yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Hi there :)

I like it when users take the initiative and start trying to make things, even if it's just a small thing: everyone starts from there :)

If it's ok with you, I'd like to try helping you in doing it by yourself, who knows: you could find it interesting and step by step start developing whole new widgets :D

Modifying that bmp is a right step, but now you need a couple things more.

1) be sure, after changing that color, that the bmp is saved in 16bits format

2) when you place it back in the zip, don't forget to use the usual spb password (the same you used while unzipping it of course). I'd suggest to use winzip 'cause sometimes winrar can mess it all up even if it should be 100% compatible

3) if you modified the dat in the manager subfolder, now you will also need to deactivate and reactivate the widget

4) restart the shell

done, now it should work ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] claus1953:
No...you are right, i will better try to delete the custom icon or try to apply a new one to see if that brings the icons to show...
[Windows Mobile Themes] juto1:
Hello to all, what is .vtheme

Hello Vostradamus Thanks for this grate Program Found it a week ago so far

very good. but i was looking in the folders and found some .vthemes what are thay for. [will donate soon] thanks.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Hi there :)

vtheme files are the ones used by the manager to activate/deactivate a bunch of widgets all together at the same time (widget sets). :)

Some vtheme files comes with the manager itself or with some libraries, then you can create your own from inside the manager: there's a function to save all the currently active widgets as a set. ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
Here is my failed attempt at creating a green colored diamond clear clock after giving up on Jotha's Widget Creation Tutorial. Notice the red "AM" icon is still there. All I did was open the .dat file change the color saved it back to my SPB folder and restart(at the expense of losing my red clear clock).

Anyway Vostra, this is the idea that I have for the diamond clocks, multiple colors for digits and solid backgrounds.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
why would you call it a "failed attempt"? Looks pretty fine to me, you just need to change the am/pm font color and you're done :)

That font color needs to be changed in the xml file inside qa_layouts.dat (WidgetsZioGian.xml in this case), you need to look for the lines defining that clock and change the font color

Next step would be trying to make it into a separate widget skin so to have it available _together_ with the red one instead of replacing it ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
Worked like a charm, thanks friend.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Great! :)

Now waiting for the next step..... :D I'm positive you can do it :)

(I could actually do it, but I think it would be a nice and not too hard way for you to get the grip of creating skins to be used with the manager... you're more than halfway already) ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] stefaie:
You 're great !

Thanks for the small duracell batterie widget!

It size perfectly !

We 're waiting your new widget and ideas ,Vostradamus ,the Mobile shell magician !
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
lol thankyou :)

Should I say "abracadabra" every time I release a new version? :D:p
[Windows Mobile Themes] brunoisa10:
HI Vostradamus

really nice Widgets I love them :p

can you make a registry widget ? for my personnal use I don't use WM Alarm but PocketWakeUp and the time is stored on the registry , I want to display it

No Problem if I have to use Mortscript , I'm confident with
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
I fear I can't... :(

when designing a widget, the only thing I can do is basically altering the appearence of the existing widgets, but as long as Spb do not release a SDK I can't develop new functionalities...

Currently there's no spb-made widget able to display a registry key, so I have no way to design one, sorry :(

A lot of people already asked Spb if/when they're going to release a SDK, but of course (it's sad to say "of course" but with them it's always like this) there has been no reply at all... not even a "forget it"... just nothing :mad:
[Windows Mobile Themes] brunoisa10:
on 3.1 a french people on my forum had done a widget to display Operator from the registry , tested this one on 3.5 : don't work even if I was very near (My registry appears when sliding on spb) so sure it is a functonnality which must exist (and surely exists : see the operator Widget : it is via registry)

Hope my comment will help you to continue to search

love your widgets , probably I'll order one or two in a very next future :D:D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
yep, of course the operator is in the registry... I just meant that there is currently no widget able to display a custom registry key.

The operator plugin class grabs that specific info from the registry and returns it, its behaviour is fixed and written in the class code and unfortunately I can't touch the plugin class... I don't have a way to...

What I can do is work on the xml and registry keys defining the operator widget and make it look different, I can't (or don't know how) "tell" the plugin class to read a different key from the registry.

By the way... mobile shell, starting form 3.5, already has an operator widget... why were you trying to make that older one work? (just being curious here) :p

Anyway, the only thing that comes to my mind to do what you're looking for would be trying to find out where exactly in the registry are some info (like operator name or others) already shown on some widgets, and trying to hijack them, modifying them to what you would like to see on your screen...

I don't even know if this is possible with no ill consequences on something else, I'm just wondering about it, but even if it was... that would mean losing the original purpose of the interested widget...

lemme explain...

