yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
Making your own VGAHDWall Backgrounds

16 March 2010 Update

Easier and quicker template for making vgahd.png, vgahd_softkeybar.png, and vgahd_taskbar.png posted by jorgepr13 <here>. Save as png-24.

*click thumbnail for larger view

Step 1: Find a 480x640 wallpaper you want to use

Step 2: Open image in photo editing program (photoshop in this example)

Step 3: Open appropriate .psd (if using photoshop) or make your own template for taskbar/softkey bar. For WM 6.5, you need a template of 480x52 pixels.

I highlighted the entire 480x52 pixel template and moved that selection to the top of the 480x640 wallpaper. For 6.5.x, you need a template of 480x36 pixels and you select/copy the top 480x36 pixels of your wallpaper.

Step 4: Copy the top 480x52 pixels into the 480x52 template and save the file as vgahd_taskbar.png.

Step 5: Open appropriate .psd or make canvas for the softkey bar. WM6.5 uses the same 480x52 pixel template. For 6.5.x, you need a 480x68 pixel template. Copy the bottom 480x52 (6.5) or 480x68 (6.5.x) pixels and paste them into the template. Save that file as vgahd_softkeybar.png.

Step 6: Save the 480x640 wallpaper as vgahd.png.

Step 7: Make a copy of vgahd.png (ie vgahdtemp.png) and rename it to homebackground.img with no .png extension.

Step 8: Copy vgahd_taskbar.png, vgahd_softkeybar.png, and vgahd.png to \Program Files\VGAHDwall (you will have to create the VGAHDwall directory there).

Step 9: Copy homebackground.img to \windows on your device (overwriting the current one if it asks).

Step 10: Install the WM6.5 VGAHDwall.cab (WM 6.5) or WM6.5.X VGAHDwall.cab (WM 6.5.x) to your device and soft reset. These cabs contain the appropriate registry settings for taskbar/softkeybar and sense background (assuming you copied files to the correct directories :)). They also contain the better background mod by amarullz (3 manila files) and the modifed bg4all (1 manila file).

Steps need to be done in order.

If you switch to a different .tsk, you will need to install the cab again to make the taskbar and softkeybar show your image.

If you want your start menu background to match, go to settings->Today->check box at bottom ("use this picture...") and pick vgahd.png. You will need to copy vgahd.png to a directory that it searched (ie \My Documents\My Pictures).

For a better look, you can replace stwater_480_640.jpg and stwater_640_480.jpg with your custom image. In the mushroom example in post 1, I saved vgahd.png as stwater_480_640.jpg. Then I re-sized vgahd.png to 640x480 (did not constrain proportions) and saved it as stwater_640_480.jpg. Copy both stwater_xxx_xxx.jpg files to \windows and soft reset phone. This will make the landscape start menu and titanium wallpapers look better.

Another tip to easily copy and overwrite files to \windows is to use cfcgui by chainfire. Just open the program and drag the files you want to copy to the white box in the upper left that says "drop files here....". It will copy files and restart sense for you (will still need to soft reset phone for taskbar/softkeybar and start menu to show).
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
More pre-made cabs

cabs attached
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
reserved for more pre-made backgrounds and user-created ones
[Windows Mobile Themes] ezzie:
WoW! Rock on man, I've been wanting to use this for awhile but the original never worked correctly for my poor old diamond.

Can't wait to work with this!
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
One bump for more cabs attached.
[Windows Mobile Themes] bobzero:
Thanks man these are great. I love how it makes the screen seem larger and less cluttered.
[Windows Mobile Themes] bugzy:
imma try this out
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
awesome work

thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
well i got it to work once by doing my own ..when i tried again only the top and bottom would show up and the reg wallpaper .followed the steps to a T

really need a program like the one for qvga lol oops wvga i meant
[Windows Mobile Themes] devon4drums:
uuuggghh

how do you uninstall this? i changed my mind about wanting it and now it wont uninstall and it's really frustrating because my phone now looks retarded and i dont feel like hard resetting when i just spent two hours tinkering with it to set up this new rom the way i want it
[Windows Mobile Themes] drbrichy:
hehe....:rolleyes:
[Windows Mobile Themes] devon4drums:
not from the hdwall thing, btw. from me messing around with other stuff and screwing the hdwall up. now i cant go back to how it was, and i just want it gone
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
Well, if you can't get the wallpaper to work, just select your wallpaper via the menu-home wallpaper-weather wallpaper on homepage. It should show up then. Make sure to install the cab (and reset) after doing all of the other steps like put homebackground.img in \windows and vgahd.png in \program files\vgahdwall if you are trying to get everything set all at once (of course, changing the wallpaper the normal way might be simpler).

