How do i make a desktop

[Gamemaker825]

Hi , everyone im making visual basic Simulation Of Operating System replacement of exploreror. Im just trying something new im wrighting this for both .net and vb 6.0 and it will be open source when done if some one wants to help with this projuct just tell me.Ok the help i need is how do i open a icon and it takes me to a texteditor i have this done but what i want is how to save that file to the desktop replacement shell and i can pick what icons and stuff like a will operating system.Im not doing this for school or anything im just trying new thinks out please help me with this thanks.,

[Max187Boucher]

I have started something like that earlier i will show you my project later to tonight its far from done might be good for you

[Gamemaker825]

ok thanks for the help.

[Max187Boucher]

take a look at this we can slowly build it together if you want... i would like to make it better or work on something similar... let me know what you would like to keep and what you want to change

my program has

1. auto align icons in desktop

2. drag object from windows desktop to desktop project

3. saves windows desktop file icons and display in desktop project

4. files in desktop project has a right click menu (only Open works for now) Open - Copy - Delete - Properties

5. project has an icon extractor (i have it seperate if you want to take a look)... i have incorporated my icon extractor in the desktop project so its invisible

6. to be continue by you or/and me

[Gamemaker825]

thanks for the code i will try it out thanks.

[Max187Boucher]

i am starting on a new one from scratch... i want to add more settings right from the start and also take some functions from the one i sent you... i will show you my progress once i do a little more tomorrow or so let me know if you think about something you'd like to add

[Max187Boucher]

more ideas on how to start.. will work more tomorrow on it

i'm still thinking of if i should make a usercontrol for files/folders icons or should i just use code (functions/subs/variables) in the module

[Gamemaker825]

Hi Max187Boucher would you like to work on this replacement shell with me.

[Max187Boucher]

I can work on it with you if you want but i can only work on it at night after 5pm mountain time
Anyways so what do you think about the examples i posted?
I'd like to know what you have in mind for the project

[Gamemaker825]

Hi Max187Boucher, for the first thing is a add files or forlders, thats what im trying to do right now and im trying make it so when you save a file in the system it will go anywhere on the shell, and a menu that i wanted to add items ec... just like you realy can in explorer.exe wish is the shell.

[Max187Boucher]

Ok so first thing was Like i did in the first desktop project i attached post #4?
And second you want to be able to move around the icons? And/or move into a folder in our desktop project?
And third have you looked at my last project post #7 you want those kind of menu?

Did you like anything i showed you so far??? I will be working on it in about an hour so the better i understand your needs i can modify some things

And one more thing did you start from scratch if so i would like to have the same project as you

[Gamemaker825]

ok, i will get you the projuct to you.

[Max187Boucher]

im waiting

[Gamemaker825]

Im at work so i cant do anything right now

[Max187Boucher]

are you still at work? anyways here i have updated and finally made a usercontrol for icons have a look... i still need alot of work for the usercontrol to be able to change caption and stuff but now it works

still i do not have a clue on what exactly you want to make but i will keep updating my program i am learning new thingss anyway

[Max187Boucher]

another update

[Gamemaker825]

I have a meeting to go today around 2 pm then i will be back to work on it and add more stuff ok sorry about that

[Gamemaker825]

my meeting is at 1pm but i have to leave at 10:30am to get to my meeting at 1pm so it mite take me tell 3 or 4 befor i get back oh and here is my yahoo im millspaughjr@yahoo.com if you want to talk on there its allwas on.Oh and im in california usa so its pacific time zone.

[Max187Boucher]

@ LaVolpe - If you read this i'd like help with the icon masking (some icon mask really good but others mask a little off) you gave me the function to mask the icon pictures from files and i appreciated that... it was a while ago 1 year or so... i know you are very good with graphics and stuff please let me know if i can change my function so it works a bit better... but anyways i think its awsome as is right now.. but if i can make it perfect its even better! i will code code but if you dont mind i have the frmIconExtractor in the attached project its in there the picture1(0) makes all the work with the save icon button. but here is how it saves it i put in RED what is being used when saving THANKS ALOT for your help

Private Sub CmdSave_Click()
 Dim fnr As Integer
 Dim i As Integer
Dim lreadWrite As Long
Dim lMaskPtr As Long, lShift As Long, lMaskOffset As Long
    Dim lScanWidth As Long, lMaskScanWidth As Long
    Dim X As Long, Y As Long, bIcon() As Byte
    Dim BIH As BITMAPINFOHEADER, ICD As ICONDIR
    
    fnr = FreeFile()
    
 


If SaveDir = "" Then
    For i = 0 To 9
        If Label1(i).BackColor = vbRed Then
        
