new backgrounds for zlauncher??

[donaldekelly]

From Zlauncher FAQ

"How to set background image?

You can drag a BMP file in your expansion card to Set Background button and set it as the current background image.
If there is no expansion card available for your handheld, you can convert the BMP file in PalmOS Emulator which can do the job, then export the converted background image database from the PalmOS Emulator, and synchronize it to your handheld.
You can change the background image with the installed images. Selecting one of the listed background image databases in Back Image list of Display Setup form can change the background to the selected one."

Can anyone spell this out better for me?

1) where do you put a bmp file on your memory stick - in MSFILES? You cannot use jpg format?

2) How do you "drag" it to "set background button" I have no idea what that means.

I think I could take it from there.

[williepalm]

You can put the bmp files in Palm/Programs/ZLauncher/Backimage.
Yes, you can use jpg also.

[williepalm]

Sorry, for the 2nd question,
tap on menu,options,theme manager. From there, its quite straight forward.

[wellsjs]

The easiest of the methods described in the manual for me is to have "Theme Manager" available in either your top or bottom bar. Yes you can use 320 x 320 or 320 x 480 jpgs. Store them on your MS in:

/PALM/PROGRAMS/ZLauncher/BackImage

Then in Theme Manager when you select one, it converts it to a bmp copied to your RAM automatically for display as your background. When you select another MS jpg, Theme Manager converts and overwrites the other one. This is all handled very nicely.

The other way is after storing your jpgs in the above folder, tab to "Card," and drill down to that folder and tap/hold on the icon for the jpg you want and select "BackImage." Doing this repeatedly will create multiple bmp files in RAM however. That's why using Theme Manager is best! Hope this helps! ;)

[donaldekelly]

Ahh

The real reason I asked this question (thanks for the responses) is that I copied the zlauncher unzipped files from my temporary folder to my desktop. So when I clicked on the manual - it would not work. I had to go back and extract it to my desktop - then it worked.

I could not get in the manual to answer my questions so I went to the website and that was all I saw.

I got it working now. Thanks

[Gheezer]

I've been reading the posts on how to change the background image, but (I'm really new to this program) I cannot do what has been requested. I have 5 jpg files in the 'BackImage' directory but ThemeManager does not see them. Any suggestions to help me figure this out.

Thanks.

[donaldekelly]

did you put them on your clie with the image converter?

[Gheezer]

Image converter. I think I missed that one.

I just found some backgrounds online and sent them to my CLIE via the Install tool and had to move them to the BackImage directory.

Where is this converter?

[wellsjs]

The images have to be "sized!" They must be either 320x320 or 320x480 if you have an NX or NZ. SplashPhoto is one of many great tools for doing that effortlessly. ;)

[Gheezer]

The images are at 320 x 320 and in jpg format. What I don't understand is why ZL does not see them.

[Gazpacho]

I have no memorystick, but still I'm able to put any background image on ZLauncher that I want.

The thing is, you'll have to resize a picture to 320x320, and send it to your Clie via PictureGear Pocket (PGPocket) which is included in your Clie software.

After that, it's easy to select the background with ZLauncher's theme manager.

[Gheezer]

That seemed to do the trick. I wish there was an easier way to send the files directly into the BackImage directory.

I thank you for your time and the oppertunity to advance my posting counter. Some day I hope to get my own avatar.

[donaldekelly]

"I wish there was an easier way to send the files directly into the BackImage directory."


Hey that reminds me, I can get backgrounds in my zLauncher - but it is kind of a small pain in the neck. Am I doing anything the slow way?

I get a suitable jpg and import it to memory stick using the image converter. But I can do only one at a time - the second one ends up having the same name as the first one and erasing it.

Then I go to Clie FIles to rename it and then move or copy it to the back ground images folder.

The pain is being able to only do one pic at a time and having to rename them all - since they all come across the wire as DSC000001 or something like that.

ANy critiques?

[*YellowRose*]

Originally posted by donaldekelly
I get a suitable jpg and import it to memory stick using the image converter. But I can do only one at a time - the second one ends up having the same name as the first one and erasing it.

Then I go to Clie FIles to rename it and then move or copy it to the back ground images folder.

The pain is being able to only do one pic at a time and having to rename them all - since they all come across the wire as DSC000001 or something like that.

ANy critiques? The easiest way for me is to use MSImport. Open the folder in Windoze and drag n drop. Works great, and no renaming stuff. Actually, I've never put a picture in my NX the way you do (and it sounds like I should be glad of it!)

[Sideway]

Originally posted by wellsjs
The images have to be "sized!" They must be either 320x320 or 320x480 if you have an NX or NZ. SplashPhoto is one of many great tools for doing that effortlessly. ;)

Actually you can use any size image for backimage in ZL. It'll just crop the image if it's too big or tile the image if it's too small.

You need to resize for YiShow.

[P@lmuser]

Hi,

Actually, I´m used to converting backgrounds to PGP format file before installing them in the MS. Some backgrounds are not 320x320 pixels so what I do is to convert them by using Adobe Photoshop LE.

