add to Cart. From there you can either continue to shop and add more to the cart or just start the checkout process.  We will move on to checkout.

The screenshot above shows your cart, where you can review the products in it and make any adjustments if needed.  If you have a coupon you have the option to enter it here, and then select Checkout or select to pay with Paypal. 

This is where you need to start entering  your billing information such as your name, address, e-mail, etc.  One of the great features about Impulse is that you can purchase an item for someone else and have it sent to them.  Just select the check box and in the next step you will just need to enter their recipient information.  Otherwise, you will now need to enter your payment information as seen below.

After your payment information is entered, it’s time to confirm it all.

If everything looks good, go ahead and click Place Your Order.

Your order is complete.  Since we ordered a MyColors theme, this is a digital download so at the bottom of the page you will see the information about download links and registration numbers.  This information will also be e-mailed to you.  As you can see in the screenshot, you might also be prompted to download and install your item now. 

That should pretty much cover the purchasing process through Impulse.  When using Impulse it’s important that you make sure the e-mail you enter for registration is the same e-mail you used to purchase with.  You can view all your registrations and even add or modify them through the registration section in Impulse.

For more information and download for Impulse, visit the ImpulseDriven website at www.impulsedriven.com.

Last weeks "contest" was a lot of fun.  I really liked what I saw.  I loved the fact that two of the submissions are on their way to production!

This week we'll try to engage folks that like games.  Mock up a skin based on a First Person Shooter.  Break out you Doom assets or your Master Chiefs.  See if you you can get Duke Nukem out before 3D Realms does!

So let's see what the great brain and artistic trust at Wincustomize can come up with.

This week's template is from the Sins of a Solar Empire skin:

Just about to hit the middle of month and even though it's summer, the skin submissions keep coming in.  Lets keep it up!

Now for this weeks picks!

	MB-Assassin for CursorFX by ModBlackmoon This cursor set is highly detailed and worth downloading just for that.
	Turbine Clock V1 in DesktopX Objects by AVMAN This clock for DesktopX is made to match the Turbine WB skin, and the animations on this are just fantastic.
	Simple IP LookUP in DesktopX Widgets by Julynessi This is a simple, but very useful widget that will instantly retrieve your IP address.
	Fire Storm in Dreams by TheMasterBaron This isn't your ordinary fire .dream, this takes it to another level with the "storm" like design.
	Photoshop CS in ObjectDock Icons by Libardo This goes way out of what the Photoshop CS icon looks like, but I love Libardo's take on it.  I hope to see more like this.
	Traces in Wallpapers by Skinhit The color of this wallpaper immediately caught my eye.  I can think of quite a few themes this will work perfect with.
	Subtle in WindowBlinds by Z71 This skin is smooth, clean, and perfect for everyday use.  Be sure to check this one out.

Thanks to everyone who contributed skins this week, and take some time and browse through the galleries and see all the other great works.  See you next week!

Panic Button
The support news letter of Stardock

Feature Article:  Impulse

In our continued efforts to improve support for all our customers we have created Panic Button, the support newsletter. This newsletter is designed to update everyone on the top most (top = reoccurring/popular) troubles that people are experiencing, and the solutions or work arounds that we can provide at this time. Please keep in mind that this is a generalized list and that all the info is subject to change due to updates after the date of posting. As always if you have any questions you can always contact us at support@stardock.com. If these solutions do not work for you please do the same.

---

    This feature issue of Panic Button surrounds support and questions about Impulse. As Impulse evolves and more features are added support for the software does as well. This article should be considered the latest in troubleshooting and previous suggestions should be disregarded at this time.  

Connectivity Issues
    (Including downloading troubles, updating troubles, or even error reading current account information)

    Previously to this writing support would often suggest clearing the XML data to clear the downloading troubles described above. Now under the current file structure that is no longer suggested. To get the same result only a few files need to be deleted and rebuilt by Impulse.

From within Impulse:

-Click the blue Help icon in the upper right.
-Choose 'Open Impulse ProgramData folder'
-When the folder pops up, navigate to \InstalledXML\impulse_main.ini and delete it. Close the window.
-Repeat the first 2 steps, but this time navigate to the \Temporary directory and remove the \DownloadQueue and \ExtractedFiles folders.
-Close impulse and relaunch it. You may notice a long update time, which is normal as it is rebuilding the deleted info.
If after these steps you still have troubles please contact support directly by email.


Known Bug

    There is an intermittent bug that occurs in some installs of Impulse where you will get an error message stating that you do not have enough space to install the software. This occurs because Impulse may not have updated correctly or could be checking the default location for installs by mistake. Not everyone experiences this problem but the instructions above for clearing files from the XML data should correct this for you. This will force Impulse to check updates, update itself, and check all current settings.

If this does occur for you and the XML data refresh does not work please let us know at support@stardock.com.

'How To' for common problems

Problem:
Running WindowBlinds (or any software) calls for activation then crashes.

Solution:
 In Impulse you can right click on an installed application and click on Re-Activate.  This will attempt to activate the installed product.  The product should then not try to activate again when it is run.

-

Problem:
Cannot find backup/archive directories.

Solution:
Click on the Stardock Orb in the top left corner of Impulse > Preferences.  Click Folders on the left hand side.  Archive File Location lists where the backup/archive directories can be found.

-

Problem:
Impulse Help and FAQ gives the error: Page Cannot Be Found.