Let's assume the above is possible without "breaking" anything.

Let's assume we find the operator name in the registry and change it to your alarm info

Now the operator widget would show your alarm info.... but you would have no way to use it to show the operator as it originally should..... unless you make a script which is running every x time switching the registry value from the operator name to the alarm info and back.

Now, even if all of the above should be possible... it would not be that much comfortable, would it? :p

Of course I'm talking from my current (surely quite limited) knowledge point of view... there are soooo many things I don't know, so maybe there can be a fairly simple way to obtain what you want and I just could not know about it ;)

What do you exactly mean by "my registry appears when sliding on spb"? That sounds interesting! :D

Changing topic: about asking for one or two new widgets... go ahead! Always glad to read new ideas! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] kernman:
ok i am trying to get these to work using my phone no pc...i followed the instructions but when i try and open the icon cab files nothing happens....i am using shell extension method...thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] brunoisa10:
hi vostradamus

we've thought to the same thing : I'll test to change the registry with operator name to test

about registry widget : I want to display anything build by myself with Mortscript

EDIT : LOL I confirm it is OK when changing name of the operator in the registry , but WM replace quickly with the real operator , but it is really funny , I'll use this tip if no widget possible.

look at the operator's name :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Uhm, I'm sorry but I'm not really getting what you mean :p

you're using shell extension method, so I take it you have installed it.

now the things you have to do are:

- put my xml file in the "ziptodat" folder of shell extension

- make shell extension restart mobile shell

- install any widget cab that you want to use

- restart mobile shell again

after that, you should find the newly installed widgets available in the "change skin" menu of the original widgets, that is: if for example you installed a digital clock widget, add a digital clock to your screen, edit the layout, click on the clock, click on "change skin" and scroll down the list: the new skin should be there ready to be selected ;)

did you do all of the above? where exactly are you having problems?
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
eheh looks nice, but I suspected already that WinMo would have changed it back quite soon.

Mmmmh.... you should find something else which is already been displayed by some widget and is saved in the registry... but I can't think of anything :(

....or maybe you could write your mortscript so that it will "runat" itself veeeeery often to keep changing the registry value.... lol dunno if it would be a too nice solution though :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] kernman:
sorry im such a noob....the only ziptodat file i can find is in the sbp shell...shell extension just shows as a exe file...that runs when i click on it...shell extension does not have a folder with a ziptodat file...maybe a bad install....also when i click on one of your icon cab files nothing happens...thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] brunoisa10:
or just a link to a mortscript to change the registry , it will be better and no cpu consuming

for your info : WM replace operator name in 1 minute :) so I think it's enough for me :)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
don't worry, I'm confident that somehow we'll manage to make it work ;)

let's try to describe every single step.

- create a new folder on your device, let's name it VWidgetsCabs

- extract all the files from my zip file into that folder

- copy widgetsziogian.xml inside ziptodat, which is inside spb mobile shell

- run shell extension

- make it restart mobile shell

- if it asks you if you want to import the xml inside qa_layouts say yes

- once it's restarted, go inside the folder where you extracted all my files

- pick a cab you like and click on it: it should install it

- restart mobile shell or soft reset your device
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
yep, that would work too, but you have to run it manually... if you make it schedule itself to run every x minutes it should not be too cpu consuming... or at least you can try and see what happens... lol I'm lazy by nature so I always try to go for the less-things-to-do-manually solution ahahah :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] brunoisa10:
lol you're right

I'll make a script with some functions and refresh each 3 minutes (1 for my pocket wakeup time , one for next appointment (real not from WM) and one for a text I've put manually LOL)

seen in the spb mobile shell registry : seems some widgets are based on registry (phone profiles) so probably it is possible to make registry widget
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
yep, but the phone profile widget does not display any text, so there's nothing we can try to hijack in it :(

really hope they'll decide to release a sdk sooner or later... funny thing is that it would benefit them too, 'cause an online community developing widgets would draw maaaany more customers toward their product.... I wonder why they don't seem to understand this
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Released version 2.17 :)

ChangeLog, detailed info and download links in the first post ;)

Enjoy! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] brunoisa10:
good job Vostradamus :)

nearly a registry widget (if possible , it is already possible to display a registry value in a sidebar , theme will be soon released )
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Nice layout :)
[Windows Mobile Themes] kapica:
Ok, i've tried everything...

Pls help man..

Did every step by the book, renamed the qa-layouts added the xml file to the archive, encrypted with the provided password, renamed back, copied to SPB directory, installed the cab Link Invisible, restarted the phone and nothing...

How should even this widget look like?