            X = ScaleX(Picture1(i).Image.Width, vbHimetric, vbPixels)
    Y = ScaleY(Picture1(i).Image.Height, vbHimetric, vbPixels)
    If X > 256 Or Y > 256 Then
        MsgBox "Icons can be no larger than 256x256"
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    lScanWidth = ByteAlignOnWord(24, X)
    lMaskScanWidth = ByteAlignOnWord(1, X)
    
    ReDim bIcon(0 To 61 + (lScanWidth + lMaskScanWidth) * Y)
    With BIH
        .biBitCount = 24
        .biHeight = Y + Y
        .biWidth = X
        .biPlanes = 1
        .biSize = 40
        .biSizeImage = lScanWidth * Y
    End With
    ICD.idCount = 1
    ICD.idType = 1
    ReDim ICD.idEntries(0)
    With ICD.idEntries(0)
        If X < 256 Then .bWidth = X
        If Y < 256 Then .bHeight = Y
        .wPlanes = 1
        .wBitCount = 24
        .dwBytesInRes = UBound(bIcon) - 21
        .dwImageOffset = 22
    End With
    CopyMemory bIcon(0), ICD, 6
    CopyMemory bIcon(6), ICD.idEntries(0), 16
    CopyMemory bIcon(22), BIH, BIH.biSize
    BIH.biHeight = Y
    GetDIBits Picture1(i).hDC, Picture1(i).Image.Handle, 0, Y, bIcon(62), BIH, 0&

    
    lMaskOffset = Y * lScanWidth + 62
    For Y = 0 To Y - 1
        lMaskPtr = Y * lMaskScanWidth + lMaskOffset
        X = Y * lScanWidth + 62
        lShift = 128
        For X = X To X + lScanWidth - 2 Step 3
            If (bIcon(X) * &H10000 Or bIcon(X + 1) * &H100& Or bIcon(X + 2)) = Picture1(i).BackColor Then
                bIcon(lMaskPtr) = bIcon(lMaskPtr) Or lShift
                CopyMemory bIcon(X), 0&, 3&
            End If
            If lShift = 1 Then
                lMaskPtr = lMaskPtr + 1
                lShift = 128
            Else
                lShift = lShift \ 2
            End If
        Next
    Next
    fnr = FreeFile
    
                Open App.Path & "\TempIcon.ico" For Binary As #fnr
        Put #fnr, , bIcon()
        Close #fnr
        End If
    Next
Picture1(0).Cls
Exit Sub
End If

    For i = 0 To 9
        If Label1(i).BackColor = vbRed Then
        
           X = ScaleX(Picture1(i).Image.Width, vbHimetric, vbPixels)
    Y = ScaleY(Picture1(i).Image.Height, vbHimetric, vbPixels)
    If X > 256 Or Y > 256 Then
        MsgBox "Icons can be no larger than 256x256"
        Picture1(0).Cls
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    lScanWidth = ByteAlignOnWord(24, X)
    lMaskScanWidth = ByteAlignOnWord(1, X)
    
    ReDim bIcon(0 To 61 + (lScanWidth + lMaskScanWidth) * Y)
    With BIH
        .biBitCount = 24
        .biHeight = Y + Y
        .biWidth = X
        .biPlanes = 1
        .biSize = 40
        .biSizeImage = lScanWidth * Y
    End With
    ICD.idCount = 1
    ICD.idType = 1
    ReDim ICD.idEntries(0)
    With ICD.idEntries(0)
        If X < 256 Then .bWidth = X
        If Y < 256 Then .bHeight = Y
        .wPlanes = 1
        .wBitCount = 24
        .dwBytesInRes = UBound(bIcon) - 21
        .dwImageOffset = 22
    End With
    CopyMemory bIcon(0), ICD, 6
    CopyMemory bIcon(6), ICD.idEntries(0), 16
    CopyMemory bIcon(22), BIH, BIH.biSize
    BIH.biHeight = Y
    GetDIBits Picture1(i).hDC, Picture1(i).Image.Handle, 0, Y, bIcon(62), BIH, 0&

    
    lMaskOffset = Y * lScanWidth + 62
    For Y = 0 To Y - 1
        lMaskPtr = Y * lMaskScanWidth + lMaskOffset
        X = Y * lScanWidth + 62
        lShift = 128
        For X = X To X + lScanWidth - 2 Step 3
            If (bIcon(X) * &H10000 Or bIcon(X + 1) * &H100& Or bIcon(X + 2)) = Picture1(i).BackColor Then
                bIcon(lMaskPtr) = bIcon(lMaskPtr) Or lShift
                CopyMemory bIcon(X), 0&, 3&
            End If
            If lShift = 1 Then
                lMaskPtr = lMaskPtr + 1
                lShift = 128
            Else
                lShift = lShift \ 2
            End If
        Next
    Next
        
