yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Once you activated the desired widget, they will be available for use, let's see how: let's say, for example, that you activated a digital clock widget. What you need to do is:

- go to "add widget"

- add a standard digital clock

- while in edit layout mode, click on the digital clock

- pick "change skin"

- scroll down the list, and you will see the activated widget ready to be selected and used :)

About the portuguese language file, know that it's not up to date... if you look at the filename, you will see it's for the manager version 4.02.

It will still work if you select it, but all the new entries added after version 4.02 will look like blank, empty strings... so I don't really suggest to use it until someone decides to update it with the new messages (I'm sorry, but I don't speak portuguese so I can't do it myself) :p

So far the only languages that will always be up to date are the ones included in the manager cab file, that is english, italian and german... for the additional ones always check the version number ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Now i understand, off course!!!

The only think your manager makes available are the different skins for the already existing widgets in SPB MS.

Thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Yep, that's right :D

(of course if we're talking only about widgets... then there are all the other tweaks and functions, like creating additional panels, changing the menubar, changing the icons sets in spb weather and/or mobile shell weather panels etc.) ;)

Time to go to bed now (half past midnight over here, and I'll have to get up early tomorrow) :p

Should you need any further info, just write it down in here and I'll reply tomorrow as soon as I'll be at the pc ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Ok, time to give word to you users: what would you like to see next in the manager?

- New widgets? (if so, which ones)

- New themed widgets sets? (if so, which ones)

- New functions? (if so, which ones)

- Pictures of my big ugly smiling face? (yeah, sure!)

Write down your ideas and I'll see what I can do... or maybe I'll open a poll to let you choose between the most interesting (and feasable) ones ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Hi, here i am again.

Please help me.

I activated two themes(transparency and dark transparency) but when i try to use them they don't produce any result. They show on the skin options but when selected the preview does not change and don't produce any result on the layout.

What wrong?
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
uhm... are they the only ones having problems? other widgets are working fine? :confused:
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Those are the ones i activated so far.

I'll try to activate others so i can give feedback about it.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
ok, I'll be waiting news ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Well.

I have activated a few more widgets, some, clocks, battery, etc) and some more Wodget Sets, MSkip panels, and no panels, Neon, etc.

All of those are selectable in the widget skins but none of them produces any result, so it's not a problem of those widget sets, has to be something else.

Thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Uhm... two things that I can think of:

1) did you remember to download and import the xml definition file too?

2) did you download the correct libraries according to your device resolution?
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
More different colored diamond clocks "solid backgrounds and clear" would be awsome to mix and match with different wallpapers. Also for some strange reason I cant change the background on my Pro Layout using "fundotela.dat" after changing the menubar(original menubar dosent work either).
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Will add this to the poll options :)

Uhm... I guess that was a somehow modded version of the pro layout, 'cause I think its background can't be changed on the original version....

Unfortunately, the menubar change works on the original lockscreen.xml file, that's most probably the reason why that "trick" is not working... I'll see if I can add an option to the manager to customize the wallpaper for the Pro Layout like it already does with the additional pro panels ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
i am sorry for asking again:D....

well i decided to cancel my naong sense and solely use yours, to save some RAM. but i have a problem. i cant create a background on my mean panel, favourate contacts, weather etc...the only panel i can change a background is the one created using VMSM..can you teach me how? :cool:
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
The main professional screen will have customizable background through the manager starting from the next version (I'm completing the scripts right now) :)

About the other panels (fav. contacts, weather etc), I've never looked at the possibility of changing their backgrounds, so I'll have to dig in it a bit to be able to answer you :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
i see.....naong sense have that kind of background changer, plus this one makes the panels so awesome...the bad thing is that the two sense eat too much ram (30mb below free:eek:) thats why i need to delete one.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
I know the feeling... ram is never enough :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] powercat1:
My vote would be for some better looking (and more commonly sized) skins for existing things such as phone profile, bluetooth switcher, etc.

As you know I am still learning about widgets creation. :confused: However, I would be more than willing to take these on with your help and then turn them over to you for inclusion in your update.

I hope that all the users on here keep you encouraged to continue your incredible work. Without your manager, I probably wouldn't even use SPB. The flexibility it gives me really is what makes the shell become what I want it to be.
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Yes, i've done all that,

Inside VMS i can see the previews after downloading all the libraries like you told me, but when using it in the skins they produce no results.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
That's really weird :confused:

May I ask which libraries did you download? qvga or vga?

And what device do you have?

