simplicity 1.2 March 1, 2002
   

introduction

 compatibility installation usage history misc

[Note: Please see the history section to learn what has changed since the last release.]

You only have to look at the documentation for chaos, synchronicity, this theme, or the OTS website to see where the inspiration for this theme came from. : )

I really, really like this theme. Usually I'm sick of a theme by the time I release it, but that's not the case with this one. It has all the usual things I like in a theme: hotspots-based VWM switching, module queue, colour schemes, theme configuration via a SHIFT left-click popup menu, and more. ; )

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. : )

Omar Hussain
ohussain.cjb.net

compatibility

 introduction installation usage history misc

I originally developed and tested this theme on the 2001-10-16 build of LiteStep. Since then I have switched to the 2002-02-16 build with the 2002-02-16 modulepack. The following modules have been used:

module                        version
--------------------          ----------------
desktop2                      2002-02-16 modulepack
hotkey                        2002-02-16 modulepack
popup2                        2002-02-16 modulepack
shortcut2                     2002-02-16 modulepack
systray2                      2002-02-16 modulepack
ckhotspots                    2.2              
ckvwm                         1.32
geekamp                       1.9.666
jAmpToo                       1.21
label                         1.9
lsxcommand                    1.8.2
mzscript                      0.8
rainmeter                     0.6
syscolor                      2.2
tasks                         0.92a
tasks                         0.92
textedit                      2.1l

I've tested this theme on Windows 98 and Windows XP, and determined that it is completely stable on both platforms. Therefore it should work without incident on any flavour of Windows.

Thanks to the efforts of the LiteStep dev team, this theme employs one step.rc file which automatically adjusts to accommodate any of the following resolutions: 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x1024, 1600x1200.

installation

 introduction compatibility usage history misc

Installation is incredibly simple - if you've already used a theme that is OTS compliant, all you'll have to do is edit the one-line step.rc in your LiteStep dir, edit themevars.rc, and recycle. But if it's step-by-step instructions you're after, read on...

ATTENTION: If this is the first time you are using a theme that follows the Open Theme Standard, go to ls-ots.cjb.net, read the requirements in the installation section, and follow the instructions on setting up your personal config. files.

[1] Install the theme
Unzip the theme archive to your LiteStep\themes directory with path information.

[2] Install the font
Open your file manager and navigate to the ...themes\simplicity\misc directory.
Install the Hooge 05_53 font.

[3] themevars.rc
Navigate to the ...simplicity\config directory in your file manager.
Edit themevars.rc and ensure everything has been set correctly.

[4] Edit step.rc
Browse to the LiteStep directory in your file manager.
If you are using LSTS, run LSTS and select the theme. Otherwise, edit step.rc so that it contains the following line and nothing else:

include "$LiteStepDir$themes\simplicity\step.rc"

Recycle LiteStep.

usage

 introduction compatibility installation history misc

This is a cropped image of the full bar - key areas of the bar are numbered and their functionality explained afterwards:

main bar

[1] workspace indicator
This is a visual workspace indicator - click [left-click] on the appropriate box to switch workspaces. Boxes highlight on mouseover.

[2] workspace indicator
This is a textual workspace indicator - right-click to minimize all windows, and left-click to restore them.

[3, 4] quicklaunch bar
The quicklaunch bar is shown in text mode. In this mode, two text-shortcuts are visible on the bar. The text displayed, and the left-click & right-click actions for both shortcuts are set in themevars.rc. In this manner two shortcuts can be used to quickly execute four actions. The shortcuts hilight on mouseover.

The quicklaunch bar may be disabled, in this mode the bar is simply filled with white space, clicking it has no effect.

The quicklaunch bar may also be used in icon mode. In this mode the quicklaunch bar contains eight icons. The eight actions and tooltips are defined in themevars.rc.

[5] taskbar
The taskbar may be toggled by pressing CTRL+ALT+T - this hotkey is defined in simplicity's step.rc. The bottom portion of the taskbar displays the active task's title. Right-click the title to switch to the next task, and left-click to switch to the previous task. The upper area of the taskbar is better suited to task switching though - just click on the appropriate tile.

The upper portion of the bar contains task tiles. The active task is hilighted and it's title is displayed below, minimized tasks are marked with a small downward arrow, and the remaining tiles correspond to 'regular' [unminimized, inactive] tasks. Right-clicking any empty space in the upper portion of the taskbar displays the theme config. popup menu. The theme config. menu can be used to configure the task tile display mode: full colour, or tinted. Windows XP users will want to use full colour tiles since XP-enhanced icons cannot be tinted properly.

[6] date & time
Double click on the time to access the 'Date/Time Properties' Control Panel applet. Left-click on the date to display uptime, Right-click to switch back to the date.

[7] module queue
The module queue controls [to the right and left of the queue] may be used to navigate the queue. The queue remembers what module was last active. The module queue is circular, and the order is:

  • VWM & system status
  • system tray
  • winamp controls & status
  • command line

The module queue controls and winamp controls hilight on mouseover.

