DesktopX is a powerful object framework for Windows. It allows users to create completely customised user environments. It allows that environment to be broken up into individual parts that are called DesktopX objects that can be exchanged with other DesktopX users. As a result, virtually anything that doesn't require user input can be created quickly and easily.

Creating a DesktopX theme or DesktopX object does not necessarily require any programming skill. DesktopX themes are resolution independent and are created via a simple GUI. DesktopX is part of Object Desktop, it is the component that gives users and corporations the power to decide their own interface to Windows in order to suit their needs and increase their productivity.

DesktopX objects can be simple static icons or complicated animations with equally complex alpha-transparency. Objects can be overlaid providing huge potential for creativity.

As DesktopX develops it is intended that the elements on your desktop will be able to receive as well as send messages to other objects, other programs, and other components of the operating system.

Its goal is to make it possible for users to create very customised desktop user interfaces. DesktopX is part of Object Desktop whose overall goal is make the OS flexible enough to be tailored to the user’s particular needs. Windows, by default, is a fairly one-size fits all proposition. In reality, to maximise productivity the desktop shell should be designed to meet the rather specific needs of a given company or individual.

The net result is that companies and individuals will be able to create desktop “themes” that transform the Windows desktop to their exact needs. These themes are made up of DesktopX objects which can range from being simple pictures to being light weight applications in their own right. These objects can easily be traded back and forth (the same with themes) with other users with minimal effort.

For instance, an individual’s DesktopX theme might be something similar to a Litestep theme in which their favourite programs and commonly used tasks are placed in a sci-fi or fantasy setting. Each object could animate itself when the mouse is over it, it could play sound depending on the event, etc. But because it’s broken into parts, a DesktopX theme, unlike Litestep, is resolution independent. Which means that there is no such thing as a “this theme is a 800x600 theme”.

A corporation might use DesktopX to monitor factory resources and keep a department team in easy communication as well as lower training costs by having their desktop display only the items necessary for their efforts. One DesktopX object might be displaying the temperature on a blast furnace and if the reading becomes abnormal, it my vocalize “Blast furnace temperature alert!” An object containing the list of team members and their status might be up in the top right. By clicking on a member name, it might interact with ICQ or some other instant messaging program to let the user send them a message. Meanwhile, the network drive object might have a small pie chart on it displaying how much drive space is currently available on it.

In both examples, all of the things are possible by writing programs. But the point of DesktopX is that these tasks are infinitely simpler to do as DesktopX objects. Instead a day or two writing up a nice looking drive space monitoring program, it could be done in a manner of minutes as a DesktopX object.

Creating a DesktopX object need not involve any programming at all. On the other hand, using XML or Windows Scripting Host, objects can be created, sent messages, to, and interacted with by seasoned developers.

Thus in both examples, the user has been able to create their own desktop. No longer do they have to work around having a “My computer object” on the top left and a Start bar on the bottom or elsewhere no the screen to get their work done.

For a comprehensive description of Desktop read the DesktopX White Paper. For a tutorial on creating DesktopX objects, read the tutorial.

2 Installing DesktopX

DesktopX is currently available as a component of the Object Desktop Network (ODNT). This ever growing suite of programmes is designed to enhance your productivity by adding flexibility to the way Windows behaves, and provide cosmetic improvements to your working environment making sitting in front of a screen a more pleasurable experience.

If you have not already subscribed to ODNT you can do so by visiting the appropriate ODNT Ordering section of the Stardock website.

ODNT should download DesktopX like any other component using Component Manager. It can then be installed and will appear in your Object Desktop group. If you do not have Object Desktop, you can download DesktopX on its own at http://www.desktopx.net.

3 Running DesktopX

The DesktopX executable is found in the DesktopX subdirectory of your Object Desktop directory (typically c:\program files\object desktop\desktopx). A shortcut to DesktopX will be in your Object Desktop program group from your Start Menu.

Ctrl	Hold down the Ctrl key when selecting a COM object to move or to reach its DesktopX properties menu.
Shift	Hold down the Shift key to move an object that has been grouped with other objects.
Ctrl	Hold down the Ctrl key to move an object whose position has been locked
Ctrl-Shift	Hold down both keys to move a locked object that is also grouped.

Important keyboard commands

4 Configuring DesktopX

Configuring DesktopX is broken into 4 parts: Current Theme, Theme Settings, DesktopX settings, and About.

4.1 Current Theme

The Current Theme page allows you to decide what your current desktop should be. From here, you load up new themes, save your existing themes, or start with a new theme. It also allows you to create and import objects.

4.2 Theme Settings

From theme settings, you can configure your desktop, the wallpaper, and how labels will be displayed.

4.2.1 Wallpaper

You don’t have to set any parameter but you can specify either a bitmap or a solid colour for your desktop. If you choose a bitmap you can also specify whether it should be centred, tiled or resized to fit the screen resolution.

