Aquarium As Desktop Wallpaper (Not a request a possible solution)

MrPotatoPlant · 11-08-2001, 03:55 PM

I know that a lot of people (myself included) would love to see the aquarium become their desktop wallpaper.

As of yet no solution has been found however I stumbled across a winamp plugin called Milkdrop by that genius Ryan Geiss.

This plugin allows the visualization to work in fullscreen, windowed or desktop mode.

Desktop mode does exactly what it says on the tin, runs the visualization where that wallpaper was!!!!

Then I ended up at http://www.geisswerks.com, and there for download is a prog called 'Drempels' which is a psychedelic desktop enhancer. I suggest anybody with a 'beefyish' PC give it a try, I am now!

Go try it, and Jim, perhaps you could have a word with Ryan as to how this technique of 'overlaying' might one day be integrated into Aquarium.

From a technical point of view it should be feasible, its only implementing DX7 features........

Here's hoping.

almark · 11-08-2001, 05:42 PM

can you tell us how to set this up?

Jim Sachs · 11-08-2001, 05:58 PM

I've heard a lot of good things about Drempels, but I've never been able to get it to run.

almark · 11-08-2001, 06:15 PM

Jim, I was able to get it to run on XP, trippy effects, latest version seems stable enough.

I couldn't see what winamp amd the milk plug in had to do with your scr?

Jim Sachs · 11-08-2001, 07:28 PM

Huh?

MrPotatoPlant · 11-09-2001, 03:56 AM

To get the milkdrop plug-in to run as your desktop, run winamp, bring up the preferences screen, pick milk drop as your visualisation, then hit the configure button and in the configuration dialog, pick 'Desktop Mode (Using Overlays)' as the render mode.

Almark : What both Drempels and the Milkdrop plugin have in common, is that they both use an effect which Aquarium could potentially utilise to become a desktop wallpaper replacement.

Incidently, I have heard of Drempels stuffin system performance. I noticed this last night on WinXP as it runs by default with a normal priority. If you use task manager to drop its priority to BelowNormal or Low, (like SETI or Cancer Cure Proggy do by default), then system speed is not compromised.

Regards.

almark · 11-10-2001, 04:35 AM

i misunderstood, i thought you had got the fish.scr to work as a anmiated desktop using this approach. What you are saying is that there is potential for it to work this way.

hpman77 · 11-10-2001, 07:56 AM

I used to have drempels on my desktop... until I found DreamRender.

It looks great, has a bunch of settings to play with... not freeware, though, but worth to see it. Some of the effects reacts to music, some just mesmerize yourself

Maybe Jim could think about it, and find a way to do it for the saver. It uses direct3d and mask color to show it on the desktop.

Let me know what do you think

http://www.dreamrender.com

MrPotatoPlant · 11-10-2001, 03:43 PM

If you want to take a look at this link Jim,

http://therabbithole.redback.inficad...verlayanimate/

I believe it is an example of using directx to perform hardware overlays which is exactly the technique used by drempels, milk drop and a large number of video capture progams to display straight over the desktop without affecting other windows.

Like hpman77 said, the basic technique is to define a directdraw drawing surface designated as an overlay surface to fit the entire screen. The surface is then assigned some arbitrary colour (usually something which is not used by any other window), placed bottom of the windows z order, then the rendering is done into this surface. DirectX then only places the rendered stuff where the surface is not obscured by other windows. I havnt had chance to check this code sample out to much, mainly as im still downloading the directx sdk, but it doesnt look too hard to follow, especially if like Jim you know DirectX inside out !!!

Anyway that's the end of my 3 pence worth.

Louis · 11-11-2001, 08:24 AM

Why people don't ask microsoft's engineer DIRECTLY ??

Jim Sachs · 11-11-2001, 12:59 PM

"especially if like Jim you know DirectX inside out "

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

MrPotatoPlant · 11-11-2001, 04:28 PM

Hmmmmmmm, me thinks Louis has neer dealt with MS engineers.

MS like to give you a sniff off the bigger picture, but are a bit cryptic about it. I know when I was coding in C++ at my last job, we had a subscription to MSDN which was supposed to divulge all the cool stuff which isn't included in C++ help files. Well they did divulge a lot, but it seemed to be a bit cryptic.

I ain't saying they do it deliberately, documentation is one of the hardest things to do.

Jim, you do yourself a dis-service, I wish I had even the faintest idea of how to go about creating something like the Aquarium.

