How to alter resolutions for DesktopX
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 by DrJBHL | Discussion: Object Desktop
I have a widescreen (1440x900) and love some of the DesktopX themes. Unfortunately they seem to be designed for other resolutions. How does one change the resolution of a DesktopX theme...or, make it resolution independent...i.e. one size to fit all? Is there any way that Stardock can alter DesktopX to sense the resolution and fit itself to that?
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DrJBHL
Reply #3 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:04 PM
Reply #3 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:04 PM
How? How do I take, say, Vienna DX and make it resolution independent????
ZubaZ
Reply #4 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:09 PM
Reply #4 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:09 PM
You can place the objects here and there in builder mode to get some kind of fit. But for a complete fix you'd have to make your own graphics. DX doesn't scale natively.
HG_Eliminator
Reply #5 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:21 PM
Reply #5 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:21 PM
Some themes such as Lcars Computer net 5.5 use layered wallpapers as the backgrounds for the objects/buttons etc, (each Background constitutes one interface and Lcars has 9+).. to switch res would misalign the positioning of the objects in correlation to the Background.
A possible fix would entail. taking every part of a Background image and turning it in to its own object then aligning it with the corresponding buttons etc..not an easy task as Lcars already has multiple layered backgrounds each with many Buttons/animations. Currently 300+ objects if I remember correctly...
with the current build of Lcars most of the screen at 1280 is full. to try and squeeze it in to a smaller area would not be possible, as elements would either be pushed off screen or stacked on top one another..It could be resized for larger res but that would be at a time when I would have more free time than at present..
A possible fix would entail. taking every part of a Background image and turning it in to its own object then aligning it with the corresponding buttons etc..not an easy task as Lcars already has multiple layered backgrounds each with many Buttons/animations. Currently 300+ objects if I remember correctly...
with the current build of Lcars most of the screen at 1280 is full. to try and squeeze it in to a smaller area would not be possible, as elements would either be pushed off screen or stacked on top one another..It could be resized for larger res but that would be at a time when I would have more free time than at present..
Quentin94
Reply #6 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:20 AM
This one shouldn't been difficult to make it for your resolution but resolution independent mean that you can use it in at least 1024x768 to higher (i would even say 800x600) so i believe it impossible here.
Well For Vienna DX, just open the skin in DX Builder, select the background of the top bar, and on properties change the width to 1440. drag each elements by hit/hold CRTL.
And Save it as a new name to keep the clean version in case of mistake.
Reply #6 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:20 AM
How? How do I take, say, Vienna DX and make it resolution independent????
This one shouldn't been difficult to make it for your resolution but resolution independent mean that you can use it in at least 1024x768 to higher (i would even say 800x600) so i believe it impossible here.
Well For Vienna DX, just open the skin in DX Builder, select the background of the top bar, and on properties change the width to 1440. drag each elements by hit/hold CRTL.
And Save it as a new name to keep the clean version in case of mistake.
DrJBHL
Reply #7 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:31 AM
Reply #7 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:31 AM
Thank you very much, Quentin. So kind of you to spare your time for me. 
DrJBHL
Reply #8 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 10:11 AM
Reply #8 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 10:11 AM
WOW!!!! I did it...one small problem, though....the weather object shows "error in script prevents "more' opening. How do I fix that so the vienna forecast thingy opens? Qoentin94....you are AWESOME!
milksama
Reply #9 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 10:38 AM
Reply #9 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 10:38 AM
Yep, Quentin is quite a guy 
Making themes resolution independent requires some additional steps that will sometimes make things more difficult for the artists to create. Positioning objects based on the System.ScreenWidth and System.ScreenHeight values is usually sufficient to accomplish a resolution independent theme.
What specifically is the error regarding the weather object saying?
-Mike
[Stardock Support]
sViz
Reply #10 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 11:15 AM
I concur.
I usually try to position/size everything based on system dimensions as milksama mentioned but that doesn't cover walls. It's all up to the artist. On the user's end it is most important to not be afraid of DX Builder mode. Switch over, mill around, check out object properties, tweak, get used to it. If you mess up you can always load the original theme and start fresh.
Reply #10 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 11:15 AM
Quentin94....you are AWESOME!
I concur.
I usually try to position/size everything based on system dimensions as milksama mentioned but that doesn't cover walls. It's all up to the artist. On the user's end it is most important to not be afraid of DX Builder mode. Switch over, mill around, check out object properties, tweak, get used to it. If you mess up you can always load the original theme and start fresh.
