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General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 11:25 AM »

Is there no file extension? It's coming through as a "file".
-TaoPhoenix (May 05, 2012, 11:22 AM)

CORRECT

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 11:24 AM »

Addition and Icon-ic must be run in 1366x768 resolution. I will upload all of the splinterfaces from the videos this weekend. The others must be run in 1920x1080 screen res.
-dmd7978 (May 04, 2012, 06:29 AM)

-is this still the rule?

-Curt (May 05, 2012, 11:16 AM)

It is ONLY for these builds. You can run Splinter in any rez you want and create anything. If you have a larger screen rez, you CAN run the 1366 at a higher rez, but the docks will not be at the edges. You can always adjust them yourself, as well.

It is only the splinterfaces that are, until the next build, stuck in the screen rez that they were created in, unless you manually change them after loading them.

I know, it sucks, big time, but hopefully there will be enough people making spli-faces, over the next month, that there will be something "for everyone" , before I integrate scaling.

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Splinter - Turn your desktop into Wonderland

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 11:20 AM »

[moved]
-Curt (May 05, 2012, 11:15 AM)

Is this because all of the conversation is happening in the other thread? I am not up on protocol, my bad if I should have done myself.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 10:50 AM »

How hard is it to have you make a very simple Splinterface (Oh gawd, sorry, I've got Lady Gaga stuck in my head now! ) to do a simple two-button Hidden-Click minimal overlay for my current machine?

I don't have need for anything much fancier than that, but I'm interested in testing that out right now.

P.S. I was only half joking about the NSFW stuff, but it feels like it applies on the Big Brother front if you layer it on top of other stuff to make a TRIPLE encrypted system, with a boring layer on top, a somewhat hidden layer underneath, then this is "left field".
-TaoPhoenix (May 05, 2012, 09:51 AM)

sorry, the above post i made is for you. the one with the splinterface. forgot to quote ya.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 10:45 AM »

Another bug imo:

if any of the Splinter "instances" have focus, and
windows showing in the taskbar area
taskbar is on autohide,
when the taskbar does show itself, it is *not* on top - it shows behind the windows.
-tomos (May 05, 2012, 10:29 AM)

Splinter "instances" (splicons?)

Yes, this is true. It is very difficult to balance the z-order. This and when you open the magnifier are the only times, I think, that this will occur, generally. Will look further into the taskbar issue, next build. (it is ACTUALLY, more a bug in Windows, not Splinter, I think. Same issue as with Magnifier. If you load magnifier when whatever random app windows are open and maxed, they end up falling behind the taskbar. In XP AND 7....AND I am pretty sure, 8, too)

But it, also, creates kind of a cool feature, if done right. The ability to make the splicon the wallpaper image, all the way up to the start orb. So that the orb is all that is showing.

But, I almost never have a splicon that would be open in a location that would be below or above the taskbar. I dont think that there is any reason to, other than to cover it purposefully.I dont think I mentioned that my variable sets were based on 1366x768 screen res. Alter them to fit your resolution, I would say. My bad

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 10:40 AM »

Hi, the tutorial txt file should not, in any way, be looked to ever by splinter. Did you try to load IT as a splicon or something? It is not a splinterface, just a txt file...Posting now but will edit when finish reading rest with my answers
-dmd7978 (May 05, 2012, 09:49 AM)

thanks for reply - no I hadnt tried to link to it in any way, but I dont get the error any more anyway.

Glad I caught one bug
I (and many others I'm sure) use Ctrl/Shift/Arrow shortcuts *very* often when typing. Universal shortcuts are a PIA - ideally they should be customisable cause you're almost always going to clash with something...
-tomos (May 05, 2012, 10:16 AM)

Oops, yes, thank you for that catch. Good work, indeed

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 10:34 AM »

Splinterface zip attached....extract anywhere, load from tasktray icon

MUST LOAD THIS IN 1366X768 SCREEN RES.....I AM ON LAPTOP RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS HIGHEST REZ I HAVE (dont "have" to, but if you don't it will be off centered)

Okay, now just click, roughly, the bottom left corner(when you hover, you will see the ID). Then when "she" is "up", click on the right side (same hover will tell)

Splanime not great, did too quick. But you should get the gist, I think.

After you see, just right click instead of left, on the triggers, go to properties, then "appearance" tab and set opacity to 0

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 10:05 AM »

How hard is it to have you make a very simple Splinterface (Oh gawd, sorry, I've got Lady Gaga stuck in my head now! ) to do a simple two-button Hidden-Click minimal overlay for my current machine?

I don't have need for anything much fancier than that, but I'm interested in testing that out right now.

P.S. I was only half joking about the NSFW stuff, but it feels like it applies on the Big Brother front if you layer it on top of other stuff to make a TRIPLE encrypted system, with a boring layer on top, a somewhat hidden layer underneath, then this is "left field".
-TaoPhoenix (May 05, 2012, 09:51 AM)

I dont know, 60 seconds. Let me do and get back to you, shortly....wait, what is "minimal "overlay""

i got it...gonna take me five minutes, doing a good one

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 09:49 AM »

As usual with any new software I'm afraid I'm getting bogged down with the GUI/instructions. Very minor things really, but enough to bog me down all the same.

# First of all, I got an error on starting (this is the second time I started it - could have messed it up somehow last time) - but it seems to be running ok now anyway.
---------------------------
---------------------------
The file "C:\Portable\Splinter\Tutorial_and_Download_Links.txt" is either damaged or is of a wrong format

Exception "The input stream is not a valid binary format. The starting contents (in bytes) are: 2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D-2D ..."
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
as you can see it's portable version, Win7 64bit.

I followed instructions (http://spli-stuff.bl...p/dock-tutorial.html) as far as Step #2 (on image #7).
The configuration dialogue opens without "Splicon Enabled" selected - that was easy to figure out ;-)
You say to select the dock image - do you mean any image of our choice or a specific dock image (as shown in your screenshots?) I think you mean a specific one but cannot find it in the Splinter folder.
Stuck . . .

BTW I notice when I'm selecting text-words in FF using Ctrl+Shift+ArrowKey the "Triggers" flash.

That's my half hour used up, will try again later or tomorrow
-tomos (May 05, 2012, 09:32 AM)

Hi, the tutorial txt file should not, in any way, be looked to ever by splinter. Did you try to load IT as a splicon or something? It is not a splinterface, just a txt file...Posting now but will edit when finish reading rest with my answers

You say to select the dock image - do you mean any image of our choice or a specific dock image (as shown in your screenshots?) I think you mean a specific one but cannot find it in the Splinter folder.
Stuck . .

Sorry, I placed the zip file at the top of the tutorial page that has the dock image in it. You can use whatever you want though. I will make the tut more clear and post a couple more tomorrow.
Here is link, though, to zip file. (it is my use of color on blog, I think. Made it hard to tell that it was a hyperlink)

Dock Tut Splicons

BTW I notice when I'm selecting text-words in FF using Ctrl+Shift+ArrowKey the "Triggers" flash

Ah, that is because CTRL+ARROW is also the "flip wallpaper" shortcut. When you have multiple pages created, it will flip them. (along with CTRL+MW). And so what Splinter is doing, is "flipping to a phantom page" therefore, the triggers are no longer part of what it is "looking for", so they disappear, for a split second, until it realizes that there isn't another page (wallpaper)

I didn't realize that it was being picked up, from FF , though.(never, ever, do I use arrow keys for keyboard shortcuts, outside Splinter. Use the rest,but not those, lol. Hmm, will have to handle that, then, THANK YOU. As I never would have caught that on my own)

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 09:45 AM »

Another new approach I was mulling over was as light steganography for ... uh ... "NSFW" items! What if you had an otherwise boring looking desktop with nice 85 items on it, but clicking a blanked out area in the corner unlocked the "spicy folder!" (Breasts be here!)

Related versions include on a wallpaper, like a sort of Indiana Jones thing, if you had to click *multiple* places for the Spicy folder to open, no ordinary computer user will EVER figure that out, because nowhere else in all of Windows/? do you need to click *multiple places in a specific order* to authorize opening a folder.
-TaoPhoenix (May 05, 2012, 07:45 AM)

You are thinking EXACTLY the way you should be, about Splinter and the, overall, environment, now. Triggers can have their opacity set to 1%, leaving nothing to see, but still the 1 allows for it to be clicked. This stuff you mention is already implemented in various splinterfaces. There are two hidden object games within Arkham. And I made a Sith Edition 2 that had a location on several random pages that had to be clicked in order to see "the prize" at the end of the "quest". (to start there were 6 splicons of a "square" of the wallpaper. Under those splicons was a trigger of an apng holocube. Each time the right location was clicked, one of the splicons would close. Do all, and you see the holocube trigger.

Really impressive the way you are thinking, I have not heard ANYONE, yet, begin to see it this way. Kudos

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 07:38 AM »

Sure, progress is happening here.

I meant that once someone codes (a splinterface) it would be neat if that were efficiently exportable as editable code, so that if you for example didn't like all the positions you could maybe in a text editor / other edit them all to be 20 pixels to the left. (Vista/7 Widgets, I'm looking at you taking up the right hand 40 pixels of a screen.)

But even more, my chess idea is a broader theme of converters and plugins that can read a systematic *style* of information and then automatically create a splinterface by *rules* rather than for example hand-coding one chess game. That's just from my amateur chess background, I'm sure the concept applies elsewhere. So to over-elaborate, once you have the basic structural "splinter-game-viewer", you just click "load" and then internal logic (plugin?) can then play any chess game on the planet.
-TaoPhoenix (May 05, 2012, 07:31 AM)

Yes, that is how the "first" "Splinter" was. It will be that way again. The "20 pixels to the left" thing came in very handy. It should definately always have a text accompaniment.

And the rest of it I agree with, too. I plan to create an SDK this year.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 07:21 AM »

I get the impression from the above that one possible use of Splinter would be to have a rapid ability to switch between desktop environments. So instead of having everything you frequently use in one place, all the time, you could define a desktop for, I dunno, gaming, another for work, another for surfing... allow for all the crossover that happens between those things too. If I'm reading this stuff right, then an important marker of difference between the standard Windows desktop and Splinter could be that a "Splinter Desktop" isn't just a wallpaper, it's a wallpaper with embedded functionality. So if you can switch to a new desktop by choosing it off a pane of available desktops you can also be changing your working environment entirely, not just the way it looks.

Or am I still misunderstanding what this is supposed to be about?

-oblivion (May 05, 2012, 03:38 AM)

You're definitely on a good track there, I'll reverse it a little and say that it is a "dynamic desktop" so for example while I don't have the energy to do it right now/never, You could program the splinter with my current layout of icons/(Triggers?) and be able to play "Jack in the box" with it all, for days it's too much noise, "put it all away". Wallpaper not even required.

However another new idea occurred to me this morning. Dmd it struck me that a current downside is that it all seems to be coded by hand. What if there were a master-scripting logic that resides in a master file, that the program reads/imports and then it spins out all these linked nodes?

Going on from there, I think it would be fun if it made a desktop chess game viewer. How? Because on one side chess notation is standard, maybe a middleware connector to slightly expand the assumptions behind the notation, that's relative cake for you hotshot dev types, then Splinter starts from a stock layout of pieces and reads in the notation and moves the pieces by using the notation moves as triggers! It's like BattleChess for 2012!

-TaoPhoenix (May 05, 2012, 06:24 AM)

However another new idea occurred to me this morning. Dmd it struck me that a current downside is that it all seems to be coded by hand. What if there were a master-scripting logic that resides in a master file, that the program reads/imports and then it spins out all these linked nodes?

Well, couple things. If you mean triggers, not nodes, and you mean a template set of triggers, yes, that is in the works. And the "coding" by hand is what allows complex splinterfaces to be created by average end users. A detailed splinterface is every bit as complex as "any" randomly selected software application. However, so much simpler because regular end users are able to create them due to the ease of dragging images around to set the splanimations

Oh, oh, now i get the last paragraph, yes, good thinking. It is a bit of a twist on my plan to create a plugin for CAD apps, that will create an xml file which Splinter will read and auto place splicons on various pages, for automatic 3d environment creation. Yes, good thinking, that is using your head, all right.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 04:50 AM »

I get it. But MOST users don't want philosophical concepts or even to understand the difference between an application extension and an application, they want to know the answer to "what will this do for me" and they don't want an answer that's more complicated than the question.

