John's Adventures Forum » Support (John's Background Switcher)
Autoloading ability?
(17 posts) (3 voices)-
I am wondering if there is a way to have the installation process auto load a specified .settings file after install so that it uses those settings right off the start. Or if there is a registry tweak that can be done to do that so all the user would have to do is used the custom 1 click installer and then run the program once to start it up. Instead of 1 click install and then run program and then manually import the settings.
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Hmmm, that's an interesting idea. You could wrap the installer in some sort of script that copies the settings file to its ultimate location which is in:
%APPDATA%\johnsadventures.com\Background Switcher\
Anyway, I'll add that to the list to let you import your settings from the installer. Thanks!
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No thank you!
so copying the settings file to that location is where the application pulls from immediately/automatically? I have been working with this on EMCO MSI Package Builder by the way.
The purpose of this project is to allow a group under our network to have the pcs pull an image that changes once every two weeks. Which shows some statistical data for users... Will be on about 800 computers I believe. So your application set to the network shared folder path pulls the background and displays it and then checks once every 7 days to pull the newer file if possible. So I wanted to be able to use group policy to send out the app to the computers instead of manually installing them all individually. But then my issue is when running the install and compiling a silent install none of the after install options I did saved.
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Yep, if you look in that folder after you've run JBS and saved your settings, you'll see a file called 'Settings.xml' in there. The exported settings is basically a copy of that, so if you replace it before JBS is running, then when you next run it it'll pick those settings up.
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Hmm my issue is still that it doesn't pull from the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\App Data\johnsadventures.com\Background Switcher\
Basically trying to make it so that once installed it pulls the same settings file nomatter who logs in. Since accounts are hosted through Active Directory and not on the individual pcs.
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It pulls the settings from the user's roaming profile folder so that if roaming profiles are enabled then when they log onto another machine the settings come with them. The temporary cache files are in the local profile folder and so aren't copied around with the profile. JBS isn't set up so that multiple users can share the same settings file (for example, what happens if several people save the settings differently? or what happens if someone stores downloaded pictures to a folder that doesn't exist on someone else's system?). Also JBS doesn't currently look in the 'all users' folder for settings to pick up, only the roaming profile one and there's no provision in the current version to customise where the settings folder is.
So would your ideal situation be that you could tell JBS which folder to store its settings and potentially have multiple users share the same one?
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For this instance the only person allowed to edit the application settings or do anything with the application or even know that it is there is me. No user will have access rights to touch the application or modify since we are making a single background on every pc that updates when the group admin places the new photo into the directory that the application is pulling from.
What could work is to be able to specify a folder that the application auto pulls the settings file from.
Main purpose is a 1 click install that also pulls the settings automatically as specified. So once installed nomatter what user logs into the pc the settings are pulled the same. I thought that would of been taken by the all users.. but if we can specify lets say to pull the settings file automatically from a foler. or the same folder as we pull the background from. That would work wonderfully.
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Ok, well JBS is not set up to run in that configuration but I've had a 'corporate mode' feature on my list for some time that would work the way you're looking for. I'll add your vote to the list and see what I can do in a future version!
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Alright if there is any information you would like to help out I would be willing to help.
the one click install I have been able to create myself.. Just was wondering on where the default pull would come from for the settings since once they are set the application works perfectly for what I requested.
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alright got all the settings configured and loading correctly. Also works with remote and local user profiles. Only issue is the execution of the exe. If I don't have it set to exit after it refreshes the background then it pops up everytime the user logs into the computer. Which the purpose was to have it be invisible. For some reason the application won't auto run in the background like it does for the user whom installed it on the pc. Unless maybe there is an issue with both accounts being admin?...
Did you want a copy of settings.xml or?
To fix my earlier issues I added the settings to default users and all users. so when new local accounts are created/pulled from our server they start off with those settings.
First time the user logs in the application loads and background changes within 20seconds without ever popping up. But then it is set to exit after refreshing. Which then the problem with "what if" the user changes the background resolution. the app won't start up again without manual operation.
I mainly have the exit after refresh so the application doesn't pop up on the user when they login a second time or more. Since the user has to login countless times away if they leave the station.
Any input greatly appreciated. Sorry for the constant badgering of you Just trying to help. Any settings or config or information in the premade msi I will easily hand over since it is your application.
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Ok, bear in mind that you're trying to get JBS to work in a way it wasn't designed to work, so you're always going to be battling against its standard mode of operation.
You can run it in one of two ways as I'm sure you know. Either it's running in the background all the time so can switch at intervals, update the background when the display resolution or monitor count changes and so forth. Or alternatively you can run and exit and it'll change the background then disappear, no longer responding to anything. The latter means the shortcut will have '/next' after the command.
You could set JBS to not show the tray icon and leave it running in the background all the time (the bottom of the 'Advanced' section of 'More Settings') so it'd respond to display changes and change at the specified intervals but not be visible to users (unless they launched JBS from a shortcut). If you update your default settings file that should do the trick.
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refresh after background change=true
switch at screensaver=true
refresh on application startup=true
disable popup message=true
wait for start switching= true (20 seconds)
run on startup=true
switch on startup=true
autostart switch and exit=trueThat is some of the settings which is located in default user and all users. Main issue for some reason it wouldn't start on a users pc without the 20second wait before switching and the autostart switch then exit, both being true. If you need a full copy and paste of my settings.xml I can do that also. I also have the tray icon disabled. Just for some reason without the delay and the auto start switch then exit the application won't start on users logging into the computer if they never logged in before.
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The 20 second delay thing is a red herring and will have no effect on whether JBS will start or not - something else will be preventing it from starting. Most likely it's the fact that you're running it in 'start, switch and exit' mode without ever having run it normally first. Again you're trying to make it work in a way it's not designed to work so all bets are off.
I'd recommend you don't use it in that mode, make it start and run in the background, otherwise the background will never change after it's first been run. Unless I'm missing something.
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my issue is if I make the
<auto start switch and exit>false
<wait for start switching>falseThen it seems to not load when it pulls the users profile from our server to the pc. I can play around with it some more. Because the way the options intend that it is supposed to work would work perfectly... But for some reason it isn't executing at start up.
Sorry for being such a pain on this situation. I hope it provides some insight or anything knowledge to aide you in your project/application.
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Well it should work! ;)
I think to make JBS work in the environment you're wanting it to I'll get it to pick up group policies so you can configure it remotely rather than having to send out settings files. Anyway, I've got everything you've mentioned recorded so when I look at the 'corporate' functionality I'll ensure it works the way you're trying to get it to work!
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DreadfullyDespized,
There is an easier way to implement what you want...
- You don't need John's Background Switcher.
- Set a wallpaper and it's settings (stretch or tile) at every computer by using group policies. That wallpaper can be anywhere on the computer's harddisk, preferably where your users only have readonly permissions.
- Have your login script copy the wallpaper's file from your network share to the location specified in your group policy.
- You can control your user's background pic by setting another file (with the same name) at that network share.John,
You made a very nice piece of software here. I hope it will not be bloated with corporate functionality. Rather start a separate corporate release.
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Don't worry, I've always written JBS with the view that it should be as simple as possible so I only add functionality that doesn't compromise that goal!
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