Wallpapers Don't Install
Sunday, February 22, 2004 by dmccormak | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
The last two suites I installed (Zippo was one), I received an error message during installation stating that the "file format" of the wallpaper wasn't valid or words to that effect. Why won't the wallpapers install?
Help please!
Help please!
bgf
Reply #2 Friday, March 5, 2004 11:30 PM
Reply #2 Friday, March 5, 2004 11:30 PM
i got this same message with the "neo" theme. What's up?
MGiff
Reply #3 Saturday, March 6, 2004 12:49 AM
Reply #3 Saturday, March 6, 2004 12:49 AM
What windows version are you using? Sometines in 98 or older, I can't remember which way it goes, you have to have a BMP.
MGiff
Reply #4 Saturday, March 6, 2004 12:51 AM
Reply #4 Saturday, March 6, 2004 12:51 AM
OK, thinking more clearly now, for a JPEG to work with 98 (maybe ME, I'm not sure) you have to go to properties and change it to a web desktop. Someone please tell what I'm trying to say.....
Shameless Designs
Reply #6 Saturday, March 6, 2004 1:38 AM
Reply #6 Saturday, March 6, 2004 1:38 AM
The problem is not with Theme Manager per se, it's a Windowblinds issue. For some reason which has not really been explained anywhere as far as I know, though often asked about, WB can not install wallpapers unless they are bitmaps. Unfortunately, quite a few theme authors don't realize this when they upload the .theme or .suite file, and there is no way to know it until you try to apply the .theme or .suite. The other problem is that .suite 'authors' in many cases are NOT the authors of the elements they link to when they create the .suite file. They have no control over which format (.jpg or .bmp) the wallpaper artist decided to upload here to WC.
All I can suggest is that you download the wallpaper separately and if it is a .jpg file you need to convert it to a .bmp using an image editor or conversion utility if you want to use it as part of the suite. or you could just apply the wallpaper separately using Windows Display properties.
All I can suggest is that you download the wallpaper separately and if it is a .jpg file you need to convert it to a .bmp using an image editor or conversion utility if you want to use it as part of the suite. or you could just apply the wallpaper separately using Windows Display properties.
MGiff
Reply #7 Saturday, March 6, 2004 2:29 AM
Reply #7 Saturday, March 6, 2004 2:29 AM
That's odd cause WB will install the wallpaper for me even if it's a JPEG. I didn't realize there was a difference within.
Oh and thanks yrag, I knew it was there somewhere.
[Message Edited]
Oh and thanks yrag, I knew it was there somewhere.
[Message Edited]
SelfExiled
Reply #8 Saturday, March 6, 2004 3:22 AM
Reply #8 Saturday, March 6, 2004 3:22 AM
There is a better way. You can load a theme in winstyles or windowblinds with the wallpaper, if you use a bitmap, or convert the jpg to a bitmap.
Then, start Skin Studio and go to the left personality section. On the right side you will see a section called Desktop Wallpaper. Once you highlight it, you can go to the bottom pane and import the wall, and then save the skin. The wall will be copied to the theme directory. Now, anytime you load the skin, either in display properties or winstyles, the wall will autoload. Provided that you have the option checked in the windowblind setting to "Apply any wallpaper supplied."
I do this with all my themes. The reason that most walls won't load with the theme is explained in #6. Also, jpegs are a lot smaller than bitmaps in file size, and therefore faster to upload and download. This is probably the reason why most authors choose jpegs, although they suffer in quality and tend to degrade.
Then, start Skin Studio and go to the left personality section. On the right side you will see a section called Desktop Wallpaper. Once you highlight it, you can go to the bottom pane and import the wall, and then save the skin. The wall will be copied to the theme directory. Now, anytime you load the skin, either in display properties or winstyles, the wall will autoload. Provided that you have the option checked in the windowblind setting to "Apply any wallpaper supplied."
I do this with all my themes. The reason that most walls won't load with the theme is explained in #6. Also, jpegs are a lot smaller than bitmaps in file size, and therefore faster to upload and download. This is probably the reason why most authors choose jpegs, although they suffer in quality and tend to degrade.
Shameless Designs
Reply #9 Saturday, March 6, 2004 9:51 AM
Reply #9 Saturday, March 6, 2004 9:51 AM
MGiff, I can use .jpg with WB as well. What we're talking about is making the Wallpaper part of the WB Skin as Chad described in #8, or as part of a .suite using Theme Manager. In either case, the constraint imposed by the software is .bmp.
If you're saying that you have had WB apply a .jpg wallpaper through the WB skin, I'd like to know which version of WB and which version of the OS you are using please. I'd also like to know which skin you are using if it's one from here, and if not, did you add the code through Skin Studio? Any details you would give would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.
BTW, Chad, depending on which WB Skin you use, the Desktop Wallpaper attribute will not always show up in the right pane of Skin Studio. You may have to click on +More>Add Attribute, then scroll the attribute list to near the bottom and Select Desktop Wallpaper. Even then it may not show up in the right pane immediately, and you may have to switch to the Code tab and highlight the Wallpaper line before proceeding with what you described.
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
If you're saying that you have had WB apply a .jpg wallpaper through the WB skin, I'd like to know which version of WB and which version of the OS you are using please. I'd also like to know which skin you are using if it's one from here, and if not, did you add the code through Skin Studio? Any details you would give would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.
BTW, Chad, depending on which WB Skin you use, the Desktop Wallpaper attribute will not always show up in the right pane of Skin Studio. You may have to click on +More>Add Attribute, then scroll the attribute list to near the bottom and Select Desktop Wallpaper. Even then it may not show up in the right pane immediately, and you may have to switch to the Code tab and highlight the Wallpaper line before proceeding with what you described.
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
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Reply #1 Sunday, February 22, 2004 6:30 PM