Suggestions/help needed re: alternate shells in XP

from WinCustomize Forums
I know next to nothing about setting up these alternate shells, other getting some LiteStep themes, that didn't need any config changes done, working.

What I want to do is (in XP, BTW) is replace my shell with something like Litestep/HoverDesk/Aston or whatever. I want to run that shell with either no theme at all or, at most, a right-click popup menu (iTunes brushed metal, preferably, if I MUST have one), and then do everyhthing else shell related with DesktopX, ObjectDock, and ObjectBar. (Oh...and of course, WindowBlinds) If I'm not using Explorer as anything more than to start ODN, I see no sense in using all that memory or processor time.

Has anyone here suceesfully done this, what shell did you use and how how was it set up?

If it is too involved to explain here, drop me a note at note at floyd_r_turbo @ h o t m a i l . c o m.

Many thanks!
4,379 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Floyd...
You can replace LiteSTEP as the shell instead of Exploder....all you need is basically two modules...desktop.dll and popup.dll....[or their derivatives]....if you don't have a replacement try proggy then just add that with LiteSTEP too.

Resource use would be quite 'small', provided none of the modules 'leaked' [one of mine does...not sure which at the moment].
ObjectDock works quite happily with LS and looks pretty 'neat' as well...even Hoverdesk can be run over LS...though some time ago there were 'Z-order' issues.

With the inherent stability of XP it becomes a little superfluous to worry about Exploder vs. LiteSTEP...unless it is specifically the right-click popup you are after...
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
'try' = 'tray'... Spell checker
TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You really should have that leaky module seen too by a suitable physician Jafo.
At our age leave nothing to chance!

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Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo:

I hear ya re: XP stability, but I just want a shell that gives me just what I need, no more. I like squeezing all I can from my memory/cpu and, to me, 37MB being taken by Explorer is way too much for me.

Anyway, if I understand you right, I could just install LS with whatever the distro's "basic" theme is, and edit theme.rc, deleing everying except the lines loading dektop.dll and popup.dll? I'll end up with just a naked desktop and a right-click popup menu??

COOL.

Many thanks.

BTW...I love the various creations of yours I've used. Keep up the good work.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Floyd, yes, essentially.
If you like, I could set up an OTS theme or even a stand-alone LS shell that would have the 'basic' function only.
It can be done with zero graphics, even...
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
very kind Jafo, hehe

actually if it´s an OTS it´s just 8 lines of code that are required for this. (the last five lines are only needed for the space ObjectBar will probably need.)


include $PersonalDir$personal.rc
LoadModule $LiteStepDir$Desktop2.dll
LoadModule $LiteStepDir$PopUp2.dll
SetDesktopArea
SDATop 20
SDALeft 0
SDARight 0
SDABottom 0
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo, it might be label.dll that is leaking. v1.98 has been released today and fixes this.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo:

After your first reply, I spent a little time poking around, and took the Simplicity them that was installed, and pared the theme.rc to this:

-----------------------------
; LiteStep environment config


PersonalDir "$LiteStepDir$personal\"
ThemeDir "$LiteStepDir$themes\simplicity\"
ConfigDir "$ThemeDir$config\"
ModulesDir "$ThemeDir$modules\"

include "$PersonalDir$personal.rc"
include "$ConfigDir$themevars.rc"
;include "$ConfigDir$flags.rc"
include "$ConfigDir$popuptheme.rc"

LSNoShellWarning true



;-------------------------
; loadmodule config
;-------------------------

LoadModule "$LitestepDir$desktop2.dll";
LoadModule "$LitestepDir$popup2.dll"

--------------------------------------

I now have a graphics-less theme with a grey pop-up menu that does all I need, in only 8MB of memory! Even in XP, things feel much more responsive. I have Cuzzo's iTuned Jaguar ObjectBar running fine. With that, ObjectDock and the iSkin WB theme, my system looks and runs great.

Many thanks, again.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
moshi...I had 1.97 because that was supposed to have been 'de-leaked'...but I'll give the newie a go....thanks...

Floyd....moshi's is the basic...the 'includes' in yours could be reduced a bit probably.
If you use a shell manager like ShellOn, you could even rig up another complete LS shell that is NOT OTS and perhaps an older build.
I have a b21 somewhere...I might see what it does on XP. 'Old' ain't always 'bad'...
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
moshi...My LS was up to 36 meg...[had been running for a few days]...but I've switched to 1.98, killed LS and reloaded it and now back to 12 meg. [this is Nijikon Fetchi 2, which is not exactly 'small'].
I'll keep an eye on things for a while before I update all my themes both here and on my comp]...

desktop2.dll ;version 1.4
popup2.dll ;version 1.3
Grdtray3.dll ;version 3.0 beta 1
mzscript.dll ;version 0.7
shortcut2.dll ;version 1.2
hotkey.dll ;version 1.6
vwm2.dll ;version 1.3.1
geekamp.dll ;version 1.9.61 (Azathoth)
traytasks.dll ;version 1.7
miniwall.dll ;version 20020627 (e-sushi)
lsslider.dll ;version 1.71
label.dll ;version 1.98 (Maduin,Sci,ilmcuts,Vendicator)
rainmation.dll ;version 0.8

[I try to keep my mod use 'documented']...
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
there has been also a fix for shortcut2 (i´m using layercut now, animations and alpha-transparency) in the most recent IndieStep build.

it´s here (not ShellFront): http://indiestep.sourceforge.net/