PC Premier 2003 #9/PC_Premier_2003.iso/XTheme Manager 2.2/data1.cab/Documentation/readme.txt

Text File | 1999-01-24 | 10.6 KB | 266 lines

=============================================
XTheme Manager v2.2 by Kuan-Ta Chen (Xshadow)
=============================================

A Theme is a collection of sounds, icons, cursors, along with wallpaper,
colors, font settings, window metrics and a screen saver. In fact,
It's about all the things you can configure through the Control Panel,
but now they're brought together into one package.

Now there are thousands of themes available on the internet, and we usually
install the Plus! pack just to use the 'themes.exe' within it.

Without a practical theme manager, you must install all the components
manually, a difficult and time-consuming, head-ache process. In additional,
if you are using Windows NT, you must get the 'themes.exe' of Plus! from
NT Resource Kit, so inconvenient.

XTheme Manager is a replacement for the 'themes.exe' from the Plus! pack,
it offers all the same functionality and MUCH MORE ADDITIONAL FEATURES.

If you have already have the Plus! pack, you can try XTheme Manager as
an enhancement; if you don't have Plus!, you must try XTheme Manager now.


Requirements
============
This software requires Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0 or later to run.


Files & Installation
====================
To use 'XTheme Manager', just unzip 'XTM22.ZIP' and execute the 'setup.exe'.
After installation, you will find the following files in the directory :

  XTM.EXE       - The main executable
  IMW32D20.DLL  - Image Manipulation DLL
  FILE_ID.DIZ   - Simple Description
  README.TXT    - Documentation (English)
  HISTORY.TXT   - Revision History (English)
  REGFORM.TXT   - Registration Form

You can press the 'Add to Desktop' or 'Add to Startup Folder' buttons on
the 'Misc' page of 'options' dialog to add 'XTheme Manager' icon into either
desktop or startup folder so that XTheme Manager can automatically loaded
whenever system starts.


Uninstallation
==============
To uninstall XTheme Manager, simply use the `Add & Remove Programs' in Control
Panel.


Command Line Options
====================
XTheme Manager supports some command line switches. Often you don't need to
use them, but they will be helpful if you require special functions. All
supported command parameters listed below:

  <theme_filename>    - Load the given theme
    /s <theme_filename> - Apply the given theme

For example,

  xtm.exe "h:\themes\snoopy.theme" will open XTheme Manager and load snoopy.theme

    xtm.exe /s "h:\themes\snoopy.theme" will install the snoopy.theme immediately.

New Features in version 2.2
===========================
** Windows 98 support, includes gradient window caption and web view logos.

** Deployment Wizard, easily packaging your own theme and components to others,
   support self-extractable zipped and normal zip file. (thanks to Dicky Ho)

** One hundred of builtin web links, all accquired directly from the web masters.

** Register on-line service available by RegNow (http://www.regnow.com).

* Ability to restore to windows default settings.

* Powerful theme save as and removal functionality, save your time in finding
  scattering theme components. (thanks for the idea of "engel" <[e-mail]>)

* Select desktop icon from DLL, ICL and all files contain icon resources.

* Rebuild icon cache and font folders functionality, thanks to SilverPoodle's
  Desktop Themes.

Features
========
** Full editable, excellently designed for theme maker/editor.

** Perfect preview of colors, icons, cursors, sounds, fonts, desktop, wallpaper,
   screensaver, even logos. In other words, you can preview everything in the
   theme file before install it.

** Windows 98 support, includes gradient window caption and web view logos.

** Install theme at its own directory, you don't need to copy all the themes files
   into the Plus! theme directory which already has hundreds of files, so stupid.

** Fully customized installation !! you can choose every separate color, cursor, sound and
   font, icon, logo to install. For instance, if you want to always obtain only the 'My
   Computer' icon and the background color, XTheme Manager takes it.

** Theme restoration support. You can undo your theme-applying actions for at most
   100 times.

** Deployment Wizard, easily packaging your own theme and components to others,
   support self-extractable zipped and normal zip file. (thanks to Dicky Ho)

** Support of logos and custom font. The Plus! pack didn't support win95
   startup/wait/shutdown logos, and XTM add three entries to support them. ex:

    [Logos]
    Startup=Windows\logo.sys
    Wait=Windows\logow.sys
    Shutdown=Windows\logos.sys

   Of course, if your theme file doesn't have the new logo entries yet, XTM can
   automatically locate and install them. So does custom fonts (.fon, .fnt, .ttf).

** Auto-change feature. Like some background(wallpaper) manager(eg.XDesktop..:p),
   XTheme Manager can automatically change your desktop setting by apply themes.
   Simply maintain a change-list, you'll have XTM auto change themes for you.