[8] popup menu
Clicking on the LiteStep icon will display the default right-click popup menu. The offsets that control the popup menu display coordinates are set in themevars.rc.

The following image clearly illustrates the module queue, quicklaunch bar modes, and mouseover effects:

main bar options

[ NOTE: The fourth and seventh icons in the quicklaunch bar are by copland, the rest are by LINE studio.]

Popup menus
There are three popup menus available in this theme:

  • right-click popup menu: the standard user-defined popup menu
  • SHIFT left-click popup menu: the theme config. popup menu
  • middle-click popup menu: the tasks popup menu [may also be accessed by throwing the mouse pointer into the bottom right corner of the screen.]

Theme configuration
Theme configuration options are accessed via the standard SHIFT left-click theme-specific popup menu. Options such as bar position, enabling popup folder arrows, changing theme colour, etc. are all available via the theme config. popup menu.

config popup

This is the simplicity configuration popup. The theme configuration options have been logically categorized into three submenus; style, bar options, and popup. The last entry in the config. popup is a link to this document.

All theme setting changes take effect immediately and are remembered.
style popup

The style submenu is where theme colour can be changed. In addition to this the syscolour module may be disabled/enabled.
modules popup

The first entry in this submenu allows the bar to be positioned at the top or bottom of the screen. The next entry toggles between the text and icon modes of the quicklaunch bar, and the one following it can be used to disable the quicklaunch bar. The last two entries deal with the taskbar - the first one [like the CTRL+ALT+T hotkey] toggles the display of the taskbar, and the last one can be used to set the task tiles to be displayed in full colour or tinted.
popup config

The popup submenu allows for popup folder arrows & separators to be turned on and off, and adjustment of menu text justification.

VWM switching
As mentioned earlier, the graphical workspace indicator may be used to switch workspaces. There is a highly efficient VWM switching method in addition to that.

Simply throw the mouse pointer into the top-left corner to move one desk to the left, or into the top-right corner to move to the right. In summary:

mouse in top-left corner	move one desktop over to the left
mouse in top-right corner	move one desktop over to the right
click on workspace boxes	move to corresponding desktops

Desktop area management
When the taskbar is displayed, space is reserved at the bottom [or top, depending on bar position] of the screen. When the taskbar is hidden, the hotkey CTRL+ALT+D may be used to toggle between a fullscreen desktop and one in which space is reserved at the bottom [or top] of the screen. 

CTRL+ALT D			toggle desktop area when taskbar is hidden

Hotspots
There are three hotspots - their functions have already been described, but are restated below:

upper left corner		move one desktop over to the left
upper right corner		move one desktop over to the right
bottom right corner		launch tasks popup menu

The hotkey CTRL+ALT+H can be used to disable or enable hotspots [enabled by default]. The state is remembered, so once hotspots are disabled, they remain so until re-enabled via the hotkey. This hotkey setting is defined in simplicity's step.rc file.

Window management and other commands
Hotkey suggestions for a variety of essential system operations have been provided. They can be found in ...\simplicity\config\suggested_hotkeys.rc. These are merely suggestions for LiteStep hotkeys - they are not required by simplicity.

CTRL+ALT U			open 'Run' dialog box
CTRL+ALT E			edit step.rc
CTRL+ALT R			recycle LiteStep
CTRL+ALT LEFT			move one desktop over to the left
CTRL+ALT RIGHT			move one desktop over to the right
ALT LEFT			move active window one desktop left
ALT RIGHT			move active window one desktop right
CTRL W				minimize windows
CTRL+SHIFT W			restore windows

history

 introduction compatibility installation usage misc 
1.2, March 1, 2002
-------------------------
- fixed a bug with the popup separator toggle script
- slightly increased the popup width


1.1, February 15, 2002
-------------------------
- fixed bug with desktop area settings
- adjusted desktop area settings to allow window borders to show
- upgraded to rainmeter 0.6
- textual workspace indicator now uses !TasksRestore and !TasksMinimize
  instead of !RestoreWindows and !MinimizeWindows since the latter
  commands are unreliable
- added CTRL+ALT+H hotkey to disable/enable hotspots
- replaced grdtray with systray [grdtray needs to be updated for newer builds]
- updated to work with the newest builds [still works on older ones too ;) ]


1.0, January 6, 2002
-------------------------
- initial release

misc

 introduction compatibility installation usage history

Window metrics
Unfortunately there's no easy way to disseminate information on Window metrics [size of scrollbar, title bar, etc.] so I'll just mention the key values:

item				size
-------------------------	----------
Active Title Bar		18
Active Title Bar		18
Menu				18
Scrollbar			14

The title bar font is 8pt. Verdana [Western].

Colour settings
Most of you probably just leave syscolour enabled and change colours via the popup menu. If you would like to disable syscolour and control your colour changes manually, 3D colour changer files are available in the ...\misc\3DCC directory.