Rainmeter and Circle Dock Proposal

[selden]

Sarge,

Unfortunately, attempts to read the page at the link you provided above result in
"You are not authorized to read this forum". I'm guessing it's in a restricted subforum.

In case it matters, I have not previously been a member of the rainmeter forum. I successfully registered and activated an account just now but have made no posts.

p.s. I used the same userid as I use here (selden) but a different password, of course.

[sgtevmckay]

I guess it would have helped to post the skin here.

Download:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1016357/Rainmeter%20Dexpot%20Skin/Dexpot%20Test%202.rmskin
You will need Rainmeter 2.0 ( http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/ )

It is only functional for 4 screens at this time, but we are working on a dynamic solution now.
All option and and VD modifiers work, but keep in mind I have labeled this skin as an Alpha release.
It is functional, and will not blow up your system, but may exhibit some interesting behavior.
If you come across any, do let me know

I am having an issue trying to figure out how to properly get "VDRefreshOnUpdate" worked in, but the skin needs it to be sure, as the screen shots remain static until you switch
Very Frustrating, but Patrick though of it in advance.....I just need to Figure out proper placement in the skin and make it work

If you have questions, suggestions,or comments...do not hesitate, let me know what's on your mind

[MMiDave]

Hello everybody! I’m new to this sphere, but I’m really interested in it. Could you provide me with some advice where I should start from?

[sgtevmckay]

For all folks starting with Rainmeter I always suggest starting
Here:
http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/
and here:
http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/?q=Documentation

As for the development of the Rainmeter/Dexpot project
Bits and pieces, as well as teh needed software and documentation can be found here, but we have yet to go officially live
So you can get an inside on what is going to happen by monitoring here for sure and the documentation at the Rainmeter home site

Hope this helps.
If you have more questions, let me know

Regards
the Sarge

[sgtevmckay]

We are plunging away on getting a skin for my next release put together

Thanks to Patrick (I think) I now have the "VDRefreshOnUpdate" worked out and seems to be going great

I have changed Bangs on Down action to up action for better skin handling

I have also added all available Options (???) or that which are required to operate the skin.
Dragonmage and I are working on a system that shows dialog when Dexpot is not detected running, and gives an "on" option to turn on Dexpot, then the skin will become visible with the appropriate amount of Desktops to manage via the skin
I am working in the Toggle background capability of the suite of skins I am working on, so the skin will be visible regardless of background color. The completed skin will be available in Black and white flavors...but this is just a start
Hopefully once this is done, folks will manipulate (or build their own) skins from this template

I have also incorporate the desktop names, as assigned by the end user, with a desktop # pre-fix

With Background On:


With Background Off:


Please note the screen names above the screen shot in red.
The number preceding the name is hard coded, the name is drawn down from Dexpot.
Gotta love Patrick
He has thought of everything

Let me know if I should package and upload the current build folks, and I will get it out tonight or tomorrow...for now I have a contract, so I am off to work

[sgtevmckay]

I have hit a small inconvenience

As I and DM continue building the release skin.
I have hit a small issue.

Apparently there is no way to send a command to Launch Dexpot via the plugin (???)
I have also noticed that the command line parameters require that Dexpot is running, this makes sense, as if you are using command line, you can directly access and launch the .exe prior to additional Command Line entry

I can set up the skin to "Bang" and launch Dexpot directly, but I hit an issue where 32 bit and 64 bit install is concerned.
This would require that the user opens the skin and enters the path to Dexpot in the skins ini file. Since each version places Dexpot in a different Program Folders structure
Although I am unopposed to this, many may find it a lot of work

Suggested corrective action:
Send a Bang/command through "VDMeasureType=Command"

Code: Select all

[Variables]
[DexpotCommand]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=VirtualDesktops.dll
VDManager=#VDM#
VDMeasureType=Command

Code: Select all

[Power_Button]
Meter=Button
ButtonImage=/Graphics/PowerBW.png
X=110
Y=0
ImageAlpha=200
Group=Inactive
ButtonCommand=!Execute [!RainmeterPluginBang "DexpotCommand /Start"]

Please note that "Start" Bang would be the command sent "[DexpotCommand]" to launch Dexpot.

