Copyright: Copyright (c) 1993 Martinsen's Software


Martinsen's Software Wallpaper Manager 1.50

Martinsen's Software Wallpaper Manager is a utility written to aid Windows 3.1 users manage their ever-growing collection of Wallpaper.

To learn how to use Help, press F1.

Overview

What is Wallpaper Manager?

A Review of Windows Wallpaper

The Wallpaper Manager Window

How To...

Change the format of files displayed

Change the Wallpaper

Control the Wallpaper Tile Effect

Exit Wallpaper Manager

Preview Wallpaper

Run the Wallpaper Show

Set the Wallpaper Directory

Set the Wallpaper to (None)

Using the Preview Window

Using the Scale Feature

Credits


What is Wallpaper Manager?

Martinsen's Software Wallpaper Manager is a small utility designed to efficiently manage your Windows 3.1 wallpaper files.   Wallpaper Manager implements the following features to achieve this goal:

1.	A Separate Wallpaper Directory - Due to the enormous complexity of Windows 3.1, it requires a large amount of files to get it up and going.  The problem is that since graphic files are so easy to come by these days.  They tend to make an already overloaded Windows directory even more crowded.  The major problem comes in to play when you try to change to your Windows directory in File Manager and you have to wait for Windows to get a directory of all of those files (and forget doing a directory listing at the DOS level).  Using a separate Wallpaper directory allows you to keep your files in a central location and away from those "critical" Windows files.

2.	Wallpaper Preview - Have you ever tried to use Paintbrush to view all of your bitmaps?  This process takes forever if you have a large number of Wallpaper files.  The wallpaper preview feature can save you hours just in figuring out what wallpaper you want to use.

3.	The Wallpaper Show - This is a step beyond the Wallpaper Preview for people who have a large number of files and want to view all of your wallpaper files at once.

4.	RLE Format Support - One of the best kept secrets in Windows (3.0 included) is that you can use RLE graphic files for your wallpaper.  RLE files have a quality that is as good as a bitmap, but usually uses up to 70% LESS disk space.  In fact, why do you think the opening splash screen for Windows 3.1 is a RLE file?  (Yes, you can use it as wallpaper too!)

We hope you enjoy this program, and we would love to hear your feedback.  You may reach us via EMAIL on America On-line (RonMart or MartSoft) or Compuserve (71202,1750).  If you do not have access to either of these services, please feel free to call or write us at:

Martinsen's Software

5501 Tullis Drive

Building 2, Suite 304

New Orleans, LA  70131

(504) 394-6045


A Review of Windows Wallpaper

RLE Files

Microsoft Windows 3.x uses two different graphic file formats for wallpaper: Bitmap (BMP) and Run Length Encoded (RLE).  Most users use BMP files because that is the format Microsoft provides with Windows.  However, the ideal format to use is RLE because of its high quality and tight compression, but most people never use it because they don't know that RLE files even exist (much less what they are).   The most ironic part is that when Windows 3.x or higher starts up, the first screen you see is a RLE graphic!   Another difficulty with RLE graphics is there limited support by most major graphics programs (including Paintbrush).  It is for this reason that most people never even have a casual encounter with RLE files.  However, it is our opinion (for whatever that is worth) that if you are going to use a graphic as wallpaper only (or if you have a RLE to BMP converter), then you should use RLE files as wallpaper.

Due to the outbreak of Multimedia (and all of the disk space Multimedia files consume), you can expect RLE files to increase in popularity and more RLE converters to become available.  Future versions of Wallpaper Manager will also feature RLE conversion utility.

Why can't I put my wallpaper files in a different directory using Control Panel?

Have you ever tried to change your wallpaper to a file that is not in your Windows directory?  What happens when you restart Windows?  That's right,  IT'S GONE, but the name still appears in Control Panel!  The reason for this is that Control Panel only writes down the filename to the WIN.INI file, NOT THE PATH!  It only keeps the path in memory during the current Windows session, so the wallpaper appears just fine when you change it, but when you restart, it can't find the file!  That's where Wallpaper Manager comes in handy, it writes the ENTIRE path and filename to the WIN.INI.  This allows you to restart wallpaper and still see your wallpaper!


The Wallpaper Manager Window


Change the format of files displayed
Changing the format of files displayed

To change the files displayed in the file list box between BMP files and RLE files, just simply click the down arrow button on the dropdown list found above the file list box.


Change the Wallpaper

Choose the file you wish to use from the file list box and then go to the step below.

The wallpaper may be changed by using any one of the following methods:

1.	Click the Change Wallpaper command button.

2.	From the Options Menu, choose Change Wallpaper.

3.	Click the right mouse button and choose Change Wallpaper.

4.	Double-click the filename in the file list box.

5.	Double-click the preview window.

NOTE:  Since there are so many ways to change the wallpaper, but no way to edit them, we are considering changing methods 4 and 5 to edit procedures.  This would mean that when you double clicked on the filename or preview window, Paintbrush would start with that file loaded.  Let us know if this is a feature you would like to see!


