Hello everyone.
I'm creating a skin installer and have (again) a question.
There is any possibility to include the current wallpaper into the installer? Because when I save a layout there is an "Include current wallpaper" checkbox and if I check it, the wallpaper is saved into the c:\Users\MYNAME\AppData\Roaming\Rainmeter\Layouts\MYLAYOUT folder as Wallpaper.bmp. If I change the wallpaper, then later apply the saved layout, the wallpaper is set back to the saved one, but if I create a skin installer, including the saved layout (which contains the wallpaper) and want to install the skin onto another computer, the wallpaper isn't applied, the already existing wallpaper isn't changed.
So, can I include the wallpaper into the skin installer to can distribute it with my skin?
Thanks anticipately for the help.
It is currently May 3rd, 2024, 1:25 am
Distributing wallpaper
-
- Rainmeter Sage
- Posts: 16195
- Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
- Location: Gheorgheni, Romania
-
- Developer
- Posts: 22631
- Joined: April 19th, 2009, 11:02 pm
- Location: Fort Hunt, Virginia, USA
Re: Distributing wallpaper
No, sorry.
Saving and restoring the wallpaper with a Layout is a purely local event. If you save a Layout with "Included current wallpaper" checked, the wallpaper image file will be stored with the Layout on your local PC, and used if you load that Layout. However that file is not included when you create a .rmskin, and can't be distributed or applied on other user's machines.
Replacing a user's wallpaper in Windows, which is a very personal choice, and once changed may not be easy or even possible to undo, is not something we want to put in the hands of skin authors, but left to the judgment of the end-user. There are many ways a user can set their wallpaper in Windows, and not all of them will result in the "source" image being saved in a way that results in the user easily changing their minds if the wallpaper is changed. A user can find an image on some obscure site on the web, or in Google Images, and simply right-click it and say "Set as desktop wallpaper". That image is not saved locally in any place where it can be recovered if it is later again changed. If you were to force a change to your wallpaper when they install your skin, they may really hate you, and I wouldn't blame them. For many users, finding just the right desktop background image is a long-term labor of love...
The best thing you can do is include the wallpaper image file in @Resources in your skin, and provide instructions, or use !SetWallpaper in a settings skin or something that allows the end-user to change to it if they desire. I would be very careful about trying in any way to "force" this change. or not making it clear that doing so will "replace" their current desktop image. The most I would personally do is include the file in @Resources, and somewhere say "A wallpaper I like with this suite is in @Resources, use it if and as you like".
Saving and restoring the wallpaper with a Layout is a purely local event. If you save a Layout with "Included current wallpaper" checked, the wallpaper image file will be stored with the Layout on your local PC, and used if you load that Layout. However that file is not included when you create a .rmskin, and can't be distributed or applied on other user's machines.
Replacing a user's wallpaper in Windows, which is a very personal choice, and once changed may not be easy or even possible to undo, is not something we want to put in the hands of skin authors, but left to the judgment of the end-user. There are many ways a user can set their wallpaper in Windows, and not all of them will result in the "source" image being saved in a way that results in the user easily changing their minds if the wallpaper is changed. A user can find an image on some obscure site on the web, or in Google Images, and simply right-click it and say "Set as desktop wallpaper". That image is not saved locally in any place where it can be recovered if it is later again changed. If you were to force a change to your wallpaper when they install your skin, they may really hate you, and I wouldn't blame them. For many users, finding just the right desktop background image is a long-term labor of love...
The best thing you can do is include the wallpaper image file in @Resources in your skin, and provide instructions, or use !SetWallpaper in a settings skin or something that allows the end-user to change to it if they desire. I would be very careful about trying in any way to "force" this change. or not making it clear that doing so will "replace" their current desktop image. The most I would personally do is include the file in @Resources, and somewhere say "A wallpaper I like with this suite is in @Resources, use it if and as you like".
-
- Rainmeter Sage
- Posts: 16195
- Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
- Location: Gheorgheni, Romania
Re: Distributing wallpaper
Thank you, this was my thought as well. Just asked, to be sure.jsmorley wrote: ↑May 18th, 2019, 2:57 pm No, sorry.
Saving and restoring the wallpaper with a Layout is a purely local event. If you save a Layout with "Included current wallpaper" checked, the wallpaper image file will be stored with the Layout on your local PC, and used if you load that Layout. However that file is not included when you create a .rmskin, and can't be distributed or applied on other user's machines.
Replacing a user's wallpaper in Windows, which is a very personal choice, and once changed may not be easy or even possible to undo, is not something we want to put in the hands of skin authors, but left to the judgment of the end-user. There are many ways a user can set their wallpaper in Windows, and not all of them will result in the "source" image being saved in a way that results in the user easily changing their minds if the wallpaper is changed. A user can find an image on some obscure site on the web, or in Google Images, and simply right-click it and say "Set as desktop wallpaper". That image is not saved locally in any place where it can be recovered if it is later again changed. If you were to force a change to your wallpaper when they install your skin, they may really hate you, and I wouldn't blame them. For many users, finding just the right desktop background image is a long-term labor of love...
The best thing you can do is include the wallpaper image file in @Resources in your skin, and provide instructions, or use !SetWallpaper in a settings skin or something that allows the end-user to change to it if they desire. I would be very careful about trying in any way to "force" this change. or not making it clear that doing so will "replace" their current desktop image. The most I would personally do is include the file in @Resources, and somewhere say "A wallpaper I like with this suite is in @Resources, use it if and as you like".