Intro:
This is a little tool for your Windows Mobile based phones (Compatible with WM5/WM6 but not WM2003) which will cycle ur today background or theme after a set interval of time. It has a lot of features and options that you can discover by reading the text below. And you can even use this options to achieve something other than changing wallpapers as well but that depends on your imagination. 
UPDATE: I’ve released the source code of ShantzTodayChanger since I’m not getting much time to work on it. You may download the code from the attached zip file above. I’ll still be available for questions, discussions, explanations etc about it if needed.
You are free to copy, modify and redistribute it. Only thing that I ask of you are that:
- You retain all credits for me and my website in the source code, final product, and other material (readme etc) intact.
- Also, please provide a linkback to the original home page of shantztodaychanger if you redistribute it through some other site, otherwise I’ll be happy to host your modified versions here.
- You also have to release the modified source code in its entirety.
Download:
Usage:
1. Make a folder on ur device (preferably not on storage card.) and extract all the files (mainly ShantzTodayChanger.exe, TdyChangerCfg.exe, gsgetfile.dll (might not be visible to u depending on ur explorer settings) and Readme.htm) to this folder.
2. IMP: Do not rename any files.
3. Run the TdyChangerCfg.exe.
4. Set options through the dialog that opens and press apply button (Pressing the native WM OK button will discard all your changes)
5. Options:
i)Choose image type (.gif\.jpg\.png) or theme(.tsk) to be cycled.
ii)If the input files (images or themes) are not in the folder where exes are kept, then you can check the box (underneath the .gif option) and give the “FULL and ABSOLUTE” path of where the files are kept. You can either input the path thru keyboard or choose it graphically by pressing the button (…) next to it.
iii)If you want to run a file after every cycle interval, check the corresponding box and provide the “FULL and ABSOLUTE” path of the file to be run. You can either input the path thru keyboard or choose it graphically by pressing the button (…) next to it.
iv) If you want some files to be avoided during cycling, put a file mask. The program will look for this mask to appear anywhere in the name of the files and will avoid it if found. (Wildcards are not supported. Choose time option has to be checked for this to work)
v) Choose the period for which mask option has to be used. If you choose a time period and leave mask as empty, then during that time no cycling will be done. If you want to avoid some files all the time, then time period should be chosen to cover all 24 hrs of the day.
vi)enter the desired interval between cycling of images\themes.
vii)If you choose a period for the mask, another check box (Consider mask period for exe also) will be enabled. Checking this box will mean that the specified exe will be run only if an image\theme is changed during that cycle. If you dont check this, then exe will be run after every cycle even if there is no change in the image\theme.
6. When you want to stop the cycling, press “STOP Cycling” button.
Additional Notes:
1. The GUI for configuration has not been optimized for square screen devices, so you need to make some guesswork and use hardware keyboard for input but the changer program itself will run fine.
2. Doesnt have to be running constantly. So saves resources when not active.
3. Survives soft resets as well.
4. Even takes care of the situation if your phone is off when the time to cycle is reached. Will cycle as soon as ur phone comes back on in this situation.
Planned Updates:
i) Suggestions invited. I have a lot of updates in mind but will incorporate those only which are requested by you.
Known Issues:
i) If the mask option is selected, then in a very particular situation, the app will miss a cycle.
This can be taken care of but not in my priority list because this can be fixed only by rewriting the complete cycling code which is quite a bit. So, will fix it if I get some time from my other projects.
ii) If after maknig the configuration, you see the screen flash for a second at the right times, but the backfround doesn’t change, then do this:
- Go to : Settings…today….appearance
- un-check “Use this picture as background”
- start the program using “startTodayChanger.lnk” or TdyChangerCfg (Apply button)
(Thnx to CWKJ for reporting this bug and fix, and to eric for reminding me about it)
End Note:
Like every software, this one is also bound to have bugs, please report it asap.
Though ShantzTodayChanger does not run continuously but sometimes some apps that close all processes automatically (like SPB backup) might clash in schedule with ShantzTodayChanger and close it when it starts to run. In such a case (which is quite unlikely), the app might not be able to set a notification for next cycle, so if u face this situation, then run the config again.