Be aware that if your Display Settings have a wallpaper set then this will be revealed if you deselect wallpaper in DesktopX. To reveal a solid colour set in DesktopX then you need to set your wallpaper to ‘None’ in your Display Settings.

Choosing a solid colour lets you select a background colour from a standard Colour Picker dialogue.

4.2.2 Desktop

Here you can specify the desktop area used by applications. This can be useful for defining reserved areas for objects. Maximised objects will never encroach into these areas though you should be aware that non-maximised windows can be dragged over these areas.

For Top and left parameters the number is the distance in pixels from the edge. For Right and Bottom parameters positive values specify an absolute distance from the Top or Left side. Negative values specify distances from that edge.

For example: Top 50, Left 0, Bottom –50, Right 50 will set a working area with a 50 pixel margin from the top and 50 pixel margin from the bottom. This will be resolution independent because the Right and Bottom parameters are relative to that screen edge.

You can also check a box to hide desktop icons.

4.3 DesktopX Settings

The settings that you amend here are the default settings for DesktopX rather than a Theme. A Theme can over-ride the defaults you enter here but where the theme author has left the property as ‘Default’ it is your settings here that will be used.

4.3.1 Defaults

Movement Mode: You can lock objects so that a user is required to hold down the CTRL key in order to move the object. This helps reduce accidental movement. This mode is known as ‘Locked’ mode. In ‘Normal’ mode a user can move an object simply by dragging the mouse.

Movement threshold (snap): To avoid moving objects accidentally you can set the number of pixels an object must be dragged before it is considered to be moving. You will notice the object does not start to move unless you move your mouse the specified number of pixels. If you release the mouse before the object starts to move, the object will not be moved.

Keyboard step: To fine tune movement you can use the cursor keys to move the object. Holding down the CTRL key as well as the cursor key moves the object in larger steps. These two parameters (‘small’ and ‘large’) define the number of pixels an object moves in each case.

Start command on: This defines whether a user needs to click once or twice on the object to execute it’s commands.

4.3.2 Advanced

Advanced is where you can fine tune how DesktopX runs. Do you want DesktopX to load on start-up? Do you want to have tooltips? Most of this is very straight forward but a couple items bear additional explanation:

Always use W2k/XP transparency. DesktopX has its own alpha blending engine. It’s faster than the one included with Windows 2000 and Windows XP but there are cases where the built in alpha blending engine can be better depending on what video card you have and how much hardware acceleration it provides for alpha blending.

Bitmap Compression. This feature will save RAM at the expense of some performance.

4.3.3 Security

For IT managers who want to set up some basic security, this page can determine what a user can do without having the system password.

5 Using Themes & Objects

DesktopX deals with its components in two ways: Themes and Objects. A theme is really nothing more than a collection of objects. It is a desktop. An object is a piece of a desktop or “desktop part”. Most users will find it easier to simply download objects from a website such as WinCustomize.com and add it to their existing desktop.

Themes have an extension of .dxtheme. DesktopX objects are called .dxpack (packages of objects).

5.1 Ethics

It is considered common courtesy to acknowledge the authors of source graphics or objects that you use if you do not create yourself. This is the minimum. Ideally you should their consent to use their work graphics. Consent will typically be granted, as this is one of the fundamental aims of the software. There may however, be copyright or other issues which forbid use that you need to be aware of. You can usually obtain the authors email address from the ‘Object Summary’ or ‘Theme information’. If this is not the case then you will almost certainly get this information from the site where you downloaded the component. E.g. www.desktopx.net.

Remember that the DesktopX community is a nice place. Nobody will think any less of you if you use work from someone else as long as you give them appropriate credit. In fact, sharing is actively encouraged. Two different people can create very different themes from a similar set of components. Variety is the spice of life. Play nice.

6 Making Components

Making components is not particularly difficult. Simple objects are just that, fairly simple to create. As you become more familiar with DesktopX the objects that you create will get more complex.

6.1 Creating a Theme

You don’t have to start a Theme from scratch. In fact, the best way to learn is to look at existing Themes and their objects, ‘tweak’ their settings and see what you can do.

Eventually, of course you will want to create a theme from scratch, which fortunately is very easy to do. From the DesktopX configuration dialogue box, select ‘Current Theme’ and click the “New” button.

This will present you will present you with the dialogue box which you see on the left. You see all the key components of a Theme. When you click ‘OK’ all checked components will be cleared.

If you leave all items checked and click ‘OK’ you will have a blank Theme to work from. We will now work through these five key areas. We’ll leave ‘Objects’ until last. Although it’s the most important section, we’ll get the easy ones out of the way first.

6.2 Comments

There is a section called ‘Theme Information’ which allows you to summarise the Theme and provide information about yourself as the author. In relation to the ethics issue mentioned above it is useful if you can advise here if you are happy for anyone to develop and modify your Theme. At a minimum you should provide an email address for contact.