Is something like this possible?

[Patrick]

Please note that "Start" Bang would be the command sent "[DexpotCommand]" to launch Dexpot.

Is something like this possible?

No, the plugin doesn't know where Dexpot is installed either. Two possible solutions:

1. Get the Dexpot installation path from the registry. This will obviously not work for the portable version.
   
   

   Code: Select all

   [DexpotHome]
Measure=Registry
RegHKey=HKEY_CURRENT_USER
RegKey=Software\Dexpot
RegValue=Dexpot-Home
UpdateDivider=1000

[Power_Button]
Meter=Button
ButtonImage=/Graphics/PowerBW.png
X=110
Y=0
ImageAlpha=200
Group=Inactive
ButtonCommand=!Execute ["[DexpotHome]\dexpot.exe"]
DynamicVariables=1

   
   
2. I could add a new measure type to retrieve the location from a running instance of Dexpot. You could then use !RainmeterWriteKeyValue to permanently store the location in the skin file. The user would not have to edit any files but only manually start Dexpot once.

[sgtevmckay]

Then #2 it is

The only hick up I see is if Rainmeter and Dexpot are both portable.
The path would have to be recorded as ///XXX/XXXX/Dexpot.exe (I think I have this concept Correct)
The path can not be hard coded as the Path Directory may change from one machine to another

[sgtevmckay]

Query;
When using the add and subtract VD option.
What happens if you go below 1?
Is there something I should look for or account for in the skin I am working on from a beta tester perspective?
Figured I would ask, before I fond out a hard way

I am almost done with the Alpha of the skin, and have yet to reach this point, but should be in trial by end of weekend -/+.
Starting tomorrow, I will be working 10 to 12 hour days on a contract and will be unavailable for the week

[Patrick]

Then #2 it is

The only hick up I see is if Rainmeter and Dexpot are both portable.
The path would have to be recorded as ///XXX/XXXX/Dexpot.exe (I think I have this concept Correct)

How do you propose to get the relative path? I'd say go with #1 for the time being. The new measure type would require new versions of both Dexpot and the plugin.

When using the add and subtract VD option.
What happens if you go below 1?

Nothing. Dexpot doesn't let you go lower than 2.

[sgtevmckay]

Will do.
I will just put in an note in the instructions to copy and paste the full path to their Copy of Dexpot.exe

As for the possibility of disappearing desktops, I just found out about an hour ago

[sgtevmckay]

Here we go folks.

Beta 1.3


Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/0sd8w7d5ks8sav2/Dexpot%20bet%201.3.rmskin

Notes:
You may need to put the path to Dexpot in the variables, depending on your OS. you will see where
There are some known issues, I will list these below.
I have packaged this as part of Visions+, so look for Visions+ in the Config menu.
The reason for this is this is my WIP folder, and after the catastrophic fail of last week, I am tired of modifying file for release.
If you use my latest Visions+ Weather skin look in that folder.
The Visions+ Bar can be widely ignored as it is incomplete, it is here as nothing more than a remote Control for the skins background and writes to a @Include file.
I believe that everything that was asked for is in the skin.
I am not even going into a full list of what all this skin can do, as of right now, it is nightmarishly long and I am tired. Experiment and see for yourself please

Now for the hard part:
I need to reduce the overall skin if possible.
I have done what is currently in my knowledge, but this is limited in the extreme, so any advice or corrections would be greatly appreciated.

Known Issues:
There are two known issues at this time. one Dexpot and one Rainmeter

Dexpot Issue:
Using the portion of the DLL to retrieve the VD Screen name is problematic.
Dexpot must start first, and by doing so the dll can not retrieve the screen names without the skin having a refresh.
SO there is a conflict

Rainmeter Issue:
The skin expands to the right only.
I need a solution so that the skin expands left to right evenly.
Otherwise the end user will have to continually adjust the skin on the screen as VD's are added and taken away.
So help on thsi issue would be greatly appreciated

Again this is a Beta until I can get the skin size under control.
I am either going to be condemned for creating some serious hideous code or congratulated for almost pure ingenuity.