Version History:
1.53 – 23-March-08 -> RECOMMENDED UPDATE
i)Theme Color Detection has been improved a lot. Should work much more accurately now.
1.52 – 11-Aug-07 ->
i) Fixed another bug for the “time period” option.
ii) Made a little optimization in the code.
1.51 – 05-Aug-07 ->
i) Fixed a bug which prevented the “time period” option from working properly.
ii) Fixed a bug where wallpapers might not change if certain particular themes were installed before change cycle happens
iii) Fixed a bug where the time period option was not remembered properly by the GUI.
iv) Added option to allow user to choose whether to run the user specified file (exe\lnk) after every cycle interval only if there was a change in image\theme during that cycle.
v) Made a few small changes to the GUI to prevent users from making incorrect settings.
1.50 – 29-July-07 ->MAJOR UPDATE
i) Added option to specify a mask to avoid files having that mask
ii) Added option to specify the time period during which the mask has to be considered
iii) Added code to ensure that if mask is empty and a period is chosen, then no rotation is done during that period.
iv) Added option to run a user specified file after every cycle interval.
v) Fixed bug where the jpg and png options were not working earlier.
vi) Clicking help button now opens help in Pocket Internet Explorer.
vii) Fixed many more subtle bugs that manifest themselves and very peculiar situations.
viii) Optimized the code a bit at a few places.
ix) Also see “Known Issues” section above.
x) Removed the “append to previous info” box as now the app remembers old info correctly.
1.33 – 18-July-07 ->
i)Added code to select the input path graphically. It is a bit of workaround though. To select an input folder, just select any file inside it in the select folder dialog.
ii)TdyChgrCfg now shows you the previous settings.
1.32 – 21-Jun-07 ->
i) Fixed a bug where sometimes on cycling themes, colors change but images do not change.
ii) Added a measure to avoid running multiple instances (just as a precaution)
iii)Added code to avoid losing notifications if phone is reset too early after running the program
1.31 – 20-Jun-07 ->Fixed 2 bugs:
i) A notification bug where old notification is not deleted
ii) A bug where cycle interval value is not correctly read from the GUI
1.3 – 19-Jun-07 ->
i)Added option to make partial changes to previously entered information.
ii)Fine-Tuned the Theme Color support algo. Now, theme colors should be almost 95% same as calculated by windows mobile while applying theme.
iii)Did some code optimization
1.2 – 19-Jun-07 ->Major Update:
i)Added Theme Support. Changing of system colors as per theme is also supported (which is not done by any other program IIRC)
ii)Added option to keep input images\themes in a separate folder
iii)Provided a GUI Configuration module
iv)Provided option to choose between gif\jpg\png\tsk to be cycled.
1.11 – 12-Jun-07->Fixed another bug with notification queue
1.1 – 12-Jun-07 -> Fixed the bug that causes WM5/WM6 devices not to cycle wallpapers in certain conditions
1.0 – 10-Jun-07 -> Initial Release
Credits:
daxliniere/wacky.banana -> For asking to make the tool and their inputs
SeanFromSoCal/200mpx -> For their inputs
[...] is hereby inaugarated with a Windows Mobile Tool developed by me, called “ShantzTodayChanger”. This is a little tool for your Windows Mobile based phones (Compatible with WM5/WM6 but not [...]
Excellent software, how many themes can it handle?
@DJ: As many as your device can hold,
Hi there. I seem to only be able to get 6 going even though there are 12 on my device. I’ve set them to rotate on every 100 cycles. Any ideas?
hmm, Can you give a bit of details abt the device, DJ? I mean whts ur device, where are the themes stored (device or storage card) and also what you can see in the registry (HKLM\software\shantztodaychanger).
Moreover, try one thing, make a shortcut to the shantztodaychanger.exe, and pass a parameter “-c” (without quotes) to it. whenver you click this shortcut, the theme will immediately change. Does it still rotate through only 6?
Hi there is a touch dual running WM6. I think I have fixed it by putting all of the .tsk files into there own folder. It didn’t seem to like them all being in a folder that was shared with other files. Thanks for all your help.
ok..yeah, mixing up the themes with other files might cause issues sometimes because of the weird windows mobile api’s for finding files..