I'm not sure anybody much even cares about Explorer -- the desktop itself is itself and you're providing a way to change how that works. Make the point, if you like, that if Explorer can do it then Splinter can too, and explain, if you want, that that's because Splinter just tells Explorer to do something on your behalf, it doesn't replace it. That'll reassure people that they're not risking breaking Windows. But you need a way to sell it to people and saying that it's NOT a desktop replacement when all your demonstrations show it being , er, a desktop replacement isn't going to wash. Forget the philosophy, that can come back when you're helping people who want to get it to make rice pudding and cycle up the curtains.

What you have, if I'm understanding everything right, is something you can simply describe as a way people can flip between working environments that themselves are almost infinitely customisable. Live with it.

-oblivion (May 05, 2012, 04:40 AM)

Haha, okay, thank you, i guess I can live with it...if I must. When put that way, I sound petty in my "whatever it is" I have with Splinter..

That is about some of the best advice I have, ever, gotten, right there, thanks.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 05, 2012, 03:54 AM »

I get the impression from the above that one possible use of Splinter would be to have a rapid ability to switch between desktop environments. So instead of having everything you frequently use in one place, all the time, you could define a desktop for, I dunno, gaming, another for work, another for surfing... allow for all the crossover that happens between those things too. If I'm reading this stuff right, then an important marker of difference between the standard Windows desktop and Splinter could be that a "Splinter Desktop" isn't just a wallpaper, it's a wallpaper with embedded functionality. So if you can switch to a new desktop by choosing it off a pane of available desktops you can also be changing your working environment entirely, not just the way it looks.

Or am I still misunderstanding what this is supposed to be about?

-oblivion (May 05, 2012, 03:38 AM)

Hi, oblivion, thanks for reply. Just about halfway done with the splinterface. 1024x768 okay?

and yes, your point is valid. I just REALLY, REALLY do not like it being said "splinter desktop". Almost all other desktop interface apps put some type of window that obstructs Explorer, or covers the standard Windows wallpaper, etc. Splinter doesn't do that. A page that is loaded in Splinter, if you go to personalize in 7 or properties, in XP, shows to be nothing but the actual desktop wallpaper background in Windows.

The way that I say it, sometimes, is that Splinter is Explorer's front end. It's herald, kinda. I don't want Splinter to be thought of as a separate app running over Windows. I want it to be seen for what it is, just an extension of Explorer. (The reason that Splinter does what it does, is just cause it looks at Explorer and Windows "obstacles" and laughs at them, and says, "no", you are wrong about yourself. That is it. Nothing new is being done. It is just telling Explorer to stop acting so stupidly)

But, the rest, yes, it COULD be that way. I am telling you, it is WAY too diverse to "label" it as "ANY ONE THING". It is whatever you want it to be, period.

But it isn't "Splinter" that is whatever it is. It is Spli-space. The infinitely thin layer between the desktop wallpaper and all other windows, yet the infinitely large "universe" that allows for anything to occur, within the dimensions of the screen, in any way, in real-time. "Spli-space" has always been part of the desktop environment, within Windows. It just took Splinter showing where it "was".

Just ONE splinterface, Arkham Edition, which has already been created, allows the following

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 10:08 PM »

I think that Splinter may not matter, to you, at all, if you are not also interested in the appearance of the desktop, as in being able to make it appear however you wish. Because you can get the functionalities it has, differently, by using other apps. Splinter only allows everything to 'come together", to all be part of the "same experience". When I say that Splinter allows for the integration of all other apps into the 'splinterface", I just mean a seamless desktop environment, not something above the desktop.

It is about making it all one "thing". Lke the wallpaper is not separate frm the icons which are not separate from the apps they open or the files that display information, etc. For me, it is much more immersive/comfortable experience when I am able to work with something getting close to the "everything interface". To me, it improves utilitarian aspects when I am not "pulled" from one thing and "put" into another.

And your request is a good one. I used to love that about linux shells. I will implement something very much along exactly the lines that you are talking about, actually. I just realized that the ability to open up a splicon that appears as any number of glowy text displays below the text, is ideal for this feature. Still, unless you care about appearance, wouldn't matter, as visuals are 98% of Splinter, due to the visual aspect EXPANDING the utilitarian abilities.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 08:12 PM »

Hmm. Thank you for the nice response!