Once we get this thing under control....we can go live, and since Rainmeter has been a bit stagnant for a couple of months now....I believe this to be a time of excellent opportunity!

[sgtevmckay]

First my apologies....
I configured the rmskin wrong and this created for a bad experience for one user.
This is now corrected.

There are now two choices of download:
1.) Test Skin only:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/fs0sq1tmw1szmkm/Visions+%20Dexpot%20Beta%203.rmskin

2.) For those that would want to immediately integrate this skin into Visions+ Config folder:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/fs0sq1tmw1szmkm/Visions+%20Dexpot%20Beta%203.rmskin
Us this one....please back up Visions+ first, just in case, but should not be absolutely necessary

Other than a fix proposed by Patrick
all other notes apply from earlier post: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2512#p28811

[sgtevmckay]

You tube video up
with 720p option

[selden]

The video is off to a good start, but... you knew there must be a but in here somewhere, right?

1. I noticed several typos in the text intro. e.g. the capitalization seemed random, and the plural of lady was mispelled. (it should be ladies).

2. I thought the expletives in the brief voiceover were unnecessary.

3. I think the demo could be significantly improved by providing a voiceover describing what's happening. The video doesn't make sense to anyone who isn't already very familiar with both Rainmeter and Dexpot.

4. Another thing to consider would be to slow down the DexCube rotation speed, so it's clear that a screen change is happening. As it is, the jumpy changes from one desktop to another seem more of a defect than anything desirable.

But, as I wrote, a good start!

[sgtevmckay]

The video was slam baked together in about 2 hours to be sure.
Definitely not designed as a training video or a proper introduction video....it is no more than a teaser

The full explanation video is to come when we go live and I may take a whole day or two to put that together to be sure

As for the audio Voice in. "Thank you very much, can I be in charge for a while!?!!" :p
Besides; It's teh Sarge

The response so far has been very good, lets see what happens throughout the week

Patients friend....the best is coming

[sgtevmckay]

4. Another thing to consider would be to slow down the DexCube rotation speed, so it's clear that a screen change is happening. As it is, the jumpy changes from one desktop to another seem more of a defect than anything desirable.

Thoughts on a good timing ratio for this?
Keep in mind that the maximum recording Frame rate for Camtasia is 30fps

I must agree, and I fully willing to re-shoot and do a completely different release as needed

[selden]

Sarge,

I like the way it looks when the transition settings are all set to 1000 (1 second).

However, while I've been playing with it this evening, I discovered that after working fine for a while, Dexpot would get into a state where it would do part of a transition, then freeze, and then jump to the final desktop. I'm not sure what's causing this. It's "obviously" a bug in Dexpot -- nothing else was running on my computer at the time except for a couple of desktop gadgets: clock and a cpu monitor. (I'm not running Rainmeter right now.) I'll see what I can do to record that and report it.

*sigh*

[sgtevmckay]

It could very well be the handling of Dexpot by the skin....Patrick and I have been working on Beta 1.4 today, and I should have a release soon....Much better/smoother handling

[n1nj4Lo]

The Raindexer is back.

Raindexer.exe

Reads #SETTINGSPATH#VDMConfig.ini. Example configuration:

Code: Select all

[Gnometer\Bars]
VDesktop=*

[Gnometer\Dexpot]
VDesktop=1,2,3,4

[Gnometer\Clock]
VDesktop=1

[Gnometer\Recycle Bin]
VDesktop=2

[Gnometer\System]
VDesktop=3,4
VD3Position=800,0
VD4Position=1000,0

I'm confused about how to set RainDexer up... Could you or someone else explain a lil more? I've got the plugin installed and have the default RainDexer bar... What next?