[...] Source : tech.shantanugoel.com [...]
[...] ShantzTodayChanger [...]
I’m having conflicts with other alarms & wireless sync?…i760 mobile 6 pda… locks up wireless sync and alarms… soft reset and all continues… as normal… disabled shantztodaychanger 1.53 to see what happens for a day or two… lmk
@Jim: ShantzTodayChanger will not mess with anything else. let me know your results though.
If wireless sync was started and Shantztodaychanger began an operation is it possible that a lock up could occur? I have had no soft resets since I disabled the today changer? Can you explain more about how to use the “mask” feature…
Jim, theoretically it shouldn’t interfere but I don’t use wireless sync so don’t know. But many other users who use wireless sync as well ShantzTodayChanger didn’t report this. Can you send me a screenshot of your settings?
Will there be any future screen support?
@Mike: Could not understand what you meant by “future screen support”.
i meant square screen.
@mike: The changer program supports square screen, but the configuration GUI doesn’t.
I hope to work on it when I get some time, maybe be in a couple of months. However, you can still configure it with a bit of guess work on square screens or directly configuring through registry.
hi shantanu.
i must say it’s an excellent software you got here.
you sure are genius
but there’s one thing….
i don’t really understand the topics you discuss with one of the guys.
you said to make the ShantzTdyChgr with “-c” without the quotes somewhere, so you could instantly change your wallpaper.
but i kinda miss the meaning of that.
could you please explain to me once more….
where to make the shortcuts,
and what’s the ‘without the quotes’ meaning…
thanks again, shantz.
you make evry1′s life easier
Thanks for the encouraging words Mario
Basically what I meant was to create a shortcut (like you have on ur desktop for ur installed programs) for shantztodaychanger. The shortcut points to the exe file. At the end of the path, that the shortcut points to, you just need to add -c. (Without the quotes meant that -c should not be wrapped in ” when you add it)
To create the shortcut, either you can use a today launcher program (like iLauncher) which also allows you to specify the command line options where you can write -c.
Otherwise, a longer method would be:
1. Click on ShantzTodayChanger.exe
2. Two shortcuts would be created (startShantzTodayChanger and stopShantzTodayChanger)
3. Copy any one of them to your PC and open in notepad.
4. Add -c at the end of the first line (remember to keep a space between .exe and -c)
5. Save and transfer back to ur phone.
Now, whenever you click this shortcut, your wallpaper/theme will change
sorry to bother you again,
but i’m just wondering if what i do is right . . .
first it looked like this (in the notepad) :
55#”\ShantzTodayChanger1.53\ShantzTodayChanger.exe” -g 600
. . . . . . . .
then i change it to :
55#”\ShantzTodayChanger1.53\ShantzTodayChanger.exe” -c 600
it’s not working when i copied it back to the phone . . .
. . . . . .
then i did it like this . . .
55#”\ShantzTodayChanger1.53\ShantzTodayChanger.exe” -c-g 600
again, when i copied it to the phone it still doesn’t work.
i’m just a program dummy,
i don’t know what to do . . .
please,
if you have a bit of spare time,
would you mind giving me guidance about this one?
thanks a bunch shantz
sorry for asking so much from you
No probs Mario, we all have our gray areas
The line should read like
55#”\ShantzTodayChanger1.53\ShantzTodayChanger.exe” -c
Hi Shantanu,
I recently started using this tool. I must say, this is EXCELLENT..! I would like to ask you one thing. When we set for Image change, what size (ie. 640×480) would it support. I have downloaded pics from my digi cam but i could only see a corner of this. Its not rezing the pics as per the screen size. How can we fix this?
Thanks
Ravjeet
Ravjeet: Thnx for the complements. BTW, you need to make sure that the images are according to your phone’s size, it will not resize the images. I could add that feature but then it would make the program bulky as well as slow in operation. So, basically if your screen resolution is 240×320, u need to make sure that the pic that u put in is of the same size.
yo shantz, it’s me again.
last time, your shortcut works like a charm
but now, a problem occured
it won’t cycle again, with or without the shortcut.
if i restart my touch, it will cycle just once, and that’s it….
hmmm, did i do something wrong?
haven’t installed new programs lately either…
i just got myself confused here shantz . . . . .
