Wallpaper Manager 1.0

[cro-man]

Vision and Purpose

The Wallpaper Manager is a Proof of Concept WPF application I built using Expression Blend and Visual Studio .NET 2008 (Codename Orcas). The application exists as a Windows Presentation Foundation XAML form application that is designed to provide users with the ability to control their desktop wallpaper by cascading over specified directories and allowing users to quickly browse, change and establish timed transitions between wallpaper.

Here are some usage notes and information below. Also note that you will be prompted to install the .NET framework Beta 3.5. There is a feature of the .NET Framework 3.5 beta that will allow it to get updates as newer and finally RTM bits are released.

User Interface

Wallpaper Manager Main Form

The main form is where users configure settings, navigate image collections, specify directories, start and stop the timer, save settings and exit the applicationg

Wallpaper Manager Mini

Wallpaper Manager Mini is a task tray icon activated mini-browser that allows for the navigation through the image collection, setting of selected wallpaper and the ability to restore the main Wallpaper Manager window

Features

Browse a directory of images (including subdirectories if optioned by the user) for wallpaper

Users can browse through a directory and its subdirectories for images with Wallpaper Manager and set the desktop wallpaper to a specific image

Users can specify whether or not to cascade into subdirectories for images

Users can use the image navigation buttons to navigate forward and backward through discovered images and set the image as the desktop background

Time desktop wallpaper transitions

Users can specify a directory (including subdirectories) for source images that will be rotated through on a specified frequency

Once the specified rotation frequency has passed, Wallpaper Manager will set the desktop background to the next sequential image

If there are no more sequential images, Wallpaper Manager will loop through the image collection and go back to the first image in the specified directory (at its highest level if subdirectories are included)

Event Notifications

Wallpaper Manager will allow users to receive Balloon Tip feedback of specific events under the following circumstances (if so optioned on the main form)

Wallpaper Image Changes

Minimize to Tray on Close

Saving of Settings

Start and Stop of Wallpaper Timer

Wallpaper Manager Mini

Wallpaper Manager (if set to minimize to the tray on close) will provide users with a mini-browser interface so that users can quickly rotate through a collection of images and set wallpaper

By clicking on the task tray icon for Wallpaper Manager, the mini-browser will render the next wallpaper to be rendered in the collection as well as image navigation buttons

Users can set the desired wallpaper from the mini-browser or choose to restore to the larger main form to adjust timer settings and other application settings

AutoResume Timer

Wallpaper Manager can be set to AutoResume wallpaper time settings on restart, including picking up with the last set wallpaper in the collection(if it still exists)

When Wallpaper Manager is set to AutoResume, it will open minimized to the task tray and then open the mini-browser as well as message the user that the timer has started according to the established rotation frequency

Known Issues

UNC Paths appear to upset the application. I'm looking into this

If you need to upgrade the application, after install, make sure that the WallpaperSettings settings XML file is completely removed or you might experience some strange behavior

This is only an issue if the version of Wallpaper Manager changes and not so much on a reinstall of the same version

There have been some instances where I experienced the timer settings not working correctly and that the timer function has been escalated. I'm looking into this

In order for timer changes to take place, Save Settings first

Download

[Wacky Chammomile]

Nice.. keep up the good work! :thumbsup_anim:

By the way which file shud I use... there's 2 file... wat is setup.exe??? :icon_question:

[cro-man]

Nice.. keep up the good work! :thumbsup_anim:

By the way which file shud I use... there's 2 file... wat is setup.exe??? :icon_question:

Setup.exe starts the installer. :whistle: