LogonXP developer release...
Monday, December 17, 2001 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
First some technical details:Windows XP comes with a logon program called logonui.exe. This contains the nice looking logon screen when you bootup. Very soon after release, technical proficient users discovered they could use a resource hacker and make their own logons. These replacement logonui's have become quite popular. But because they it requires using a resource hacker, most casual users and artists have not really been comfortable using it.
The result has been that mcuh of the logonui's floating around us other people's graphics (rips). I.e. some author's wallpapers are taken by someone else and turned into a logonui without permission.
Moreover, since you're replacing the actual logonui, if something goes wrong, very bad things can happen.
That's where LogonXP comes into play. When you install LogonXP, it works like most other skinnable programs, your logons are in sub-directories. Those subdirectories contain no EXE's but instead contain a collection of bitmaps and a text file describing where they go. So it's very easy to make your own. LogonXP then talks to the LogonUI and applies it. No additional overhead or resources are required to do it this way.
LogonXP also has several safety features - if you somehow "hose up" things it lets you restore to the default Windows XP logon and ensures that you can always recover via the Ctrl-Alt-Del logon pop up.
LogonXP also can import Logonui.exe and save them in its format (there is no logonui.exe format as it's Microsoft's .exe afterall). So you can take your logonui.exe's you've downloaded and import them very easily (and reliably) into LogonXP.
LogonXP is going to be freeware.
If are interested in creating your own XP logons and would like to try it to either make your own XP logons or convert your logonui.exe's, email [email protected] to get a private build.
leqin
Reply #2 Monday, December 17, 2001 12:09 PM
Reply #2 Monday, December 17, 2001 12:09 PM
Now this I have been waiting for - way to go Brad 
.
.
chuckyboy81070
Reply #3 Monday, December 17, 2001 12:37 PM
Reply #3 Monday, December 17, 2001 12:37 PM
me thinks this is going to be mighty popular.
jark
Reply #5 Monday, December 17, 2001 4:57 PM
Reply #5 Monday, December 17, 2001 4:57 PM
>These replacement logonui's have become
>quite popular. But because they it requires
>using a resource hacker, most casual users
>and artists have not really been comfortable
>using it.
uh .. no. this is just incorrect brad, sorry. an application that handles loginui's already exists right here: http://software.deviantart.com/details.php?id=240. it is one of the most popular programs around these days and is in probably the fastest growing section of customization lately as well.
this is not stardock creating something new but, rather, stardock creating something to stay on target with the crowd that they fell behind.
nice try brad.
>quite popular. But because they it requires
>using a resource hacker, most casual users
>and artists have not really been comfortable
>using it.
uh .. no. this is just incorrect brad, sorry. an application that handles loginui's already exists right here: http://software.deviantart.com/details.php?id=240. it is one of the most popular programs around these days and is in probably the fastest growing section of customization lately as well.
this is not stardock creating something new but, rather, stardock creating something to stay on target with the crowd that they fell behind.
nice try brad.
Frogboy
Reply #6 Monday, December 17, 2001 5:13 PM
Reply #6 Monday, December 17, 2001 5:13 PM
Jark, I'm afraid you are mistaken. What that program does is allow you to swap in and out different logonui.exe's. I take it you haven't used XP LogonUI before?
With LogonXP, there is no need to use a resource hacker on your LogonUI.exe. To restate what I said since apparently it wasn't clear enough:
Since XP came out, users have found that they can use a resource hacker on LogonUI.exe to create logonui's with different graphics and layouts. The problem is that 1) You have to be fairly technically knowledgeable to be using a resource hacker and 2) it requires the end user to download a literal replacement file.
There is an existing program that lets you manage your various logonui.exe's which is quite popular, but that is a totally different thing from what we're discussing. LogonXP doesn't manage logonui.exe's, it creates an easy to use standard way of customizing your existing logonui's. When people swap .login files (made via LogonXP) there is no logonui.exe, just the bitmaps and a text file saying what those bitmaps are.
Hope that clears things up for you.
With LogonXP, there is no need to use a resource hacker on your LogonUI.exe. To restate what I said since apparently it wasn't clear enough:
Since XP came out, users have found that they can use a resource hacker on LogonUI.exe to create logonui's with different graphics and layouts. The problem is that 1) You have to be fairly technically knowledgeable to be using a resource hacker and 2) it requires the end user to download a literal replacement file.