Mario: That seems strange. Maybe some app is conflicting with it. Can you give me ur registry settings under HKCU\Software\ShantzTodayChanger?
Also, check your notification queue with some software like memmaid, Sktools or dotfred’s task manager (freeware) and let me know if you see an entry for shantztodaychanger in there.
Also give the exact shortcut that you’ve made.
Also, if u can give me the list of processes running currently (e.g. using dotfred’s task manager).
Sorry I’m asking for a lot of info, but better to have them all at once instead of going back and forth and wasting days…
no shantz, i’m the one who should say sorry for always troubling you with my problems. thanks for taking your time with me
well, here is the registry settings under HKCU\Software\ShantzTodayChanger
bgOrTheme 1 ( 0X000001 )
checkExe 0 ( 00000000 )
checkPath 0 ( 00000000 )
checkStTime 0 ( 00000000 )
exeMask 0 ( 00000000 )
fileMask
gap 1800 ( 0X0007….
index 2 ( 0X000002 )
inputPath
notifHandle 0 ( 00000000 )
runOnChange
in front of filemask, input path, and runonchange (left side of the word), there’s an icon with ab red font with white background.
about the notification queue, i’m downloading it right now
i’m gonna post the result after this . . .
oh, and btw, now it won’t let me change the config. like first i have an 1800 cycilng period, and after i changed it to, say 1200 secs, it won’t change when i apply it. it doesn’t even show the notification that today’s changer is started.
please, help me. i like your today changer so much . . . .
sorry for troubling you . . ., again
Mario: Do give me the rest of the info, but from the registry settings (notifHandle), I can see that there is no notification set. Seems like something is blocking the app from either setting notifications or modifying registry or both, because of which it is not running. Do u have some security app on ur device?
ok shantz, here goes fuul details :
Process (22) PID
TaskMgr.exe 97D4C2A2
fexplore.exe 759A655A
ShantzTodayChanger.exe 15F874B2
QuickDial.exe B5B40002
MediaHubMini.exe 75B44F0A
APLauncher.exe D5BA43EA
Biotouch.exe F5B92542
s2u2.exe 96499422
Opera9.exe 563764EA
OperaPrel.exe 563EEEC6
iLock.exe D63DC88E
poutlook.exe 565D8002
VCDaemon.exe B66BB98A
cprog.exe F6BC23EE
SAPSettings.exe D6575296
connmgr.exe B6BC8902
services.exe 56C0ED16
shell32.exe B6C0ECF2
gwes.exe 36E1799E
device.exe 973E5E3E
filesys.exe 37FEFCC6
NK.EXE 17FFF002
FYI, i/m using HTC TOUCH elfin P3452 with CPU OMAP850 201Mhz speed
i hope it’s detailed enough
thanks again shantz
i really appreciate it
hmmm, security app?
u mean antivirus?
i have kaspersky, but i already uninstalled it, because it’s just make things heavy on my touch.
and i also activate the black list feature from spb phone suit.
u know, to prevent those unimportant calls
and that’s that. no more security apps for me.
is this what u meant shantz?
Mario: Why does it ShantzTodayChanger.exe as a running process in ur list? It doesn’t run continuously. Have u just shantztodaychanger.exe by shortcut while listing these processes? Please also tell me whether an entry for shantztodaychanger.exe exists in ur notification queue.
I still think there is smthing blocking from the app to write to registry. Can u do a simple test. Try running shantztodaychanger (or tdychangercfg and clicking apply) and see if the notifHandle value changes in registry.
If it doesn’t then go to registry manually, and try to change it manually to any value. let me know if u r able to write to it that way.
mmm, to tell u the truth.
after i check it with with task manager, i restart my touch, and shantztodaychanger is not in the running process anymore.
seeing that, i’m so happy that i just start your todaychanger again . . .
it runs only once, then no more.
it doesn’t even change my wall according to the designated folder
already tried to change the registry setting on NotifHandle to
(0X000001), and restart the device, but . . . . . .
that won’t do either . . .
i’m so confused here….
is it the end of your today changer for me ?
sorry to make your head spinning with this problem of mine.
maybe it’s my device that has some trouble…..
