If you would like to unsubscribe from LSWeekly at any time, simply "Reply" to this message with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line, your e-mail address in the body, and I will remove you from the list. Stop by http://chunkymunky.com/lsweekly for past issues and other LSWeekly specific related news. Got some news? Wanna see it in LSWeekly? Well, shoot me a mail at demigod@meganet.net with the subject LSWeekly-News and I'll post it in the letter. Got a complaint? Got a compliment? Got an idea? I'm open to all rants and raves. Send me a mail at demigod@meganet.net, any subject, and tell me what you think. LSWEEKLY LiteStep Related News 04.09.99 - 10.09.99 ---------------------------------------------------- Recently on the mailing list and with some private chats, a new trend seems to be popping up, making sites that already exist. Now, I can understand that some people have the same ideas but wish to have there own site. What I can't understand is the people who have sites similar to these new ones throwing a fit that they will be built. We have already seen that trying to consolidate LS sites will not work so why even bitch about it? You have the freedom to do what you want without someone else complaining that it wasn't exactly the vision they had. If a site is being talked about or actively being build and it is close to a site like yours, don't fly off the handle and rip out the webmaster, try sending them a DECENT e-mail about maybe enlisting them on your site. We have already seen what this bickering can do, lets not start losing prominent webmasters over the same bull. - demigod --------------------------- TOP NEWS STORIES --------------------------- - New LS Website Idea (10:18pm 04.09) Dice shot me an e-mail about the letter he sent to the mailing list about a new all in one helpful site. He has expressed ideas about a chat room, up-to-date FAQ, links to other help sites and #ls_help, and other great ideas. He writes... "Would you please let it be known that I am looking for expert help for both content, and backup for my site. They can contact me, and I will fill them in on what I need. Gods knows I am no expert on Litestep! :D" Shoot him over an e-mail if your interested in helping him. It sounds like a great idea and would be a plus for the ls community. e-mail - mdysert@netins.net (source: Dice) +---------------+ - Shortcut Group Maker (8:28pm 08.09) flip has created a Perl script and an accompanying tutorial to help you create shortcut groups. This script makes use of the programs Buttonz & Tilez and MPXRen to guide you through every step of the process. url - http://chunkymunky.com/hosted/modulo/shortdesk/scm.html (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - FAQ in HTML Version "The FAQ is finally up in HTML version...throwing caution to the wind (ok, I waited till I had free time, sue me :) ). "It's NOT the final version, and I am currently adding stuff from the mailing list I've been avoiding (I have over 500 messages to go through of stuff I thought was addable). So if you get a load error, its either me uploading a page, or just LS.com being finicky - try again. "If anyone has anything they HAVE to see in there, send it to me - I'll put it in ASAP." url - http://necro.litestep.com/faq/index.html e-mail - necro@eden.rutgers.edu (source: LS Mailing List ~ FAQ - HTML VERSION) --------------------------- MODULES --------------------------- - LSXCommand 1.7.7 ~ Visigoth (9:24pm 04.09) "There are some really cool new features that can produce some nifty results. For instance, you can do something like create a shortcut that pops up LSXCommand just next to it, and automatically puts "mailto:" in LSXCommand for you. All you have to do to send an e-mail is type in the e-mail address and hit enter (as long as your e-mail client is MAPI compliant)... you don't have to go through Netscape just to get to write an e-mail." url - http://visigoth.litestep.com e-mail - gandhimail@worldnet.att.net (source: LS Mailing List ~ lsxcommand 1.7.7) +---------------+ - TrayTasks 1.7 ~ Sergey Trofimov (5:50pm 05.09) * Right click in separating area shows !Popup menu. * Improved system menu handling. * Improved icons counting stability in modes with separating. * Fixed bug with crashes on recycles in Win98. BUT TrayTasks must be loaded BEFORE module providing system tray (usually systray.dll). * Added AutoMinimize feature - minimizing foreground apps by single click (as in Explorer with ActiveDesktop installed). It can be set off by 'TrayTaskNoAutoMinimize' command. * Added minimized apps bar hiding feature (disabled by default). It can be set on by 'TrayTasksHideMinAppBar' command. * Minor bug fixes. url - http://www.tv4studios.com/st/litestep/modules.html e-mail - s.trofimov@iname.