Solution:
Use either of these links:
http://www.impulsedriven.com/help/default.htm for Help and http://www.impulsedriven.com/help/faq.htm for FAQ.

-

Problem:
How to change the installation path of games.

Solution:
Click on the Stardock Logo in the top left corner > Preferences > Folders.  At the top select My Games from the dropdown under Install Location.  Click Change and navigate to the folder you would like them installed to.  Click ok when you are finished.  You can also have Impulse prompt for the install directory on every install by checking "Prompt for install directory" on Preferences -> Folders. Once this option is set Impulse will ask you every time what directory you want to install to.

Side note to problems:
If you have repeat troubles with Impulse or you wish to install to an offline computer it is advised to get the full version instead of the web version of Impulse. Simply uninstall the software, restart your machine and download the current version from here:
http://www.impulsedriven.com/impulse_setup_full.exe


News

BITS
-For people interested in the BITS system used by Impulse a new download code is in testing to get around BITS downloading if needed. Once the update is in place BITS will still be the default downloader. A option will be available under the Stardock Logo > Preferences > Connection and mechanism to change the option should you be having any trouble with BITS. Until this update is in place please be certain that BITS is running on your computer should you be having downloading troubles.

EDIT: This feature has now been implemented in the latest update.

To enable BITS:
-Click on Start and Select Run (or in Vista, Use the Start Search field)
-Type 'services.msc' and hit enter (No Quotes)
-In the window that appears, locate the Background Intelligent Transfer Service
-Right click on the entry and choose 'Start'
-Right click again and choose 'Properties'
-From the Startup type drop down, select 'Automatic'
-Click 'Apply'
-Click 'OK'
-Reboot your machine and try Impulse again.

Multiple Icons
-Some people have reported seeing two versions of SkinStudio in their Impulse My Desktop page. This is normal if you have purchased multiple versions of SkinStudio over the years. For instance if you have Skin Studio 5 Professional and Skin Studio 6 Professional on your account you will see one labeled as SkinStudio Pro and another SkinStudio 6 Pro. To add to that if you ever purchased Skin Studio Standard this will also have its own icon in Impulse.

I hope this has helped everyone!
Should you need any further help please contact us at support@stardock.com.

Seabass

Support: Shirley, Milksama, Highlander, Seabass

The 2008 GUI Championships, the latest iteration of the world’s largest GUI customization competition, is quickly approaching.  This fall skinners from all over the globe will compete in one of three main events for their shot at hardware, software and cash prizes totaling near $10,000!

For the last few months we’ve been letting out little teasers here and there about what we’re going to be doing with this year’s event.  Today, I’m happy to reveal some of the contest details to everyone, so skinners can begin to prepare their masterpieces early.  In 2006, there were complaints that there wasn’t enough warning on the contest, so this year we’re giving you all months to prepare!

Events

In 2006, there were three main categories; WindowBlinds skins, Icon Packages, and Wallpapers.  This year, we have dropped the Wallpaper event and will instead be replaced by Animated Wallpapers (Dreams).  Here is the official event list for the 2008 GUIC:

1. WindowBlinds Skins
   1. Most Original
   2. Most Usable
   3. Best Overall
2. IconPackager Sets
   1. Most Original
   2. Most Usable
   3. Best Overall
3. Animated Wallpapers (.Dreams)
   1. Most Original
   2. Most Usable
   3. Best Overall

We’re still debating a “User’s Choice” event, but haven’t decided how we’d handle it yet.  But the above covers the major categories and what the base events are.  Should be more than enough to get people started.

Timeline

The 2008 GUI Champs will officially kick off on October 12th.  Starting on that date, we will launch the new contest site and begin accepting submissions. The contest will run up to the end of December.  This gives everyone a 3 month lead before we even start accepting skins, to just over 5 months total before the competition closes.

A specific event schedule will be posted closer to the start of the competition.

Rules

The rules from 2006 are undergoing review and will likely see significant changes.  However, there are a few rules that will remain the same and that you should know before the contest starts:

1. All submitted work must be 100% original
   You must be the sole author of the art used in the submission.  No working with other skinners, no reusing elements from other skins (either your own, or others) or art.
2. Work submitted to the 2008 GUIC must be new.
   The GUIC must be the first place you submit a skin to.  Skins that are posted on other sites prior to being submitted to the GUIC will be disqualified.  Note that this does not mean you can’t post some preview shots of your work in progress, just that you may not make available for download a working skin (in any stage of development)
3. Entries must not use logos, characters, or other imagery that is copyrighted/trademarked
   No Windows logos, no Apple logos.  No modifications or interpretations of cartoon characters, mascots, movies, games, television shows etc.  We expect all designs and work to be completely original.  So no making your ideal Windows Vista skin, or a Dragon Ball Z icon set.

Prizes

We’re still in talks with potential sponsors, but we’ve lined up at least one hardware vendor and have several software makers interested in being a part of the event.  We are currently working toward the goal of having at least $10,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. 

Once the sponsors are finalized, expect a big post listing them all out, and what the prizes will be.  I’m really excited so far based on the initial response I received from the companies I’ve contacted.

(Note: If your company would like to be a sponsor for the 2008 GUI Champs, please email me at mikec AT stardock DOT com).

---

Hopefully now you have a much better idea of what we have planned for this year’s event.  A lot of details are still to be worked out, and as we have major news (i.e. sponsors, the new site) you better believe I’ll be posting about it.

If you have any questions about the 2008 GUIC, post them below and I’ll answer what I can.

Get those skins started!