Talisman Desktop 2.71 Desktop manager and shell replacement for Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP (C) Lighttek Software 1997-2004 http://www.lighttek.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents ============================ Description Features New in version 2.71 Installing the program Updating the program Installing as default shell Uninstalling the program Starting Protection Paying Distribution terms Disclaimer of warranty Description ============================ Using "Talisman", you can build any interface for your computer. "Talisman" hides the standard desktop of Windows. You create and add almost any type of object to the Talisman desktop, and attach any type of internal Talisman commands or run any application. Objects (which can be either visible or invisible) can be programmed to react to mouse clicks or mouse movements. You can also add background pictures to the desktop and add sounds to different events. All settings and pictures are stored in a theme file. You can even make more than one theme and use objects with links to go from one theme to another. You can use Talisman as your default shell instead the Windows Explorer. Talisman has its own startup ,system tray, taskbar and startmenu procedures. Features: ============================ · Creating multilevel user defined desktops · Use of any number of pictures of any type or dimension, instead of standard icons. · Place, free-moving and imposing of objects in the Talisman workspace. · All objects can run external programs or internal shell commands by one click of the mouse. · Any number of forms (screens) in one theme. Any screen object can be set to switch from one form to another. · You can create a set of independent themes, and store them on any disk in the local computer or on a local area network. · You can easily switch between different themes through your own objects or through the Talisman menu. · The Built-in Object Editor allows the creation, modification and removal of any element in a theme. · Large number of basic elements (forms, pictures, buttons of different types,text blocks, HTML, Flash objects, clocks, calendars and other) · Customizable system tray, taskbar and clock. · Sound support for all events. · Applications menu, Task menu, Theme menu, Foldermenu, Run, Find, Desktop, ControlPanel, Network, Dialup, Documents and other internal commands. · Script language. · Plugins. New in Talisman Desktop 2.71 ====================== 1. Added "myvideo", "mymusic" commands to open appropriate folders. 2. Added "run_winamp", "run_psp", "run_coreldraw" commands to start Winamp (versions 1/2/5), PaintShop Pro 8, CorelDraw (all versions). 3. Added alteros.ico, winamp.ico and photoshop.ico in the shared icons folder. 4. Fixed different small bugs. New in Talisman Desktop 2.7 ====================== 1. OnTop forms. Version 2.7 can show any form as a window. Forms can be showed as a Normal window or as a TopMost window. Use the commands "ShowTopForm " and "ShowTopMostForm ". OnTop forms have some limitations: - right-click menu, dragging and other editing functions are disabled in such forms. - the program can't show 2 different ontop forms simultaneously. 2. Support of 32bit ICL files. New icons32.icl library for the main menu of Talisman. You can edit such libraries and place them in your themes folders - the icons in the main menu will be changed automatically. 3. Updated Talisman Object Editor (TOE). 4. Support of dragging in the Talisman Object Editor (TOE). 5. New "Analog Clock" object. New *.TCLOCK file format for Analog Clock object. TCLOCK supports alpha-channel, bitmap digits, time zones. TCLOCK files can be dragged into the Talisman workspace and the program will create a new clock immediately. TCLOCK files can be created and edited directly in Talisman Object Editor. 6. New *.TSHAPE file format for shape object. TSHAPE is a scalable picture that can be used for filling of shapes, forms and desktops in Talisman instead BMP and JPEG tiling or stretching. TSHAPE files can be dragged into Talisman workspace and the Talisman will create a new shape immediately. TSHAPE files can be created and edited in a separate program "Talisman Shape Builder". Talisman Shape Builder is available for free downloading from http://www.lighttek.com/developer.htm. 7. New "Calendar" object. New *.TCAL file format for Calendar object. TCAL files can be dragged into Talisman workspace and the Talisman will create a new calendar immediately. TCAL files can be created and edited directly in Talisman Object Editor. 8. New "Shadow" property for Text objects. 9. New "Shadow" property for text label in Button objects. 10. Fixed bug of using "&" separator in menus. 11. Multiple *.TLST files for List objects. Now you can create any number of *.TLST files and switch them by "tobject
..listpath=yourfile.TLST" commands. 12. New "drives" option for List object. List object with such path will show all drives except floppy drives. 13. New "control" option for List object. List object with such path will show all Control Panel items. 14. New "trbe.exe" plugin allows to use the standard Talisman installation for old Windows95 and WindowsNT4 systems without updates. 15. New commands "sizeform3" and "sizeform4" allow to resize forms to left and to top. 16. Added a minimal value of form resizing: 4 pixels. 17. New command to start/stop AnalogClock objects: "tobject clocks..enable=<1/0>" 18. New "DrawEx " command allows drawing of any picture on desktop using X,Y coordinates and Align property. 19. New shared "Objects" folder with clocks/shapes/calendars files. 20. New theme: World Time Panel. 21. New original icons in shared ../talisman/icons/ folder. 22. New "48x48 icon + text" preset for List objects. 23. Other changes. Installing the program: ============================ - If you work in shell mode of Talisman - switch your shell in standard Windows shell Explorer.exe. - If you need to save your previously installed default Talisman themes ("Default", "WindowsXP" and etc) - copy these themes in other folders. - Install the newest version of Talisman. - If you want Talisman to execute at startup, place a Talisman shortcut in your Startup Directory (c:\windows\start menu\programs\startup). - Read an information about Shell mode of Talisman if you plan to use the Talisman as shell. Updating the program: ============================ - If you work in shell mode of Talisman - switch your shell in standard Windows shell Explorer.exe. - If you need to save your previously installed default Talisman themes ("Default", "WindowsXP" and etc) - copy these themes in other folders. - Install the newest version of Talisman over your previously installed version. Installing as default shell =========================== At first please read the" What to do if the system will not startup with Talisman as the shell?" before installing Talisman as your default shell! To start Talisman as default shell: --------------------------------------------- Select "Shell Switcher" in MainMenu>Settings to switch between shells (Talisman and Explorer). Press "Switch shell..." button and press Ok. Computer will be restarted with selected shell. Notes for multiuser configuration of Windows2000/XP: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To have possibility to use different shells for different users you have to login as Administrator (or user with Administrator rights) and switch shells with Shell Switcher at least once. Talisman will make all necessary changes in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key of your register. These initial changes are available only from Administrator (or user with Administrator rights) account. After that you can use Shell Switcher to switch shells from any user account. Uninstalling the program: ============================ If you want to uninstall Talisman, use the Control Panel's "Add/Remove Programs." Please do not uninstall Talisman in the shell mode of Talisman. Return your shell in explorer.exe (useTalisman Shell Switcher ) and only then uninstall Talisman from the standard Windows shell. Starting: ============================ Start Talisman.exe from Windows environment (by double click in Explorer for example). PAYING ============================ We accept the following types of payment: Credit card, Fax, Phone, Mail, Cash. On payment approval we'll send you the registration key which will remove all limitations of unregistered version. To purchase the program point your browser to the following URL and follow instructions onscreen: https://secure.element5.com/register.html?productid=133413 or https://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=1333-4 The fee for registered version of Talisman is: $25.00 Distribution terms: ============================ Talisman may be distributed freely in its original unmodified and unregistered form. The distribution must include all files in the original distribution. Distributors may not charge any money for it, while they may charge money for the medium (online-time, CD-ROM, etc.). If you like to bundle Talisman with other programs, goods, services, etc. you are selling in a registered form please feel free to contact us at: http://www.lighttek.com/support.htm to figure out the conditions. Disclaimer of warranty: ============================ This software is sold "as is" and without warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various software and hardware environments into which this program may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.