It's simple enough. You can take apart cabs with a program called cab2oem. Google will probably find you a link. Then you can see what files are inside and know where they go.

Anyway, to get rid of it delete the following:

from \windows

285d005a_manila

0509ab83_manila

4bfcbbee_manila

StartMenu_Background_Screen_480x640.png

StartMenu_Background_Screen_640x480.png

homebackground.img

stwater_480_640.jpg

from \program files

delete entire \vgahdwall directory

Finally, set your tsk again.

That's it. You will be left with what was cooked in your ROM.
[Windows Mobile Themes] etoy:
that's very nice looking! what about preparing one with this simple background? should look awesome..

i tried to prepare one by myself but the taskbar and bottom bar did not become transparent,they were still black.. dunno what i did wrong??
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
thanks mwalt did your suggestion and worked thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] etoy:
i'm trying on wm6.1/sense 2.5.2012 but still have no luck. the wallpaper shows up but the taskbar and softkeybar are still black. do i have to use some kind of transparent taskbar cab or the two 480x52 files are skin textures for them? maybe it's not 100% compatible with wm6.1..?

i did a cab:

the reg strings from the .rgu are imported

manila files and homebackground.img go to \windows\

vgahd png files (wall/top/bottom) go to \program files\vgahdwall\

i'm missing something?

---

edit:

nvm..from what i've read the wm6.1 taskbar and softkeybars are not skinnable.. :(
[Windows Mobile Themes] overjjrk:
I'm using "Blond" and my phone looks awesome. Thanks mwalt2!
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
I keep looking to the templates... and I think it will be easier using the slice tool (photoshop) and save for web & devices...

You make everything in the same window... it will separate the taskbar and softkeys... and you can save the complete image

If the slices are not shown, select the slice tool.

If they still dont show, make them...

With the slice tool selected:

-you can edit them by r-click (Edit slice Options),

there you can type the name (that's how that slice will be named when you save it)

-you can drag them to put them in place with the slice tool selected too.

When saving, select 'Save for Web & Devices...'

click the slices to select the extension, change quality if you want, ect

EDIT: Changed templates to png-24 preselected

added homebackground.img creator (a simple script that copy vgahd.png and renames it), place in the same folder of vgahd.png, and r-click > run as admin

EDIT2: Added the MakeCab... just place all in the same folder and run the script (r-click > run as admin) it includes the homebackground.img creator...
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
Thanks for confirming it doesn't work with 6.1. I've updated the post with the info.

Glad you like it :)

Thanks, that does simplify things and works well (once I remember to save as png24 :)). I've updated post 2 with a link to your post. I'm a photoshop noob, so I had not used the slice tool before.

edit - One other thing I've noticed is that the manila wallpaper is sometimes brighter than the taskbar/softkeybar images. It seems that manila changes this and can cause there to be a noticeable line between the two. One fix is to change the brightness +5 and contrast +6 (or so) for the taskbar and/or softkeybar. This will make it appear more fluid and the separation to be less noticeable.
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
I'm almost a noob too... but I remember using it like once...

I did notice of the brightness difference, but dont know how much brightness to add

If the custom images are not saved as png24 they wont be shown? at least I'm having that problem with taskbar and softkeys... the wallpaper is fine

EDIT: solved it changing the theme, the back to the previous theme and reinstalling 'WM6.5.X VGAHDwall.cab' (and using png-24)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
holy cow wow lol worked awesomely thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
Yeah, the easiest way I've found of matching the taskbar to the wallpaper is to take a screenshot of manila wallpaper and overlay the taskbar png as a new layer. Then adjust the taskbar layer to get it close to the manila-displayed wallpaper. I don't know why manila changes the way the wallpaper looks. If you compare a screenshot against the png used as the wallpaper, the screenshot is brighter and not as sharp.

