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Opening a Program with rainmeter

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GP_Ghost
Posts: 2
Joined: February 19th, 2011, 4:03 pm

Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by GP_Ghost »

Hi i'm new to this stuff, and I was wondering if there was any way of replacing the desktop icons with rainemeter links, or anything of the sort?

Thanks in advance
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JoBu
Posts: 271
Joined: February 16th, 2011, 12:46 am
Location: California

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by JoBu »

Hello and welcome!

I'm pretty new too, but I know you can replace desktop icons with rainmeter... you just need to use/create the right skins.

Most of the finished skins that come with rainmeter have a taskbar of sorts that works like a linkbar, you just need to change the link path to point to the applications you want to replace. I think Enigma and Gnometer both have a UserVariables.inc file where these paths are located... or you can use the Settings skin to change the path dynamically. So find the right skin and see what you can do to point it in the right direction.

You can also custom build a skin, which is a lot of fun if you're a creative/computer type like me... lol.
Here's an example skin, to use as a desktop icon replacement:

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
BackgroundMode=1
Author=
AppVersion=1001000
Update=1000

; --------------------------- Metadata\Info

[Metadata]
Name=
Config=
Description=
Instructions=
Instructions=None
Version=
Tags=
License=Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 3.0
Preview=
Credits=

; --------------------------- Change the following to suit your needs

[Variables]
ColorBorder=255,255,255,60
Font=Verdana
Size=10
Color=255,255,255,250
PATH=C:\path\to your\application\executable
LinkName=Link Title to Display

; --------------------------- Font Effects

[StyleFont1]
StringAlign=LEFT
StringCase=UPPER
StringStyle=BOLD
StringEffect=SHADOW
FontEffectColor=0,0,0,20
FontFace=#Font#
FontSize=#Size#
FontColor=#Color#
AntiAlias=1

; --------------------------- Meters \ Frame Data

[Border]
Meter=IMAGE
SolidColor=#ColorBorder#
X=0
Y=1
H=1
W=180

[Background]
Meter=IMAGE
SolidColor=0,0,0,40
X=0
Y=2
W=180
H=18

[Border2]
Meter=IMAGE
SolidColor=#ColorBorder#
X=0
Y=20
H=1
W=180

; --------------------------- Meters \ Displayed Data

[Launcher1]
Meter=STRING
MeterStyle=StyleFont1
X=0
Y=3
H=20
W=180
Text=#LinkName#
LeftMouseUpAction=!Execute ["#PATH#"]
MouseActionCursor=1

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thefallofroy
Posts: 9
Joined: November 11th, 2010, 2:26 am

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by thefallofroy »

Like JoBu said, Rainmeter is extremely customizable so you can tell it to do almost anything so long as Rainmeter supports that function. You can customize app launchers and clickable links in Rainmeter to run/open almost anything. All ya gotta do is configure the settings through notepad and point the link to what you want it to open. Example for an exe would be "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe". If you have any trouble please tell us what theme you are using (Gnometer, Enigma, etc.) and post the script from notepad for the thing you are trying to customize and we'll be glad to help :D
That'll put hair on your chest...
Amanrai123
Posts: 1
Joined: March 23rd, 2020, 10:44 am

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by Amanrai123 »

I can't customize icons properly how to do it
thesurfinsuricate
Posts: 42
Joined: March 20th, 2020, 4:47 pm

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by thesurfinsuricate »

GP_Ghost wrote: February 19th, 2011, 4:08 pm Hi i'm new to this stuff, and I was wondering if there was any way of replacing the desktop icons with rainemeter links, or anything of the sort?
Thanks in advance
I'm also new to Rainmeter but i have figured out how to make icons, so from one Rainmeter Dummie to another.

1.In Rainmeter folder Skins make a Folder and name it something, "MyIcons" for example.
2.In the "MyIcons" folder make two more folder, name one @Resources and the other folder the name of a game, a program or something else, for this example let's call the folder - Calculator.
3.Open @Resources folder and make a folder called images.
4.In Calculator folder make a new Text file called Calculator change the .txt to .ini open it and paste following and save. not the red text
[Rainmeter]
Update=1000

[Calculator]
Meter=Image
ImageName=#@#Images\Calculator.png
H=50 50x50 make the icon square*
W=50
LeftMouseDoubleClickAction=["C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe"] The address for the calculator might be different for You
5. Draw an square* icon in let's say Photoshop and save it as an .png named Calculator (Calculator.png) in the images folder.
6. Right click on the Rainmeter icon down to the right by the clock - the droplet and choose update all
7. Right click on the Rainmeter icon down to the right by the clock again but this time chouse skin and load your skin (MyIcons and Calculator.ini)
Now you should have an icon for the calculator, of course you can replace calculator to something else.

You can also make an copy of the Calculator folder and rename all Calculator lines with (for example) Photoshop (and replace "C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe" with the address for the Photoshop.exe) ad a custom Photoshop.png (icon/ picture) in images folder and voilà you have 2 custom icon one for the calculator and one for Photoshop.
Last edited by thesurfinsuricate on March 24th, 2020, 8:02 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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balala
Rainmeter Sage
Posts: 16110
Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
Location: Gheorgheni, Romania

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by balala »

thesurfinsuricate wrote: March 24th, 2020, 2:46 pm 3.In Calculator folder make a new Text file called Calculator change the .txt to .ini open it and paste following (not the red text) and save.
[Rainmeter]
Update=1000

Meter=Image
ImageName=#@#Images\Calculator.png
H=50 50x50 make the icon square*
W=50
LeftMouseDoubleClickAction=["C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe"] The address for the calculator might be different for You
4. Draw an square* icon in let's say Photoshop and save it as an .png named Calculator (Calculator.png) in the @Resources folder.
First: the name of the Image meter above is missing. It is absolutely needed, you can't miss it (just for safe let's name it [MeterImage]).
Second: you either have to save the Calculator.png image file into the Images folder, created inside the @Resources, or you have to modify the above ImageName option to ImageName=#@#Calculator.png. Just to match these to each other.
Third: as you said, it is extremely important to remove the red comments from the above code. They are not even commented out, but even if they would be, Rainmeter still wouldn't ignore them. Details: https://forum.rainmeter.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=27443&p=142422#p142422
thesurfinsuricate
Posts: 42
Joined: March 20th, 2020, 4:47 pm

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by thesurfinsuricate »

balala wrote: March 24th, 2020, 3:34 pm First: the name of the Image meter above is missing. It is absolutely needed, you can't miss it (just for safe let's name it [MeterImage]).
Second: you either have to save the Calculator.png image file into the Images folder, created inside the @Resources, or you have to modify the above ImageName option to ImageName=#@#Calculator.png. Just to match these to each other.
Third: as you said, it is extremely important to remove the red comments from the above code. They are not even commented out, but even if they would be, Rainmeter still wouldn't ignore them. Details: https://forum.rainmeter.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=27443&p=142422#p142422
I see... i will edit previous post!
the name of the Image meter was a bit personal i removed it and meant to replace but forgot to ad a new.
the image folder i forgot...

thx balala!
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balala
Rainmeter Sage
Posts: 16110
Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
Location: Gheorgheni, Romania

Re: Opening a Program with rainmeter

Post by balala »

thesurfinsuricate wrote: March 24th, 2020, 3:48 pm the name of the Image meter was a bit personal i removed it and meant to replace but forgot to ad a new.
the image folder i forgot...
Yes, unfortunately sometimes it happens to all of us. Just saw the mistake and had to say...