To load BBStyle you simply need to add the relative path of the plugin (from your Blackbox directory) to the Blackbox configuration file plugins.rc (located in the Blackbox directory).
For example, if you installed Blackbox into c:\Blackbox, and BBStyle.dll is located in c:\Blackbox\plugins\BBStyle\, you should add the line...
plugins\BBStyle\BBStyle.dll (for 2k/xp users)
plugins\BBStyle\BBStyle_9x.dll (for 9x/me users)
...to plugins.rc. Simple, eh? :)
Once the plugin is loaded, several things can be done with a simple mouse click on the BBStyle "box":
Left Click within the "S" button this applies a randomly selected style to Blackbox for Windows.
Outside the button this lets you drag the box around.
Left Click + Ctrl within the button this also allows you to drag the box around.
Middle Click anywhere in the box this opens the current style with your preferred editor for editing.
Right Click anywhere this displays the BBStyle plugin menu, which lets you fiddle with numerous options...
The plugin menu let's you change or select various things, and most should be self-explanatory.
However, there are two important entries worth mentioning.
In the "Configuration" submenu is a "Style Change On Timer" entry.
This toggles whether the timer changing the current style is active or not. If it is active, there will be an indicator next to the entry.
The amount of time before the timer causes a style change is set in the bbstyle.rc file as described below.
The second entry to be noted is the "Refresh Style List" option in the main menu. This makes BBStyle re-read your given style path, as set in the
bbstyle.rc file, and create an updated internal list of paths to all your styles. This should be used if you have copied over any new
styles and you want them to have a chance of being applied! :)
For usage concerning multiple wallpapers, see below.
I have included a default configuration file (BBStyle.rc) in the .zip. If a configuration file for some reason (e.g. you deleted it <g>)
can not be found at startup (BBStyle will first search for it in the same directory as the plugin, then in the Blackbox directory),
BBStyle will automatically create one for you in the same directory as the plugin. Normally, you do not need to edit this file manually, however
there is one path you should set - the bbstyle.stylePath: value. You may also want to tweak the alpha transparency value (for 2k/xp only, see below)
to your liking.
bbstyle.position.x: 0 X position
bbstyle.position.y: 0 Y position
bbstyle.alwaysOnTop: true Always on top?
bbstyle.snapWindow: true Snap BBStyle window to screen edge?
bbstyle.inheritToolbarHeight: false Make window same height as toolbar?
bbstyle.transparency: false Enable transparency?
bbstyle.transparency.alpha: 200 Alpha transparency value (0-255). Larger is more opaque
bbstyle.timerOn: false Enable timer?
bbstyle.changeTime: 5 Number of minutes between style changes
bbstyle.changeOnStart: false Apply a random style on bb4win startup?
bbstyle.stylePath: C:\Blackbox\styles\ Path to find styles; will be searched recursively
bbstyle.rootCommands: false Use a specific rootCommand for each workspace?
I'm not quite sure what the restraints are on the path name yet - if in doubt, use a DOS short path name. =]
In order to have separate wallpapers on each workspace you must add some settings either to the bbstyle.rc file or to a specific style file.
This lets you have different wallpaper settings for different styles. If the settings are not found in the current style file, it will use those in the .rc
file, if any. For example:
bbstyle.workspace1.rootCommand: bsetroot -solid black
bbstyle.workspace2.rootCommand: bsetroot -mod 3 3 -fg #666666 -bg #333333
bbstyle.workspace3.rootCommand: bsetroot -gradient verticalinterlaced -from rgb:00/00/00 -to rgb:99/99/99
bbstyle.workspace4.rootCommand: bsetbg -full backgrounds\mypicture.png
Note these settings have to be sequential, without any gaps, from workspace1 to workspaceX, otherwise BBStyle will only use the settings up to the first gap.
If no rootCommand is set for a particular workspace, the default style rootCommand is used.
Please note that BBStyle automatically saves the current running configuration when you quit or restart Blackbox,
overwriting the previous contents of the file. In order to change this file easily restart Blackbox from the menu while holding down the Shift key,
which will unload all plugins and display a message box telling you that the restart has been paused.
Now make your changes to the file and save, then click OK on the message box to continue the restart. BBStyle will now read your manually edited settings.
@BBShowPlugins Standard BB bro@m to show all plugins
@BBHidePlugins Standard BB bro@m to hide all plugins
@BBStyleRandom Select a random style and apply it
@BBStyleInternal EditStyle Open the current style with your preferred editor
@BBStyleInternal AboutStyle Display a message box with information about the current style
@BBStyleInternal RefreshList Make BBStyle re-read your style path to update any addition or removal of files
@BBStyleInternal Transparency Toggle use of transparency (2k/xp only)
@BBStyleInternal AlwaysOnTop Toggle window always on top
@BBStyleInternal SnapWindowToEdge Toggle snap window to edge
@BBStyleInternal ToggleToolbar Toggle inheritance of toolbar height for window
@BBStyleInternal ToggleWindow Toggle whether window is displayed or not
@BBStyleInternal ToggleTimer Toggle the use of the timer for changing styles
@BBStyleInternal ToggleStartChange Toggle whether a random style is set on BB4Win startup
@BBStyleInternal ToggleRootCommands Toggle whether separate rootCommands are used for each workspace
@BBStyleInternal About Display message box about the plugin
|