        Open SaveDir & "\Icons" & Label1(i).Caption & ".ico" For Binary As #fnr
        Put #fnr, , bIcon()
        Close #fnr
        End If
    Next


Picture1(0).Cls
End Sub

here is my newer update 4 let me know what you think

1. i have added a new icon menu ... Open - Rename - Properties .... now work
2. you can now drag (only 1 file at a time for now) from windows explorer to our project explorer
3. fixed the icons not displaying properly
4. fixed the commondialog for background picture
5. fixed some usercontrol bugs (like the selection of icon and the movement of icon)
6. fixed icons cannot pass screen size (now works as i want)
7. fixed the errors created when maximizing (with maximize icon on the right top corner) and then putting it into fullscreen mode
8. fixed isettings when window is TopMost and also the window topmost Fullscreen works properly
9. creates new folders


for number 9. i was wonder if you want to save all files (on the explorer project) into folder for the explorer projects... what i mean is if you drag a file into it do you want to use only as shortcut (like a desktop shortcut) or you want to copy files into a specific location and then use those files for explorer (and not original file)

any comments anyone or bugs or tips on what else to do let me know

and for gamemaker hopefully you get vb6 reinstalled soon

[Gamemaker825]

for number 9. i was wonder if you want to save all files (on the explorer project) into folder for the explorer projects... what i mean is if you drag a file into it do you want to use only as shortcut (like a desktop shortcut) or you want to copy files into a specific location and then use those files for explorer (and not original file)

Hi max i, got my visual basic 6.0 to work, your question about number 9. yes on the desktop shortcut and files into a specific location just like how windows explorer dose what im trying to do is recreate windows explorer its a big projuct i know, and we will come across alot of errors and changing alot of code but im willing to work on it everyday, but my only problem is that i have alot of meetings i have to go to, and sents im a computer programmer i own my own business making software and stuff like that for business and for someone who wants a program made, now that i think about it do you know how to use vb.net or c#.net, i want to try to make it in visual basic 6.0 because iv been working with it for a long time but vb.net iv been using for allmost 3 years, i just want to try new stuff that i have not tryed befor, and recreate windows explorer because i have not tryed to do something hard in long time so thats what i wanted to say, so if you cant get ahold of me thourght yahoo then post on vbforums, thanks max, im just working on a project rightnow so im going to put in more code to the new explorer we are making ok, thanks for reading.

[Gamemaker825]

Oh and if anyone whats to join in on helping me and max out on this projuct or have some nice ideos and you will be credited for your work, just tell us thanks for your time.

[Max187Boucher]

i will have to work harder on the usercontrol it took me a while to figure out how to make the label invisible with a user control... and finally found i can put it in a picturebox and then copy the image of your background exactly where the desktop "icon" is and then its looks like its see thru but really its a copy of the image in the back.. i did not think it would work but i got it somewhere and tried to put it in a usercontrol and finally got something to work out pretty good i would say but i am having some trouble with usercontrol because i am not used to it yet (started not too long ago) i am still learning alot. i know it needs alot of tweaking to make it work properly without using too much memory and such... i have finally got it to work (the selection of the icons) now you can click on an icon and its will be kinda like wiindows where the icon has a square highlight around it and still if you go over other icons with the mouse they get highlighted as well... i will look more on how to make it work alot better but i want to focus on the form itself (the functions) and also helping others a bit when i know how to. but anyways try this one its a bit better hopefully not too many bugs its hard to find all the different bugs

Edit: I updated up5 you can drag more then one icon now and icons show as the right icons

[Gamemaker825]

I have this one that this guy made its called LaUnix Operating System its still in beta im updateing it when i can iv been working on it for sometime can you send me your e-mail through yahoo im and i will send it to you, i just dont want everyone to have it.

[Max187Boucher]

i still havent got your email with the LaUnix Operating System but i have done a bit more update on the explorer

fixed some bugs again (sorry last update had more bugs than before)

I fixed the rename of files (now renames also in windows)
I added the delete files (also delete in windows)
I fixed the problem with the icon caption now looks better (kind of like windows)
I added a button to add a whole folder at once (you will have to modify path in code for now) or just add a text box and put name there
I added tooltiptext for the icons
next i will fix the "copy" file(s) or folder(s) and other things... add more functions and options

this is the desktop explorer version i need to make the folder explorer version also.... but i will make that later (i will try to make it in the same program)