How can I copy my Rainmeter theme as a file on memory stick

[iongk]

Hi everyone.

I am new here. I don't know much about Rainmeter. I know how great it is and made a couple of themes myself, but not more than that.

So now I am going to make a new install of my Operating System but I don't want to lose the Rainmeter themes I've made. So my question is, how can I save the theme on a USB memory stick as a file, so that I can then copy it back on my new operating system.

I've already searched around the internet and the Rainmeter Help, but can't find how. I'd really appreciate your help.

Thanks,
iongk.

[Chewtoy]

Type %appdata% in the explorer addressbar. The go to Rainmeter and there you will find a folder labled "Themes". That's where all you themes are saved. So you can copy that and have it.
This does however NOT mean that you just can shove them back in and hope that everything will be fine and dandy on your new system. Rainmeters themes are use paths that are only for the current system. Where you place your skins are crucial for rainmeter to be able to find the skins in your theme.

Example: I have some skins in C:\Documents and Settings\Chewtoy\My Documents\Rainmeter\Skins\Random that I have put in to a skin. If I were to move those skins from that folder, the theme would not be able to load them (logically enough).
So unless your new system is going to have the exact same folderstructure, it won't do you any real good. You might remember how you placed things so you can redo it on your own - but rainmeter can't help you there.

[iongk]

Thanks for reply

Following your answer I have located the files.

Regarding what you say, as I understand, if my theme files are in C:\Documents and Settings\iongk\Application Data\Rainmeter\Themes, then, in order for the file to work on my new system, the theme should be placed in exactly the same address. Is that right?

Also, the other thing is that if I install a different operating system than the one I have now, as I intend to do, then the theme will probably not work. Is that right?

[iongk]

I mean, is that what you meant by what you said?

[Chewtoy]

What I meant was:
If you have your skins in say C:\Documents and Settings\iongk\My Documents\Rainmeter\Skins\MyAwesomeSkin and some more in C:\Documents and Settings\iongk\My Documents\Rainmeter\Skins\AnotherAwesomeSkin and you have a theme that uses skins from these places, then rainmeter will save these locations in the theme-file (the .thm file).
If you right-click on the rainmeter-icon in the tray menu and choose "Edit Settings" you will get a document with all you current skins. In the top of that document you will see "SkinPath=C:\Documents and Settings\iongk\My Documents\Rainmeter\Skins\" (that's the default anyway). This is the path that tells rainmeter where to look for skins.
Then as you activate skins that are several folders down inside the skinfolder (don't loose your head now) - this will be added in the file.

Example:

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
SkinPath=C:\Documents and Settings\Chewtoy\My Documents\Rainmeter\Skins\
CheckUpdate=1
[RandomProject\WholeScreenPlayer]
Active=2
WindowX=2032
WindowY=0
AlphaValue=255
FadeDuration=250
ClickThrough=0
Draggable=1
HideOnMouseOver=0
SavePosition=1
SnapEdges=1
KeepOnScreen=1
AlwaysOnTop=0

Now. As you see in the top, there's the skin path. And the [RandomProject\WholeScreenPlayer] - that's a skin that lies within RandomProject\WholeScreenPlayer\, the Active=2 means that I have the second skin (that rainmeter recognizes) in that folder activated.
So the path, in my case, to the skin is C:\Documents and Settings\Chewtoy\My Documents\Rainmeter\Skins\RandomProject\WholeScreenPlayer and within this folder resides 2 skins (two of the same but mirrored, in case you were wondering).
Now, if I were to save this as a theme and someone else would like to use it, they'd have to have the same folderstructure as I have - Or change all the paths to theirs. They might copy my entire skins-folder and then just change the SkinPath though and it should work. And I guess that is what you should try to do.
So save your entire skins-folder (all of it). Place it in the newskinfolder when you've switched OS, and then just open all your .thm-files in notepad and change the SkinPath=Random to where your skins actually are.

That's the only way right now. It's tideus, but might give you what you want.
Did that make anything any clearer? :s

[iongk]

I didn't understand 100%, but I understood partly. I will follow what you say and I guess I will get it in the process.


Thanks very much for your help.

[CoolBlackKnight]

For future reference.