Of LiteSTEP and systrays....
Monday, February 18, 2002 by Jafo | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Such a little thing, a systray, but since XP came along, so did a bug in LiteSTEP. Mysteriously, the modem icon would never show up in the tray.
In Win2K, this was solved with a simple patch....a file you set to run at startup....that got the tray working 'better' in LS, but did nothing to Exploder if that was the shell being used at the time.
This 'patch' was a tad less than successful in XP....I got 5 modem icons...ostensibly one 'real' one, and 4 others depicting the various 'states' of activity...both off...left on...right on...both on...
Now, to simplify logon and logoff I set up a batch file to call rasdial and load the browser....auto-shutting-down - logging off when the browser windows were closed....easy to do....so who needs an icon in the tray to close the connection with?...
Anyway...
New day...new dev build...new experimentation... I set up a basic 'STEP theme...[very basic...NO graphics]...and try out the latest build...the systray2 version is 1.5 dated 20020104... and I pop on here to see what's happening....uploads to sift through...all that stuff...and out of the corner of my eye.....I see a blinking icon....WTF?
I have a modem icon...and it's 'doing stuff'...
OK...
So it's a 'little thing', but to a small mind, a 'little thing' is a 'big thing'...
In Win2K, this was solved with a simple patch....a file you set to run at startup....that got the tray working 'better' in LS, but did nothing to Exploder if that was the shell being used at the time.
This 'patch' was a tad less than successful in XP....I got 5 modem icons...ostensibly one 'real' one, and 4 others depicting the various 'states' of activity...both off...left on...right on...both on...
Now, to simplify logon and logoff I set up a batch file to call rasdial and load the browser....auto-shutting-down - logging off when the browser windows were closed....easy to do....so who needs an icon in the tray to close the connection with?...
Anyway...
New day...new dev build...new experimentation... I set up a basic 'STEP theme...[very basic...NO graphics]...and try out the latest build...the systray2 version is 1.5 dated 20020104... and I pop on here to see what's happening....uploads to sift through...all that stuff...and out of the corner of my eye.....I see a blinking icon....WTF?
I have a modem icon...and it's 'doing stuff'...
OK...
So it's a 'little thing', but to a small mind, a 'little thing' is a 'big thing'...
Jafo
Reply #2 Monday, February 18, 2002 8:00 PM
Reply #2 Monday, February 18, 2002 8:00 PM
There's a little-known shell themeing method that old-timers use with LiteSTEP. It's called 'suck it and see'...when you just 'HAVE' to try something out to see if it works...or not...and it requires you to hit 'recycle' while you close your eyes and stick your fingers in your ears...
Dun that....updated my 'overly-complicated' Integrated themeing system from 20010102 t0 20020213...13 months newer dev build...
And it worked...no smoking pile of ruination...no shell-gone-west...no grief...just a shiny new modem icon in the tray.
Jafo smiles....ah, but will it last? Is a technical 'glitch' hiding in a dark corner like Gollum awaiting the recovery of his 'precious'?
So many inter-dependent rc files....so many modules to kick in and out....my next theme switch could be my last....
Time will tell...
Dun that....updated my 'overly-complicated' Integrated themeing system from 20010102 t0 20020213...13 months newer dev build...
And it worked...no smoking pile of ruination...no shell-gone-west...no grief...just a shiny new modem icon in the tray.
Jafo smiles....ah, but will it last? Is a technical 'glitch' hiding in a dark corner like Gollum awaiting the recovery of his 'precious'?
So many inter-dependent rc files....so many modules to kick in and out....my next theme switch could be my last....
Time will tell...
craeonics
Reply #3 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 4:58 AM
Reply #3 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 4:58 AM
Hmm, I think that comparison with Gollum was spot on. You don't talk to you themes do you?
Jafo
Reply #4 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 6:47 AM
Reply #4 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 6:47 AM
107,813,523 bytes......that's the size of my 'theme' when zipped....I doubt I'll be uploading it too soon....
Phar0e
Reply #5 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 5:28 PM
Reply #5 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 5:28 PM
I noticed that too Jafo. Mesage actually released a test build of both systray and grdtray3. I'm using the grdtray3 version right now and it actually works 
Jafo
Reply #6 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 6:06 PM
Reply #6 Tuesday, February 19, 2002 6:06 PM
Phil...what's the difference/advantage with grdtray?....I've never used it...
Phar0e
Reply #7 Wednesday, February 20, 2002 1:26 PM
Reply #7 Wednesday, February 20, 2002 1:26 PM
uhhh, hmmmm.
well, you can colorize the icons, like I did for the Ivory theme.
At one time it was difficult (for me) to set up a systray in the top right position and have the tray expand dynamically to the left as icons appeared. Grdtray worked better for me (at that time) for that, so I've just kept using it.
I imagine systray2 is just as good now, and it appears to be the one to be regularily updated with the core mods; so I may have to go back to systray yet
well, you can colorize the icons, like I did for the Ivory theme.
At one time it was difficult (for me) to set up a systray in the top right position and have the tray expand dynamically to the left as icons appeared. Grdtray worked better for me (at that time) for that, so I've just kept using it.
I imagine systray2 is just as good now, and it appears to be the one to be regularily updated with the core mods; so I may have to go back to systray yet
Jafo
Reply #8 Wednesday, February 20, 2002 4:36 PM
Reply #8 Wednesday, February 20, 2002 4:36 PM
Ah..so it'sjust 'familiarity'..
I must admit that my settings for systray position...on bottom right look a bit odd... -62 and -16...but they work OK...expanding to the left...
I must admit that my settings for systray position...on bottom right look a bit odd... -62 and -16...but they work OK...expanding to the left...
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Reply #1 Monday, February 18, 2002 8:12 AM