I had a problem when it saved the taskbar/softkeybar as png-8. They became very pixelated and saving as png-24 fixed that for me. Everytime you change the .tsk, it will change the registry keys to point to the .tsk's softkeybar/taskbar images. So, just re-install the cab as you found out or edit the registry as shown below:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Today\SoftKeyBar]
"SoftKeyBarThemeImage"="\\Program Files\\VGAHDwall\\vgahd_softkeybar.png"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Today\TaskBar]
"TaskBarThemeImage"="\\Program Files\\VGAHDwall\\vgahd_taskbar.png"
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
cool ..ive done 3 different ones now and all work perfect

only thing that would make it faster is if i knew how to make cab files for them

are cabs hard to make ..is there a tut somewhere and is there a program to put it all together

Thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
you can use cabarc.exe, a preconfigured xml and a script... working on it...
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
Added to the same post... let me know if you have problems...
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
works perfect just made the 3 i had made so far into cabs and all 3 installed perfectly

Thanks Man you Rock
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
mwalt just wondering if its ok to post the ones ive been making for 6.5.x here in this thread
[Windows Mobile Themes] tboy2000:
Is there just a cab to make the top and bottom softbars 100% transparent so you can just change the wallpaper on your phone to show through? Rather than having to design your own transparent bars in PS?
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
Sure, go ahead and post them. I'll update the first post with a link to them.

I just saw this morning in development and hacking general forum that you can hex edit shell32 but it has to be cooked in.
[Windows Mobile Themes] nagle3092:
Anyone know what the taskbar is in the screen shots on page 1?
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
It's mostly the gadgetROM taskbar by gadgetfreak. I think it may be cdma only. You can get it attached to this post. If that cab does not work, try the one here (direct link to a cab). I remember one of them having problems, but can't remember which. I made an EXT for my kitchen and have only used that. If you want the battery meter, I took the images from a taskbar I found here. I have attached it. Just copy to \windows after you install the taskbar.
[Windows Mobile Themes] nagle3092:
Thank you so much, its the battery that stuck me the most thanks alot.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
ok here are 4 that ive made......these are for 6.5.x .... i will probably try and make some more this weekend

FirePlanet.....Dragon

Death....Angel of Death
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
a couple more for 6.5.x, though the girl one didnt turn out like i hoped it would..

Girl

Blue
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
@Kameirus

the other thing you may like is to turn the soft keys transparent

i modified livven's hero softkeys...

the corners aren't rounded well but not a big detail
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
cool ...how do i do that

and also how do i get the little date bar in the middle of the screen transparant
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
i instaled livven's theme and modified the softkeys cab (includded in the theme), recab and install

remember... if you change the theme you will need to reinstall hdwall..

for the transparent date bar i think it is the top and bottom curtains cab

try reinstalling...

in my previous pic it is shown... but is transparent... just past the quicklinks in cookies home tab to get a blank screen

here is the livvens link http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=578468
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
about the difference in brigthness... it could be because the wallpaper is not png24?

in my pic... you could see some difference in quality taskbar vs wall
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
No, I think it's just how manila displays the wallpaper. It does it on stock manila. I also saved the wallpaper as png24. I think the best way to get around it is to do a patch like cookie has for wvga (HQ wallpaper patch). You then set the wallpaper in a manila file (qtc) using cfcgui or the hdwall program.
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
the cookie's patch is only for wvga, right?

i couldnt find anything about vga in the recent updates
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
still cannot get that bar with the date on it transparent i even did a hard reset and flashed the rom again

ill just wait for someone to make a transparent softkeys cab to change the softkeys

edit... wow just after i posted this about the transparent softkeys tacchan23 posted new transparentsoftkeybars.cab files lol and works great
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
Cookie's home tab contains manila files that show the background behind the date. I'll make a transparent mod for those as well later today.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
cool thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
It's attached to post 1 now and called Transparent Date CookieHomeTab.cab. Let me know if you have any problems with it.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vernox701:
Just wanted to post another success story and to say only way to unistall the vga-hdwall program is to disable sense manila under windows/settings/hometab.

Thanks for the walk through save as .png24 only worked when save as web/device for those who were struggling like me
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
works perfect thanks
[Windows Mobile Themes] teddyteddy92:
can any one edit the HQ wallpaper patch by cookie to make it work on vga?

because so you can insert the images in manila files too make it look better!