Mario: Now I understand why you are seeing the issue and why on restarting, it runs once. The problem is something is blocking it smwhere. So, when u run it, it changes the theme but isn’t able to complete its process and hangs. I’ve a multiple-execution-prevention code in there, so next time when it runs, it sees itself as already running, and so doesnt execute again. I’m afraid I’m not sure what to suggest to u right now as I dont what app is conflicting with it, but an option would be to hard reset your phone and then install it again. (It might even be better because whatever is obstructing the changer might cause problems with other apps as well later on.).
BTW, I’ll see if i can get some time to make you a debug version if you want so that we can debug this issue more.
hmmm, hard reset is also an option here.
but there are so many apps i have to reinstall at my touch if i do that.
but, if you could make a debug version, that will be wonderful. so you could help me and the others that might have the same problem.
you’ve done so much for me
thansk a lot shantz
your work is the best
Mario: I’ll try to make a debug version for u but cant promise how soon. Maybe this sunday or the next one.
Another thing mario, when u changed the notifHandle value in registry manually, are u now able to see the modified value, or is it the old one? Is ur phone application unlocked?
umm, i’m able to see the value, but after soft reset the value return to zero.
is it the opera 9 that i just installed.
co it’s the most recent apps i install on my touch.
u know, this 2-3 days i also think of hard reset as an option.
hmmm, this is getting more frustrating ever . . .
i mean coz it’s the most recent apps i installed
still, your apps is the best shantz
dunno whether its caused by Opera 9. I havent installed it yet. But if it was because of this then there would have been a lot of reports, so it should be something else. Maybe something is there thats not running as a process but as a service, which is typical of a security application and which is why we don’t see it in the list of processes.
@Shantanu: 1 suggestion: make the changes to show the whole extents of images bigger / smaller than screen size. (perhaps, instead or resizing them, you just need “to tell windows” to stretch the image)
another suggestion: option to randomize images.
@gautxori: Thanks for the suggestions. Randomization of images has been on the to-do list for quite long but has a lot of pros and cons (see the xda-devs for this). Will see if i can find a middle path.
About the bigger/smaller images, the only way I know, apart from resizing, is to manipulate the dpi value. Do u know of any other way. I’d be happy to include it.
Very good but do following improvements
1- add full screen wallpaper support
2- wallpaper is not changing when today screen is displayed
3- larger picture should displayed as whole (tile)
4- device is not getting automatically power off when application is active
5- support to other applications like S2U2
pliz ad support to wisbar advance desktop
and wisbar advance desktop
@Najmu: Most of ur suggestions are in the pipeline but Im not getting much time these days to devote towards ShantzTodayChanger, but couldnt understand 2 points:
>2- wallpaper is not changing when today screen is displayed
Could you pls explaing about what u mean by this
>4- device is not getting automatically power off when application is active
Application is not active all the time, it is active only for very short period after the interval that u have set. At that instant, device has to come on because otherwise today screen cannot be refreshed, and that cannot be changed, but the device will power off automatically after that. Moreover there is an option of time period masking, so u can set the app not to cycle the wallpaper at night time (or any period u decide) thus causing the device not to come on at that time.
I searched high and low for software that could do this and found only one or two other inferior versions that added additional elements too. This does exactly what I wanted it to do without anything else being added and it works 100% without fail. I’m on a Ipaq 614 and have produced lots of themes with family pics etc so its just great just to switch on and see different themes every time… NICE ONE SHANTANU… if only someone could develop a simple timed profile switcher I’d be sorted….Best Regards Mark Smedley
Thanks Mark
About profiles switcher, you could take a look at SPB phone suite or pocket max phone alarm.
[...] ShantzTodayChanger [...]
Hi, Great program! any plans in the future to make use of animated gifs? Or am I doing something wrong?
Paul: The program makes use of the inbuilt MS theming engine, so there is no way for using animated gifs. For that you’d have to install a third party program (there are many) that allow you to display animated gifs on today screen, and then I’d have to integrate shantztodaychanger with that app. But I don’t plan to do that, unless MS makes this option available inbuilt.