/Quick Ruthlessly Ugly App/Feature: Just Click randomly on your desktop and start typing a memo, your choice of font size and color, but not "encased" in anything, with ability to maybe Hide/Show and move it around so when you move your folders around you move your text memos. Edit: Double Click to Hide - Show.When it "Hides" it becomes one of those little Splotchy things.

NSFW: (Am I the only one that moves my icons to accomodate a nice busty babe as wallpaper!? )
-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 07:13 PM)

Well, it COULD be, that Splinter would not be for you. I mean, if you are actually happy with 85 icons, 60 of them folders on the desktop, always looking the same and being completely "separate" and un-integratable into any and all wallpap----wait, that is it. It is the black background. I TOTALLY know what you mean, as I said, I used to be that way. First 15 years of my desktop experience, black background. I just see it differently now. (But I find it hard to believe that you 100% WANT EXACTLY 85 icons on screen at all times. Wouldnt you prefer, to have either more, or less? If less, then some current ones could be hidden as splicons and then opened when you wished. If you wished to have 150 links available, then could have those new ones hidden the same way. )

Now, about this.----
/Quick Ruthlessly Ugly App/Feature: Just Click randomly on your desktop and start typing a memo, your choice of font size and color, but not "encased" in anything, with ability to maybe Hide/Show and move it around so when you move your folders around you move your text memos. Edit: Double Click to Hide - Show.When it "Hides" it becomes one of those little Splotchy things.

I am sorry, I do not have any idea if this is a question or statement or if it is translated incorrectly, lol. I am sure it is funny though, judging by the sentence following it.
-dmd7978 (May 04, 2012, 07:51 PM)

Again thank you for replying!

So let's see here... I like my 85 items, because they do 85 things, into about 40 new things in the cases of the folders. So I wouldn't really want to expand it much over 100, except for a little clarity in a totally overloaded folder.

Less? Not really - I'm not really a fan of the google-Esque "let's mash 7 menu items worth of options under a gear wheel" approach.

And none of it is funny - I do want to be able to just randomly type text objects that are like 1-3 day reminders that I can drag around like any other desktop object. (Amazing how rare that is for a simple concept!) (Well except the NSFW moving icons part.) But none of the rest is funny - it's an app/feature. He Who Builds The Feature Wins. See Mouser for my rant about when the World's Leading Screen Capture Utility failed to (as of X build, later fixed by the generous graciousness of Mouser) cover the single low level use case I actually used.

Whew! A Lot of words!

-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 08:01 PM)

No need to thank ME, thank YOU.

The text typing, will, likely, never be integrated into Splinter. But Splinter, due to its fundamental hotlinking ability, is able to integrate ANY other desktop application into a splinterface. It isn't wise to try to do better what other apps were designed to do. Splinter does what it is designed to do best, access information. And it is able to do that, in part, when other apps whose features are not Spli-specialties, are integrated into splinterfaces.

Just like it does with Win Explorer. It doesn't interfere or go around, it just bosses it around and tells it how, more efficiently and effectively, access, locate, store, and share thngs, and Explorer obeys. EVERYTHING, within the desktop interface, other than the shell I guess, is 100% revolving around hot linking. Even text typers file launchers are locating the files the same way. An arrow pointing to where you want to go or what you want to get. Add to that list, the desktop background now able to be thought of just like a large, multi-linkable icon. It is the ability to link to things, in NUMEROUS new ways that Splinter does. That is all, really. Nothing more.

It uses hotlinking to create new ways to hotlink.

---Edit --- MAYBE some type of text typing would be implemented, don't know. Probably, I guess. I suppose it would be a very small memory layer and so would be foolish not to do it. However, it isn't NECESSARY, as it can just hotlink to "launchy" or whatever it is called. I have never been into the typers, is all.

Splinter DOES do this, kind of. Just does it as a preset typed link. In script tab, just type name of any file on pc, and when clicking that trigger, it will open it. Not the "exact" same thing, as there is the extra step of having to click "ok" in order to close dialog box and then click trigger.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 07:51 PM »

Hmm. Thank you for the nice response!

