Trying to make logons with splash

Email me MS. LADY and I'll get you started with them.

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Email me MS. LADY and I'll get you started with them.

Boss . . When you're done helping MS. Lady, perhaps you can share with teh rest of the class?    

Ms. Lady, In logonstudio you can click the help button in the lower right and it will launnch a tutorial. Or you can just go to C:\Program Files\Stardock\WinCustomize\LogonStudio\tutorial\create_logon.htm in Explorer.

  

Boss . . When you're done helping MS. Lady, perhaps you can share with teh rest of the class?

The only thing about that (besides the fact that I suck at tutorials) is that everybody has different skills and graphics programs and it's easier for me to find out where to start with an individual, how serious they are about learning, and if they want to spend the time.

There is a lot involved learning how to do them. Logon Studio is not used at all except to apply them. The graphics are created, some, especially the splash, need to be 32 bit alpha blended bitmaps, and then the rest of the logon is made by changing the coding in the uifile and theme.ini. It's a totally different process than using the Logon Studio editor.

I've worked with quite a few people and only a couple have actually spent the time to learn how after they see what needs to be done. A few times, they just ended up ripping one of mine and changing the wall.

Ah well. Thanks anyway.

What graphics program do you use Boss?

For the splash, you pretty much need to have Photoshop to create and save as a true 32 bit bmp with alpha channel. PSP and many others don't work. 32 bit is needed to support transparency, which Logon Studio doesn't, but with a different uifile it can be made to work.

Sphynx has a short tut on how to create the splash here: WWW Link">Link

And I posted a splash logon template that has a standard "splash" logon uifile and theme.ini...no graphics included, here: link

If you can't afford Photoshop - does the 32bit in Elements work?

I don't know, I haven't tried it. I'll try to check it out and let you know.

Or, use Sphynx's tut and use Elements instead of PS, overwrite bmp 128 in my logon template, and if it doesn't lock up or give you and error, Elements will work.

Boss....

As a new total beginner I tried out "My Very Own Logon" a while ago, as a learning tool. I could never quite get it to work properly - what I believe you call the splash showed up in a different position (and in 2 pieces I seem to remember)than in the preview, and it was totally transparent until the cursor hit it. I'm assuming this is only caused by the difference in resolution ("My Very..." is 1000x800 and I'm using 1280x1024)? - I had not changed any other settings. Unlike the others above I will not likely be "serious" about creating logons, but do like figuring out how they work.

arcturus, did you try opening it in the Logon Studio Editor? If you did, it will corrupt the file. Logon Studio is only used to apply the logons, not edit them at all.

The 1000x800 is just the preview size, the logon itself is resolution independant, it will resize to fit any res. I use 1280x1024 also.

There is no splash in it, it's just a transparent 32 bit bmp, you have to create your own graphics.

Edit: I just downloaded it and tried it and it works fine here.

Boss...

Yea, I understand what you're saying. I just applied "My Very..." as the logon in use and it does work well as usual (as do all your others!, which I knew are generally 1280). Think I just have a loooong way to go, and much more messin' around to do before I can get one up and running!!

It's basically just a uifile, a theme.ini, and a stolen....um borrowed Vista wallpaper.

All the graphics need to be created and the uifile and theme.ini have to be re-coded to change positions of the userpane and shutdown button, and font colors and sizes. But it is something to start with.

Yes it is something to start with.

And we thank you for it.

No problem Bichur.

And I just downloaded the trial of Elements 5.0 and I don't see any way to add an alpha channel so that it could be saved as a 32 bit bmp. Looks like a pretty cool program though, but more for photos and not as much for graphics.

Maybe somebody that knows the program better might know if you can add an alpha channel, but I didn't see anything similar to Photoshop for doing it.

I was playing with 3.0

If I do a blank then put something in it - when I save as a bitmap it gives me the option of 32bit - I have no familiarity with it, still trying to figure out PSP8 (but I can save/load alpha channels in that - just don't know what to do with them.)

If I got this right - I take your sample, change to zip, open, replace 128, rezip, rename back, then open with LS and apply? that right?

"A few times, they just ended up ripping one of mine and changing the wall."(reply#3)

For the most part, what you and Bichur are talking about is still a foreign language...

As a beginner I had only figured out a way to change the "wallpaper" on your "rippable" (guess that's not a real word!)logon, and that's where things went...um...awry! Back to the drawing board, but paying close attention to the conversation of those who know how!

Thanks for the help.

error at line 40

me thinks I should have followed the tutorial...

Bichur, once you have the Logon installed, you can go to the Logon Studio folder, make a copy of "My Very Own Logon" if you want, make your image, and overwrite the bmp 128 with your image. No zipping, unzipping or anything. Then open LS and apply the Copy of the logon.

The error is for the splash...not a true 32 bit alpha channel bmp.

arcturus, to change the wall in any of my logons, just open the wallpaper you want to use and save it as bmp 100 in the logon you want to replace it in, overwriting the existing bmp 100. Any size wall will work, it will size itself to your res.

Then just open the theme.ini, change the name and creator info, and upload it as your own until I catch you and have it removed.

OK...it's sounding a little less like Russian or Swedish or whatever language is was you were talking in earlier....

Give me a minute, or 100....

And I would ALWAYS credit the master - besides, everyone knows your work, and I'd never get away fast enough!!

No, you wouldn't.

besides, everyone knows your work, and I'd never get away fast enough!!

yep & nope

Deleted bitmap_100 in the "Very Own" folder, replaced with a new wall...

but only got a plain light blue screen with your user sign-in graphics.

Still tryin'!