** Support six desktop-setting that the Plus! pack have, such as 'Anti alias font',
   'Show window contents while dragging', 'Use large icons', 'Make wallpaper fit to
   screen', etc.

** One hundred of builtin web links, all accquired directly from the web masters.

* Convenient user interface. Break the used user-interface that many theme-managers
  use, the UI of XTM is directory-oriented. It's more quick especially if you have
  hundreds of themes.

* Ability to restore to windows default settings.

* Powerful theme save as and removal functionality, save your time in finding
  scattering theme components. (thanks for the idea of "engel" <[e-mail]>)

* Rebuild icon cache and font folders functionality, thanks to SilverPoodle's
  Desktop Themes.

* Explorer enhancements. After install XTheme Manager, you can right-click a theme file,
  and choose 'Open' for launching XTheme Manager to preview; 'Install' for immediately
  install this theme.

* Automatic change interval time can vary from '60 sec' to '23 hr 59 min 59 sec',
  fitting everyone's habit. And the change sequence can be sequential/shuffle/random.

* XTheme Manager can be minimized as a trayicon, taking no space of taskbar.

* MultiLanguages supports, includes English and Traditional Chinese in current version.

  If you think there are some idea XTheme Manager should have, please let me know.


Registration
============
Before registered, XTheme Manager has a limited trial time - 30 days. You can only
use XTheme Manager for 30 days before register it.

After 30 days of trial, the installation functionality and deployment wizard will
be disabled, you must register to enable the functionality.

Benefits from registration:

1.Prevent the 'Install Theme' and 'Deployment Wizard' features disabled after 30 trial days.

2.Have the ability to disable the splash screen displayed whenever program starts,
  and prevent the comments added in the theme file.

3.Encourage me to continue more and better softwares. ;-)

There two ways to register:

1. By snail-mail

   First print the Registration Form out, fill it and then mail it with $15 cash
   to:

   (NOTE) CASH only, please don't mail checks to me.

   Kuan-Ta Chen
   No.1, Lane 334, Section 3, Changho Road,
   Homei Chen. Changhua Hsien, Taiwan.

2. Register On-Line

   Register by credit card immediately, we provide a secure transaction method to
   ensure your information would be safe in network transmission.

   Via RegNow.Com:
   https://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=1905-1

After you registered, I will always notice you every message about XTheme Manager
and my other softwares via email. And if you have any problem, I will help you
with fully support.


Contacting the Author
=====================
If you have any questions or comments, or just find the software useful, feel
free to contact me.

Send email to Kuan-Ta Chen ([e-mail]) or visit my web pages
'Undocumented Xshadow' at http://www.vclxx.com/~kuan.


Known Bugs
==========
1. There seems to be some bugs with SetSystemCursor under Windows95/98 when handling
   animated cursors, so XTheme Manager doesn't "immediately" change animated cursors
   (.ani) if your system is Windows 95/98.  Don't worry, I mean "immediately", the
   changed animated cursors will appear after restarting the system.

2. Can't locate directories on neighborhood computers.


Special Thanks
==============
Kai-Chih Chen <[e-mail]>
Yu-hau Chen <[e-mail]>
Kevin Lu <[e-mail]>
William McMeans <[e-mail]>
Dicky Ho <[e-mail]>

LIMITED WARRANTY
================
THE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  IN NO EVENT WILL THE AUTHOR or AUTHORS BE LIABLE TO
YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT
OF THE USE OF THE PROGRAM, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS LICENSE, UNDERSTAND IT AND AGREE TO BE
BOUND BY ITS TERMS AS THE COMPLETE AND EXCLUSIVE STATEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN US, SUPERSEDING ANY PROPOSAL OR PRIOR AGREEMENT, ORAL OR WRITTEN, AND ANY
OTHER COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN US RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS LICENSE.


License
=======
XTheme Manager is a shareware program and is provided at no charge to the user
for evaluation. The purpose of shareware software is to provide personal computer
users with quality software on a "try before you buy" basis, however payment is
still required for continued use of the product.

If you find this program useful and continue to use it after a few days,
you must make a registration payment (see the registration instructions for details).
This registration fee will license one user to use one copy of XTheme Manager on
any one computer at any one time.  All users will receive a copy of the latest
release when they register, or it will be made available for downloading, and free
technical support.

Anyone distributing this product for any kind of remuneration must first contact
the author (Kuan-Ta Chen) for authorization.

You may distribute this software to friends and colleagues but you must include
all files in the original distribution.  Please encourage them to register their
copy if they find that they make use of it.

This software and all related files are COPYRIGHT(C) 1998
Kuan-Ta Chen at NTHU, Taiwan. 01/24/1999