Also, could you attach you qa_layouts.dat so I can take a look at it?
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
wireless widgets are tricky, mainly 'cause they can't be skinned like the other widgets without modifying the original spb files (this due to a bug inside mobile shell.... I wrote about this on spb forum but of course I've been utterly ignored lol) :D

I'm not exactly getting the "more commonly sized" part :p what do you mean? :confused:
[Windows Mobile Themes] twarren777:
Great work by the way and thanks. I would like to see a widget that I could put a quote in and have it on my home page. Not sure if something is already out or not and if it can be done or not. Like a box with "Pray till you Pray" for a reminder on the home screen. What you think?
[Windows Mobile Themes] powercat1:
They never cease to amaze me with their utter lack of concern for what their users want. As popular as their product is....it would be even more popular if they would listen to their users.

Although I haven't actually measured the pixels, the widgets for things such as phone status are smaller than a lot of the other skins we all use for our shortcuts, etc. I just think it would be nice if we could skin these as well so that we could have consistency in "icon" size. Does that make sense?
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
That would be nice, but unfortunately I'm limited to skinning the existing widgets... :(

To create a new widget (I mean a widget with a "new", non existing function) I should access the code of mobile shell itself, which I cannot do 'cause spb did not release any sdk (no matter how many users asked for one... but luckily enough mobile shell 5 should have it when it will be out) ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] twarren777:
Thanks for your quick response. You have mentioned MS 5 couple of times do you expect a release in the near future?
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
couldn't agree more :p

Uhm... leaving the wireless widget on a side, are you referring to the status widgets? (missed calls, sms, email and voicemail)?

Most of my skins for them are quite standard, with a size that fits 4 in row. (of course there are some with other sizes too, but they're not many)

No problem, though, in creating new ones if they're needed ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Can't really answer this... they showed a demo some time ago, but there's not ETA that I know of at the moment :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] powercat1:
No, I am not referring to the status widgets. I already use your "Labels" skin for those + the ones you assisted me in creating for my additional GMAil accounts.

I am referring to the phone profile widget (Normal, Silent & Vibrate). I like to use widgets that are the size of your "Labels" so that I can have 4 across. The widget for phone profile is smaller and seems an odd size so it doesn't fit "neatly" onto the screen with the standard size (again like your labels) icons. In addition, one can only see the volume indicators only show up if you choose certain skins. I would like to be able to create my own widget with the same size as your labels widget and keep the volume indicator.

Hope that explains it more fully?
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Yep, now I got your meaning :)

Phone profile widget, though, uses the same skins as shortcut widgets :)

Any link windget you activate from the manager will also be available as a skin for the phone profile widget ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] powercat1:
Once I get a few more of my link widgets created (and leave you alone for a few days :) ), I may bring this back up. I understand that it uses the link widgets for a skin, but I'm hoping to get further into this and create my entirely own widget.

I'll leave it at that for now. :-)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
uhm... do u mean u would want to change the actual profile icon too? That would require modifying one of the original spb file though, 'cause those graphics are not inside any "skinnable" dat file...

I guess we'll see when the time will come ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Downloaded all qvga libraries for my Artemis.

Here goes my qa_layouts.dat file
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Problem found: the xml definition file was not present inside qa_layouts.dat :)

Are you sure you remembered to copy WidgetsZioGian.xml in the manager folder and run the xml update function?

I'm attaching the correct qa_layouts, just place it in mobile shell folder and restart the shell (make a backup copy of the original qa_layouts first, just in case) ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] releaser:
Yes, i'm sure i did that, i think made twice if i remember right! ;) Can that be the problem?

I will try your qa_layouts file and see what happens.

Thanks

EDIT: With your qa_layouts all is working like it should.

Thanks once again.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Updating the xml twice or more doesn't do any harm, don't worry :)

I can't really get what was going wrong, but I'm glad it's all working now! ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
sir Vostradamus

what about this suggestion:

add a background changer on Pro SPB menus...like main panel,favourate contacts,etc...make it a regular selection on Panels>Customize wallpaper>then the main panel or contacts or launcher etc...:D

that would widen the VMSM addiction more..:rolleyes:
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
lol are you a mind reader? I was already scripting it... it's almost done :p :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
woooohooooo:D

that's nice...

and also add more menu bars...like espresso and omnia style of your personal new look menu...;)

just a suggestion.:)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
I'll be making a poll about what to add to the manager, gonna add the menubars as one of the options ;)

(will publish the poll as soon I'll have gathered enough ideas) :)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Released version 4.06 :)