First i installed SPb 3.5.2 with Mskip ultimate V2

Then i tried SPB 3.5.1, i even downloaded winzip, earlier i did everything in Total Commander.. nothing....

Still cant add the invisible link to avoid WM apps and go directly to Samsungs...

Pls help..
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
Yeah I'll keep trying it shouldnt take me to long to figure it out. The status widgets will be no problem because of the tutorial provided by Jotha,

a few more tuts for different widgets

and you all should be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I threw a hint in there somewhere, Thanx again.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
tuts for other widgets wouldn't be that much different :)

The basic steps are the same for every widget, there's just some difference mainly in the parameters in the index.xml file for the dat and sometimes in the values for the injected xml file, but if you take a look at those values from an already working widget of the same kind they're all fairly easy to figure out ;)

All the rest (writing the ini file for the manager, the meaning of the entries in the ini file, how to create and save bmp images and masks, how to name the folders to work with the manager etc.) is the same for every widget :)
[Windows Mobile Themes] claus1953:
Ok...now a small request...again...lol

For the links (without boxes or anything around it) there is small, medium with small icon and medium with very big icon. Could you make a medium link with a medium icon? The small one is too small for me and the big one too big.

Thanks in advance.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
uhm... I'm afraid I can't do that... the "big icon" is not handled directly by mobile shell, it's available only on WM6.5 and mobile shell can only be set to "show the big icon" whatever it is (if available), but it can't do anything to its size or appearence :(
[Windows Mobile Themes] poyensa:
Hola, I have just installed VWM in HTC Mega (WM6.5-SO5.2.21854) and finding it AMAZING!!! now i have to read the whole thread :eek:

Thankyou Vostradamus, seems to come weeks of fun :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
lol good reading! :) I guess it will take a while :p

eheheh Hope you'll enjoy it ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] DeeDeeKay79:
Hey...it works. Great!!!!! thanks for the help!!!!:D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Great!!! :D Grats! ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] claus1953:
Oh ok, never mind, i thought the icon size was part of the widget skin too...lol
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
The definition in the xml file actually CAN set the size for the area containing the icon... but the only effect I've seen it have so far is just to place the icon in the middle of the defined area, no change at all on its size thought... I wonder what's its purpose lol
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
i have notice something vosdradamus.

pro wallpaper cannot go back to default like spb's.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
that's because additional pro-panels get created directly with a wallpaper, whereas spb panels start out without one. Default propanels' background is a solid black image with the manager's logo on the bottom right :)

If you need it I can provide that image (it's actually already present in the "ProPanels" subfolder: it's inside the file named "VBackgroundV-xxx.dat" where xxx stands for your screen resolution) ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Released new widgets library :)

ChangeLog, detailed info and download links in the first post ;)

Enjoy! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Raptordin:
Sorry but I can't check all these threads. Is there a way to activate all packages easily or do I have to do it one by one only.

moreover, I use SASHIMI to backup and re install my system whenever I change Rom. So what files and registry keys to backup.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
some libraries come with a "widgets set" file (file .vtheme inside themes folder). Those files allow to activate a certain set of widgets at the same time using the appropriate function in the manager.

I definitely advise AGAINST activating ALL the available widgets... an active widget is placed in mobile shell folder, that is on device memory... ALL of them at the same time would use up an ENORMOUS amount of device memory (if available at all)

One of the main purposes of the manager is avoiding unnecessary usage of device memory... I hardly think someone would use ALL the widgets at the same time lol :D

So far all the needed registry keys are inside mobile shell keys, so if you're backing them up you should be fine already.

Next version of the manager, though, will have some reg values of its own... (it's not released yet, I'm working on it). They will be stored in hklm\software\vostradamus\MsM :)

About files, the active widgets files are stored in mobile shell folder, while the manager and its tools and libraries should be found in storage card\programs\vostradamus\widgets manager

(that is if you installed it on storage card of course... plus your "programs" folder could be named differently according to your rom localization)

Other than that, there are just the shortcut files in the start menu, but I guess you are already backing that up, and the arial narrow font in windows\fonts folder
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Help. Vostradamus I hope you don't mind me asking you for help as well (I posted in the MSkip ProPlus UltimateElegance thread as well) but I did a really dumb thing ;). I deleted the Favourite Contacts page and the Call Log page from my Carousel thinking that I could get to the Call Log through the Missed Calls status icon but it's not working. For some reason all there is is a black page with a few white lines across it. I didn't do a registry back up first (dumb I know), I have everything else backed up so I can start from that point but I had also finally got all my pages set up the way I like them so I'd like to be able to restore just the Call Log without losing last night's work if I can. Do you know of any other way to restore just the Call Log?

