NOTE: This is *NOT* intended to be a functional step.rc! The samples listed below are merely for instructional purposes *only*.
Here is an example of a DarkStep step.rc file to help clarify some of the sections required by DarkStep-specific settings and modules. Each section noted *must* be included :)
ADDENDUM:
2:49:53 PM PDT, 7/14/2000
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY BE NEW TO SHELL REPLACEMENT - The step.rc file MUST be in the root DarkStep directory, or whatever directory your are running the DarkStep.exe from.
Thanx to Rich (on the DS Voice Chat) and PokPok (via e-mail and DS Voice Chat) for bringing this to my attention - I guess we sometimes get so used to doing some things that we just don't think about it when trying to help others <g>...
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[StartUp]
ExplorerNoWarn=on
HideApplication=on
NoSplashScreen=on
NoSplashOnRecycle=on
LoadModule $ModDir$dsdesktop20.dll
LoadModule c:\DarkStep\modules\DSSysVWM.dll
The [StartUp] section should be the very first item in your step.rc as it is the initial instruction set that tells DarkStep how to handle specific items on initial start up :)
Note that the shell's modules are also loaded from the [StartUp] section, both DarkStep-specific modules *and* third-party modules. Also note the use of E-Variables (the “$ModDir$...”), which is optional (but very handy!); you can alternatively list the full path to each module, but that can become very tedious and somewhat cumbersome when installing a new theme <g>.
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[Environment]
DSDir D:\darkstep\
WinDir C:\Windows\
ModDir D:\DarkStep\modules\
ThemeDir D:\DarkStep\Themes\DarkDream\
The [Environment] section is where *ALL* E-Variables are defined. Note that, within this section, the variable to be defined does not have the “$” character in place; however, this character *must* be used throughout the rest of the step.rc when referencing an Environment Variable as listed here.
While there are usually many ways to “skin a cat”, E-Vars *can* be very beneficial in setting up your DarkStep configuration and are limited only by your imagination :) As just one example, let's say that your DarkStep directory structure is:
- C:\DarkStep
- Modules
- Utilities
- Themes
- Backgrounds
Your [Environment] section could read like:
[Environment]
Windir C:\Windows\
DSDir C:\DarkStep\
ModDir C:\DarkStep\Modules\
ThemeDir C:\DarkStep\Themes\
BGDir C:\DarkStep\Backgrounds\
Then, throughout the rest of your step.rc, you would only need to add (for example) “$ModDir$<MODULE_FILE_NAME>” to make use of a module.
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[Config]
PixmapPath $ThemeDir$Images\
The [Config] section, for now, merely gives the path to the theme's image directory. Eventually there will be more configuration information listed here that will help with DarkStep themeing and configuration :)
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[Desktop]
SetDesktopArea=on
SDALeft 5
SDARight 1150
SDATop 54
SDABottom 781
AutoPlay=off
MiddleSingleClick !About
LeftDoubleClick !Console
The [Desktop] section is currently specific to the DSDesktop module and specifies the usable coordinates of the desktop (usually very theme-specific), handles the CD-ROM "AutoPlay" function and is used to specify mouse click actions. In this example the desk coordinates are set to *only* allow maximized windows to use an are that is five pixels from the left of the screen, four pixels from the right, fifty-four pixels from the top and seventy-three pixels from the bottom. This is used for my 1152 X 864 desktop when used with the DarkDream theme, so that none of the theme's images (except the background of course) are covered up by maximized windows :) Please note also that you must have the SetDesktopArea variable set to “on” or “1” for any of these settings to work.
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[SysVWM]
VWMDeskWallPaper1 $ThemeDir$DarkDream.bmp
VWMNoAuto=on
VWMNoGathering=1
VWMVelocity 300
VWMSecurityDistance 5
VWMBackBmp vwmback.bmp
VWMWinBmp vwm.bmp
VWMDesksX 4
VWMDesksY 1
VWMx -247
VWMy 19
VWMwidth 100
VWMheight 24
VWMFocusCenter=on
VWMAlwaysOnTop=on
VWMNogathering=on
VWMBackColor 505050
VWMForeColor 000000
VWMBorderColor 909090
VWMTitlebars=on
VWMTitlebarMod 14
*VWMSticky BLANK
*VWMSticky WinSystem 98
Specific to the DSSysVWM module, the [SysVWM] section is where you want to place *all* of your instructions for how the Virtual Window Manager should appear and behave.
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[Themes]
Console $ThemeDir$Console.Rc
The DarkStep Console can be used very much like a Windows “Run” command plus it will handle DarkStep-specific !Bang commands. A “Console.rc” file is created when a “skin” is used for the DS Console and tells DarkStep what image to use along with the coordiates and other specifics for text placement, size, color, etc.. For now the Console is the only thing to be listed under the [Themes] section of the step.rc but, in the future, this will be a very powerful section that theme designers can use to implement their themes.
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[LiteStep]
For those of you already familiar with LiteStep configuration, this is the section where *most* of your existing LiteStep step.rc settings can reside :) Worthy of note here is that *all* boolean variables *must include the appropriate switch command*, e.g. an “=1” (or “=yes”) or an “=0” (or “=no”) immediately following the boolean.
EXAMPLE: VWMAlwaysOnTop=on
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