SirSmiley
Reply #11 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 11:37 AM
I concur.
^ Triplicated!
Just to be safe, maybe save the theme as a new theme with the extension "_RE" or something else. In case you overwrite the original by accident.
Reply #11 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 11:37 AM
Quentin94....you are AWESOME!
I concur.
^ Triplicated!
Just to be safe, maybe save the theme as a new theme with the extension "_RE" or something else. In case you overwrite the original by accident.
DrJBHL
Reply #12 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:54 PM
Reply #12 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:54 PM
I did..and it saved well. My NEW problem 
is that when I try to open the "more" option in the weather window in the Vienna Dx (modified skin) I get the message:
Object required: 'DesktopX.Object(...)'
Line: 4
Code:
(not available)
What do I do now.....sorry I'm so inexperienced. I don't mean to be such a turkey.
is that when I try to open the "more" option in the weather window in the Vienna Dx (modified skin) I get the message:Object required: 'DesktopX.Object(...)'
Line: 4
Code:
(not available)
What do I do now.....sorry I'm so inexperienced. I don't mean to be such a turkey.
HG_Eliminator
Reply #13 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:55 PM
How? How do I take, say, Vienna DX and make it resolution independent????
my apologies. this was posted as I was typing my reply, so I didn't see it..or my reply would have been specific toward that theme..
Q stepped up and nailed it...
Reply #13 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:55 PM
How? How do I take, say, Vienna DX and make it resolution independent????
my apologies. this was posted as I was typing my reply, so I didn't see it..or my reply would have been specific toward that theme..
Q stepped up and nailed it...
HG_Eliminator
Reply #14 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 5:02 PM
Reply #14 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 5:02 PM
OK questions are you saving just the weather object? and are you saving as a object,widget? or the desktop as a whole?
DrJBHL
Reply #15 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 5:31 PM
Reply #15 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 5:31 PM
The desktop as a whole.....I don't understand how to get that weather forecast window to pop out when I click on the "more".
sViz
Reply #16 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:13 PM
Reply #16 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:13 PM
I'm not getting that error but in DX Builder, if you get an error in the script, right-click on the object that's causing the error (the more button object) and select edit script.
If you do that you'll see that "line 4" referred to in your error was trying to set the visibilty of the "weather_back" object. Now, the only reason why the error would say "object required" is if the object was deleted or was renamed. Now you have to see if the "weather_back" object still exists. R-click on the DXBuilder icon in the system tray and select 'List Objects'. Click on the ObjectID column so you get everything in alphabetical order. See if the "weather_back" object is still there.
If you do that you'll see that "line 4" referred to in your error was trying to set the visibilty of the "weather_back" object. Now, the only reason why the error would say "object required" is if the object was deleted or was renamed. Now you have to see if the "weather_back" object still exists. R-click on the DXBuilder icon in the system tray and select 'List Objects'. Click on the ObjectID column so you get everything in alphabetical order. See if the "weather_back" object is still there.
DrJBHL
Reply #17 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:31 PM
Reply #17 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:31 PM
Thank you sViz! No, in fact, it is not.....how do I get it back there????
sViz
Reply #18 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:39 PM
Reply #18 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:39 PM
Unfortunately, there is no undo function with DX. If you accidentally deleted the object, you'll have to start over with the original version.
Are there any other "weather" objects listed or are they all gone?
Are there any other "weather" objects listed or are they all gone?
sViz
Reply #19 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:09 PM
Reply #19 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:09 PM
Is this the missing object and its child objects?:
If only all of those are missing I might have a different solution than starting over. Load the original version of the theme and select all of the objects I've selected in the image. Export them as a packaged object (make sure 'Selected only' is checked and not 'Selected and related'.) Then load your modified theme and import the packaged object. It should work as normal. Let me know how it goes.
If only all of those are missing I might have a different solution than starting over. Load the original version of the theme and select all of the objects I've selected in the image. Export them as a packaged object (make sure 'Selected only' is checked and not 'Selected and related'.) Then load your modified theme and import the packaged object. It should work as normal. Let me know how it goes.
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Reply #1 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 6:13 PM
To make a theme in resolution independent you'll need to open them on DX Builder and change the settings to fit your need. Or check only those with resolutions independents...