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ TrayTasks 1.7 - new version) +---------------+ - psyWavBang 1.0 ~ Psyci Tariani (9:56pm 06.09) "Psyci Tariani has released psyWavBang 1.0. This is a simple module that will create a bang command to play a wave file." url - http://people.ne.mediaone.net/psyci/ai e-mail - psyci@mediaone.net (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - Hotspots.dll 0.2 ~ Pavel Vitis (10:14am 07.09) "Pavel Vitis has released a new module called Hotspots.dll 0.1. This is a very cool module that will let you define "hotspots" on the screen. Then when your mouse passes over these spots for a configurable amount of time, a program or bang command will automatically be executed, and a sound can be played." %%UPDATE%% (5:30pm 08.09) * Fixed some ugly bugs * Fixed some minor bugs * Some internal optimizations + Coordinates can be negative values + Sizes can be zero - they are recalculated to maximum + Option to start hotspots disabled + Added params to hotspots + Added !HotspotsEnable + Added !HotspotsDisable + Added !HotspotUpdate url - http://www.tribase.cz/~vitis/files/litestep/ e-mail - pavel.vitis@seznam.cz (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - Chimes.dll 1.1 ~ Pavel Vitis (10:19am 07.09) Looked over at snooze and noticed that Pavel has been busy. Not only has he whipped up a new module, but he's posted an update to chimes.dll. From the readme: * Lower memory requirements * Minor bugfixes + Added 'Multiple chimes' feature (on request) url - http://www.tribase.cz/~vitis/files/litestep/ e-mail - pavel.vitis@seznam.cz (source: http://web.pitas.com/snooze/) +---------------+ - Systray 1.03 ~ Maduin (10:15pm 07.09) Maduin has released Systray 1.03. This release has two bug fixes: - bugfix: tooltips didn't work under NT when desktop.dll wasn't loaded - bugfix: hitting alt-F4 when systray had focus would close the systray window url - maduin.dasoft.org e-mail - maduin@dasoft.org (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - Popup r9.1 ~ (e) (5:12pm 08.09) Well, I opened my mail and lo and behold my favorite core replacement module is being worked on! Peter Edwards has taken re5ource's popups and made some nice additions. Additions: PopupUseDeskImage Paints the desktop as the popup background. (this overrides any bitmap painting) PopupUseBigImage Tiles a bitmap as specified by PopupBigImagePix as the popup background. This overrides PopupUseDeskImage PopupBigImagePix xxxxxxx.bmp The bitmap used for PopupUseBigImage Also: Dynamic folder loading now has a caching context. Dynamic folders are cached until notified that their contents have changed. Makes dynamic folders MUCH faster :-) %% UPDATE %% (2:12pm 10.09) (e) released a bug fix version to stop the linking problem under Win9x. url - http://users.iafrica.com/e/ez/eze/ e-mail - petere@microgaming.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ New Release of Re5ource's Popup) +---------------+ - LSWeather b1 ~ MrJukes (5:18pm 08.09) "MrJukes has returned to the world of Litestep coding and released a module called LSWeather B1. This wharf module will keep you up to date on the weather conditions in your area, and it is fully skinnable for all kinds of weather." url - chunkymunky.com/modulo/wharf e-mail - mrjukes@purdue.edu (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - Rainminder 0.2 ~ rainy (10:46pm 09.09) rainy has released Rainminder 0.2 Beta. Here are the changes: - Changed the message window to be opened as non-active, so that it won't popup over screensaver & games. - If there wouldn't be any text in the message window it is not displayed. - Added PlaySound([Filename]) and Execute([Filename]) Action Functions. - Doesn't have to be a wharf anymore. Can be loaded with LoadModule as well. - Added couple of Bang-commands: !EnableRainminder, !DisableRainminder, !ToggleRainminder and !ActivateRainminder. - Added RMTextLengthFactor step.rc-command. - Added ShowDuration([MinDuration], [TextFactor]) Action function. url - http://www.students.tut.fi/%7Erainy/products.html e-mail - rainy@iki.fi (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - Rainmation 0.1 ~ rainy (10:46pm 09.99) Although this module is about a month old, apparently it slipped through the cracks. "This module lets you put animations on the desktop. The animations are made from bitmap images, and you can configure the delay between frames." url - http://www.students.tut.fi/%7Erainy/products.html e-mail - rainy@iki.fi (source: chunkymunky.com/modulo) +---------------+ - LSMIDI 0.1 ~ Pigeon (2:22pm 10.09) Basically you can play your MIDI instruments via !Bang commands. A very first alpha version. Please do read the lsmidi.txt file for more information. url - http://pigeon.virtualave.net e-mail - pigeon.ls@iname.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ LSMIDI and my unfinished theme...) +---------------+ - LiteMAN 4.1 ~ (e) (2:23pm 10.09) This is another bugfix release by (e) to fix the linking problem in Win9x with the newer builds. url - http://users.iafrica.com/e/ez/eze/ e-mail - petere@microgaming.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ Popup R9.1 & LiteMAN b4.1) --------------------------- THEMES --------------------------- - nIxStep 1.11 ~ LenIx (8:30pm 05.09) "Newly updated to include the resolution changing guide, and a revised step.rc and modules.ini. Just tidier.. Thanks for everyone's support on this, my debut theme. nIxBlue has been updated as well. The new themes Sanctuary, Straylight and nIx2 are on their way... thanks everyone" url - customize.org e-mail - lenix@email.