[...] Theme files allow you to change the look and feel of your Windows Mobile device’s interface. They are really a great idea, a image and color scheme in one file, but there is one thing Microsoft never thought of, people get sick of looking at the same theme all the time and many people dont have the time to change it when they get sick of looking at the same one. Luckily there is a program that fixes this problem, ShantzTodayChanger. [...]
[...] Theme files allow you to change the look and feel of your Windows Mobile device’s interface. They are really a great idea, a image and color scheme in one file, but there is one thing Microsoft never thought of, people get sick of looking at the same theme all the time and many people dont have the time to change it when they get sick of looking at the same one. Luckily there is a program that fixes this problem, ShantzTodayChanger. [...]
Thanks for writing this program!
At the moment it is only working when I use the default Windows theme. When I use the theme installed by my provider I see the refresh flash, but no result. Think it is related to the faded image part of that theme.
Looking for a program now to make my own themes on WM5, since Im not very fond of the default windows theme.
Sidenote: captcha on your contact form isnt working on IE6, IE7 and FF2. The last 2 browsers show the background image but no captcha-code. After clicking the refresh button the complete captcha image disappears…
@Robin: Can u send me ur provider’s theme (upload to some site and post a link here)? Ill take a look.
BTW, thnx for letting me know about the captcha thingy..have removed it for now until I upgrade my contact plugin..seems the version i have has a conflict with WP 2.6
gave me to dowload.thanhs you evry much
[...] This is a little tool for your Windows Mobile based phones (Compatible with WM5/WM6 but not WM2003) which will cycle ur today background or theme after a set interval of time. It has a lot of features and options that you can discover by reading the text below. And you can even use this options to achieve something other than changing wallpapers as well but that depends on your imagination. … more [...]
[...] ShantzTodayChanger [...]
[...] Descargar ShantzTodayChanger [...]
Hi.. I want to ask some question. What is TdyChangerCfg.exe for? Can you gave me the source of TdyChangerCfg? Thx
@Avelino: TdyChangerCfg.exe is to configure the various options for ShantzTodayChanger. It provides the UI that you can see in the screenshot above. Sure, I’ll look for the source code and upload it.
Ok, thx a lot.
Hello Shantanu! I have tried your code and I can used it to change the Today Screen of PocketPC. How about the Home Screen in Smartphone? I can’t set the Background progammatically. Do you know anything about it?
Hello! I’ve got the answer…
@Avelino:
Take alook: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa455917.aspx
I think it can solves your problem…
Shantanu, have you uploaded the TdyChangerCfg source code? If Yes, where? Would you give me the link? Thx.
regards,
kpe05001
@kpe’ers: didnt get the time to find on my external disk. very busy these days. But I promise you that I’ll upload it before month end definitely
hi, thanks for your great invention. i am a HTC Touch 3G user. However, I followed every single step of the instruction above. It just has never changed automatically.
And I have a M2DC (touchflo Manilla 2D) installed, would it possibly conflict to each other?
However, before I used HTC touch before which doesn’t have m2dc, it didn’t work also. would you help me out? I really love your programme, I have a lot of wallpaper wanna be changed…thanks in advance.
Carl: I think that it won’t work with Manila. However, it should work if manila is not installed. Can you send me a screenshot of your settings.
if anyone has a problem with it when running it on wm 6.1 or wm6 just install theme master first.then run theme master.then stop it.then suddenly shantz today changer will start working..i dont no y.just had hunch n it started working…neways kool app shantz..m really happy to run it on my xperia…
use theme master first.then stop theme master.then stat shantz today ap..it will work..worked for me.
thanks for your reply and advise.
but sorry, i am an freshman on PDA, would I know more about “theme master”? it is a software?
maybe a stupid question, thanks for help in advance.
dear Raut,
what you advised us is this software: http://www.soft32.com/download_153030.html
right?
if i run and stop, then it should work…i will try.
yes..install the software..run it and start shantz today changer at the same time.then stop the earlier app.and then it will work every time..tell me if it works for you..thanxx…
however i dont no if it will access manillas wallpaper.for example in my xperia it has a today screen of windows mible 6.1..i never used a htc so i dont exactly no if it has a today screen..anyways try it out n see..lets hope it works..
