[APP][05.OCT.09 new beta]Application for theme switching in WM 6.5 Titanium

There are more and more themes coming up for WM 6.5 Titanium, which are not only tsk, colors etc, but also change greatly the Titanium....x......cpr file and the registries. When one wants to change from one such theme (for example WM7 project) to another (for example Shadow Neo Skin) the former theme has to be removed, and the new one has to be installed and customized, sometimes the plugins have to be reinstalled.

The theme switcher has the following capabilities:
- Backing up the existing theme, grafics files, cpr files, registries, so that it can easily be restored
- Installing the new selected theme

New beta release:

Supported resolutions QVGA, WQVGA, QVGAsquare, VGA, WVGA, VGAsquare... It only works with WM 6.5. You need to have MortScript installed.

IMPORTANT: First of all this will be replacing your Titanium cprs and bronzeres.dll files, so pls. make a backup of your original files.

Installation:
1. Unzip the enclosed file TitaniumThemes to Storage Card.
2. Have all the plugins installed that you want to have in your Titanium screen, so that
the themes can load them.
3. It is not necessary to install all themes, as i have collected all images needed by the
theme and stored them in folders inside the TitaniumThemes folder, so the images will not
clutter your Windows folder. The modded cprs point to this images. Below you find the
links to the corresponding themes threads, so that you can check out how the theme
looks, and say thanks to the theme designer for his nice work.
4. Run the "Install Titanium Theme Changer.mscr" from the apps folder in TitaniumThemes,
choose your resolution and click ok, this will install all supported themes cprs in Windows
and a shortcut for "Titanium Theme Changer. mscr" in Windows/Start Menu/Programs.
5. Run the shortcut "Titanium Theme Changer", select the theme you want to apply and in
a few seconds it will appear on your screen.
6. Apply the tsk of your choice

As said it is a beta version and it might have still some bugs, or errors in the cprs, as i only have a QVGA device, pls. report them.

I could have not done this without the help of many people, like BigDaddyG, RoryB and egoist6 from the MortScript thread, TWolf, drkfngthdraglrd and many more, so thanks to all.
Also please consider that i in no way designed the themes, i only modified the cprs for easy switching, so all thanks go to the themes builders.

Most of the plugins are supported in my cprs, like
All standard plugins
TWolf Multiplugin
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=523015
JMLToday
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=540413
IsmToday
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=535682
AnalogClock
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=511483
CLauncher, CSettings, CGames, CApps1
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=514490
CManilamenu 1 to 3
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=537237
COffice
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=510362
Titanium Weather
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=481379
CComm
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=513747
Settings
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=515979
System
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=510051
CVolume
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=512529
CFacebook
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=510479
CTwitter
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=510360
Taskanium
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=515586
CSchedule
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=557725
AT FavePeople
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=506221
Opera Favorites
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=496758
ArteseaTwitter
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=511919


Themes:

Bliss
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=508968
Shadow Neo
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=524979
Neo Titanium
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=534553
Buffed and Lizzy
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=528935
Josito
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=556378
WM7 project
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=504716

Could not upload here the zip file, so pls. dowload it from 4shared.com
http://www.4shared.com/file/140139192/882eec04/_3__TitaniumThemes.html

mchapman007 said:

I was thinking the same thing and M2DC comes the closest to mind. We need to get mpenguin14 a device and encouragement to modify it for WM6.5...

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Click to collapse

I am working on such a theme switcher, done in MortScript. I have a folder named TitaniumThemes on my Storage Card. Inside there i have a folder backup where i save the current theme (Titanium_XXXxXXX.cpr (both P and L), bronzeres.dll and CHome registry). I have also a folder for each of the themes, currently WM7, TitaniumBuffed, TitaniumShadowNeo, Bliss, BlackDragon, where i stored the same files for the theme tweaked and set up to my liking. All themes have first to be installed, as some of them store in Windows some files like icons etc, or they create a folder under Program Files with those files. I tried first manually to swap this files and it work very nicely. Now i am trying to make Scripts to do this work, but i am a complete noob in scripting and have following problems:
1. I need to disable Windows Default to be able to copy bronzeres.dll to Windows, and i dont know the command for it.
2. I need to read and save the whole CHome registry (export) and also to import the themes CHome registry. This should be doable with MortScript but i found only how to import/export single keys and dwords in the manual.
3. At the end i have to enable again Windows Default.