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ nIxStep & nIxBlue) +---------------+ - nIxBlue 1.01 ~ LenIx (8:30pm 05.09) "Further updates and changes to nIxBlue, new popups, revised rc and ini files, and the resolution help guide for people running lower than 1280x1024. Thanks for all your support everyone. Ta." url - customize.org e-mail - lenix@email.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ nIxStep & nIxBlue) +---------------+ - Delorean ~ Max (11:49am 06.09) "Finished the theme, packaged it as a zip, and put a screenshot of the completed theme up on my site. Feel free to browse, or download. I'll probably upload it to litestep.com also when I have a minute. "The concept of the theme is: What if aliens reverse-engineered products that were made by humans? The result is the Delorean UFO." url - http://www.channel1.com/users/cci/litestep/delorean.htm e-mail - cci@channel1.com (source: LS Mailing List ~ Delorean Theme completed) +---------------+ - Colony V2 Risk ~ Jesterace (1:35am 07.09) "This is the Update to Colony, Named it Risk cos i think its a risky theme, kinda blah, well anyways, I already said this stuff for colony" url - skinz.org e-mail - jarmak@nsis.com (Source: Yogib3ar) --------------------------- WEB SITES --------------------------- - Temp ls.net location (1:50am 08.09) "Temp litestep.net has moved to www.31337.net/litestep. Theme/SS uploads are disabled until the stuff is compiled at new location, sorry, read news for more info." url - www.31337.net/litestep (source: chunkymunky.com) --------------------------- PROGRAMS --------------------------- - TraySaver Beta 10 ~ Mike Lin (6:00pm 05.09) "TraySaver is an advanced system tray management utility for Windows 95/98/NT. It gives you a more compact & manageable taskbar by allowing you to hide system tray icons. Tray icons can be moved into a separate floating window, which can then be moved around or hidden as you please. In addition, TraySaver rescues tray icons lost after an Explorer crash, and enables any window to be minimized to the system tray." url - www.mlin.net e-mail - mlin@mlin.net (source: chunkymunky.com) +---------------+ - LSSplash 0.1 ~ GeekMaster (2:32pm 10.09) "I have written a module from an idea by Gargamale. Well, actually, its not a module, its a stand alone .exe because I thought that would be better than having this in the core stuff... The new module is called LSSplash. This module will let you have a splash screen by running lssplash.exe. It will simply display a specified bitmap for a certain amount of time, on top of all windows, or not on top. This could be used for a custom splash screen for your themes and desktops." url - floach.pimpin.net e-mail - lheddings@geocities.com (source: tinomen.chunkymunky.com) .................................... ---- Tips ---- - Only one this week because my brain isn't working too well. To get auto retracting shortcutgroups without external mods first get one of the latest builds. Next, in the shortcutgroup you want to auto retract you do something similar to this: *Shortcut "" 522 40 calc1.bmp calc2.bmp .none #3H !execute calc.exe !ToggleShortcutGroup 3 With the new !execute command, it will now auto retract after you execute the program. .................................... ----- Retro ----- - MakeLink 1.0 ~ Klas Axelsson (Jan 22, 1999) I found this little gem while looking for the b22 gfx pack. Whats nice about this program is that its still useful with LS now. Now i realize this isn't that old of a program, but I thought I'd start off with something useful instead of arcane like Mcfly. From the readme: "Introduction: This is a command line program that can be used to create shortcut (.lnk) files under windows." download - chunkymunky.com/lsweekly/retro/makelink.zip .................................... ------------- Latest Builds ------------- - Official - b24.5 build 090999 Changes - Merged in code by Ryan Dalzell for right-click context menu handling on taskbar buttons -(e) - Preview - b24.5 build 300899 Changes - all features of cvs-build 1999/08/30. - with bitmap-importfilter in lsapi.dll - key support for TAB, PAUSE and APPS key - popup-icons can be placed with POPUPTEXTOFFSET from edge - fixed cursormovement in popup. the submenus don't open automatically when moved with cursors. with mouse the will, but you need to press the left mousebutton, when using key before. - return/enter opens now the subfolders correctly - !HELP command for calling help for !bangcommands (very unstable and resource leeking) (ex: !HELP POPUP) .................................... ------------- Mailing Lists ------------- - LiteStep To subscribe, e-mail: litestep-subscribe@litestep.ru.ac.za To unsubscribe, e-mail: litestep-unsubscribe@litestep.ru.ac.za Additional commands, e-mail: litestep-help@litestep.ru.ac.za .................................... ----------- News Groups ----------- - Server news.emci.com litestep.installation.help litestep.steprc.help litestep.modulesini.help litestep.graphics.help litestep.themes.design litestep.themesrc.help litestep.core.suggestions litestep.general.coding litestep.general.questions