I don't know how to make it otherwise i would do it:(
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vernox701:
MWalt, How can I create one cab to do this in one step. Mainly the .rgu where does that file go..ie /windows ? using Quickcab

thanks for any reply
[Windows Mobile Themes] mano90:
my sexy creations......:D (great tool!!)
[Windows Mobile Themes] Kameirus:
very cool mano ..nice job
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
.rgu's contain registry entries. You can rename it to name.reg if you want. They just need to be imported into your cab (I'm not familiar with quickcab, so can't be more specific).

I was thinking of doing this too. I'm busy trying to get the manila locker mod ported to 2.5.2012 and working with Cookie's Home Tab mod right now, but will try to see how it works soon.
[Windows Mobile Themes] Vernox701:
Thanks for your answer. Specifically wanted to know if I could leave the e3718a1.....rgu file as is because I'm lazy and didn't want to import all of the registry items (lol):D
[Windows Mobile Themes] kmpoboy2:
After fighting for almost an hour with photo shop which didn't want to paste the soft key task bar image, my creation.

BTW mwalt2. Since doing this, the weather animation of manila stopped working. Did I screw something up or the mod disables it?
[Windows Mobile Themes] teddyteddy92:
This would be great:)
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
The weather animation works fine for me. This mod should not affect it at all.
[Windows Mobile Themes] kessiyean:
Hello,

i dont know what i did wrong. I hope anybody can help me please.

I do all steps at post 2. But after reset there is no change. Backround is still black like before. What is wrong? I have installed the original HTC WM 6.5.x Rom with Manila 2.5.2012.

I create all files with ulead photo impact. I copy vgahd_taskbar.png, vgahd_softkeybar.png, and vgahd.png to Programme\VGAHDwall (the last one I create on my german phone D2 the name is programme instead of program files).

Than I copy the homebackground.img to \windows directory with total commander and say yes to overwrite.

Than I install WM6.5.X VGAHDwall.cab and make a softreset. And after all looks like before :-(

The attachment are the 4 grafic files I create before.

Please can you help me?

Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english.
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
This might only work on English ROMs with the current cabs. Can you tell me if after installing the WM6.5.X VGAHDwall.cab, do you have a \Program Files\VGAHDwall folder in your main memory? If so, try putting your files in that folder and soft resetting. I think I may have hard-coded the path when I made the cab, so I may have to see how to update them to work with other languages.
[Windows Mobile Themes] kessiyean:
Hello mwalt2,

thank you for your answer.

I dont know. I create the folder programme\VGAHDwall and copy all files in there before I install the WM6.5.X VGAHDwall.cab. In german Roms the folder of program files named programme.

Now I read your answer and make a test.

I create a folder named program files and in there I create a folder named VGAHDwall and put all files in there. Then I install the WM6.5.X VGAHDwall.cab too and do a softreset. After that I see my own created softkey and taskbar png :-)

But no more. The Backround looks like bevor also black in all tabs :-(

I hope you can help me.

Best regards
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
that can be solved by changing the registrys?

program files to programme?

Example (xml):

"HKCU\Software\HTC\Manila"

"CachedBackgroundPath" value="\Program Files\VGAHDwall\vgahd.png"

to

"CachedBackgroundPath" value="\Programme\VGAHDwall\vgahd.png"

??
[Windows Mobile Themes] kessiyean:
I try it but there is no change.

In this path the name is no \Program Files\VGAHDwall\vgahd.png there is

\My Documents\Eigene Bildschirmhintergr.\Wallpaper_009.pgn ???

I rename it to \Programme\VGAHDwall\vgahd.png and do softreset but no change. Then I create a folder Program Files and copy the 3 files in there and rename registry entrie to \Program Files\VGAHDwall\vgahd.png and do a softreset but there are no changes :-(

Any ideas?
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
I'd suggest everyone wanting an effect like this to look at volDues's new thread HERE. It will give the full screen effect for both portrait and landscape and simplifies the entire process. It works great for both WVGA and VGA with sense 2.5.2012.
[Windows Mobile Themes] kessiyean:
Hello,

thank you, I will try it.
[Windows Mobile Themes] jorgepr13:
the volDeus mod, will work in combination with this (your) mod? (transparent curtais, etc)
[Windows Mobile Themes] mwalt2:
It will work with any of the manila customizations, like transparent curtains, transparent slider, etc. You just don't need to go through the work of making a wallpaper and taskbar/softkeybar as originally outlined in this thread. As long as you have the aygshell.dll and shell32.exe from your windows mobile SYS build, you can use volDeus mod and it is much simpler to get a fullscreen wallpaper look.
[Windows Mobile Themes] ericssonnn:
hi man

