Explorer Replacement
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Explorer Replacement
Yeah, I know, there's a lot of them and ReactOS will use explorer's clone as default, but what do you think about making new desktop and shell?
Some more informations about that, what I want to make:
* Separated desktop and task bar (two independent executive files)
* One file, to launch the environment.
* Not only desktop and task bar, but more software.
* All fully configurable
* All settings stored in registry
* Special software to configure all environment (not 1 thing, but all)
* All would be made in C/C++ and compiled using Mingw
* Splitted into 2 parts: LIBS and BASE
* Libraries would have some I/O Functions not implemented in OS, but needed to run software.
* Bin Package would constains all software and maybe scripts.
* About desktop:
- Shows icons as standard explorer's desktop
- Transparent background under icons text
- Right mouse key shows menu (like in explorer)
- Changable desktop background color
- You can use background image
- You can fade in or fade out background image
- You can blend desktop image
- Some blending schemas (like: Vertical, Horizontal, Flat, Contrast, ...)
- Changable blending balance
- You can display movie on desktop (animated desktop)
- maybe more?
* About task bar:
- Flat task bar
- Flat buttons (images as buttons - like in KDE)
- Have tray (with hiding inactive icons)
- Have clock (with optional date showing)
- Shows launched software
- Quick launch menu
- Changable icon size in quick launch (if task bar is bigger, then icons are bigger too).
- Square Start Menu button
- Start menu without drag and drop option
- Special software for customizing menu
- Few styles of menu (like classic menu start and start panel, but more)
- maybe more?
- Slider button for hiding task bar as option
* About customizing software:
- named Control Center
- you can configure all environment from it
- you can configure all system from it (it would have control panel applets clones)
* More software:
- something like Welcome in Windows or KTip in KDE (software with usual tips)
- help center
- new search (files) option
- control center
- some more?
If you have any other ideas please write.
And please don't forget to write yours opinion about this idea
Yours faithfully
Rafal Kupiec
Some more informations about that, what I want to make:
* Separated desktop and task bar (two independent executive files)
* One file, to launch the environment.
* Not only desktop and task bar, but more software.
* All fully configurable
* All settings stored in registry
* Special software to configure all environment (not 1 thing, but all)
* All would be made in C/C++ and compiled using Mingw
* Splitted into 2 parts: LIBS and BASE
* Libraries would have some I/O Functions not implemented in OS, but needed to run software.
* Bin Package would constains all software and maybe scripts.
* About desktop:
- Shows icons as standard explorer's desktop
- Transparent background under icons text
- Right mouse key shows menu (like in explorer)
- Changable desktop background color
- You can use background image
- You can fade in or fade out background image
- You can blend desktop image
- Some blending schemas (like: Vertical, Horizontal, Flat, Contrast, ...)
- Changable blending balance
- You can display movie on desktop (animated desktop)
- maybe more?
* About task bar:
- Flat task bar
- Flat buttons (images as buttons - like in KDE)
- Have tray (with hiding inactive icons)
- Have clock (with optional date showing)
- Shows launched software
- Quick launch menu
- Changable icon size in quick launch (if task bar is bigger, then icons are bigger too).
- Square Start Menu button
- Start menu without drag and drop option
- Special software for customizing menu
- Few styles of menu (like classic menu start and start panel, but more)
- maybe more?
- Slider button for hiding task bar as option
* About customizing software:
- named Control Center
- you can configure all environment from it
- you can configure all system from it (it would have control panel applets clones)
* More software:
- something like Welcome in Windows or KTip in KDE (software with usual tips)
- help center
- new search (files) option
- control center
- some more?
If you have any other ideas please write.
And please don't forget to write yours opinion about this idea
Yours faithfully
Rafal Kupiec
Registry vs. configuration files
What is really bad about the registry and why is configuration files better?kamulos wrote:the registry is really bad... i would recommend to use it as little as possible... configuration files would be better imho
Re: Explorer Replacement
Why? I love this feature.mily wrote:- Start menu without drag and drop option
Config files have a big advantage: They make it easy to "install" programs using copy'n'paste. And they make it easier to re-install Windows/ReactOS without losing program settings. Also with the registry it's not possible to use the same program settings in multiple Windows/ReactOS installations.chorns wrote:What is really bad about the registry and why is configuration files better?
BTW, in the meantime even Microsoft suggests using config files.
is the lean-explorer.exe somewhere to download?
#reactos - nothin2g
Get your shit at http://www.wakka.de
Get your shit at http://www.wakka.de
It is available from the SVN server.stefan wrote:is the lean-explorer.exe somewhere to download?
SVN-WebView: http://svn.reactos.org/viewcvs/branches/lean-explorer/
btw. I moved the thread to the design sub-forum!
Ok Its Time to State What I have been looking at doing.
Planing is a key goal.
My plan did not invole spliting the explorer as much.
C code core. Most likely remove C++ from Explorer at least until Mingw C++ gets fixed.
Explorer be at least two parts.
Main Explorer and Explorer.dll.
Complete Override Dll linking. Functions in Explorer.dll can be overriden by the Theme.dll. This also a reason to be a C core all C++ have different managling.
List of functions that have to be in the dll. Have not completed list.
Since Explorer.exe is only a boot file the complete desktop can be rebuilt.
I guess their will be a Reactos Theme ie explorer.dll a Win3.11 theme A Win9x Theme and a Windows XP theme.
One registry entry that just alters the dll link.
When you think about all MS Windows shells they have common parts that can be shared even that they look different.
Planing is a key goal.
My plan did not invole spliting the explorer as much.
C code core. Most likely remove C++ from Explorer at least until Mingw C++ gets fixed.
Explorer be at least two parts.
Main Explorer and Explorer.dll.
Complete Override Dll linking. Functions in Explorer.dll can be overriden by the Theme.dll. This also a reason to be a C core all C++ have different managling.
List of functions that have to be in the dll. Have not completed list.
Since Explorer.exe is only a boot file the complete desktop can be rebuilt.
I guess their will be a Reactos Theme ie explorer.dll a Win3.11 theme A Win9x Theme and a Windows XP theme.
One registry entry that just alters the dll link.
When you think about all MS Windows shells they have common parts that can be shared even that they look different.
Don't wanna be boring, but the simplest way is just adopting SharpE.
In this way you have an already functional and efficient shell, and is released under LGPL so you can add or modify anything you want.
They already have a developer team, so you can also ask them what you need.
From my point of view this could benefit both projects.
Anyway, it's just my opinion.
In this way you have an already functional and efficient shell, and is released under LGPL so you can add or modify anything you want.
They already have a developer team, so you can also ask them what you need.
From my point of view this could benefit both projects.
Anyway, it's just my opinion.
»Forward Agency NPO
In progress we (always) trust.
In progress we (always) trust.
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