Missig features? Help a new user switch. Thread last updated on 2007-10-15 03:58:26

Posted by member 386177 on 2007-10-12 00:12:44

Hello,

I just installed litestep and I got a theme called: austerity installed with it. I am having some trouble using my computer now and I will uninstall litestep soon if there are no solutions.

Problems that seriously need to be resolved:
1. I cannot select icons on my desktop. I can double click them, but I cannot select them, change my selection by using arrow keys, drag them into the recycle bin, arrange them, etc.
2. windows symbol + d (keyboard combo) does not work. I had to script win+d to send win+m to my machine. Whats up with this?
3. The right-click button on my keyboard does not work on the desktop.
4. On my desktop the icon text size is almost to small to see (I use a laptop with a very high DPI, the letters are about 1/16 inch squares).
5. Where is the "right-click desktop>arrange icons by:name,type,etc" option?
6. The task bar text colour is nearly the same as the task bar items. This is very hard to read. How do I fix this?
7. How do I modify themes? I would like to change my window title bars to a different colour.
8. Right-click on task bar does not do anything. How do I re-arrange the task bar if I cannot unlock it?
9. How do I revert temporarily to the normal XP layout? How do I select "no theme" other than uninstalling?

The main reason I got litestep was because I_am looking for a way to make my computer less glaring to look at. I want to dim down the title bars of the windows, dim down the task bar, dim down boarders, and basically have light gray text on a black background. So far I have not found a way to do this. Someone got some quick pointers on this also?

This is a big change for someone really used to "classic" windows xp. Sorry if I am asking too many questions all at once.

I am rather impressed in general by this program, despite some frustrations. Very good idea with the right click menu and the extremely compact menu design. I can see myself making the switch if some of those critical issues mentioned above were resolved.

Also, can some of you discuss a theme that might suit my needs better than austerity 1.0.4? I am looking for something with the same desktop menus (I_really like those menus. I_only wish I knew how to get at some of the features I_am used to.) I am also looking for something DARK. I_cannot stress that enough. I want a dark task bar, dark window header bars, dark window backgrounds, dark context menus, and light text. Perhaps austerity will work, but I would need to be able to edit the colour scheme somehow.

I am an armature programmer, so I'm not daunted by the text configuration files. Ok, well maybe I am. I'm quite busy, and I_don't have the time to figure every last line out. I just need the basics.

Thanks,
~fogus

Posted by member 386245 on 2007-10-12 22:08:14 link

Same problem, and I am profesional developer, but does it have to be this hard?

Posted by member 212670 on 2007-10-12 22:51:34 link

Litestep replaces your Window's shell. If it was part of the Window's shell, generally, it was then replaced with a Litestep module. Modules are defined in a theme's theme.rc file, in the theme's root folder. You'll find specific module documentation in the \litestep\modules\docs folder.

1. Theme specific, depending on module. See above.
2. Look in \litestep\personal\hotkey.rc for an example of how hotkeys are set. In \litestep\modules\docs you'll also find the jkey docs.
3. That'll probably be related to #2. See also this thread.
4. See #1.
5. See #1.
6. See #1.
7. Litestep does not skin windows. There are modules that will create Window's color schemes, but you can change window title bars just like you normally would within windows, on the appearance tab of display properties.
8. See #1 and also the !bang section here.
9. As with just about all applications, shortcut icons are created. So, right click, programs, litestep.

For more info, see...

http://lsdocs.shellfront.org/ (outdated but useful)
http://wiki.litestep.com/
http://www.ls-universe.info/
http://www.lsdev.org/doku.php

Posted by member 386177 on 2007-10-13 01:38:45 link

Thanks. I've been reading all evening.

1. How do I enter a !bang command?
2. I have been having a lot of trouble with having my systray. I am using the procrast theme right now, but I cannot seem to get the hot-area for the tray to change size.

That's all for now,
~fogus

Posted by member 212670 on 2007-10-13 02:50:53 link

1.
a) Use a theme that includes a command prompt.
b) Put one in the theme you're using (look for lsxcommand under modules at ls-universe and see the help file).
c) Use the !bang as an argument to litestep.exe (ex: litestep.exe !bang).
d) If it's a !bang you want to be running a lot, create a button for it with xlabel, and use an event (OnClick for example).
2. That's an old module and I don't know that theme.

Posted by member 1949 on 2007-10-13 11:35:47 link

Just install a few themes and see the power for yourself.
And using old themes means using older features...

Check out my sig... ltr

Posted by member 386177 on 2007-10-13 18:29:09 link

Ok, I think I am picking this stuff up now.

Does anyone know the syntax to force a mouse to be restricted to an area on a window? This would be incredibly useful to me, for the following reason: I would not accidentally close the right-click menu by moving my mouse off of it. I noticed that [escape] button closes the menu, so it would work similar to Autocad.

Basically the right-click menu is a special class of window. How do I restrict mouse position to the area inside a window?

~fogus

Posted by member 256241 on 2007-10-14 10:05:12 link

The trouble with this is that the popup and it's subfolders are usually going to be of various sizes, so this cannot be done easily mathematically, especially since you can't return the info you'd need from the xpopup, such as which entry is highlighted and how many items there are in that subfolder etc etc.. My only suggestion would be to disable AutoHide.

Posted by member 219700 on 2007-10-15 00:21:57 link

"Same problem, and I am profesional developer, but does it have to be this hard?"

Anyone else see it?

Posted by member 212670 on 2007-10-15 03:58:26 link

I was feeling generous when I replied so I didn't want to say anything. ;)