Desktop Frames 1.2 beta 1

Copyright 1998-9 Something Decent. All Rights Reserved.
Written by Chet McNeil.l
Web site: http://somedec.com
Email: chet@somedec.com

Licensing

This product is given away as freeware. No fees are requested or required. As such, there is limited support. If you have any problems with this program or if you have any questions, comments, or requests then please email me. I will try to get back to you promptly. Also, as with all freeware, there are no warranties of any kind, given or implied, with this program. By using this program you agree that you do so at your own risk. I personally use the program on a regular basis without problems. But that does not guarantee that the same will be said for you and your system.

Installation

Installation is a simple matter of extracting the files DesktopFrames.exe and df.jpg into any folder on your hard drive and running the program. I personally put a shortcut to the program in my Startup folder.

.frames Files

DesktopFrames stores the list of pictures, their placement, and their actions in files with the extension .frames. When you first run the program it will create a default.frames file in the same directory as the executable file DesktopFrames.exe. Through use of the menus you can create different .frames files so that you can change picture sets with ease (see below for instructions).

Basic Usage

Some basic terminology first. A picture that has been loaded and displayed is called a "frame" by DesktopFrames. A frame that contains a bitmap (.bmp) or a jpeg (.jpg) image is always rectangular. A frame that contains a GIF (.gif) file can be rectangular or non-rectangular depending on if areas of the GIF file are transparent.

Frames can be in one of two different modes called static and interactive. In static mode the frame is immovable, the frame's action can be triggered, and the cursor is a normal arrow when above it. In interactive mode the cursor will be a cross-hair when over the frame. While in interactive mode the frame can be left-clicked and dragged to move it around the screen. You can also access the DesktopFrames menu by right-clicking a frame that is in this mode. To switch a frame's mode you need to do one of two things:

• From static to interactive: Hold down Ctrl and double-click the frame.
• From interactive to static: Double-click the frame.

Frames can have actions. This simply means they can act like a Windows shortcut. Actions are completely optional. If a frame's action is left blank it will do nothing when double-clicked in static mode. If the action is not empty then DesktopFrames will try to run the file pointed to by the frame's action parameter. You can set an action to an executable (.exe), a document (.html or .doc for example), or a shortcut file (.lnk). See below for instructions on how to set a frame's action.

To add a new frame: Change a current frame into the interactive state and right-click it to get the menu. Choose "New Frame" to bring up a dialog where you can type in or browse for the graphic file to load into the new frame and optionally set an action.

To close a frame: Right-click the frame you wish to close while it is in interactive mode to get the menu and simply choose "Close Frame".

To add or change a frame's action: Right-click the frame while it is in interactive mode to get the menu and choose "Set Action". The current action will be displayed in a dialog box. You can browse for a seperate file to open/execute as that frame's action or you can clear the action by leaving the field blank.

Changing frame ordering: Right-clicking a frame in interactive mode to display the menu, you can then choose Move Up or Move Down to change that frame's display order in relation to the other frames being displayed. This is useful if you have one frame that is currently under another but you want it to overlap instead.

Advanced Usage

Distinct .frame files can be created and used to change your frames quickly and easily as the mood strikes. The interface to create the frames files has not yet been fully implemented, so proceed only if you are an advanced user.

Please note that the only time the .frames file is saved is on program exit. So creating a new .frames file consists of setting a new filename (see below), loading and arranging pictures/frames, and finally exiting the program.

To create a new frames file, follow these steps:

1. Make sure a frame is in interative mode so you can access the menu.
2. Right-click to get the menu and choose "Set Frames File".
3. In the following dialog either use the browse button to determine where you want the new frames file and its name or simply type it into the edit field.
4. The checkbox "Config file closes all existing frames when opened" determines whether the new frames file will be an exclusive frames file or an additive. If the box is checked then the frames file will be exclusive, and when the .frames file is double-clicked the current frames will be closed and the frames/pictures detailed in the .frames file will be opened. If the box is unchecked then the frames file will be additive, and when the .frames file is double-clicked the current frames will remain open and the frames/pictures detailed in the .frames file will be opened as well.
5. Now open and close frames and place them where you want them.
6. Finally, exit DesktopFrames and all frames and their placements will be written to the new .frames file.

Note: The GIF file format is ©Copyrighted by Compuserve.