Wallpaper Shifter is a little program that starts when you login to Windows and picks a random wallpaper from your list. Depending on the wallpaper width and height, it can automagically scale it for you to fit your desktop without deforming it's proportions. It does not remain running in the background so no system resources are used.
Wallpaper Shifter version 7 is a 'Back to Basics' version. I have removed a lot of features that I'm not looking for in a Wallpaper Randomizer, as version 6 started to turn into 'bloatware'. Two new features were added though, such as "Automagic scaling" and "Background fills". You can also delete the current background from disk.
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Cyber-D's Wallpaper Shifter 7.06
Labels: Freeware
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36 comments:
Hi Dario,
Do you know Wallpaper Shifter 7 is featured @ ghacks & lifehacker?
Coolness! Tanx gdlm, ghacks and lifehacker! :)
Lifehacker for life :)
love your app! And a big plus for your insight that it was tunring into bloatware and your step backwards :)
cheers dario
Boy, this is cool or what!
you are great had featured at ghacks & lifehacker?
btw thanks for ur wallpaper..
Hi Dario,
Nice software! Is it support multiple monitor?
Hi Jay,
If you have multiple monitors it will just show a copy of the wallpaper on the other monitor. If you want to use widescreen wallpapers on windows, I would recommend using "UltraMon". It is shareware and can also extend your taskbar to the extra monitor (something Windows is lacking). However, it cannot randomize your wallpaper nor can it's widescreen wallpaper feature be used in combination with WPS7.
Thanks Dario for the tips!
I already use UltraMon, but I kinda boring to set the wallpapers each day. Other wallpaper randomizer usually eat a lot of resources. I read that your program change the wallpaper and unload from memory, something I'm looking for. Well, I guess I had to go back to manual way...
Hi i've been using your software for a few days and I love it! but recently it has errored out and not randomized at boot, trying to run "switcher.exe" and randomizing again doesn't help, I have also tried uninstalling and rebooting several times with no avail, any more tips? maybe a fix in the future?
Hi Swizzler121. To debug and fix the problem I need to know as many details as possible, because I need to be able to reproduce the error. Is there an error message when you run shifter.exe ? Try removing the settings file (config.ini) and reconfiguring. For Vista it is located at C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Cyber-D's Wallpaper Shifter 7\ and for XP it is in C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Application Data\Cyber-D's Wallpaper Shifter 7\
Also please check if the .bmp file in this folder is the same as your current wallpaper.
ok I Deleted the file and reinstalled shifter.exe, when I ran the shifter I got this error: Macromedia Projector has stopped working
Details:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: shifter.exe
Application Version: 10.1.0.11
Application Timestamp: 413ffc3a
Fault Module Name: IML32.dll
Fault Module Version: 10.1.1.16
Fault Module Timestamp: 43e929aa
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000368ce
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0d9a
Additional Information 2: a03a76c315b834544627fc3a0fd14f43
Additional Information 3: 20ab
Additional Information 4: 63c5c43528710a93bdb486f595340bcc
Hi,
Please download the following patch: http://www.box.net/shared/ry33oyaemz
When asked, choose the folder where you installed Wallpaper Shifter 7. By default this is C:\Program Files\Cyber-d's Wallpaper Shifter 7\
When done installing, please try running the shifter again. If it still does not work, please go to the folder c:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Temp\ and delete all folders named "TempFolder.aa*" (on XP) and try again.
Please let me know if the patch worked BEFORE deleting the temp folders, or AFTER deleting the temp folders, or not at all. This is very important for releasing a fixed version.
I tried after installing the patch and it crashed, then after I cleared out the "TempFolder.aa*" and it crashed once again, I'm also using windows vista ultamate, not xp
Hmm..in that case I don't think I can solve the problem, as I cannot replicate it. The iml32.dll file comes together with the executable created in Macromedia Director. Most problems with iml32.dll have to do with an old version of iml32.dll. However you seem to have one of the latest versions (10). I cannot tell what else could be wrong. Sorry m8.
Wallpaper Shifter 7.03 (beta) is now available. Updates include:
Cannot divide by zero bug fixed, OSX theme removed, additional files included to optimize speed
Hi Dario...
I leave my computer on all the time. Is there a way to configure how often the randomizer shifts wallpapers other than on reboot? Thanks!
Nevermind Dario...
Easy solution: I just scheduled the "shifter.exe" to run every six hours in Windows Task Scheduler. I keep forgetting about this handy tool in XP.
Thanks for a great program and keep up the good work!
Regards...
Hi Kevin S.
That is also what I was going to suggest :)
Cheers,
D.
Might I suggest an option to chose which monitor to use for sizing? In my multi-monitor setup Windows defines the wrong and smaller one as #1 and the wallpapers are resized to fit that one instead of the bigger main screen.
Hi Oliver,
Good idea. Will be added in next update very soon!
Version 7.04 is now available for download.
-Wallpaper now scales to largest monitor size.
So instead of adding more bells and whistles, I have made it automagically use the largest desktop size as the scaled size the wallpaper will be in. I like to keep this program as clean and simple as possible. :)
Great. Works like a charm.
Thank you! I've been looking for such a prog for a long time.
Does what it says on the tin.
Nice job.
Paul C
Version 7.06 update:
> Replaced "shifting wallpaper" status window for a tiny tray icon.
> Added automagic configuration backup system to prevent corrupt backup files.
This is a great utility, does exactly what I wanted, for free!
Thank you very much!
This is a great utility. Does exactly what I was looking for and it's free!
Thank you very much. Power to the community :)
Thanks
Hi
I uninsralled Macromedia Projector from my system and now it crashes.
Any ideas?
Just download the application again and reinstall.
Hi, I love the application. Also that you made it lightweight so it doesn't stay in the memory.
My question however is that I can't find a way to stretch the wallpapers. I like the blur feature, but would also like a way to spread/stretch the image over the background. I wouldn't mind a little deformation. Thanks!
Hi Tobias,
If you want the wallpaper to fill your screen you have to pick 'crop'. The wallpaper will be scaled up to fill your desktop without deforming it. I made this application for the reason that it does not deform the wallpaper like Windows does.
Hello! I tried to download your Wallpaper Shifter. When I tried to run it, I received a message saying that the files were corrupted. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Milaandra,
Just download it again. There is nothing wrong with the file, I have downloaded and tested it.
I've been using wallpaper shifter for a while. I've been happy with its low resource approach. However, I've wanted to add webpage content over the wallpaper. Now whenever shifter runs, the wallpaper switches to black.
Hi Joel Ponder.
You can use 'active desktop' together with Wallpaper Shifter, without having it set the desktop wallpaper, but just create the wallpaper file instead. To do this, view the 'readme.txt' file in the section 'CREATE WALLPAPER BUT DO NOT APPLY TO DESKTOP'. Use the created wallpaper in the html as a background image for your Active Desktop.
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