Cheers,

[PDA gadgetfreak]

I imported a pic late last night into Zlauncher for background and it worked great. Tonight I can't do it to save my life! I must have done something slightly different.

Here's what I did. Take picture into photoshop and edited it to be 320 x 320 (does resolution matter?). Saved as JPEG. Opened Picture Lite 4.3 and and selected photo and then selected output to CLIE during hotsync. Adjusted the settings for 320 x 320 and do not compress. I then open PG Pocket and move to my MS. Then I find the file and tap and hold and select "back image". It will convert it but it's all broken up as an image. In looking at the info, it's a 100K file and not a 200K file (no matter what initial resolution I use, it comes out the same way). Also looking at the info of the back image, it's an 8 bit file and not 16 bit.

I know it's something simple I've missed especially since I got it to work before! Can anyone help me? Thanks!

[DaveyDave]

Update... I converted my images to 24bit BMPs (300k each instead of 30k), but Zlauncher sees them and they look great.

I have a Tungsten T, so no Sony Image program here. The ZL docs seem to suggest all you need is a 320x320 jpg, bmp, or something else to be in the backimage directory on the card. Mine don't show up either. Certainly it works for non-Sony folk. How can I get native 320x320 jpgs to show up in the Theme Manager? Thanks.

Dave

[tanker_bob]

I download images from the web, convert them to 320x320 16-bit color jpgs in MS Photo Editor (comes on the CDs with MS Office), then use MS Import to put them in the appropriate directory on my memory stick. I also have used the sample PGPocket images by tap-and-hold, then selecting Back Image. Never had this fail on my T665C.

There is a comment in the ZLauncher docs that jpg images require the Sony jpg library that comes on their newer devices:

Because the JPG support is based on the Sony JpegUtil Library, which is only available on the Clie NR/NX/NZ series and Clie T650C/T665C/T675C. However, if you install the Sony JpegUtil Library(JEPG_Library.prc and JPEG_Util_Library.prc) to your handheld, the JPG support maybe work on the handheld(except for Palm T|T). You can find the Sony JpegUtil Library in the ROM of the above listed handheld models. NOTE: WE TAKE NO REPSONSIBILITY FOR USING THE Sony JpegUtil Library, YOU TRY IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

As they say, this library isn't present on non-Sony devices, and some older Sony devices like the N-series, T-615C, etc. The library files can be downloaded from nXt's forum on Yahoo!, but no guarantees--especially on non-Sony devices.

[*YellowRose*]

Originally posted by DaveyDave
I have a Tungsten T, so no Sony Image program here. The ZL docs seem to suggest all you need is a 320x320 jpg, bmp, or something else to be in the backimage directory on the card. Mine don't show up either. Certainly it works for non-Sony folk. How can I get native 320x320 jpgs to show up in the Theme Manager? Thanks.

Dave I don't have a Tungsten T, so can't offer any suggestion. Have you tried asking at Brighthand or PDAvenue? I'm sure there are more Tungsten users there than here. :(

[PDA gadgetfreak]

Well I feel like a dummy but figured out why I was having a problem. I'll post is so maybe it will help someone else....or you can just laugh at me.

Long story short, I had an old version of picture gear lite (4.3) on my desktop computer and the 4.6 version on my laptop. The new version will let me save as a 16 bit file but the old one won't.

I adjusted the size first in photoshop to 320 x 320. Then imported through picture gear....and it now works like a charm. Like I said....feel like a dummy LOL

[tanker_bob]

Those that have and those who will... :D

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Sideway


Actually you can use any size image for backimage in ZL. It'll just crop the image if it's too big or tile the image if it's too small.

You need to resize for YiShow.

that's right, no need to resize if no too big for display.
the simpliest way to set backgound is:
to use your stylus to point at any picture icon on the screen and hold for about 1.5s, a menu pop up;
then just check "backimage" and you will make it ^^

[tanker_bob]

Originally posted by Gheezer
That seemed to do the trick. I wish there was an easier way to send the files directly into the BackImage directory.

I thank you for your time and the oppertunity to advance my posting counter. Some day I hope to get my own avatar.
Your profile says you have an SJ30. ZLauncher can only use native jpgs if you have the Sony T665C, NR, NX, or NZ device. These have Sony's jpeg libraries in ROM. This is clearly stated in ZL's manual. Others have loaded these files in RAM and use native jpgs with other devices, including the SJ30. YMMV.

[Brokken]

I use the Picture Gear software which is included as part of the Clie package. It allows you to resize your image to a width of 320 pixels automatically as well. Generally these are pretty large files, but the good news is that once ZLauncher has created the backdrop based on your picture of choice, you can then go back and delete the original - thus saving yourself some space.
As a general rule though, I would probably resize things first myself - not only because you know exactly what it will look like on your clie, but also because depending on what options you have configured in ZLauncher, you might want to make your image smaller than 320X480 and add a border so that it looks centered on your clie.
Good luck!