I have installed your cabs but nothing happened to the taskbar or the weather transparent and the others exepts the mashroms which is ok some suggestions what i'm making work ?? :(
[Nexus One Accessories] sstang2006:
Has anyone order shirts from droidshirts.com? I placed an order Feb 26 and today Mar 09 the order still says: processing. The website has no information on how to get customer service (it only says: "Design by WootRoot"). I've sent WootRoot a private message and an email through this forum and I haven't get any answer back.

Does anyone has any info on this website? Thanks.
[Nexus One Accessories] liam.lah:
I was considering buying a cyanogen shirt from them, but they all say 3XL, maybe they are out of stock of the size you ordered.
[Nexus One Accessories] sstang2006:
I ordered XL
[Nexus One Accessories] cqms13:
Got this email response yesterday to an order related question

"We are catching up on orders right now from when we wher hit with a snow storm, we should be producing a new batch of hoodies/shirts shortly in all sizes. Keep an eye out."

I'd say hang in there and give em a chance to catch up - maybe try resending an email

j.
[Nexus One Accessories] sstang2006:
When I ordered there were 5 shirts on stuck (according to website). I have already send 2 emails and one PM to WootRoot andim still waiting for some response.
[Nexus One Accessories] mer6:
Hit him up on Twitter if you've got it, he's almost always there.
[Nexus One Accessories] sstang2006:
That did it.. I was trying to contact him the wrong way :D
[Off-topic] josefcrist:
i will go first

http://gizmodo.com/5489297/taliban-leader-iphone-user
[Off-topic] rorytmeadows:
I love tbis thread!

How about this one?
[Off-topic] ohyeahar:
I just searched "iphone user" and found these nice shots...
[Off-topic] MalekoUK:
Check out the t-shirt...
[Off-topic] MikeChannon:
​

Mike​
[Off-topic] galaxys:
^ LOL...definately a classic :D
[Off-topic] ohyeahar:
Oh my god. I searched for "apple fanboy" in Google Images and the 1st hit was graphic. I don't think I should even post it. Go see for yourself...

The following image was just something I stumbled upon and seems to be worth a laugh or 2...
[Off-topic] ~~Tito~~:
Lol at the apple T-Shirts but those are some of the ugliest people I have ever seen.
[Off-topic] GamerMYJ:
DONT BE MEAN. MAYBE SOME PEOPLE ARE INTO THIS.

actually, I think the designers of the ad really went wrong. slap that shirt on Megan Fox, let it hang down a bit, and you've got a seller!
[Off-topic] ~~Tito~~:
Of course she was probably a sperm cell at that time, if my guestimate is correct. :p
[Off-topic] mazzarin:
Similar to the pic ohyeahar posted, whenever I think iPhone hysteria, I think of the original:
[Off-topic] denco7:
Of course I dress differently when using my Tilt than I do with my iPhone.

My daughter really loves her iPhone too

​
[Off-topic] rorytmeadows:
Ugh, what a douche. I'm sure he's the loudest f*cking as*hole at the party.

EXCELLENT!
[Off-topic] rorytmeadows:
terrible movie, but point made
[Off-topic] Fallen Spartan:
My personal favourite
[Off-topic] zeezee:
"Stupid ass grin" hahahaahhahahah
[Off-topic] shh im sleeping:
Hahaha nice
[Off-topic] ~~Tito~~:
For that one all you have to do is wear a unlubricated condom.Just make sure to get the small sizes.
[Off-topic] orb3000:
Lol!

Or the big ones, depending on the case;):D:D
[General Questions and Answers] beow1776:
Currently using Windows Mobile 6.1 Prof and am looking for an app/regedit/hack that would prevent the deletion of sms, email, call log, etc. Or, disable menu options such as delete from SMS, email, call history, etc. Want to retain the functionality but prevent changes from being made. Kiosk mode maybe? Limited user account?
[General Questions and Answers] timmymarsh:
There is prob a reg hack for this, but why are you trying to do this?

I will have a sniff about for something.