/Quick Ruthlessly Ugly App/Feature: Just Click randomly on your desktop and start typing a memo, your choice of font size and color, but not "encased" in anything, with ability to maybe Hide/Show and move it around so when you move your folders around you move your text memos. Edit: Double Click to Hide - Show.When it "Hides" it becomes one of those little Splotchy things.

NSFW: (Am I the only one that moves my icons to accomodate a nice busty babe as wallpaper!? )
-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 07:13 PM)

Well, it COULD be, that Splinter would not be for you. I mean, if you are actually happy with 85 icons, 60 of them folders on the desktop, always looking the same and being completely "separate" and un-integratable into any and all wallpap----wait, that is it. It is the black background. I TOTALLY know what you mean, as I said, I used to be that way. First 15 years of my desktop experience, black background. I just see it differently now. (But I find it hard to believe that you 100% WANT EXACTLY 85 icons on screen at all times. Wouldnt you prefer, to have either more, or less? If less, then some current ones could be hidden as splicons and then opened when you wished. If you wished to have 150 links available, then could have those new ones hidden the same way. ) - Perhaps not, as other apps can perform that particular function, and so it surely wouldn't be for you, I think. I don't pretend it will. But I believe that Splinter would improve your desktop if it were judged by random end users, and so, that is probably what counts, for me. I will keep trying to make it work for everyone, though, that is the whole idea.

But, also, the desktop environment doesnt have to JUST be utilitarian. Interactive stories, wiki databases, spli-sites, etc, can all be created with it.There is no other way, on Earth, to experience something like a media driven splinterface. It is the interactivity and hot linking to web info that makes these things unique and FUN to experience.

The desktop environment, with Splinter, is the most diverse and capable medium there is. More so than film, more so than video games, more so than the internet. Because it blends all of these together. It is capable of bringing them all to YOU, into your realm. Instead of having to immerse into the game or film "world" and having to go OUT to get access links to data over the net. It is all placed into your environment and things play off your customized desktop.

Anything Can Be Anything, within your UDE, is as simple a way to say it as there is.

Now, about this.----
/Quick Ruthlessly Ugly App/Feature: Just Click randomly on your desktop and start typing a memo, your choice of font size and color, but not "encased" in anything, with ability to maybe Hide/Show and move it around so when you move your folders around you move your text memos. Edit: Double Click to Hide - Show.When it "Hides" it becomes one of those little Splotchy things.

I am sorry, I do not have any idea if this is a question or statement or if it is translated incorrectly, lol. I am sure it is funny though, judging by the sentence following it.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 07:33 PM »

This is the spli-script that runs it. (The first "command is actually the Tron logo splicon opening which does not need to be in the script, as it is the trigger's own splicon. That is why the delay is the first script command). The way I see it, if something like this is this easy to make happen, why not have the ability to do so.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 07:03 PM »

New problem: Failure of Utility-Imagination.
I'm a utilitarian at heart. So I'm stuck trying to decide what this does for me (besides fun eye candy!) this does for me better than the usual windows icons on a desktop. I tend to work on a flat black background, so I don't use wallpaper flippers.

Edit: But then I'm a boring old pest not worthy of your vision. :/
-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 06:44 PM)

HA, no problem. To tell truth, I used to be flat black background guy as well. The idea is that Splinter allows the desktop background/"page"/wallpaper and the desktop icons/splicons to be "one in the same".

It all depends on how you want it to look. If you want it to be "just" a wallpaper that can be clicked, splicons give the ability to seamlessly integrate into any background. Without knowing Splinter was running, you wouldnt be able to tell a splicon apart from the rest of the wallpaper. As an image is an image, anyone can begin to associate any app or file with ANY image, doesn't have to be what "they" make it to be. You don't read "internet explorer" below the IE icon to know what you are clicking, just know the image represents IE.

If you wish to have artistic background with "icon-y" looking icons, it allows for them to integrate perfectly, by allowing you to "fit" the icons, into the scene, like for example, standard looking icons placed and positioned "within" the display case of the bat cave.