When i could solve this points i would have a simple script based program to backup/restore the current theme, and to switch themes choosing from a menu.

rpereira said:

you should be able to replace bronzeres.dll without the need to disable titanium. In order to refresh titanium after changing the theme you can use chomerefresh.exe provided by appstar. PM me If I can be of any help

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

In fact that was my first approach, to copy the files to windows and then refresh chome, but it is not working. Even when copying manually the files with total commander, i can do that for both titanium cpr files, but as soon as bronzeres is copied an error message comes up. So it looks like bronzeres needs titanium to be disabled before copying, when i disable titanium manually the script copies everything correctly to windows. So i have to find the command to disable/enable titanium.
On the other hand i have still problems to find the way to backup/restore the complete chome registry. I tried also to look inside the Sashimi script to find out how it is done there, but i am too much of a noob and could not figure it out (too many subroutines pointing from one to the other).

rpereira said:

I had thought about doing this before but with a more ambitous approach that would have required theme makers to include an .xml file together with their theme. this .xml would include a list of all of the theme files and their destination directory, since not all themes are the same, some people replace bronzeres.dll and some others don't, so it's hard to tell unless you have a list of what to apply and what to remove.

Disabling titanium, as far as my research has gone, it's not possible with mortscript alone. These are lower-level system functions that can be found on C++, just like chomerefresh.exe which is also built on C++. Getting more complex as we dig deeper into it.

but, I still have faith in being able to replace the .dll without disabling windows default first, have you tried using mortscript's file attribute change to change the .dll's attribute from read-only to normal file before copying. I still do believe we'll need to standardize themes.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

It is possible to disable and enable titanium with mortscript, it is just a registry HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Today/Items/Windows Default, set Enabled to 0, then RedrawToday. The same to enable it, only set to 1.
I posted my scripts like they are now in the post below, asking for help to make them work, in the Mortscript examples thread. It still does not work to
replace bronzeres.dll, but i will look into your suggestion to change the attributes to normal before copying. The strange thing is that when i do everything manually with total commander with the titanium disabled it works flawlessly. On the other hand you are completely right, the themes are not standardized, but normally, with all the themes installed before, so that all the needed files are there, and then by replacing the above mentioned files it works. Thanks a lot for your help.

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=4088840&postcount=1619

First try for an alpha version of the Titanium Theme Switcher. Download from the first post.

MichelDiamond said:

Hey claus - I only want to say how much I appreciate your work! It's really hard - especially to save everything, that nothing will be destroyed.

For bronzeres.dll - you must find a way to unload this .dll for changing - I'm not sure, if Mortscript can do it. If you need help - please tell me.
But perhaps you need no unload...this little needful thing could help, which I append
I use them very often by shortcut in StartMenu - especially "disable all" to switch off all todays and "EnableTitanium" - because I'm to lazy to go to my Home-Settings... (please comment iPhoneToday-Lines, if you don't have it - or make a check to Registry-Key, if it's exists)

Some questions:

- When can we expect a VGA-Version?
- Do you have a more technical implemention description how it works?
- What's the problem with cabbing? Perhaps I can help you

Thanx 4 all
Micha

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Hi Micha
Thanks for your offer. In fact it took me some time to sort this out. Now it is working as i apply bronzeres.dll with a cab, so i don't need to disable Titanium. At the end i refresh Titanium so everything gets updated. The idea is later to avoid swapping out bronzeres.dll, when all theme builders make their themes without changing bronzeres.
A VGA version should not be difficult the only problem i have is that i only have a QVGA device. The cprs i have included are the themes cprs for QVGA, complemented with most of the plugins and some modded by me to get support for the plugins. I am still working on some icons and layouts. If someone with a VGA device has cprs for this themes filled with all the most used plugins i would be very grateful to receive them so i could put together a set for VGA. The same also for other resolutions. This shall be a theme switcher, so i am not interested for skins which can be changed by applying the corresponding tsk.
The way the theme switcher works is very very simple, and it works with Mortscript:
The themes must be installed first, all of them. Then we copy into windows the cprs for all this themes, Titanium_240x320.cpr and 320x240.cpr, Neo_240x320.cpr and 320x240.cpr, Lizzy_240x320 and 320x240.cpr etc etc.

By calling the themes menu mscr the menu pops up with all available options:

Save the current theme: This backs up the currenty active Titanium cprs and bronzeres.dll, so that one can revert back to what he had.

The next buttons are for applying any of the themes. This is done by inserting in the ExtensibilityXML registry the name of the cpr to be used, without touching the rest of the information in this registry, that means your personal plugin setup (active plugins and their order) stays the same. Then the corresponding bronzeres.dll is loaded by cab and when available the themes tsk is applied. At the end Titanium is refreshed and the theme has been changed.

