8 replies to this topic

[apoisonedgift]

Just getting into setting up my BB layouts and so on for the first time ever and I have a handful of questions Would love any assistance you guys can give.

 

Firstly - Is there any way to have a program over-write the workspaces so that it appears in all of them? I have a dock and would love for it to be 'on top' of all three workspaces if at all possible.

 

Secondly - Is there any way to run two instances of a plugin correctly? I want to run two of SystemBarEx, but everytime I do it seems to feed into one settings file only.

 

Thirdly - Anyone know why it might be that my desktop background is getting all pixellated? I run four monitors, and as such, I have a single large image that spans over them all. It is spanning correctly, but for some reason getting pixelated. The image works fine in windows.

 

Finally - Skype seems to lose the ability for me to focus on it if I have it set to launch on startup. I've disabled the skinning on the application, so it's not that. If I alt+ctrl+del skype and start it over it's fine, but until I do that I can't click on anything. Any ideas?

 

I'm sure there will be more questions But for now I think I'm set. Absolutely loving this though.

[pitkon]

I think I can help you with one or two of those.

1) It's up to the programs, not BB. Since most of the apps were created at a time when different desktops were really exotic, their developers never thought of adding such an option - with a few exceptions. But you can always replace the dock with a bbinterface wharf that would appear on all workspaces. And, what's more, add more options on it.

2) This is tricky. Usually you can do it if you copy systembarex to another folder and rename it systembarex2 or something.

3) Are you using bsetroot's -vdesk option to span the wallpaper over monitors?

4) Open extensions.rc with a text editor and add the line blackbox.startup.run <path to skype.exe> This may solve the issue.

[crowmag]

Firstly - Is there any way to have a program over-write the workspaces so that it appears in all of them? I have a dock and would love for it to be 'on top' of all three workspaces if at all possible.

If I am understanding correctly, ou can make the dock sticky (on all WS)... From the bbLean 1.17.1 docs:

Sticky Windows

List each application to be common among all workspaces on a separate line in 'StickyWindows.ini' (located in the blackbox.exe's folder), save the changes, and 'reconfigure.'

Click 'Show Appnames' from 'Configuration->Misc.' to get a list of the currently running tasks and their internal names.

Another instance where WinTyler would foot the bill nicely too if it would work under bbZero. From the WinTyler readme:
a window placement manager.

Features:
---------

  * Manual placement: Saves and restores window position, size and workspace
  data (currently done manually via broam).
 
  * 'Column placement': Divides the screen into columns, and adds new window
into columns.

  * Launch new windows in Maximized, Minimized, and Sticky states

[apoisonedgift]

I think I can help you with one or two of those.

1) It's up to the programs, not BB. Since most of the apps were created at a time when different desktops were really exotic, their developers never thought of adding such an option - with a few exceptions. But you can always replace the dock with a bbinterface wharf that would appear on all workspaces. And, what's more, add more options on it.

2) This is tricky. Usually you can do it if you copy systembarex to another folder and rename it systembarex2 or something.

3) Are you using bsetroot's -vdesk option to span the wallpaper over monitors?

4) Open extensions.rc with a text editor and add the line blackbox.startup.run <path to skype.exe> This may solve the issue.

 

Thanks 1, 3 and 4 are all resolved thanks to the responses in this thread (Crowmag's tip on sticky windows worked a treat on the dock). I haven't gotten around to messing with multiple systembarex's yet. I only want it for an active tasks menu so might look into using bbinterface or something. Either way, thanks again

 

 

If I am understanding correctly, ou can make the dock sticky (on all WS)... From the bbLean 1.17.1 docs:

 

Another instance where WinTyler would foot the bill nicely too if it would work under bbZero. From the WinTyler readme: a window placement manager.

 

Sticky windows worked a treat Bravo!

[apoisonedgift]

So after a little while of using BB, got one or two more questions... ACtually only one that I can think of at the moment lol...

 

http://prntscr.com/53w1hy

 

For some reason, only when running BB (ie. not under windows) my menus do this (the arrows that hide some of the menu items) on certain applications (two most notable is the Systray replacement in bbinterface_itunes and Skype, but it's a bit all over the place. Some applications it happens, some it doesn't. I've turned off the skin entirely, as well as isolated programs from skinning, etc. That doesn't alter it. Is there a way to fix it? It's super irritating and slows down a LOT of simple processes

[crowmag]

I am not sure that this applies to your problem or not or if it will fix it - I'm still on XP and my menus don't look like that. On XP at least, these settings used to do something on older versions of bbLeanSkin (and I think they still work). You won't see them in the configuration menu, so you'll have to open bbLeanSkin.rc in a plain text editor (like Notepad). Scroll to the bottom of the file and you will see a section like this:  

# ----------------------------------------------- # - Windows Appearance (uncomment to apply) bbleanskin.windows.menu.Height: 24 bbleanskin.windows.menu.Font: Verdana bbleanskin.windows.menu.FontHeight: 11 bbleanskin.windows.ScrollbarSize: 16 bbleanskin.windows.setTooltipColor: false

 

I think this may only work with Windows Classic Theme, though I am not sure  (I use the Classic Theme). Uncomment the lines that you think are applicable and change the values - save the changes and do a "Blackbox --> Reconfigure" (in the main menu). If that doesn't change anything, try a "Blackbox --> Restart". If those settings don't do anything or change things for the worse, re-comment the lines and save the file and reconfigure/restart.

 

[apoisonedgift]

I am not sure that this applies to your problem or not or if it will fix it - I'm still on XP and my menus don't look like that. On XP at least, these settings used to do something on older versions of bbLeanSkin (and I think they still work). You won't see them in the configuration menu, so you'll have to open bbLeanSkin.rc in a plain text editor (like Notepad). Scroll to the bottom of the file and you will see a section like this:  

 

I think this may only work with Windows Classic Theme, though I am not sure  (I use the Classic Theme). Uncomment the lines that you think are applicable and change the values - save the changes and do a "Blackbox --> Reconfigure" (in the main menu). If that doesn't change anything, try a "Blackbox --> Restart". If those settings don't do anything or change things for the worse, re-comment the lines and save the file and reconfigure/restart.

 

Nah no luck I'm afraid. I had a look through other options in the leanskin file... none of that seems to fix it either =/ It's there regardless of whether leanskin is loaded or not though so that was probably to be expected. At a bit of a loss... It's my only current remaining issue with BB so hopefully someone will have a solution for me at some point

[apoisonedgift]

Just discovered another issue... it appears that if I play a game in fullscrene, when I exit the game the background wallpaper turns black. Weird one =/

[apoisonedgift]

Fixed the fullscreen game issue... so that's no worries anymore. Still looking for a solution to the menu items being hidden.

 

Also - another question that I assume no one will be able to help me with as I don't think it's at all an issue on BB's side, but maybe there is some fancy workaround someone worked out for something similar...

 

Basically I have a headset I use - Plantronics Gamecom 780. It has volume buttons on the headset. The buttons don't work under BB but work fine with Explorer. I can control the volume of the headset via the volume manager - but if at all possible I would love to use the buttons. Anyone got any ideas?

 

Oh also - the other buttons on the headset work perfectly lol.