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

Enjoy! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
Great work with the new additions to MSM, but I have 1 request and 1 small flaw that I noticed. Would it be possible to have jpeg support with the background changer?, and when using the Invisible Large Buttons on the menubar if you try to edit layout it provides no way of exiting the edit state, it took me a few minutes to find a way out through start menu.
[Windows Mobile Themes] jotha:
For whatever reason SPB has not built in jpg-support into Mobile shell. That is ridiculous, but thats the way it is unfortunately. So vostradamus can't support jpg either.
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
Thats odd, because the stock MS wallpaper are in .jpg format.
[Windows Mobile Themes] jotha:
Yes, but those work only in the standard lifestyle-panel. The background for the panels where they are not supported by default must be imported in a dat-file and there are only bmp-files supported. I'm sorry, but thats the way it is unfortunately. By default you can only change the standard background, and if you look at the size its much bigger than one screen-size. It is scrolled in an odd way across the lifestyle-panels. On the other panels the background is one panel wide and must be bmp.
[Windows Mobile Themes] moxycalt:
Problem with invisible big buttons......

That's what I got with no buttons anywhere to be pressed. :confused:

.....just tryed with a fresh version, same thing no buttons there....

EDIT : could it be the xml.....
[Windows Mobile Themes] meanmug:
Thats right I forgot all about the "fundotela.dat" file, thanx for the memory jog.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Would love to, but as Jotha explained (thanks as usual, Hans, for helping me out while I was eating like a boar at the japanese restaurant lol) that's a mobile shell limitation :( According to spb, Pro Panels wouldn't be supposed to have the chance to change the background... that's sort of a little trick, but unfortunately it only support bmp images :(

Luckily enough, the bmp get zipped so they won't use up too much space (bmp format is highly compressable)

Just checked it, you are both right, there's a mistype bug in the qvga version, will post the fix tomorrow from my office (I have the source codes over there).... really sorry for the inconvenience :p :o
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
yep, that's the trick :) I've just let the manager's scripts handle the whole thing instead of having you users do it manually ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] mad_a_22:
the new version is great....now i can change backgrounds...my panels are complete with just using your VMSM:D

and it can be installed without any effects on current panels..
[Windows Mobile Themes] jotha:
How about a sushi and sashimi theme ?:p
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
don't tempt me.........

:D :D :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
:D :cool: ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] jotha:
Pls start thinking about weather and links. :D I'll make the Aclock, the DClock and the status. I'll contact you in the evening. You know where I am today, no chance for MSN.
[Windows Mobile Themes] ahhhhwhoa:
I know this is a request but hey I figured it was worth a shot, I would really love a digital clock much like the one found in the HTC Pure Style theme or newones Slate theme for WAD. I don't want the whole theme as I enjoy using mobilesense and widgets from your pack but I cannot find just a large plain digital clock anywhere except in that theme. Something like the image below, no fancy flips or backgrounds.

any response be it a yes or a no can do, let me know! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Shouldn't be hard to make, it's fairly simple ;)

I'll see what I can do :)

Meanwhile, give a try to the "reflection" digital clock (found in widgets library 20100421)... I know it's not the same, but at least it does not have any fancy flips or backgrounds... just a light reflection at the base, maybe it could suit your taste until I make the other one ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] ahhhhwhoa:
thank you so much, I will definatly go find and give it a try and see how it does for me. Thanks again!

I suppose I might point out the screen resolution I'll be using it on is WVGA, but I assume you would probably make it for all resolutions anyhow incase someone else would like it also!
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Yep, I always make them for both vga and qvga :p
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Released version 4.07 (bugfix version) + a VERY small "bonus" widgets library :)

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

Enjoy! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] moxycalt:
Well done for the big invisible buttons !

Thanks !
[Windows Mobile Themes] stevedebi:
Suggestion for improvements

It takes a long time to load some of the widgets - I have no problem with this. But after activating a widget, it reloads them again. I realize that the design is intended to show only those widgets that are available for activation, but I think it would be better if you simply re-displayed the list (not re-draw the list). I already know which widget I just activated, and I want to activate more, or just exit the program - I don't need to know which ones are left. This is probably the biggest annoyance for me; waiting for those widgets to reload just so I can do something else with the manager.

Of course, if I move to a different widget and then return to the list, I would expect to wait for the list to be refreshed. Just not if I RETURN to the same list after activation.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
You definitely have a point here :) I'll try to do something about it ;)
[Windows Mobile Themes] artakchino:
Great post!

Thank you, really good job.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
Thanks, glad you like it! :D
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Can you tell me what size the bmp images need to be to customize the SPB Lifestyle panels? I can change them OK but the pictures don't really fit (I'm not seeing the whole picture) thanks for your help.