I guess 15 years of database programming has taken its toll

11-08-2001, 03:55 PM	#1
MrPotatoPlant Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 4	Aquarium As Desktop Wallpaper (Not a request a possible solution) I know that a lot of people (myself included) would love to see the aquarium become their desktop wallpaper. As of yet no solution has been found however I stumbled across a winamp plugin called Milkdrop by that genius Ryan Geiss. This plugin allows the visualization to work in fullscreen, windowed or desktop mode. Desktop mode does exactly what it says on the tin, runs the visualization where that wallpaper was!!!! Then I ended up at http://www.geisswerks.com, and there for download is a prog called 'Drempels' which is a psychedelic desktop enhancer. I suggest anybody with a 'beefyish' PC give it a try, I am now! Go try it, and Jim, perhaps you could have a word with Ryan as to how this technique of 'overlaying' might one day be integrated into Aquarium. From a technical point of view it should be feasible, its only implementing DX7 features........ Here's hoping.

11-08-2001, 05:42 PM	#2
almark Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Belfast, Ireland Posts: 37	can you tell us how to set this up? best regards, A l m a r k

11-08-2001, 05:58 PM	#3
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	I've heard a lot of good things about Drempels, but I've never been able to get it to run. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-08-2001, 06:15 PM	#4
almark Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Belfast, Ireland Posts: 37	Jim, I was able to get it to run on XP, trippy effects, latest version seems stable enough. I couldn't see what winamp amd the milk plug in had to do with your scr? best regards, A l m a r k

11-08-2001, 07:28 PM	#5
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	Huh? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-09-2001, 03:56 AM	#6
MrPotatoPlant Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 4	To get the milkdrop plug-in to run as your desktop, run winamp, bring up the preferences screen, pick milk drop as your visualisation, then hit the configure button and in the configuration dialog, pick 'Desktop Mode (Using Overlays)' as the render mode. Almark : What both Drempels and the Milkdrop plugin have in common, is that they both use an effect which Aquarium could potentially utilise to become a desktop wallpaper replacement. Incidently, I have heard of Drempels stuffin system performance. I noticed this last night on WinXP as it runs by default with a normal priority. If you use task manager to drop its priority to BelowNormal or Low, (like SETI or Cancer Cure Proggy do by default), then system speed is not compromised. Regards.

11-10-2001, 04:35 AM	#7
almark Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Belfast, Ireland Posts: 37	sorry i misunderstood, i thought you had got the fish.scr to work as a anmiated desktop using this approach. What you are saying is that there is potential for it to work this way. best regards, A l m a r k

11-10-2001, 07:56 AM	#8
hpman77 Blue Angel Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Santander (Spain) Posts: 285	I used to have drempels on my desktop... until I found DreamRender. It looks great, has a bunch of settings to play with... not freeware, though, but worth to see it. Some of the effects reacts to music, some just mesmerize yourself Maybe Jim could think about it, and find a way to do it for the saver. It uses direct3d and mask color to show it on the desktop. Let me know what do you think http://www.dreamrender.com .:: AMD Athlon XP 1700+ :: 512MB SDRAM :: Windows XP SP1 :: shappire ATI radeon 9600 PRO :: Soundblaster Live Player 5.1 :: Directx 9.0 :: (Always latest drivers for everything) ::.

11-10-2001, 03:43 PM	#9
MrPotatoPlant Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 4	If you want to take a look at this link Jim, http://therabbithole.redback.inficad...verlayanimate/ I believe it is an example of using directx to perform hardware overlays which is exactly the technique used by drempels, milk drop and a large number of video capture progams to display straight over the desktop without affecting other windows. Like hpman77 said, the basic technique is to define a directdraw drawing surface designated as an overlay surface to fit the entire screen. The surface is then assigned some arbitrary colour (usually something which is not used by any other window), placed bottom of the windows z order, then the rendering is done into this surface. DirectX then only places the rendered stuff where the surface is not obscured by other windows. I havnt had chance to check this code sample out to much, mainly as im still downloading the directx sdk, but it doesnt look too hard to follow, especially if like Jim you know DirectX inside out !!! Anyway that's the end of my 3 pence worth.

11-11-2001, 08:24 AM	#10
Louis Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 35	re: use directx 3d on desktop?? Why people don't ask microsoft's engineer DIRECTLY ??

11-11-2001, 12:59 PM	#11
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	"especially if like Jim you know DirectX inside out " Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-11-2001, 04:28 PM	#12
MrPotatoPlant Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 4	Hmmmmmmm, me thinks Louis has neer dealt with MS engineers. MS like to give you a sniff off the bigger picture, but are a bit cryptic about it. I know when I was coding in C++ at my last job, we had a subscription to MSDN which was supposed to divulge all the cool stuff which isn't included in C++ help files. Well they did divulge a lot, but it seemed to be a bit cryptic. I ain't saying they do it deliberately, documentation is one of the hardest things to do. Jim, you do yourself a dis-service, I wish I had even the faintest idea of how to go about creating something like the Aquarium. I guess 15 years of database programming has taken its toll