Thanks Raut. And yes, it won’t work with Manilla most probably. I don’t have a phone with manilla, so havent been able to investigate anything on that part. If anyone was to lend me their phone
, I could try to do that.
Manilla has been ported to many devices..maybe you could port it to yours n try it?
Raut: I’ve a pretty old HTC Wizard. I’ll see if I can get the time to do it without crapping up the phone as this is my primary device.
dear shantanu,
i have programmed earlier in python flash n visual basic..i wanted to know if this can help me in programming for windows mobile..u seem to be a pro in programming for it…so m asking the right person..
–Aditya Raut
Aditya: I’m far from pro
. I’m just an amateur. WM programming isn’t too difficult. Python has quite a lot of similarities to C/C++ and visual basic might have given u some basic understanding about dialogue boxes and stuff, so you can start at it easily. You could take the source code of ShantzTodayChanger itself as an example and maybe you can maintain it afterwards as I don’t get much time these days to make changes to it. If you need more info, send me an email through the contact link above and I can point you towards some resources
That’s an interesting article. I just wondered if you could tell me where to find more info on this topic ?
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Thanks for the great (and I think the only) WM wallpaper changer, Shantanu!
I wonder if there is a way to make the application recognize how an image is oriented (landscape/portrait). I have a HTC Touch Pro2 (t7373) and it uses both modes, so 800×480 wallpapers are shown incorrectly in the portrait mode, and 480×800 ones don’t look good in the landscape mode.
Thank you in advance for the answer!
Thanks for the application, Shantanu! I think it’s the only one out there.
Unfortunately, it worked only for 1 day for me. I stopped it to add more photos and just like that it ceased functioning. All it does now is blink at a set period of time.
I tried every combination of settings, but to no avail. I have a HTC Touch Pro 2 (t7373) device and use the Windows Mobile Green theme.
@Artem: If it is blinking at all set times, then probably there is some issue that it is not selecting any files to change to..Can you upload a screenshot of your settings somewhere? Also post the settings that you see in HKLM\software\shantztodaychanger in registry. Also try using the “-c” option with a parameter to change the image/theme instantly if it works.. The method to do it is given in one of the comments above (search for “-c” without quotes in this page).
I got it to work again. I think the solution was to disable wallpapers in the Today settings, start the app with the needed settings, make sure it’s blinking, switch the theme to the standard windows. After this it should start working and the theme can be changed back (to windows mobile green in my case). I tested it with the 20-second cycle interval and then reran the app with the desired one. It continued working and even a number of soft resets couldn’t stop it.
I hope this is it, as I also did other things, e.g. ran wceload.exe manually a few times just in case. Not sure if that did anything.
The shortcut with the -c option doesn’t work for some reason, but I don’t need it much anyway.
I think it wasn’t working because it couldn’t overwrite the windows wallpaper file (tdywater.gif or whatever) or something like that.
As for the portrait/landscape issue, I just used the 1024×768 wallpapers. This way it just shows a piece of an image. And the portrait one differs from the landscape one at that. This is actually fun. Quite a new look.
Hi Shantanu,
I was just wondering if it was possible to close the gap up a bit and change it to speed up to .05 seconds. I created a video game interactive wallpaper, have it set to 1 second intervals, and was hoping I could speed it up just slightly so it would flow together better.
Oh, and thanks for creating such an amazing program, I know you have already heard that a million times but I just wanted to say thanks anyway.
@Josh Thanks for the compliment. But I’m afraid I won’t be able to change the program for now as I don’t have a WM phone anymore and don’t even use windows now so as to be able to at least compile it. I’ve released the source code however so you can try to compile it yourself. The change should be pretty easy. Let me know if you need help with that.
Hello again,
Thanks for the fast reply. I would much appreciate your help in speeding up the program if you have the time to instruct me. I did look at the code files but non of it made sense to me.
I am trying to learn c++ and then c on my own from various websites that teach it but I have just began and don’t get the privilege to spend enough time progressing with the education.