As said this is still a bit rudimentary and i will with the time make it smoother and apply some cosmetics to make it look better.

The problem with the cab is that i have only built very simple ones like for loading bronzeres.dll into windows. For this i would need a cab which:
1. installs all the themes,
2. copies the TitaniumThemes folder into storage card,
3. copies all cprs into windows and the shortcut into start menu/programs

MichelDiamond said:

I almost thought, that you're doing i like that... it's not rudimentary - it's a very good way Perhaps a little bit to complicated for some things (why not using ExtensibilityXML to approve only Plugins, which works with the skin). Thanx for explanation.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

I did not want to touch the rest of ExtensibilityXML because i want to leave the setup of the plugins everyone already has. Anyway only the plugins supported by the theme will show up.

But one thing... I don't know if you assume this will be in future, that's noboy would change the bronzeres.dll - I think not all developers will know this way - and there will be much more edits in future of other Titanium-Files perhaps - I would save it and have a look, that it would work with and without Bronzeres. Save the differences of each installation to the original theme - and you mustn't care for such things (I know - that's very rudimentary - but how do you say in english: If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain )

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Some developers to which i have talked are willing to change their approach and try to leave bronzeres untouched for the next versions of their themes. Anyway the possibility to swap bronzeres is in the script and it is working well. I have fried to chnage theme without bronzeres at the beginning but for most of the themes the slider panel image is in bronzeres, so it does not look good without changing it.

I will have a look for my VGA-cpr - at the moment I haven't very much installed.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Thanks i will appreciate that.

To your problems:

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

The problem with the cab is that i have only built very simple ones like for loading bronzeres.dll into windows. For this i would need a cab which:
1. installs all the themes,

What's the problem there? The themes are all installed by cab - so alltogether should also be installed like cab - Perhaps - I don't now - you must only cascade the .cabs in Installation - with between "saving" - that could work

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Yes i was thinking doing it like this but i have only done the very sinple cabs to install bronzeres up to now using the cab wizard, so i really am offside with building cabs.

2. copies the TitaniumThemes folder into storage card,

*g* For this case you asked in the other thread. In this case... make an installer after installation (I think you have JMLToday ( *link*), too? - you know what appears after Installation? In this script you could put the copy...
If you want to make it International... why not putting the Name of "Internal Storage" in the language-File? Or: Ask the user, where he wants to have his "Save-Files" - then you have the complete working path for you.
There's no reason to put something in a .cab, which canbe much easier done after installation. You need it anyway the whole time if somebody creates a new Titanium Skin - or should then the cab be reinstalled?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You are right on this, the script could be launched after installation and just copy the TitaniumThemes folder into Storage Card. I did choose this name as i used it in my scripts but i could change it to Internal Storage to suit the needs of non WWE users, for you it would be Speicherkarte right?

3. copies all cprs into windows and the shortcut into start menu/programs

Same as 2. - only back... and how to add Shortcuts in an .inf-File - I think that you already knows, right?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Ok, can go in the same script, i thought pakaging everything into 1 cab install would be easier but you are right.

I am working to iron out the cprs for the different themes, to get support for most of the plugins out there today. When they are ready for QVGA i will try to resize them for the other resolutions with the new tool that came out, and post them for you to test them for me in your devices. When they are working well i can post installers for all resolutions.

I need information of which themes people is using to see which ones are worth to be included in the theme switcher, so pls. vote in the poll.

MichelDiamond said:

Cool Claus, but the poll isn't good
You develop a Theme Switcher - and in the Poll you can only choose one Theme

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You are totally right Micha, it was late when i posted the poll and forgot to change the option to let choose several options. Now i don't find how to change this option. Any mod can help me do that?

There are some resized cprs to be tested on the first post for VGA and WQVGA. If someone with this resolution has TitaniumShadowNeo or WM7 theme installed could test them, i would be grateful. Pls. don't forget to backup your Titanium cprs first.
Will be happy for any feedback to correct the cprs.

goraps said:

I have been waiting so long for someone to do this. Thank you.

Here are screenshots of my 2 real issues so far.

1) The is no icon for the SMS/MMS panel.

2) notice how the word phone is cutoff on the Phone panel.

P.S. I am using it on a Diamond

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Thanks for testing it, i will look into the missing icon and move the text a bit up for this panel tomorrow, and repost the cprs. Are those the only issues you found?