If you want it to be a "high tech gui" looking thing with docks and stacks and such, it allows you to create it EXACTLY how you want it to look, it isn't hampered by the template of standard docks, as they are all pre-made, for the most part only allowing for slight adjustments of their look.

If you want to have it look JUST like the current desktop, only have the added option to hot link multiple file or app openings at once, it is as easy as a right click and the linking of them. Triggers can be any image, too. So they can be standard looking icons. Which allow to be dragged without restriction, can hot link multiple files, and have bonus benefit of opening up splicons, if you choose.

Splinter's ONLY purpose, is to give the end user access to information links(apps/media/files/folders/webpages/etc) that would previously not be available within a seamless looking, fully customized background/desktop environment. Splinter is, at its core, just a hot-linker that makes your "wallpaper" hot-linkable, by having blended splicons. This means that you can have information links to multiple locations without having them "clutter" up the destkop, if you wish.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 06:35 PM »

Portable version starts okay here in Win 7 (shows in the tray). Not sure where to take it from there, but I'm closing down now so will try look at it again tomorrow
-tomos (May 04, 2012, 06:33 PM)

Okay, thanks tomos. Just look at the post above yours for the next steps.

Or the following link will show you step by step dock creation

Splicon Dock Image/Text Tutorial

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 06:30 PM »

Oho! Round 1 to the Developer! (Curses! Foiled!)
Feature tip: First Run Dialog box!

Okay, lessee...

-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 06:28 PM)

Noted, dialog box, check.

From there, you want to set Windows to show icon and notifications, so it doesnt get hidden, which will be a hassle, as you have to do a few things with that icon. Now, right click it and click New. Name and save the splinterface. So, then, you are able to right click it icon again and add a page. (just a standard Win wallpaper). After that, you can right click again and begin adding triggers. With trigger, right click it, go to splicon, and then select a 32bit png file. The right side of the dialog box is where the image will end up, the left is where it will start. Three sets of variables will adjust how it "opens"(which is called splanime). Set number of frames and fps, click okay, then click the trigger to see the splanime. You can drag any file, folder, or app onto that image to hot link it.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 06:22 PM »

(Insert Melodramatic music here)
1. Install.
2. Get nice blue Orb-y desktop icon.
3. Double Click Icon.
4. Nothing at all happens.

Aka yes, completely fails to launch.

(Insert Deranged Cackling here. I pit my Haunted Machine and my Pest Nature against the best of DC! Results: Annoyed Skwire. Annoyed Mouser. I will not stop until I have annoyed you too! Muahahahaaha!!! Luv, Da Pest!)
-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 06:03 PM)

Are you sure? Can you look in the tasktray for the icon? It doesn't, actually, DO anything at launch, except place the tasktray icon

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 06:00 PM »

I have also, never had it, nor heard of it ever crashing on XP or 7.
-dmd7978 (May 04, 2012, 05:49 PM)

Except sorry, it doesn't run on my copy of XP either!

But then people have been telling me my machine is haunted/zombied. That's where my self appointed handle came from. ("Resident Pest")

-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 05:53 PM)

HA, well, now this is just getting silly, eh? Can you, please, tell me what you mean by "doesn't run"? Will not launch? Get error? Not install?

I have used on dozens of XP and 7 boxes, never once had a problem. Haunted will not work for me, must fix issue, if I can.

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 05:49 PM »

So he did. I should have checked!

I've just tried it on my (look, don't go on about it, I know, I know) Vista machine and it just fell in a heap. <sigh> I'll take a look at the error log and let him know what failed...
-oblivion (May 04, 2012, 05:34 PM)

Well, THIS is lame, lol. Would very much like to hear about what it says. Truth is, I have never run, nor know anyone to run it on Vista. I have also, never had it, nor heard of it ever crashing on XP or 7. I suppose I should remove the compatability for Vista listing. I just assumed if XP and 7 were all good, then Vista would be, too.

Vista?

100

General Software Discussion / Re: Splinter

« Last post by dmd7978 on May 04, 2012, 05:48 PM »

15,000 hours at 25/hours a week (assuming hobby after his day job) = upwards of 600 weeks!

-TaoPhoenix (May 04, 2012, 05:41 PM)

Actually, 16-20/hr a DAY, for three years. Holidays included.

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