There is an existing program that lets you manage your various logonui.exe's which is quite popular, but that is a totally different thing from what we're discussing. LogonXP doesn't manage logonui.exe's, it creates an easy to use standard way of customizing your existing logonui's. When people swap .login files (made via LogonXP) there is no logonui.exe, just the bitmaps and a text file saying what those bitmaps are.
Hope that clears things up for you.
Rob S
Reply #7 Monday, December 17, 2001 5:15 PM
Reply #7 Monday, December 17, 2001 5:15 PM
I think you're missing the point jark. XP LogonUI let you swop between different LoginUI.exe's LoginXP allows you to create/edit new login screens as well as swopping between them.
Frogboy
Reply #9 Monday, December 17, 2001 5:22 PM
Reply #9 Monday, December 17, 2001 5:22 PM
Thanks. And since it's freeware (there isn't even a plus version) I'm not sure what Jark means by "Stardock falling behind".
We have a totally different incentive - decrease the amount of ripping going on. Most people who create good wallpapers are artists. And they're not generally very likely to want to download a resource hacker and start messing with an actual system EXE on their system. The net result is that sure, the logonui section is "fast growing" - fast growing with OTHER PEOPLE'S graphics (Jark, I suggest you go through your "fastest growing section" and see how much ripping is going on in there).
If you can make something in which the original authors of the graphics are able to make new logons, it should hopefully decrease the amount of ripping going on. I'm sure rips will still get by moderators but we hope that this freely available, open method of creating logons will decrease it.
We have a totally different incentive - decrease the amount of ripping going on. Most people who create good wallpapers are artists. And they're not generally very likely to want to download a resource hacker and start messing with an actual system EXE on their system. The net result is that sure, the logonui section is "fast growing" - fast growing with OTHER PEOPLE'S graphics (Jark, I suggest you go through your "fastest growing section" and see how much ripping is going on in there).
If you can make something in which the original authors of the graphics are able to make new logons, it should hopefully decrease the amount of ripping going on. I'm sure rips will still get by moderators but we hope that this freely available, open method of creating logons will decrease it.
vaktor
Reply #10 Monday, December 17, 2001 7:19 PM
Reply #10 Monday, December 17, 2001 7:19 PM
Well... now that we've settled that argument, when is the damn thing comming out?
Attila
Reply #11 Tuesday, December 18, 2001 4:22 PM
Reply #11 Tuesday, December 18, 2001 4:22 PM
"The result has been that mcuh of the logonui's floating around us other people's graphics (rips). I.e. some author's wallpapers are taken by someone else and turned into a logonui without permission."
I don't get that quote... how is this program going to make it more difficult for people to rip others artwork and use it to create their own LogonUI with this program?
I don't get that quote... how is this program going to make it more difficult for people to rip others artwork and use it to create their own LogonUI with this program?
Frogboy
Reply #12 Tuesday, December 18, 2001 5:05 PM
Reply #12 Tuesday, December 18, 2001 5:05 PM
How about putting it another way, many sites, haven't been very aggressive about policing their Logon sections which are largely filled with other people's materials. Wallpapers don't have that problem to nearly the same extent on most reputable sites.
So why is that?
Because the barier to entry in creating a wallpaper is low but very high currently for creating a Logon.
Enter LogonXP. It makes it as easy to create a logon (virtually) as it is to create a wallpaper.
It should be noted that LogonXP has been in development for over a month now. Comparing what it does to something that switches logonui.exe's is kind of a put down.
So why is that?
Because the barier to entry in creating a wallpaper is low but very high currently for creating a Logon.
Enter LogonXP. It makes it as easy to create a logon (virtually) as it is to create a wallpaper.
It should be noted that LogonXP has been in development for over a month now. Comparing what it does to something that switches logonui.exe's is kind of a put down.
Catherine
Reply #13 Wednesday, December 19, 2001 2:20 PM
Reply #13 Wednesday, December 19, 2001 2:20 PM
http://www.stylexp.com/tgtsofttemp/Logon_XP_2.0.0.zip
it might not make logons but it has been in development from the start
it might not make logons but it has been in development from the start
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Reply #1 Monday, December 17, 2001 9:18 AM