@Josh (Sorry for posting here. My blog allows comment nesting upto 3 levels only)
I looked up the code and I think that you can achieve half second gap instead of 1 second by modifying this line in function addNotification in ShantzTodayChanger.cpp:
hr = SecondsAfter(&st, gap);
to
hr = SecondsAfter(&st, gap/2);
This change would mean that the interval that you put in the configuration is now in half second resolution instead of 1 second resolution. So, when you put 1 in the config, it would mean an actual interval of 0.5 second.
@Shantanu
I don’t mind how the comments are displayed. I did what you told me but am still having trouble. I cut and paste the cpp file to my deskop to edit with notepad and save it. I cut and paste the file back to it’s location on my phone:
My Computer\HTC Touch Diamond\\\ShantzTodayChanger\ShantzTodayChangerSrc\ShantzTodayChanger\.svn\text-base
Do I need to reinstall the program all over again? Am I supposed to transfer the cpp file to the installation folder?
My Computer\HTC Touch Diamond\\\Program Files\ShantzTodayChanger
If all I need to do is transfer it back to the first address in this comment then I am out of luck and I did not achieve any faster speed. The video game backround was created with many images caught in a Burst Capture Mode. I slowed down the video to .2x speed and applied the burst capture which helped the photos to not miss any of the animation because the pictures were able to capture fast enough to keep up with the video.
The end result does flow together but it is not smooth enough to look like an actual video which is what I am trying to achieve if even possible. I look forward to your next comment to give me more specific instructions unless I have done all I can. Thanks!
Josh, you would need to recompile the program on your PC after changing the cpp file and then paste the exe files that are generated back to the installation folder on your phone..
@Shantanu Goel
Thanks again for the info to recompile the program. Unfortunately, I have no knowledge on how to do this. I don’t want to take too much of your time especially since you no longer have a winmo phone. I was wondering if you could either help me out with this or point me to a website that can explain how to recompile if by chance you knew of any.
Is there a program I need to recompile? I recently downloaded a program call Code Blocks version 10.05 and am trying to teach myself C++. Can I use this program to recompile?
I tried to look up how to recompile after I read your comment and I couldn’t understand what I was finding. I found all kind of compilers for various languages but all that is alien to me.
Thanks again for continuing to help me with all of this, I appreciate it.
Josh, you would need to install Visual Studio pro (atleast 2005 edition, you can probably get a 90 day free trial from microsoft.com) and install Win Mo SDK (Free) in order to compile this. Once you install that, just unzip the whole code to some place on your PC and open up the ShantzTodayChanger.sln file in Visual Studio. Then there must be an option to build/rebuild the project which should recompile the whole thing.
@Shantanu Goel
Hello, thanks again for the help you provide to me. I will signup for the trial version of the software when I have the time to do so. I was also thinking of eventually buying the program to create other programs for winmo phones.
I am beginning to develop a passion for this sort of thing but with some limitations. Those limitations being that I am starting from scratch meaning I have to educate myself on how to do all of this with no college education.
The other limitation being I don’t get very much time to learn this because of work and the fact that I am married and that lifestyle is demanding of me, leaving me little free time to advance my computer skills.
So anyways my question is this, would this version of the software allow me to recompile your software correctly and develop my own winmo programs?
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition
This is the software you mentioned, I just wanted to make sure once more before I committed to buy it after the trial. I found this version to be at a fairly low and acceptable price. I was shocked to see how much Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and even the 2008 versions were.
I realize that winmo 6.5 and below is a dying system and I may not be able to bring programs I develop or create to the new wp7 phones.
I actually had one program in particular I was thinking of creating someday. If you are curious as to the details of that program check out Brickfish.com and if you are not, that’s fine too, I won’t be offended.
The link is:
http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/Blogs/BlogView.aspx?bid=41245&scid=538
It’s nothing genius or too creative but I still think it would be a nice and useful program to have.
Ok gotta go, sorry this comment was so long and thanks again for everything.
@Josh: You are always welcome to ask any amount of questions. I have utmost respect for people who explore new things that they haven’t had formal education for.
About VS Standard edition, I’m not sure if that would be enough because I think I had VS pro but it has been quite a long time since I last made a WM program so can’t be sure. Will check it out and let you know. For WP7, you might need 2008 or 2010 versions. Will check out the site as well..
Best of luck for your ventures.