Control the Wallpaper Tile Effect
Controlling the Wallpaper Tile Effect

To control the tile effect, simply click the Tile Wallpaper? checkbox to the desired state where checked is tiled and unchecked is centered.


Exit Wallpaper Manager

You may exit Wallpaper Manager by using any one of the following techniques:

1.	Choose Exit from the Options menu.

2.	Click the right mouse button and choose exit.

3.	Click the control bar and choose Close


Preview Wallpaper
Previewing Wallpaper

To preview wallpaper, before applying it to the desktop, simply follow the steps listed below:

1.	Choose the Preview>>> command button found under the file list box.

2.	Choose the file you wish to preview from the file list box.


Run the Wallpaper Show

To run the wallpaper show, please follow the following steps in the order in which they appear:

1.	Display the preview window by clicking the Preview>>> command button found under the file list box.

2.	Click the Run Wallpaper Show command button found under the preview window.

3.	Enter the amount of time you wish to spend on each graphic, between 1 and 50 seconds.

4.	Choose Yes to run the show on the Windows Desktop,  No to run the show in the preview window, or Cancel to abort the Wallpaper Show.

5.	Choose Yes to start the show from the beginning of the file list box, No to start at the currently selected position (and continue to the end), or Cancel to abort the Wallpaper Show.

NOTE:  Before running the show on the Desktop, you will want to minimize all of your Windows applications and set the current desktop pattern to NONE.


Set the Wallpaper Directory
Setting the Wallpaper Directory

To set your wallpaper directory, follow the steps listed below:

1.	Make the directory your wish to set as your wallpaper directory the active directory by choosing the drive (from the drive dropdown list box) and directory (from the directory list box) on the Wallpaper Manager application window.

2.	Click the Set Wallpaper Directory command button, found underneath the change wallpaper command button on the left side of the window.


Setting the Wallpaper to (None)

To change the current wallpaper to none, simply choose No Wallpaper from the options menu.


Using the Preview Window

The preview window provides a quick way to view your wallpaper files without having to go to a different program.  It also can be the location of your wallpaper show if you do not want to run the show on your Windows desktop.

To open the Preview Window, simply click on the Preview>>> command button that appears underneath the file list box.

To close the Preview Window, simply click on the <<<Return command button that appears underneath the file list box.

NOTE:  If you double-click the picture currently displayed in the preview window, it will set it as the current wallpaper.


Using the Scale Feature

The scale feature was implemented for use with small graphics that were intended to be "tiled" on the Windows desktop (i.e., CARS.BMP).  This feature only appears in the options menu when the preview window is open.  This feature is automatically disabled on graphics larger than 30,000 bytes.  To use the scale feature, simply open the preview window and follow the steps listed below:

1.	Choose the file you wish to display from the file list box.

2.	Choose either scale from the options menu or click the right-button on your mouse and choose scale.   Checked means scale the picture to fill the entire preview window and unchecked means to display the picture in its original size.


Credits

Martinsens Software would like to thank Microsoft and the beta testers on America On-line for all of their support in putting this program together.

Copyright© 1993 Martinsens Software.  All rights reserved.

Wallpaper Manager is a registered trademark of Martinsens Software.

Visual Basic, Word for Windows 2.0, Windows, File Manager, Notepad, and Paintbrush are all registered trademarks of Microsoft® Corporation.

This program was created using the following programming tools:

Microsoft® Visual Basic Professional Edition 2.0

Microsoft® Windows Software Development Kit 3.1

Martinsens Software also develops custom applications for corporations on a per project basis.  For more information please feel free to call or write us at:

Martinsen's Software

5501 Tullis Drive

Building 2, Suite 304

New Orleans, LA  70131

(504) 394-6045


Your current wallpaper is

To the right of this text, the current wallpaper settings from your WIN.INI file are displayed.  This is the name of your active wallpaper.


Your current wallpaper directory is

To the right of this text, the current wallpaper directory from your WIN.INI file are displayed.  This is the name of your active wallpaper directory.  This is where Wallpaper Manager will look to find your wallpaper files.


Drive List Box

This is a typical Windows 3.x drive box.   Use this dropdown list box to change to another NON-REMOVABLE drive.  YOU CAN NOT store your wallpaper on removable drives (i.e., Bernoulli, Tape, Floppy, CD, or Network drives).

Bernoulli is a registered trademark of Iomega Corporation.


Directory List Box

Use this list to change to the directory of your choice.  Change the directory in this box to change your wallpaper directory to a new location.


File Type List Box

Use this list box to change the type of files displayed in the File List Box.


File List Box

Use this list box to change the type of wallpaper displayed in the preview window, or to set the current wallpaper.  To set the current wallpaper, double-click on the file of your choice.