Thanks

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Uhm... first thing I'd need to know is: what did you exactly do to delete those panels?
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
I went into the registry, found the right keys and pressed Delete, it was really easy lol, only thing was I should have backed up the registry first.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
lol ok, let's try this:

- download the attached file and extract somewhere on your device

- before importing it in the registry, edit it like this:

-- find this line HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Spb Software House 2\Spb Mobile Shell\NowScreen\Panels\4

-- change the 4 with the first unused number in that subkey

-- save and import

-- restart the shell

I'd suggest a backup before trying it though, just in case.... ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Awesome, I knew you'd help me Vostradamus. Unfortunately I'm late, should have left 10 min. ago but I'll try it this afternoon as soon as I get home. And yes I will backup first this time lol.

Thanks again

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] stevedebi:
Save/restore theme would be nice, it would save all panels and widgets as well as the style (thin, invisible, etc). That way one could back up all settings in one step, and restore them in one step.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Will think about it, but given the potentially high (there's no set maximum) number of panels and stuff on them such a script could be VEEEEEEERY slow :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
It's me again, :o. OK, so I copied the .zip file to my device and when I click on it I see callog1.reg When I click on that it goes to PHM Registry Editor, I see a column of numbers 0-9 (panel numbers I think. The 0 is highlighted and in the box underneath under Name and Data it says Home 1 (0X000001)

Name :HOME

Text Professional Home and

underneath that above Find Next box, Options box, it says \HKEY_LOCAL-MACHINE\Software\Spb Software House 2\Spb Mobile Shell\NowScreen\Panels\0

If I click on this line a little box comes up that says Current Path and then the same HKEY_LOCAL stuff and there's an OK box to click. If I click OK nothing happens. What do I do? Maybe I should just start all over fresh?

Thanks

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
ehm... to be completely honest, I didn't quite get your explanation 100% lol :o

(could very well be 'cause it's past midnight and I'm a bit sleepy though) :p

The reg file you saw was meant to be edited before importing it....

In that reg file there's a line that looks sorta like this:

\HKEY_LOCAL-MACHINE\Software\Spb Software House 2\Spb Mobile Shell\NowScreen\Panels\4

the number 4 in it should be replaced with the first unused number in the registry key containing the panels definitions..... that's probably the "column of numbers" you're talking about.... those numbers need not have "holes" in their sequence, so you should edit that line and put the first available number in there.

Once the reg file is fixed with the right number, you should import it in the registry. I'm not sure if PHM can do that... you could be able to do it with ce reg editor (run on pc while the device is connected).

Remember to make a registry backup before trying anything, just to be safe...

That reg file should restore the call log panel if you completely deleted it, can't be sure it will make everything work though for I don't know exactly everything you did in your registry in details :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Don't feel bad Vostradamus, it didn't make sense to me either and I was the one doing it, lol. Anyway, somehow I must have finally followed your directions right and it's all fixed. I still got rid of the Favourite Contacts Panel on the Carousel but I also have the Call Log which is working perfectly. Exactly what I wanted! I really appreciate how quick you are to help. Thanks very much.

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
can you teach me how to use it back? i can't seem to use it.:)

i think black is much nicer for me.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Wooohoooo great! :)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
easiest way: grab it from this post :p

In the zip file you'll find my default backgrounds for several resolutions, just pick the ones for your device ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Vostradamus, do you know if there is a program that will create a full backup directly to your PC (so that if you lose your phone or something it could be restored to a new device). I currently use SPB Backup and it creates a backup on My Storage card but if I lose my phone then I lose that too. I can make a copy of the backup on my PC but I don't think I can run the restore program from there (especially if I don't have my phone, lol).

Thanks

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
uhm.... but if you have a copy of your backup on your pc what prevents you from placing it on the new device and restore it? :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
LOL, mostly the only thing preventing me from doing that is that I didn't think of it (DUH). It's a good thing I only get myself slightly confused sometimes.

thanks again

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
lol you're welcome! :D ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] powercat1:
Combination Widget?

First of all, thank you again for all the help you've given me! I sincerely appreciate what you've done to assist me in customizing my phone. :)

Now for my question...is it possible to create a combination widget? In the interest of saving space on my main screen, I would like to be able to have a current date widget that looks like the "white" skin that comes standard with SMS. It is a white calendar with red date and black day of the week. It also has a black top with the month in white.

The trick is that I would like this skin to link to the SMS agenda when I click it.

Here's my reasoning...I like to have current date and a link to agenda on my screen. However, the skins for Agenda that show appointments simply take up too much space for my liking.

Is it at all possible to create this type of "combination" widget?