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
That depends on your screen resolution :)

First things first: lifestyle panel support other formats too, so I wouldn't suggest a bmp image as it's unnecessarily large (you're limited to bmp only on pro panels). A jpg could do the job ;)

Of course you're not gonna see the whole picture on just one page of the lifestyle screen, it needs to be larger to scroll when you swipe through pages.

That said, in order to be able to see the whole picture (or almost) spread throughout your pages you will need different image sizes according to your screen resolution.

I can't be "pixel precise", but I think you could have satisfying results with

- 0.625 aspect ratio for qvga or vga devices (that is height/width=0.625)

- 0.8 aspect ratio for wqvga or wvga devices
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Thanks so much for your quick reply Vostradamus, unfortunately I missed it last night as I had already gone to bed. I realized when I read your reply that I didn't mean the Lifestyle panels (I've been changing those all along with the Edit Layout button, duh). It's the other panels I want to change, like the Contacts, Weather etc. (I only realized my mistake when I was trying to figure out why only BMP images showed up in the selection panel, none of my JPG pics were there.) I have an Omnia i910 so the images I've been using for the Lifestyle screens are all sized to 959 x 747 so when I saved them as BMP files for the other panels they are all too big.

I hope you can make sense of what I mean, it's very early here and I'm not sure if I'm awake yet.

Thanks

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
It all makes perfect sense, don't worry :) lol I know the feeling of not being sure to be awake... that's how I always am here at office 'til at least 11am :D

For the pro panels on the I910 you will need them to be 240x400 bmp, same size as your screen resolution

Actually, with the abovementioned size you will find out that a very little portion is cut off at the base, that's because of the taskbar... you could make them a little bit shorter (like 240x380 for portrait and 400x220 for landscape), but the "missing" part is so small that I think you will be fine even with a normal 240x400
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Thanks Vostradamus, I'll try that and see how it works. Will the images eat up a lot of memory space since they have to be in the Device memory (I don't think they will work if they're on the Storage Card or My Storage, is that right?)?

I have one more question too if you don't mind, I think I would like to try MSkip's Ultimate Elegance as well (just to see how I like it). How can I combine this with your program, I don't want to lose it.

Thanks

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
you can keep your images safely on storage card or my storage, the manager will take care of placing a copy where it needs to be in order for it to work ;)

Bmp files can be large, I know, but luckily enough they will be automatically zipped by the manager, so they shouldn't take up too much device memory :)

if you install Ultimate Elegance over your existing installation of mobile shell and my manager you will only need to re-update the xml definition file afterwise, 'cause mskip installation procedure will erase it. Other than that, all the rest should remain in its place.

I'd suggest to check with mskip too though, for I think I remember that mskip always recommends to install his stuff on a clean, unmodified version of mobile shell...
[Windows Mobile Themes] kenziesgrandma:
Vostradamus, you're the best. I was able to get everything working the way you said, I even managed to get things back to normal after I decided to install the large menu bar option from MSkip. Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with it all, it's going to be fun for sure. I can't thank you enough for all your help, I sure couldn't have figured it out on my own. I'll let you know how I make out with it all.

Thanks again so much

Kathy
[Windows Mobile Themes] claus1953:
Vostradamus

I changed my start menu icons, and now some of them show up on SPBMS and some do not and only show the generic icon. I don't know what is the problem, as the icons used are all from the same folder/set, and some show, only a few not. They show all correctly in the start menu though...

So as a way around, until i can solve this, i would like to place a very small borderless picture frame with the icon image in it under an invisible shortcut of the program. Now i did not find a picture frame small enough for this. Could you make one the size of a small icon, borderless with rounded edges?

Thanks a lot.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
I'm afraid that's not possible... the picture assigned to a picture frame cannot be masked in any way, so there's no way to make rounded corners :(
[Windows Mobile Themes] claus1953:
Thats a pity because the icons have rounded corners and in a square box black edges showin the corners, but anyway just very small borderless then.
[Windows Mobile Themes] DeeDeeKay79:
hi vostra. I got one question. I like your Status widget "transparency square", but something little would be better. when there is an incoming message, there appears a RED dot. Is it possible to change it in a BLUE dot? I tried it by renaming the qa_StatusTransparency2.dat in qa_StatusTransparency2.zip or qa_StatusTransparency2.rar and changing the color of the bitmap, where the dots are in. then renaming it back in qa_StatusTransparency2.dat and replacing the original one. But it doesn´t work! Any idea, how to make it by myself or would you be so nice, to do it for me?! I know, this is a very tiny thing, but...:D:D:D:D:D:D
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vostradamus:
are you really sure? I mean... that would look quite ugly :o